Point: Price Lower Than Expected for Full Service Job

Editor's Note: We will be reviewing nail salons in Bridgewater, Hillsborough, Basking Ridge and Warren, and providing a point/counterpoint argument about our impressions of their manicures and/or pedicures. If you would like to join us on our tour, and provide your own thoughts, e-mail us at audreyl@patch.com or eileen.oldfield@patch.com.

I have never felt so welcomed as I did at this week’s featured nail salon.

This week, Hillsborough Patch editor Eileen Oldfield and I headed to Fox Chase Nail Salon on Washington Valley Road where we were treated to the full rock star effect—and all at a very reasonable price.

Click here for Eileen’s take on Fox Chase Nails.

The salon is in a strip mall near Mt. Horeb Road, and inside it is like stepping into your living room. There are homey paintings on the walls, an appearance of a fireplace [without being on], comfortable chairs, bright colors—just a very comforting place.

We were greeted by Sophia Han, who was the first nail technician in the past few months to actually tell us her name. And we had a nice conversation, as she asked where we work, if we like our jobs and other questions—I felt very welcomed into the salon.

And the service itself was not too shabby either.

The first step was removing the gel polish that I had put on two weeks ago—I didn’t realize what a process it was. It took about 15 minutes before she was able to take it off, and I don’t think I’m going to be getting that again any time soon—despite how well it stayed on.

Then we moved on to the actual manicure, beginning with cutting and filing my nails [after asking if I wanted that done and what shape I wanted]. Then they took care of my cuticles and massaged my hands.

The interesting piece was a paraffin wax treatment, which involves putting your hands in wax, then letting them sit in oven mitts for a few minutes. It’s, well, I guess interesting is the only word for it, but my hands felt very soft when it was done.

And I got a shoulder massage while the wax was setting.

Then it was time for the polish part.

I decided to be a little adventurous this week, and go for the shatter brand that has come out, where you pick one color and put a special polish over that gives the appearance of shattering.

[I remember they had this available in stores when I was about 10 years old, and I tried it—let’s just say, it didn’t quite work].

Anyway, the woman did my nails, but unfortunately we had to redo four of them—apparently when it comes to the shatter polish, if you put too much on, it doesn’t actually shatter.

Oh well, could have happened to anyone.

Once done right, I was pretty impressed with the result and like the effect the polish gives.

Now I was told that the extra work to take the gel polish off [when you’re not putting gel polish on again] and the shatter polish are an additional $5 each. So I was expecting the price would be a little high based on usual prices for manicures.

I was pleasantly surprised when I was charged $22 for the entire job—very impressed and a job more than well done for the price I paid.