Smudge Nail Bar

Smudge is a convenient place to get my nails done and I like how clean everything is. The nail techs are all very nice and talented. However, Tristan, the owner, who is usually there, has a terrible attitude that dominates the environment. He’s super rude to his staff, which is such a turn off. It’s uncomfortable to be around. And, even though I have been a regular since Smudge opened, he has always been a bit dismissive of me. Not that it should matter, but, I’m usually running into Smudge after a yoga class or in between errands — so not very glammed up. I get the distinct sense that he doesn’t view me as «worthy» of his attention. After reading some of the other reviews, I see this is a trend. So odd — I’ve truly never felt this way and quite frankly, I don’t know why I’ve put up with it! There are plenty of quality nail salons in Newton with talented people and lovely owners — no need to be in an environment with such a bad vibe! My last visit will definitely be my last visit.

I have to give Smudge big props. I was in the area for an appointment and decided to get a manicure before heading into work. I had Tan work on me, she was very sweet and so thorough. She patiently worked on my cuticles and cleaned them up really well. My nails looked clean, shiny, and looked great for a week. I try to be dainty with a manicure, but it’s just not my nature. I love getting them, but polish typically starts to knick within a day. I’ve only had two manicures that are not gel that are memorable, and this was the second one. She painted right to the cuticles, and underneath the nail, and the polish just stayed on forever. I’m sorry to take this polish today, on day 11, but it’s now starting to look like it’s time. I’ll be back once I’m in the area again!

Even though it says on their site you can make an appointment online (DON’T) as it NEVER gets to them… I learned this the hard way when I showed up on Sat. for my 11am appt and they had no record of it (I did get confirm via email so go figure). Anyway, I was VERY impressed with how clean the salon was, how all instruments were sterilized and no odors. Had a manicure with Pauline who was very friendly and did a fantastic hand massage, followed by warm towel which was so relaxing and all in all a great experience. Definitely recommend !!

Really clean facility and friendly staff. Massage and overall care of the nails are very gentle, which I prefer. Street parking is available

Very nice nail salon, clean, simple and super friendly employees. Moderately priced and my manicure looks great. Would recommend.

Super nice. I didn’t use their services, refuse to pay those prices. Sister went… plenty of regulars, and first «white «people I’ve ever seen doing nails! Woman came in for a donation for an event… nice people.

It was Sunday and my nails needed some attention. After reading many reviews this place fit the bill for being clean with pretty decent reviews.
I called for an appointment and was asked if I could come in an hour earlier than requested… Okay, fine, «yes I could do that,» because let’s be serious, I was just loafing around my apartment anyway.
The place is indeed very clean and the pedicure itself was nice. I wish the tech had spent more attention to scrubbing my feet. She asked if I wanted a «callous treatment» but I didn’t know if that was some sneaky add-​on to the already pricey $ 35. I opted out and scrubbed my heels with my own pumice stone later in the day. Basically no foot massage. I was out of there in 35 minutes (including 10 min drying time).
Fine for one pedicure but wouldn’t go back. There was nothing terrible but the price left me wanting more.
Takes credit cards. I believe cash tips? At least that is what I did.

I have so many great things to say about this place! First of all, it is pristine and very comfortable. I am very picky, and I can surprisingly say I have NEVER had a bad experience here. I have had regular and gel manicures and regular and June Jacobs pedicures. All services have been great.
Every technician who works at Smudge is personable, talented, and meticulous. They take real pride in their work, and I get a lot of compliments on my nails. While the color selection isn’t massive, I have learned that this is because the owner is very selective about the brands he carries. However, there are still plenty of colors to choose from. The fact that he would rather have the best polishes instead of a huge spread of sub-​par ones says a lot! Smudge is all about quality.

I’ll keep it short and sweet. I got a fungus under both of my big toe nails from a pedicure here!!! My toe nails are turning black… I would avoid it here at all costs.

This place is swanky — porcelain bar, cool walls, and well-​placed vases galore. I came in to get my nails done and I’m happy to say that this was just about the gentlest manicure I’ve ever had. I’m so used to getting all bruised up from nail techs cutting my cuticles, so seeing how gentle they were here really helped me relax. Everything is squeaky clean (as can be deduced by the schpiel they give every customer) and they use nail-​drying fans instead of lights. That said, the giant drying fan is seriously cold. It might be nice in the summer but this is New England we’re talking about. The other 9 months I prefer my fingers toasty and warm.
The main thing that’s keeping me from getting super enthusiastic right now is the price and the quality of the manicure for that price. At $ 18 a pop, I’m expecting my nails to look drop-​dead perfect for a while, and this wasn’t the case here. One of my nails was already starting to chip the next day and looking closely I noticed that the layering on the polish was pretty visible. Neither is really visible from a few feet away, but as I said, the manicure was expensive. I’d be lying if I said I’m not just a little bit disappointed.

Just left smudge and can’t be any happier… AND THIS IS COMING FROM AN ACTUAL NAIL TECH.
First off… Why is a nail tech going to another place to get her nails done? Well long story short, I have an 11 month old boy and didn’t have time to go all the way to boston (where I work) in this freezing weather to get a pedi for my trip that I’m leaving for Monday!
Okay so I came in for a pedicure and luckily I had a pleasure of having Tristan (I think that was his name) as my tech. I work in this industry so when it comes to customer service I know how things should and should not be and let me tell you… That was one heck of customer service! Tristan was very personable and funny yet still very very professional. He was very thorough and diligent with my cuticles as I am type 1 diabetic. I felt very comfortable with him even though he was the first male to ever given me a pedicure. So ladies of you’re reading this don’t feel awkward at all having a guy like him doing your nails!
Now, let’s talk about the cleanliness!!! What! They use hospital grade sanitizing equipment for their tools!!! The place also looks pretty darn clean but not too white so you don’t feel like you’re in a hospital. Being type 1 diabetic our feet are very sensitive and more prone to infections so the fact that they do not reuse files or buffers and they actually autoclave their tools just already gives them a ⁴⁄₅ stars in by book!
Will def be going back and only place I’m going to (other than work of course!).

What I give them the most credit for is that they use generally safe pedi tubs (really cool ones I had never seen before) and also autoclave all of their tools. They claim they give away their files, but I didn’t get mine. I sincerely doubt they reuse them. I always enjoy feeling «clean» in a salon… despite the floor.
The girl who did my nails was very sweet and did a very good job. Even more, the techs were all from different backgrounds and all spoke English in front of the customers, which is important because it creates a more inclusive atmosphere.
The pricing is not cheap, but you’re going to get a great, clean manicure. They also carry Butter and Londontown nail polish and will do specific manis/​pedis for those brands. Impressive.

This is by far my favorite nail salon, sorry I meant nail bar that I’ve ever been to. :) Not only is it clean but customer service here is top notch. You can tell that Tristan, the owner, takes great pride in this place as well as in his employees. For all first time customers, Tristan will take the time to explain his philosophy about his salon. I love that they don’t push other service onto you. however, they will inform you the pros and cons about things but never push any service on to you.
My favorite manicurist/​pedicurist is Pauline — I love her! She’s the best in my opinion. She always takes her time with both my mani and pedi. I never feel rushed and she doesn’t hesitate to tell me when I need to give my nails a rest from shellac polish as to not damage my nail beds which I really appreciate. My shellac nails usually lasts between 2 ½ to 3 weeks. I knew she was a keeper when my non-​shellac french pedicure lasted for over 3 weeks without a chip! :)
I would highly recommend this place to anyone. and once you come here you won’t want to go anywhere else. Now, I only wish they open one like this on the west coast as I’m headed back that way… but for sure, I’ll be coming back here to get my nails done every time I’m back on the East coast.

I admit, I am not the easiest to please when it comes to a manicure. I notice everything. Not to mention if I feel rushed, I will most likely not be returning. When I tried out the Smudge Bar before a Pilates class around the corner, I was skeptical. There wasn’t a huge variety of nail polish options (which is the only reason I am not giving 5 stars). The majority of colors available were only OPI, and I am an Essie kind of girl.
Anyway, Tracey was the one who gave me my manicure. She used to own her own nail salon, and even worked as a technician for Mini Luxe. She really took her time and did not cut any corners during my manicure! She shaped my nails perfectly, and I loved how she really made sure the manicure was flawless.
I love how this salon is super clean. Although there are not many colors to choose from, none of the polishes are diluted from nail polish remover. They make sure you get the full value out of your service.
So far, my manicure has lasted a week. Incredible. This is an all time first. I will definitely be coming back and booking with Tracey as soon as I need another manicure!
Thank you so much!

I decided to try nail bar after getting recommended by a friend — I usually go to MiniLuxe but this place was a bit cheaper for a gel mani and since I was in the area I figured, why not?
The color selection is the best thing about this place. Any color of gel nail polish — they’ve got it. But that was about where my luck ran out. After waiting about 10 minutes, a technician came over and started to file and buff my nails and cut down my cuticles. She was a little rough but it took her so long I figured she was just being very thorough. Once she was finished, she left and another technician came to do the gel. Unlike the other customers surrounding me at the bar, I got no massage, probably overlooked in the quick trade off between technicians. The second woman did my gel nails in record time, slapped lotion on my hands and told me I was done.
My nails look fine, although my cuticles are raw and still surprisingly ragged. I will not be going back — for $ 35, I expect much better service. Back to MiniLuxe I go!

Had a nice time in with a friend at the manicure bar on a Monday afternoon… Polite gentlemen did my nails… he was definitely a nail nerd… haha It was all just kind of lost on me… I don’t really care that much about a little acetone, or the effects of the polish types on my nails… prob bc I have nice healthy nails :) I do ‘get it’ though — and if you’re very concerned about the effects of polishes on your nails and/​or the cleanliness of the jets in your foot bath. then this is a good option for you. Very modern décor… and easy to get to… we parked in a meter across the street… but I think I saw parking behind it.

I loved it. Cute place, comfy seats, and clean implements… perfect! Everyone was super friendly and polite. They explained their philosophy on sterile equipment and I was sold. It was quiet today while I was there but it only added to the overall sense of relaxation and calm. It was awesome.

This place is a great alternative to Mini Luxe in Newton Centre. They are similarly focused on cleanliness and good customer service, but lower priced. I’ve gotten pedicures here that were wonderful. My pedicurist/​manicurist was very helpful in selecting colors. They always bring you water if you would like any. The service is very pleasant.
The only complaint I have is that I have a bad back and the manicure chairs are not comfortable at all. If you don’t have a bad back it’s probably fine. I definitely will continue to come here.

I had heard about Tristan’s skills as a manicurist/​pedicurist when he worked in Burlington. I was never able to get in to see him. Then I heard that he had opened Smudge Nail Bar, and visited a week later.
The salon is clean, attractive, and each of the employees I encountered was very pleasant. Jessica explained the Smudge concepts — use of non-​harsh ingredients, and the steps they take to ensure sanitary conditions.
She gave me a very good pedicure, taking her time and focusing on me, unlike many other nail salons where everyone in the shop is greeting customers, and making me wait. There was no doubt she saw me as her priority.
Visit Smudge for a great pedicure!

I am writing about an Amazon Local Deal that I will never, ever use on this place. The customer service is absolutely disgusting, and I would recommend you take your money elsewhere, where they actually treat people with respect.
I called to schedule an appointment for me and my sister for Sunday, May 27^th. I scheduled it weeks in advance. When I realized they I had a wedding to attend that day, I changed the appointment to Tuesday, June 5^th. I changed the appointment no later than 6 days in advance of the reservation (May 21^st — I remember because I called while walking after getting 2 fillings).
Unfortunately, because of a flight cancellation and rebooking, I was forced to change the June 5^th reservation as well. When I called to change the appointment today, again 6 days in advance of the reservation, they told me I was not allowed to change it or cancel it because I had already changed it «4 times before.» I informed them that (1) I had only changed my appointment once, and (2) Nowhere on their voucher or on their website did they state that there was a maximum number of times you could change your appointment. To prove that the appointment had been changed multiple times, they said — and I LITERALLY QUOTE «your mom called, your friend called…» But here’s the thing… MY MOM DIED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
Anyway, after an extremely rude conversation where I am continually trying to understand how my single appointment change warrants a complete refusal to treat me like a person, the guy finally says «You can either keep this appointment or forfeit your voucher.»
Needless to say, I called Amazon Local Deals, who promptly and very nicely refunded me the cost of my voucher. Best return I’ve ever made.