Z Beauty Lounge

I had the most horrifying experience with this salon today. I had an appointment with Tammie and had gotten out early from work for it. I had to drive my sister in law visiting from Houston to the salon. First of all the google maps do not show their address correct. I had the same issue last time. She made me wait last time for an hour but she mentioned she was stuck in traffic and I totally got it. When I was lost and was trying to ask for directions, all she had to say was that she cannot help me with the directions and neither can cut my hair. I was heading there all the way from San Jose but she had no empathy whatsoever for a returning customer. That was one thing if she could not make it that day but having no customer empathy when I had made so much arrangements to make this appointment was totally unacceptable. I recommend not to visit such a place where you are not cared for and people end up wasting your whole hafternoon without feeling sorry about it. The salon did not even pick up the call later to help out

Bought a Groupon for a mani/​pedi here and I definitely understand why they needed to sell Groupons to get people in the door. Like the other reviewer said, it’s in the back of a boutique which was kinda odd. There’s nothing very great about it, the chairs are uncomfortable, a lot of my nails were only halfway painted and I didn’t find the staff to be very nice. With so many other options in the city (even a ton that are cheaper for a better job) I would not go back.

Although Z Beauty Lounge is really part of Azalea, but its poor reviews are bringing down the overall rating of the boutique. I am writing this review for my nail salon experience only.
I purchased one of those discount certificates online and booked an appointment for the Coconut mani/​pedi combo (regularly $ 58). Upon arrival, I checked in with the front desk staff, who then warmly transferred me to the back of the boutique where Z was located.
It’s a bit odd how that there’s a nail salon in the back of a chic boutique. Azalea was having some kind of event going on, so not only was the place packed with shoppers, the loud music also made it not much of a desirable place for a relaxing nail treatment. Would’ve been better if they could at least add a curtain to block off the nail salon from the shopping area; it was awkward that shoppers can see me with my feet up on the stool and getting them scrubbed.
Here’s how the rest of the service went:
1.) Great selection of color (OPI, Essie, Zoya). I was promptly seated at the elevated cushioned chair and meanwhile I flipped through the magazines (lots of current reads). No one offered me anything to drink, which i thought would’ve been standard service to guests at upscale salons.
2.) Hands and feet were soaked in warm water with stones on bowl bottom for decorative purpose. I saw them sprayed the bowls and stones with a disinfectant solution after each use; that was great.
3.) I politely asked to have more of the cuticles to be trimmed on my toes, and my manicurist, not the pedicurist (haha is there such a term?), bluntly told me, «she will, ok. she will’. She sounded a bit annoyed as she said that. At one point, I even heard her mumbled «do mah» in Vietnamese. Strange because I wasn’t even talking to her, and my pedicurist was totally fine with the request. After that, they both slowed down and got more meticulous with the cuticles. Another thing tacky was they keep dabbing water from the bowl onto my nails to re-​wet them as they trim the cuticles. Can’t they just squeeze some more of that cuticle remover onto the nails instead?
3. The pedicure included a brief sugar scrub, after that she squeezed a gel onto the foot file and scrubbed the heels and the ball of feet. Not thoroughly done because it was pretty much rushed through. (Foot file had that disposable stript which was peeled off after each use). Manicure didn’t have add-​ons, and I thought it was an upgraded Coconut mani like it says on the certificate, but instead it’s just a regular mani with a super short massage.
4.) Massages were short (seconds long, not kidding) and lacked pressure; pretty much just a process of rubbing lotion (not warmed, just cheap smelling lotion straight out of a bottle) onto the skin. I can get way better massage at other nail spa for half the price.
5.) I liked the mini fan they use, my nails dried super quick. The mani polish was kind of whack. Although the nails were cut into perfect square shapes, the polish was unevenly layered. Pedi polish came out great, the pedicurist really did a fab. job, and I think it’s going to last well over 2 weeks.
* Tools are washed and place into the UV machine to disinfect after each client.
* Would only go back for the basic mani/​pedi. The upgraded combos are overpriced as the only additional thing they throw on is a scrub for the feet. No special soak, no paraffin, no added minutes of massage or what-​so-​ever. Feels like any plain regular nail job I can get elsewhere for $ 30 or less.
* Less talking amongst the technicians please.