You would have noticed that over the past few months the majority of my salon reviews have been on salons located in downtown Manhattan or Jersey City. I am sure this phase will pass (please tell me it will) of having no time and I mean no time to venture out to get my nails done now that I am a new Mom to a 5-month-old.
That being said it has been amazing to witness firsthand the distinct difference between the salons from either side of the Hudson. For one I was surprised that the cost to get your nails done in Downtown Jersey City is almost double what you pay in Manhattan yet the quality and service is on par. It’s also no surprise that the salons in Jersey City are more spacious and tend to be a little stricter on hygiene. Most of the salons I visited, including Floris Spa and Nail, used a new packet of tools for each client and were very clean. It could be the reason they charge more or just simply because they are different states, I haven’t managed to work out the price discrepancies yet. If anyone has any ideas please email me or comment below.
The day I found Floris Spa & Nail was one of those melt the make-up off your face days, you know when it is so hot that the last place you want to be is outside. I was on my way to our friends wedding, which was to be held outside, and my nails were a disaster (think hangnails, odd shapes – you get my drift). As we know I wouldn’t be seen dead with such horrendous looking fingers and toes, especially going to a wedding. I entered the quiet and rather large salon and was impressed with their selection of high quality polishes that greeted me. They had the typical Essie and OPI range but also included Zoya polishes, which I love because they last so long. After asking the host if they had time to do my fingers and toes at the same time (you know me, always on a time crunch) I chose a rich red Zoya polish – Alix for my pedicure, and pinky tone Chantal for my manicure. I had 45 minutes as my husband was watching our little cherub so I sat back and closed my eyes for a moment while they worked their magic. The massage chair lulled me into a trance like state, although it could have also been the relaxing foot massage or the 3 hours of broken sleep the night before. My nail technicians were meticulous and transformed my fingers and toes to wedding worthy perfection. They could tell I wanted some peace so worked quietly and only spoke when I asked a question (as you know it is a rarity for me to not talk nonstop… oh dear sleep deprivation was indeed taking its toll). The salon had just opened for the day, hence the quietness. As I looked around I noticed they also had a small hair salon off to the side, I made a mental note to book in for a blowout in the future. Overall, I was impressed with the quality of this salon, the friendly service and their hygiene. Next time I might add on a hot stone massage.
Until next time,
Ruth
FLORIS SPA AND NAIL – 47 Grand Street, Jersey City
• Ambience: relaxing, quiet and spacious
• Cleanliness of salon: clean
• Polish: Pedicure: Zoya’s ‘Alix’and Manicure Zoya’s ‘Chantal’ (Retails $9)
• Polish job & chip factor: Fabulous polish job. My toes lasted 3 weeks and fingers 6 days
• Brands they stock: Essie, OPI, CND and Zoya
• Color range: Extensive color range
• Customer engagement: Friendly and professional
• Price range: Manicure $12, French Manicure $17, Spa Pedicure $25, French pedicure $30 and mani and pedi $35
