The manicurist is highly skilled and exceptionally proficient. Unlike other nail salons, there is no rapid or overly forceful handling that could damage the nail surface or the skin at the base of the nail. read more

Kaen Beauty Design Studio - This is the result after five days, and it looks fantastic. - Nail Salons Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

This is my first time walking into a nail salon and requesting for a specific design. Kaori was able to replicate and blend the two designs I provided her. I am very happy with the end results. Only giving 4 stars because some of the bio-gel didn't go right to the edge of my nails and the thickness consistency around the jewels were different. read more

Kaen Beauty Design Studio - Example photos I provided Kaori of what I wanted. - Nail Salons Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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I would definitely come back here for manicures, but not so much haircuts. I've only had my nails done here once and that was back in 2014. I had a couple haircuts here and they weren't my favourite. Needless to say they are better equipped and specialized with mani-pedis. I absolutely love their bio-sculpture gel, not hard on the nails and make your nails healthy in the process. I came about 15 minutes early to my appointment but I was attended on right away. I looked through their Instagram account before hand so I already knew what kind of design I wanted. I decided on a galaxy theme with the bio-sculpture gel. I didn't get Yasushi (although I really wanted to), but my nail artist was just as good as replicating exactly what I wanted. When preparing my nails, it hurt when she cut my cuticles but I think that's normal for me because it's been a while since I got my nails done (bearable pain). Unfortunately before this appointment, my middle finger nail was peeling from the edge and about 2/4 off the base of my nail. I didn't want to cut it because I wanted to keep the length, and my technician applied hard gel to the nail to prevent it from breaking off. I really appreciated that and my broken nail doesn't look broken anymore. The only downside to this place is the price. Yeah the artists are good and the quality of your nails are great, but in the end it is way to pricey. When I was picking out the gems to put on my nails, I saw the price of each gem and for one star its $3! I have about 6 stars in total on both of my hands which adds to another $18. Bio-gel is only $60 at the starting point, but it gets more expensive the more intricate your design is. However, I am very happy with my nails and they look very unique. It was my birthday which was why I decided to treat myself, so I probably will only come back when I want to pamper myself! read more

Kaen is bar none one of the top nail salons in Vancouver. I was looking for a nail tech that could actually do more complex work. I've been disappointed many times. Having tried about 10 different places over the last few years. A friend suggested I try Kaen. The ladies who work there take great pride in their work. They do a near perfect job. They are sweet and friendly too. Very typical Japanese precision and quality. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable. Every time I have left very satisfied. They are slightly more expensive, but it's well worth it. Your nails last a long time, look amazing, and they maintain the health of your natural nails by using bio gel. I'll be continuing to go there and trying out new and unique designs. read more

Kaen Beauty Design Studio - My gorgeous nails done at Kaen beauty salon by Kaori - Nail Salons Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

i've been going here for a while, or what seems like quite a few visits to finish a punch card for nails. They are the only ones I have been going to for mine. They're so creative, never fail to amaze you and get you in touch with your girly side. Everything is pink, fuzzy, floral etc. If you haven't seen their work..good grief you have a lot of googling to do. People do enquire how much I spend each time I'm there, they're usually left stunned, but at the same time, I'll have this artwork on my nails for a good month and a bit. You get what you pay for.. :D read more

I searched high and low for a place that does Japanese thermal straightening for a reasonable price (under $200) and I found it at Kaen. The place is tricky to find because it's upstairs from a little Japanese market on Robson. The salon is really modern and clean. You can look out the window at the greenery. Very relaxing atmosphere (check out the web site for a couple pics) http://www.kaenvancouver.com/ My stylist was skilled and friendly but did not speak English fluently. Didn't really prove to be much of an issue though because she understood everything I was saying just fine. The price of the straightening included a shampoo, cut and dry/style so it was an excellent value. She even told me that next time I can opt for the cheaper non-thermal straightening option because my hair isn't too stubborn or wavy. You don't hear that very often at all. My straightening was perfect and held up until it all grew out. It made getting ready so much easier. Oh and the price was at least 50% cheaper than every other place I checked (usually $400). read more

Went to get my bridal nails done from yasushi... picked a random nail design from Google and he made it even better! I got so many compliments on my nails and here we are 2 1/2 weeks later and they still look great! Was pretty pricey but totally worth it! read more

Kaen Beauty Design Studio - Nail Salons Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

5 star for the nail salon 2 star for the hair salon I came here for nails at first. And then I noticed they also have hair salon and decided to try it next time. The nail stylist was very professional. I chose a hard drawing style from the magazine, I was worried she might not be able to do it. However it turns out to be amazing!Yay My nails were too short for the stone arrangement in the magazine. So she made some rearrangements and turned out to be very pretty! Went to their hair salon the following week. Unfortunately I'm not a fan. I explained how I want my hair cut to the hair stylist. The girl seemed to know what I wanted, and showed me some pictures in a magazine to make sure that she understood my request correctly. It really seemed that she will make everything right. But....my hair bangs turns out to be awful..... I hate it......It is definitely not the style that she pointed out in the magazine...... I don't think this was caused by miscommunication..... read more

I've been to so many nail salons in Vancouver but always end up coming back to Kaen. Yasushi is literally amazing at what he does and is super attentive. He takes his time and isn't harsh or rough on my nails. They don't talk much while working which I love, as getting nails done is my relaxing time. EXTREME ++++ He is clean and will wipe down EVERYTHING immediately after use. He will also give you your nail file to keep. This is especially important and appreciated as I have gotten nail fungus on my nails AND toenails too many times to count at other salons. My nails usually last anywhere form 3-4 weeks and they grow amazingly long. I've never seen my nails so strong and long in my life! Salon is a bit tight with space, but I highly recommend Yasushi at Kaen and super glad I have found an extraordinary salon in this city! read more

Atmosphere: A bit cramped feeling. Definitely cozy. 3 Mani stations and 1 temporary pedi station. Half the studio is used for hair salon. 3 hair chairs and 2 washing stations in a small studio. Decor: cute chandelier. Trophies adorn the higher shelves on the nail salon side. Artistry: Yasushi is patient and careful. He listens to my inspirations and understands what I am looking for and I entrust him with his ideas and expertise. read more

Really enjoyed my experience here. I got bio gel and nail art done to my nails and they look amazing. I loved the attention to detail and how careful my nail tech was. I'm really happy with results - you get what you pay for! read more

Kaen Beauty Design Studio - Holographic nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I came here with a specific design in mind, they turned out absolutely amazing! I couldn't be happier and will continue to always come back here read more

Kaen Beauty Design Studio - Nail Salons Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Yasushi helped me do my nails and he was very attentive in doing the design that I was looking for. The staff was friendly and made sure there was attention given to each customer. Definitely recommend coming! read more

Kaen Beauty Design Studio - Yasushi helped me do my nails and he was very attentive in doing the design that I was looking for. Definitely recommend coming! - Nail Salons Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Oh baby! Gettin' down and dirty right now with my blond Japanese hairdresser as she expertly applies Super Straight solution onto my mass of curls. For all you strangers to the dark world of frizzy, curly hair, it's Japanese hair straightening. Also known in other circles as thermal straightening or rebonding. Fun, funky salon tucked in a generic looking Downtown Vancouver building. Best way to find it is to look for Guu on Thurlow, they're right beside each other. I'm parked all day for $15 at a parkade (that's at the same building as Samba's Steakhouse)...I know, I know. I could have easily gotten off the Burrard Skytrain and walked two blocks from there. Two of them are now blowdrying my hair in the most relaxing way ever. Which is great because rebonding takes about 3.5 hours. While we're on this subject, let me profess my love for Japanese hairdressers. They're so tiny yet strong, exuding a quiet confidence as they painstakingly work on changing your hair molecules. Mine even thanked me three times after washing my hair (process includes about 3 trips to the wash station), as if I was doing her a favor for sitting pretty in my uber comfy four layer wrap. You go into a cocoon-like state with the layers of "dress robes" and towels they drape over you, to make sure nothing ever gets on your clothes or skin. Fast forward. Great results as expected, my hair is sleek, shiny and oh so glorious. I would give them four stars but I found out at the end that they were charging me $220 + tax + tip, instead of the $185 advertised on their website. They do advertise it as $185 AND UP but I only had my roots retouched (or so I thought) and they explained that they did the whole length of my hair, which is fair enough. However, had I known I'd be paying the same price as Hive Hair Spa, I would have gone there instead for FREE PARKING, POCKY STICKS AND A HEAD/NECK/ARM MASSAGE included with a straightening session. Damn. Anyway, the real verdict won't come in until after I wash my hair (two days later) and when regrowth happens (normally 8 months but at Hive, I was already seeing roots at 4 months). The regrowth depends on the strength of the solution so disregard this if you don't have Asian hair because you don't want a particularly strong solution anyway. read more

I brought my niece in special to get spa manicures done on Saturday. She got regular nail polish and I paid extra to get Biosculpture. Her polish was put on so thick it hadn't cured even 4 hours later and just peeled off. Mine looked great but within 3 days the polish on one nail just popped off, followed very soon by another. I'm just very disappointed that I spent SO much money on what was supposed to be something of a luxury experience and it was a total waste. read more

Kaen Beauty Design Studio - Polish on 2 nails popped off within 4 days of biosculpture manicure - Nail Salons Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Absolutely amazing!!! I used to go to glam nail studio to get my nails done and I did love it but their hours just didn't work for me so on the advice of a friend I made an appointment here with her. We both got the biogel nails and a pedicure and man do I ever love my nails!!! I wanted minions on them....yes from despicable me and showed my male nail tech (never got his name but he was so super nice and let me know the cost of everything before he did it) a pic he said no problem and informed me of the price beforehand my nails look better than any pic I found on the internet he did an absolutely amazing job!!! I will 100% be back here for all of my fills...but beware their ac doesn't work so I was sweating the whole time and its very tiny so not good for large groups of ppl at once. read more

Kaen Beauty Design Studio - Nail Salons Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Kaen is the only place I'll go to have my nails done! I always choose the BioSculpture manicure, which is expensive but completely worth it. The selection of colours is vast and the quality, skill and level of artistry of the nail artists at Kaen is unparalleled. Kaen's artists (I've been with Kaori, Momo and Kei - they're all great) are extremely careful and the level of their attention to detail is incredible. They take their time (usually you can count on being there for about 90 minutes), but you walk out with beautiful nails. They have lots of Japanese nail art magazines and photo albums of their own work (also check out their Facebook page) if you need a little inspiration. My manicures regularly last me at least three weeks, and the Bio helps my nails grow long and strong. Making an appointment is a total must - call at least a few days in advance to avoid disappointment. If you like getting your nails done, go and get ready to get lots of compliments...you won't regret it! read more

I couldn't get in at my own salon this week and was in desperate need of a gel polish fill, so decided to head out and try a different place! I have been meaning to come by Kaen as I am half Japanese and hear they have great Japanese techs, and I always like to practice my speaking... When I arrived, the lady at front desk offered me a seat and soon after gave me a typical form to fill out. Within 5 minutes, my nail tech came to greet me and led me over a few steps to the manicure table where we would be. The initial decor is very drab, nothing special to look at - but I suppose that doesn't matter when you're getting great nails... My natural nails are pretty weak as I am always someone's nail model at work, and so when the nail tech was removing my gel polish, it was quite painful. She was very firm and fast with the removal, so I didn't want to complain. I just let her know that my nails are weak. After the removal process, she cleaned up my cuticles and filed the shape to square (as they were already pretty short). She confirmed with me that the shape was good, and I agreed. I then looked closely after and realized it wasn't actually straight, but again, I didn't want to complain so I left it. I didn't quite know what design to get, so I searched on instagram for some interesting nail art. I finally decided on a nude nail with some white diamond nail art and blinged out feature nail. The white diamond nail art could have been a little more perfect looking, as when I was looking up close, the lines looked a little shaky. The job was not perfect (which is what I want after paying almost $100 with tax/tip/nail art add-ons!) but I left somewhat happy... and glad I finally got to try out this very popular nail salon! read more

This place has moved to 846 Thurlow St. (604.696.6080). I haven't been to the new location yet but I went several times to the old location and they are amazing! Well, I should say HE is amazing :) Plus, the prices are very reasonable for the nail art and bio-gel. They have other services here (ie. full hair salon) but I only ever went for nail art/bio gel. read more

I was in from out of town and just got an incredible nail art experience from yumiko (yumi). I was initially hesitant to come because I was concerned they didn't have enough flamboyant art. Boy was I wrong! They were fabulous. It was honestly one of the best nail experiences I've had in my life -- thank you for my glitterful leopard print blinged out hand! read more

My nails looked nice when I left, but they always popped off after a week. Really hard to get appointments as they don't really speak English. read more

Absolute perfection on their nail services. They can do the most simplest to the most difficult of designs. Anything your heart desires. But make sure you know ahead of time that they charge a very premium price for this perfection. You get what you pay for!!! read more

Found this place on a walk-by - their sandwich board caught my attention. I like pedicures done the old-fashioned way with a soaker bowl as the lack of sanitization of massage/pedi chairs scares the bajeezus out of me. This place doesn't have a massage/pedi chair in sight. Initial impression is tranquil and spa-like in chocolate brown colours. I was greeted immediately and told to pick out my nail colour from 3-4 long shelves of nail colours. OPI is popular as well as another brand I was unfamiliar with. Team work was obvious here. An employee brought a large glass bowl of water for my foot soak while the woman working on me was removing the old polish on my toes. As someone else posted, words are few in this place. It's as quiet as a pin drop and the employees aren't big on conversation which is fine. I wasn't asked what shape I would like my toenails or if I'd like them trimmed shorter. As a matter of fact, I wasn't asked a single thing except to select the polish colour. The real negative here was the fact that for $37.80 (without tip), I feel all I received was a polish change. The foot filing was done with a disposable nail file! I have never ever seen a foot filing done with that disposable tool. Obviously it wouldn't do the type of foot filing job I was expecting to receive - one that would remove all the dead skin from my heels and feet. There was a professional stainless steel foot file in sight so why she didn't use that is beyond me. There was also no foot or calve massage. There was no cream offered to rub on my feet. As a matter of fact, I didn't see anything in the shop that would suggest they stock anything that a professional pedicure would offer: Gehwol or similar. The day after my "pedicure" my feet were rough. I ended up using my own Diamancel foot files to file my feet and apply my own Gehwol cream at night. This place is obviously known for it's nail art and the embellishments that they do so impressively. However, if you're looking for a simple nail polish application, I would go elsewhere. read more

Got the biogel nails as they said it would last 3+ week and i was going on vacation. Unfortunately within a week 4 nails already started chipping/lifting. Had to have it all removed. It was expensive so i expected it to last longer. read more

This is the best place to get your nails done! Meg was fantastic and it's the only place I'll go! Thank you!

I have been to this salon back in 2012 for their japanese hair straightening and the stylist did a great job on my hair but when I went back this year for them to do it again but the stylist that I had before is already gone so I got a new stylist this time, she did such a horrible job on my long and curly (without chemical) hair. I am so disappointed!!! I won't recommend this place for a japanese hair straightening. read more

friendly staff and excellent service, 100% would recommend but just call in advance to make an appointment

Amazing. I had Japanese hair straightening there, she was so patient and skilful. I highly recommend this salon for hair straitening.

*Updated* I had Japanese hair straightening done at Kaen on Saturday, and I have to say I'm not as impressed as I thought I'd be given all of the awesome reviews. The main hair stylist who worked on my hair was amazing. She took her time, straightened everything in the direction it grew, and gave me a beautiful hair cut on top of the deal. If she had been the only stylist working on my hair, Kaen definitely would have gotten 5 stars, and IF I can ensure that she will be the only stylist to work on my hair in the future, I will consider using Kaen again. That said, there was a second hair stylist helping her to straighten my hair, and she made me uncomfortable. She kept leaving in the middle of a strand to do other tasks, and was generally distracted. I have chemical burns on the base of my scalp from the thioglycolate where she was working. The sections of my hair that she worked on are not entirely straight. Plus, at the roots, she straightened the hair out from my head instead of down, so it's not lying entirely flat. Luckily (except for my scalp!!), she was only working on the under-layers of my hair. To be frank, I'm a bit annoyed that the second stylist was working on my hair at all, if she didn't really know what she was doing. Which she evidently didn't. It did, after all, cost me $280 to get this done. When I had my hair straightened in Taiwan, it ended up dead straight, so I know it isn't my hair causing the waves. Plus I didn't end up with burns on my scalp. Hope this helps! :) read more

I went in with high expectations because I saw the great reviews and their nail gallery looks great. I brought in reference/inspiration photos of the water colour style nail art I wanted done in the biosculpture gel. I'm aware this is a less common style so I told my nail artist that if she can't do it, I have other designs that I'm interested in. She waffled a bit, asked her boss/teacher about technique, but said it was ok. While she did take time and care doing my nails, my nails look nothing like the water colour design I asked. I was rather disappointed but just paid and left and didn't bother complaining as she clearly did her best. Personally, if I'm going to shell out for nail designs, I'm going to pick harder designs I can't do myself. I wish she would've just said that she was sorry she couldn't do that design and done one of my simpler nail requests instead. While I would've been sad, I was totally ok with doing something else. Also on day 3, one of my gels started lifting. Regardless of lifting, my nails are still strong, don't snag on hair/clothes, and there's no chipping. So while quality of materials used and salon cleanliness are good, I'm going to try out another salon to get my fancy nail designs done. read more