Let me start with stating I have never before posted a negative review of a business. Especially…read moreas this review is for a small local shop, I do so now somewhat reluctantly. However, the treatment and (lack of ) customer service I received at Keyport Nails motivates me to report my experience. I went to Keyport Nails for the first time a few days before Christmas. I intended to get a regular-polish manicure, but they suggested gel. Having frequently gotten gel manicures when I lived elsewhere, I agreed to the upgrade/upsell ($40 plus $8 tip for a French mani) figuring my past gels usually lasted at least two weeks, and being holiday season I had several social events to attend. The manicure looked nice and the tech seemed skilled enough. (She did say to me, "don't wash your hands or the polish will come off," which I found odd as I'd never been told that before with a gel manicure. I did take note and manage to go almost the entire afternoon without getting my nails close to water.) Upon arriving at my car after the manicure, I noticed a rough spot on the tip of one nail so I returned and was told it was "skin." (It wasn't.) She filed the tip a little and I left thinking I was happy to find a local nail salon. A day later I noticed that that white tip for which I had returned to the shop had mostly peeled off but figured since I was leaving New Jersey later that day to spend the holiday at my mother's, I'd go to a local salon near her to get it redone. Upon getting out of the car at my mother's, I noticed an entire (different) nail's polish had peeled off (all in one piece). I called Keyport Nails and explained what happened (figuring they would at least offer to redo the two nails when I returned to Keyport the following week), and was told that unless I came back in the next day or two they wouldn't do anything to help me. Even though I explained I was visiting my family for Christmas and there was no way to get back there until after Christmas, the woman I spoke to did a kind of virtual shrugging of her shoulders. Feeling disappointed at the prospect of having two nails unpolished for my festive events, I decided to have both nails fixed the following day at a local place at some unknown cost. However, by next morning ALL of the remaining polish had peeled off in single sheets from both hands. I decided to just live without the polish for Christmastime and go into Keyport Nails after my return on December 29, as they would realize there's no way that properly applied gel polish wouldn't last even a week. When I went in and explained to Keyport Nails that we had spoken previously and in the meantime all the polish had come off, the woman (manager, I presume) responded that some nails don't "take gel" and that must be the case with mine (even though I told her I had had many a gel manicure in my time and never had any experience even close to this) and that it was too many days later (even though I had called before Christmas) and there was nothing she would do about it. What a way to treat a customer! (And one who was prepared, and even mentioned so after treatment, to be a returning one!). I was friendly and calm -- no "Karen" behavior! - in my interaction with her and I was truly shocked by her complete dismissal of me and my wasted $48 for a gel mani that lasted 3 days. Based on other reviews of Keyport Nails, I am generously assuming that my polish-peeling experience was an aberration. Nevertheless, I find no excuse for how I was treated, and that I was basically "blamed" for having the "wrong" kind of nails. Even if that claim were true (clearly it isn't since I've had dozens of gel nails done with no problem), that is no way to treat a customer.

Angel does my gel fill and she does an amazing job every time. I moved from Staten Island and it…read morewas difficult to find a new place that does a good job. My nails never crack or chip. They can last 3-4 weeks. Faith and Helen are also very good. Everyone is really sweet and welcoming. I love this place and will continue to do my nails here. I now moved to Asbury from Hazlet, but still make the drive. It's worth it. Please go here if you want beautiful nails.