New Ownership!! Solar nails is now Passion Nails and Spa! You are in good hands with Passion Nails. Customer service is top notch, the salon is clean, and attention to detail is always a priority. I have been a client of Linda's for years. Linda and her family have always taken such good care of me and whoever I bring to tag along!! read more

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Unfortunately I will not be returning due to several reasons: 1. Im careful when it comes to politics, even though I have my view, I keep them to myself. For this reason I don't want anyone else forcing their veiws on me. The nail salon is the last place I want to go where politics is being displayed through the TV. They are playing Fox news every time I go there. I told them that it was not good to have a news show on that focus on right wing politics because it could offend people, and he did nothing about it. There are so many other neutral channels they could have the tv on besides a one sided news Chanel. 2. After I told him that, he never changed the chanel nor did he talk to me at all during my service. 3. He seemed mad and it showed in my nails, they were different lengths and shapes and too thick. I've had much better service in other salons. It's close to my house and they are never busy, but I'd rather go a few extra miles, pay more and wait to get the service that satisfies me. You get what you pay for. The owner responded to my review by pretty much calling me full pf hate, but as a 40 year salon owner I know that political propaganda does not belong in a salon period!!! I didn't feel like hearing that crap no matter what my veiws were. I would have felt the same if it were CNN. She literally said I have hate in my heart and that is so far from the truth. I just felt there were so many other neutral channels they could have been playing besides the news. We watch news at home. The whole experience was awful, the always empty salon, the quality of my nail service and unwelcoming atmosphere. Let's be clear, when you get a bad review, you don't bash the reviewer, you apologize and try to make it better. You don't pay the customer, they pay you!!! Every bad review they get, the owner bashes them and never apologizes. I pay and tip everywhere I'm serviced, but I will not tolerate an unapologetic, arrogant, owner who covers up for inadequate employees or poor salon ethics. She justified playing the news in a public business as freedom of speech, well my concern was freedom of speech and if I found it offensive I have the right to never go back there again. That's Freedom of speech. I go to the nail salon to relax not to feel uncomfortable. I learned in beauty school, never to bring religion or politics into the salon. Maybe they missed that. read more

i came here for ONE nail repair although I did not get it done there as soon as I sat down the lady say "why didn't you go back to where you got it fix" I said then "if you don't want to fix it I can go somewhere else " she proceeds to start my nail glue a new one on then when its time to finish with the polish im asking about the next step she gets mad ... before I sat down I felt her energy was off . yes I am a african American female . she proceed to chase me out the door yelling . SHE OFFERED A SERVICE THAT SHE KNEW SHE COULDNT DO ! she put her finger in my face and all . if you are black do not support this place stick to our sisters who love to do our nails !! stop patronizing these salons by foreigners when they don't respect us at all it sad that this salon is right by my job and i always visit and tell people about it but I PROMISE this will be my last time . next email is to the BBB! read more

Solar Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I'm glad I discovered Solar Nails because I love how my nails look every time. They have a lot of colors to choose from and they get my nails shaped just how I like them, no matter what shape I'm in the mood for. read more

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Always empty. Went in for a pedi this week. $45 for a pedi was there over an hour. The girl didn't paint my whole toe with color or topcoat. The girl kept using the cuticle cutters on my toe until it hurt and I asked her to stop. The tools didn't seem clean and file for sure was used. I used to go there a lot but don't think I'll be back anytime soon. The place is nice but did see a massive caterpillar crawling by the wall of polish. read more

No wait, excellent technician that did a thorough job and was gentle. Reasonable prices, highly recommend!

If I had reviewed this place 2 weeks ago it would not have been as favorable. However, with that being said, I got a gel manicure that has not chipped even the slightest bit in 2 weeks. I do a lot of manual labor type stuff - gardening, working at a dog rescue- and nothing! Back story- I get there and pick my color. The lady tells me that she does a dry manicure. I was most concerned with my cuticles being attended to and asked her how this would be done if the manicure was dry (no soaking of hands, no cuticle softener gel). She told me that the less you chip away at your cuticle the less it grows back and when we over groom them they grow back harder and dryer. I still was skeptical. She still trimmed my cuticles and they actually still look really good as well. The one thing I didn't really love was the price. It was $35 for a solid color dry manicure where many places I go only charge maybe $26-32 and would always include soaking, maybe even paraffin wax depending on the place! She told me they charge $10 extra just for soaking and lotion/massage - so $45. That is outrageous no matter how long this manicure lasts - hence 4 stars and not 5. I wish I had gotten a nude color or French mani so that the grow out wouldn't be so noticeable so I could keep this as long as possible. It's not going anywhere. read more

Solar Nails - Two weeks of grow out but the color and paint job still very much in tact and solid. - Nail Salons Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

This is an updated review. I've been going to Solar nails for more than a year now. However, they recently changed management and it has gone downhill since. The new salon manager is rude and unprofessional. read more

I came in for the first time about 2 weeks ago and the man doing my nails did a wonderful job. I got short nails but not too short the second picture it's those nails. These nails were $55. Now anywhere else for this length usually is about $60-65 I wasn't expecting $55 for the length, but hey, I wasn't complaining! I definitely wanna revisit! So time comes, I'm back two weeks later and a lady does my nails (before that I had a soak off) but as she's doing them she kind of rushing not doing every step thoroughly, and as a nail tech you know what your doing so I was a little disappointed,mind you it was one other person and myself in the shop, so I was confused to why as she was rushing. So when it's time to pay she says 65 the soak off was an extra $10 and I tipped $5 so I end up paying $70, which is fine. I just don't think the service was up to par for what I paid. Especially when the first time I came in the man who did my nails took his time and it was $55. read more

Solar Nails - When I came the second time(nails shorter, paid more) overalll cute nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Nice, quiet, relaxing atmosphere. I made an appointment but for those who were walking in it seemed like there was minimal wait times. The shop is located in a super convenient shopping center with plenty of parking. The nail techs were all friendly and made the experience comfortable. They offer a lot of services and designs. read more

Solar Nails - SNS - Nail Salons Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Updated 6/3/19~~~~~ The SNS on my ring finger of my non-dominant hand chipped today, Monday, a whole THREE DAYS after I got it done on Friday. Yesterday, my middle finger chipped but it was barely noticeable. This is noticeable. Their service wasn't horrible, but seriously. 3 days?! Deserves one star. The Groupon doesn't even make up for it. ~~~~~ Fast and efficient! I was seen right away. They honor the Groupon for SNS nails for $30. Pretty cheap if you ask me! read more

I really love this salon for it's bright color choices and happy people. They always do a good job and are neat and clean. I don't like how they don't honor appointments, though-- whether its busy or calm, my appointment never seems honored and on multiple occasions, I've waited 30 and 45 minutes. Most recently, I booked a two person appointment and had to wait for a technician, and then my partner waited for my appointment to be done for his to start, etc. The total time took about 90 minutes for 2 pedicures. My partner's toes didn't have time to dry because we couldn't stay any longer and ended up smudging. It honestly just ruined my experience. I used to drive out of my way to go here but I don't think I will anymore. read more

I made an appointment in the beginning of the week for Friday. I waited for 15 minutes and then left. If they don't want to take appointments, they should say so. I left work early to make the appointment. Very disappointed and won't be back. I'm read more

I'm not sure what to think. The lady before me, had SMS nails and a pedicure. They did not charge her for SMS nails. Just her Pedicure and I quote "$28.00" was her total charge. They charged me $50. I only had my nails old SMS removed and new SMS applied. That was all I had done. I didn't ask questions, I didn't say anything. I just paid and left. I have been to this establishment many times. I don't think they remember me, which is fine. It's always empty so I assumed they would. I'm just curious if I was over charged. I decided when I walked out the door, that I would not go back. I'm just confused, was I over charged? Why is their no price chart posted in this establishment and on the website? read more

Like everyone else I was very taken aback by the coat of my pedicure and manicure. It costs 87.00 dollars with. 10 dollar tip. I was like WTF?? However, This was the longest lasting manicure that I have ever had. it only stated to chip after 3 weeks was over. I will definelty be going back, but will be better financially prepared for it. But, I will not be adding any additional services to my order because I just cant afford it. One can say that " you get what you pay for" in this case. Service was great, I had my manicure and pedicure done simultaneously which was fantastic. read more

I love this nail salon. But heads up, it is not cheap. Come prepared to pay more then you do at other local salons. The ladies and gentlemen who work their are friendly, well trained, and you wont get a more immaculate mani/pedi anywhere in DC. I highly recommend Dani, although everyone who works there seems great! read more

WARNING!! DO NOT LET LINNY TOUCH YOUR HAIR! Linny is the manager of Solar Nails. She claims to have been trained at Paul Mitchell, to have been doing hair for 10 years, and to be a "specialist" at highlights. Yeah, right. I learned about her manipulative business practices the hard way. A $230 hard way. I have long, thick, naturally brown hair that I have been getting highlighted for about 8 years, however this was my first time seeing Linny. I asked for fine, natural-looking blond highlights and for her to simply trim any dead ends as I really love my length. She claimed that none of this was a problem. I ended up with layers and framing around my face. That's not what I asked for, but it looked ok so I didn't complain. When I got home and really had a chance to inspect the color, I was brought to tears. There are horrible orange blotches all over my roots (caused by Linny allowing the foils to bleed) and even white spots about 2" away from my scalp! (I still cannot figure out how she managed that part.) Portions of my hair are completely fried at the root. I understand that highlighting is damaging, however my hair has never felt this disgusting and coarse. I contacted Linny and asked for a refund on the highlights to cover the charges I would incur after having someone fix her mistakes. In my entire life, I have never been treated so poorly by a "professional". Not only did Linny fail to offer a simple apology, she refused to refund the money and laughed at me for being so "unreasonable". "Mistakes happen," she said. Apparently it is my fault for asking for such a "complicated" color. If she wasn't skilled enough to achieve the coloring I requested, I can't understand why she didn't refer me to someone else. According to Linny, she "spent" three hours on my hair, therefore it was ridiculous for me to ask for a refund as she cannot have HER three hours back. What about the entire afternoon I spent getting my hair ruined? More importantly, what about the $200+ I spent on a service she failed to provide? I have had consultations with two other hairdressers since seeing Linny; one an independent salon owner and the other an Aveda hair dresser. Both have said there was absolutely no way Linny didn't notice the damage she had caused while styling my hair. Linny claims it was due to "poor lighting" that she didn't see the bright orange and white blotches. Both hair dressers quoted me around $120 (plus tip) for color correction alone. I will have to have all color stripped from my hair for a while to repair the damage, then it will require intense (AKA expensive) conditioning treatments before I can start returning my hair to the color I had for 8 years before Linny got her hands on me. Again, Linny is the MANAGER of Solar Nails, which is owned by her family. This is the only experience I've ever had here, but I can't recommend having any service here if this is the treatment paying customers receive whenever the MANAGER makes a costly mistake. read more

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It's a good place to have your nails done. They give you more personalized service based on your preferences And try to keep the prices competitive. I have visited them regularly since a year and I am happy with the manicure and pedicure services they provide to me. I would think twice to go to another place. read more

Solar Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Scheduled an appointment here for my wedding mani/pedis (and mani/pedi's for my mom and sister) and SO glad I did! Everyone was polite, friendly, and fun to be around. They were so careful and detail-oriented with their work, and it was clear the place was very clean. I asked for a complicated manicure...an SNS powder ombre French manicure...and it turned out absolutely beautiful!!! The salon owner spent so much time with me making sure it matched my vision. I would go back here again, and highly recommend it! They are skilled and eager to please. read more

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Great experience! Clean and safe. The ultimate pedicure is everything! Loved my nails.

Finding this salon has been a turn for my daughter and I. This salon truly values their customers and it is reflected through the sevices they provide. Solar nails always provides exceptional service! I never have a wait time and staff is very communicative and pleasant! Nancy does superb nail artwork and Dustin is amazing! I have found my now and always salon in Durham! I would highly recommend this salon to anyone! read more

Great Work! Very patient with you and also not too many people there while getting your nails done read more

Solar Nails - Matte Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I absolutely ADORE this nail salon! The most wonderful people! I am always happy with my nails and enjoy the experience every time. Family owned and operated, they go out of their way to accommodate their customers. read more

Seriously the best manicure I have ever gotten!!! They are about $10 more expensive than average salons for gel manicure but totally worth it! The nail salon is owned by a friendly Cambodian family. I think I finally found the place where I'll become a regular customer. They have the 'dry nail' manicure where they don't soak your nails or cuticles in warm water and instead file and buff your nail, then apply the gel. This method helps for longer lasting gel. They also applied many coats to ensure longevity! read more

Solar Nails - Beach bonfire gel - Nail Salons Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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My daughter had an acrylic nails. They ripped the old ones off without putting acetone and hurt her nails. After that, they put new acrylic nails and the design was not the picture she showed to them. She asked to change but they said they will charge more. What happened to customer service??? Definitely not going to take her back and I'm letting all my friends and neighbors know. read more

Amazing ! Amazing nail techs, amazing customer service. They are really good at their jobs, they didn't rush. They engaged in conversation, wasn't shy nor distant. Made me & my friend feel welcomed. I will definitely be going back read more

Solar Nails - No nicks, no bumpy surfaces.. very smooth and shaped appropriately - Nail Salons Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I had a fantastic customer experience here and am VERY impressed with the manicure quality! Having visited three local nail salons, this one produced the highest quality gel manicure and did not feel pretentious or uncomfortable in any way. The only thing pretentious about this experience was the old bitty who was getting a mani/pedi before me...salty and old, but has killer nails. Commendation to Solar Nails for dealing with difficult customers! I do hope that a positive review will net them enough new customers to make up for the lost tip from the old lady... as she surely neglected to provide a tip as punishment for necessary multiple customer management. This isn't the best for a walk-in and would recommend scheduling an appointment to make sure they have someone available. Its not super fancy and you aren't seeing over the top furniture or the latest in pedicure machines but for the quality of the manicure, I could care less! I also don't think they serve alcohol as I have seen the other area places provide. I sure do love wine with my mani/pedi. Next time, I think ill have a friend go with and maybe we can bring our own bottle. read more

By far the WORST pedicure I have ever had. From it taking almost 1 hr to just remove polish, no cuticle care, I literally had to show the tech how to soak the polish off so he wouldn't have to continue filing for another 30 minutes. My fill in wasnt bad but the polish job was just an horrible as the pedicure. Gel polish should not be put on in thick coats otherwise you get bubbles, never mind that the technician interrupted my service several times to answer personal calls. The other reviews are misleading. Please save your money and time read more

I've been to Solar Nails in the past a couple of times for pedicures and wasn't displeased. I also had the experience of ladies talking on their cell phone and shouting to each other across the salon. My pedis always lasted a reasonable amount of time. Prices are on par with other similar salons in the area. I recently had a full set of gel nails applied for my wedding. I would have expected my $75 after tip to have lasted beyond a few days. Within 2 days, the tips began to separate from the gel layer, leaving a spot for gunk to accumulate. My first nail broke off 9 days after application with just a gentle tap against my desk. I lost 2 more nails within a couple of days. In short, the set of nails only lasted about 2 weeks and looked nice for only a few days. When I returned to the shop to have them removed, the lady that applied them seemed displeased that I was not satisfied with the product. That didn't stop her from charging me to have the nails removed! What a disappointment. read more

I am excited to meet new technicians along with the new management. Dustan & als. Sorry to see Lenny and Sam's departure but you replacements are on point! Thanks again for the excellent services. My nails and eyes brows are beautifully done. So Pleased! Great job. See you Thursday for my pedicure ~vgking read more

This place is the worst. I went in on a weeknight and it wasn't busy at all, maybe two other clients when I went in. I asked my tech for short almond nails and immediately she and the male manager said "we don't do short almond its impossible." Me, understanding that that's code for we don't know how to do it. So I say ok, no problem can you just make them short and round, she said "it will be an extra charge for round and a total of $30" I said that's fine, I just really need them short for work. Well at the end of this grueling hour and a half (all I got was a cut down and polish change, as she was super slow) my nails ended up square and she said $30...I said I thought the price was different if you didn't do the shape I asked. she said no, still the same price. Ok no problem, no tip, and never coming back. Thank you for nothing :) read more

I got my eyebrows done and they were perfect. Definitely going back. I also got my nails shaped. They look natural and was the look I wanted. This place is great! read more

I am definitely impressed with this nail salon. I got the deluxe pedicure which I really enjoyed. The nail tech was meticulous which I really appreciated as I'm very picky about my pedicures. Will return for pedicures in the future. read more

PREJUDICE PRACTICES: I referred one of my best customers to Solar Nails in Durham, NC. She is a black female corporate executive at a large institution and very well known in her profession. She was on her downtime, so she was not in a suit. She was just wearing her three-quarter jeans some flat shoes and had her hair pulled back. Although this should not matter, I am giving context because she was essentially discriminated against by the salon. Unfortunately after this terrible experience at this salon she contacted me with The following feedback. Please see the note below: "This Nail Salon has appaulling customer service and prejudice front desk staff - which in of itself is a shame in 2016.I waited for 15 minutes unserviced and unattended to. About 10 minutes into waiting a white customer walked in and the technician rushed to service him immediately. When I brought to the attention of the technician and owner that I had been waiting for a while, she had a really bad attitude. I explained that I had an appointment, and she said we can't take you because it is now 15 min past your appointment time even though she knew that I had now been waiting 15 minutes to be serviced.She then told me if I don't like it I can get out of her salon." read more

Solar Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Just got a gel "manicure". They charge $5 to take off old gel polish if you didn't get it done at their place. Then $35 for the "manicure." The manicure consisted of a cuticle trim, filing, then polish. No scrub no hand massage. Just really disappointed in the price vs what I actually received. The actual job is decent enough but I wouldn't go back solely because for the same price I could get a lot more/ better of an actual manicure somewhere else. read more

Solar Nails - Nail Salons Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I never think to get my nails done, so when a friend asked me to meet her here and get pedicures, I thought it was long overdue! The location is great for me, and there was no wait at 5:30 PM. While the massage chairs are not the nicest I've been in, they did the trick for a little rest and relaxation. I am very happy with how soft my feet feel and how good my nails look. I would definitely return. read more

I love going to Solar Nails!! Sam and Liny are fantastic nail techs and I wouldn't go anywhere else. I drive all the way from North Raleigh to visit this salon, and I've never been disappointed. I've been going for years and they constantly add new features and services to keep up with nail trends. They even closed the salon for the afternoon to accommodate my bridal party the day before my wedding. And for all the wonderful things they offer, their prices are competitive with lower quality salons. I definitely recommend visiting soon! read more

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I moved from the area 2 years ago, but I haven't been able to find the quality that I get here. If you are very particular about your nails and you want them to be healthy, you should definitely try this place. Make an appointment though because this salon is very popular. read more

This owner is a con artist. He pulled the old "Oh, I canceled that Groupon two months ago"... Total BS. I used to work with Groupon and Living Social and I know their policies. The very day I called to make my appt for a pedicure, I received a reminder email from Groupon letting me know the pedi to Solar Nails was going to expire in a few weeks. When I came in, he asked what I wanted and I said a Groupon pedi and he then told me the crap about cancelling it. I told him that it not correct because I would have received a notice. He would not budge, but since it was rush hour and I had driving 8 miles out of my way, I got a basic pedi. It was Ok from some nice man, but while I was there, two more people arrived with Groupons and were given the same lie. One got her daughter what she wanted and nothing for herself, the other walked out, totally pissed. This man banks on people like me staying and getting whatever service. A) that will never work in the long run. B) I and those others will not return. C) I'm calling you out on Yelp for your deceitful ways. The place is nothing to write home about either. I didn't feel any different than waiting for my car to be inspected. Don't patronize this place; you'll pay in the end. read more

Each time I've had my nails done, they have not only been meticulous but overall, welcoming and friendly as well. (Once my gel nails didn't dry well and they chipped off, I called and they immediately fit me in and repaired at no cost to me). I will go back repeatedly because of their good work. I do wish the staff were spoken to more respectfully by the owner, but unfortunately this seems to be the general nail spa culture down here where ever I go. read more