Venetian Nail Spa – The Greene, Dayton, OH

I went shopping at The Greene the other day and decided it was a perfect day for a mani/pedi.  I love the Venetian Nail Spa because other than just the fact that it’s strikingly gorgeous the moment you step inside (dual waterfalls, sky mural in the vaulted ceiling, marble-esque floors, etc. – basically the polar opposite of Rose Nails) the services are awesome and not at all expensive, especially considering what you would expect being that it is the nail spa in The Greene.

In a very un-me move that would have shocked my regular techs at Luxury (it’s not my basic black, near black, almost black, etc.), I went for an orangey, coral-y, pink with iridescent glitter on just one nail on each hand.  I think it turned out pretty awesome.

Even though I was the annoying customer who came in with shopping bags, they helped me put them all on my arms and even got my car keys out of my purse for me.  If there is any real lesson in dependence, it’s trying to get out of a nail salon without ruining your nails.

I know I don’t normally write about chains in any capacity, but this place really is very beautiful and definitely a great place to go relax after a hectic shopping trip for something terrible like a swim suit.  Or jeans.  Or work shoes.  And no matter how fancy the place looks, at its heart it’s just your neighborhood nail spa with technicians who live and shop in the same area as you.

Dual Expressions Salon – Dayton, OH

In my lifetime, I may have had hundreds of trips to nail salons, nail spas, salons and spas that offer nail services, cosmetology schools that teach nail services, etc. but I can honestly say that on New Year’s Eve, I had the best manicure and pedicure of my life!  Let’s back up a little:  A few weeks ago, I was actually able to have a latte “for here” at Ghostlight Coffee with my sister.  As we were looking around at all the cool stuff to look at in Ghostlight, I found a card for an organic spa called Dual Expressions:  an Organic Salon for Faces, Hands, and Feet.  I was impressed that this spa offered any organic services at all but that they also perform nail services?  I wasn’t expecting to ever see that on a card on a coffee shop community board – in Dayton.  So I called and scheduled an appointment for a mani/pedi on New Year’s Eve before a big party my husband and I were throwing in hopes that I would look great for the evening and maybe get some me time to relax before the shindig.

Arriving at Dual Expressions, I met Kelly and some of her helpers and I was immediately struck by how well they had worked with a small space to create a calm and relaxing environment without making the customer feel claustrophobic.  They accomplished this by utilizing smaller furniture and making the pedicure stations perpendicular to the front door.  Speaking of the pedicure stations, Kelly made the bold decision to do away with the traditional ultra-shiny glitter, chrome, and plastic throne of most nail salons, opting instead for a lush wicker swing.  Basically, rather than feeling like you’re getting your nails done, you end up feeling like you’re just enjoying a glass of wine on the veranda on a summer day.  The services are personalized to you based on your preferences – I chose grapefruit oil for my pedicure to help get me energized for the party.

I left Dual Expressions feeling completely calm and relaxed and my nails looked amazing, I can’t wait to go back!

I apologize for the fuzzy iphone photos, I was trying to be stealthy.  Except for the last one, I was trying to show how awesome the glitter looked for NYE.

Dual Expressions 

931 A Shroyer Road

Dayton, OH  45419

937-298-3825

Luxury Nail Spa – Vandalia, OH

You know the theme song from Cheers?  – “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came” – well because I don’t have a drinking problem but do have a beauty problem for me that place is Luxury Nail Spa in Vandalia, Ohio.  Recently expanded, Luxury Nail Spa is a large, full service nail spa offering expert services at very reasonable prices.  It also happens to be the workplace of several very warm, friendly, and talented nail technicians who make an otherwise normal nail salon feel like home to their busy customers.  Getting your nails done here feels like catching up with old friends and you leave with a warm, fuzzy feeling even in the dead of winter.

They offer services for women, men, and children – they even have little butterfly princess pedicure stations but they only let the kids use those.  Yes – I asked, they said no, but don’t worry, I’m working on it.  :)

Drop in for a service or make an appointment – the techs at Luxury Nail Spa will be happy to see you.

Luxury Nail Spa

3519 York Commons Blvd

Dayton, OH  45414

937-454-6460

Rose Nails – Dayton, OH

For people who get their nails done only for special occasions, it is important that the environment of the salon be relaxing and serene – beautiful fountains, lush greenery, maybe a chandelier or two…  But for those of us who get our nails done multiple times per month, the environment becomes pretty meaningless and the focus is really on whether or not the nail technicians can perform.  Rose Nails is the perfect manicure/color change nail salon in that it is small, cheap, and located on a main road.

I first visited Rose Nails in late September and before I could even walk through the door, I was tempted to turn and run.  Seeing wrought iron bars on the windows, street people coming in to use the rest room, bright crayon-colored walls lit by a couple florescent lights, and small donut offerings to little golden gods had me feeling as though I somehow stumbled into a wormhole that transported me to a Chinatown nail salon in New York City rather than a flourishing college neighborhood in Dayton, Ohio.  Bearing this in mind, I was very impressed with the manicure I received – it was perfect, actually.  I also loved how when customers would come in, the owner/nail technician would frequently call them by name and know what service they needed, which is something very few nail salons take the effort to do.  It was good to know he had a lot of return business, mostly from college students at nearby University of Dayton.

If you’re looking for a nail salon that will help you to relax and unwind before a big event, Rose Nails may not be the place I would recommend.  But if you are looking for a cheap manicure that makes your nails look amazing and don’t mind a rougher ambiance than what you might normally be used to, definitely give Rose Nails a try.

Rose Nails

1047 Brown Street

Dayton, OH  45409

(937) 222-0399