Luxi Nail Salon | A

For a girl, finding the right nail salon means everything. How much will the manicure be? Does the manicurist hold your hand firmly enough during the manicure? Does the salon have the latest issue of Cosmo? The amount of questions seems endless and varies from girl to girl. So, to help lessen the confusion, we asked a typical girl from Rutgers to take a trip with us to the nail salon, Luxi, located in Highland Park. Using her as our subject, we observed and scrutinized every last detail as she received a basic manicure and pedicure.

Colors
While at the salon, we happened to run into a woman named Rebecca Novak, a former brand manager at Revlon in New York City. She gave us some interesting facts to consider when rating the color selections at a salon and said, "Look at the bottles and see if they are old and dried out … [dried out bottles] means they don't replenish." Luxi's selection — both moist and bountiful — was obviously a replenished and up-to-date collection. Offering more than 100 color choices, including about 35 choices for French manicures, the salon's color wall ranges from light pink to dark black. The current colors are also stocked to include the perfect shades for the fall season, including dark gray, navy and purple.

Pricing
This is probably the most important, and best, feature about Luxi salon: the pricing is very reasonable. The salon offers student discounts, including $5 off pedicures. With the discount, our subject was able to get a manicure and pedicure for only $30 — she was even offered a five-minute back massage during the drying cycle free of charge. Other base prices include: manicures for $10, French manicures for $15, eyebrow waxing for $8 and finally, Brazilians, which start at $50. The salon also has deals for children under 8 years old, called "Lil Angels," with prices that range from $6 to $14.

Service
Entering a nail salon for the first time can be slightly daunting, and that's why quality service is important when considering customer comfort. Luxi was on point when it came to accommodating clients. From the lady who was helpful in guaranteeing our reservation (we requested the best manicurist) to the gentlemen that actually performed the manicure, the service could not have been better. At one point, the manicurist accidentally got a tiny smudge of nail polish on our subject's skin. He then meticulously proceeded to take out a tiny, damp piece of cloth to remove the mistake. During the entire process, the manicurist took his time, stopping several times to see if she liked the shape, color and amount of coats.

Extra Touches
From the hardwood floors to the multiple flat screen TVs, the salon has just the right amount of extras without seeming ridiculous. Extra ingredients used in the water bowl for softening nails include limes, minerals and something that looks like olives which are meant to add nutrients to the soaking nails. Second, toward the end of the pedicure, warm stones are heated and rubbed along the calves and bottom of the feet, creating an interesting yet relaxing sensation. During the manicure, there were several pauses for hand massages in between filing. Finally, during drying, customers are treated to free magazines (yes, all are up to date) and candy, including those amazing strawberry candies that have the fruit-filled center (the same ones you get at Chinese restaurants, so good!).

Besides manicures and pedicures, Luxi services include bodywork massages, facials, four types of spa treatments and — for those of you with feet issues — they even offer callas eliminator options. Considering all of these categories, our girl said she would definitely recommend Luxi as a salon. Located on Raritan Avenue in Highland Park, it's in a great location for grabbing a bite to eat with friends afterward.