Ran Nail & Spa in Trumbull, CT

I have been going there for 3 years + and I love this salon.  I have a technician that I love but they are all wonderful.  They are relaxed and helpful and treat you really well.  the salon is very clean and I have never gotten an infection like I have in other salons.  The gel manicures are the best I have ever gotten and they last a long time.  they take pride in their work and want you to be happy.  It's worth the extra money that you pay for this service.  everyone is
also happy to see you and the salon is lively and a happy place which is contagious!!!

Avoid this place at all costs. I went in for a basic male manicure, and it was the worst experience I have ever had getting my nails cleaned up. I do not go to nail salons for color or designs, so it means that I go solely for the basic clean up and nail health. That is the most basic thing that can be done at a nail salon and any technician should be able to do this with no problem, but Jesse at New Ran nails in Trumbull, Connecticut is completely incompetent when it comes to nails. There was no soaking of the nails to make it easier to file and clean up the cuticles. Because it was not soaked Jesse made me bleed while I was getting my nails cleaned up. Jesse would also aggressively grab and bend my hand while doing the manicure. I asked if I could have a clear top coat to protect the nail from the beginning, but I had to ask for it another two times because she kept ignoring me. None of the nail techs in the salon had anyone was their hands which is something I have never seen or heard of. Once Jesse actually did put the clear top coat to protect my nails she did not put a base coat to help it adhere to the nail and the top coat had dust from the filing trapped under it and the thickness of the top coat was uneven. One side of some of my nails would have a puddle or top coat while the other side of the same nail barely had anything covering it. I also saw a woman take out the trash with her bare hands and then go directly to massaging another client with her same bare hands without washing them, which I think is pretty gross. At the end of my manicure I tried to tell another one of the workers about my issue with the top coat but he essentially ignored me and just slapped another layer of top coat on top which did nothing to remedy the issue. Also, I called from the parking lot to make sure that I did not need an appointment and that I could be seen immediately if I walked in, which I was told that I could. However, once I went in they made me and the other person I came in with wait over 30 minutes to be seen even though there were people free and open seat. Not to mention, people without appointments walked in after us and were seen before we were. This was the day before Easter and we were the only people that weren't greeted with a "Happy Easter!" and were engaged with conversation during our services. I am not sure if this is because we were the only Black people in the salon, but the service all around sucked. Even if it was race related and I was white, I still wouldn't even think about going back because their technique is absolutely awful and just made my nails worse. The top coat was chipped and peeling literally an hour after the service. I have never had a worse manicure than this. To top it all off when I was about to leave after paying one random nail technician turned to the person I came in with and essentially said something along the lines of how I didn't tip so they were supposed to tip on my behalf. I always tip the people that give me my services but Jesse was absolutely horrible and made me bleed so she did not deserve a tip. She drew blood and it is not a thing to tip your phlebotomist. This place is absolutely the worst and I hope nobody ever trusts them with their nails. You can find much better for much better prices with better staff, for better nails try:
1. Beautiful Nails in Stratford, Connecticut
2. Posh Nails in Darien or Westport, Connecticut
3. Pretty Nails in Stratford, Connecticut

My new favorite nail place. I got the best, longest lasting gel manicure ever here. They were able to fit my mom & I in on a Thursday morning without an appointment so that was great. The massage chairs are amazing- always my favorite part of a pedicure. They do a thorough job on everything. I love that they do paraffin wax on your heels for even just a regular pedicure. They have a huge range of colors. The woman giving shoulder massages during your manicure did an excellent job! We've gone here twice already and we'll definitely be back.

I was hesitant to try this place due to some of the negative reviews, and my feelings are mixed. I called in advance to determine if there would be a wait, and I was told there wouldn't be. I was immediately seated for my salt scrub pedi, and the gentleman did a good  job. This pedi included massage and was very relaxing.  My only wish was that instead of just the rectangular "stone" I  should have spoken up to request the metal "grater" for callous removal.

There was a  short wait between the pedicure and manicure. I do agree with others who mentioned they felt rushed during the manicure, I did feel rushed. The nail technician did not soak or really soften my cuticles. She asked if I wanted my cuticles cut and I said yes. She did a pseudo pass with the metal cuticle pusher ( just touching nails and the cuticles), then proceeded to use the nail drill to remove my cuticles and scrape my nail bed, which was hot and painful. To me this was a "time saver" at the expense of the client. My nails had no gel or polish on them, and I have been  told the drill should not be used like this on bare nails  as it damages the nails and allows the polish to seep in. I was expecting a normal manual manicure with my cuticles soaked and softened and hand trimmed with nippers. She worked at lightning speed (probably due to customers waiting) making what should have been a  relaxing continuation of the pedi experience in to a somewhat stressful and uncomfortable one. The nail technician commented that my cuticles were "hard" and inside I was  thinking, well if you don't soak them or soften them, most cuticles will be hard.

They had another staff member walking around and offering massages, which I did consent to, knowing it was an additional $15 charge. It was a good chair massage. Had I not had that massage, I would have felt  even more negatively about the manicure.

I understand that some people want to get in and out which is why many nail shops offer an "express" version of some services.  But many people expect to feel more "pampered" or relaxed during the experience. For the manicure, I feel the use of the drill was not appropriate and they were trying very hard the "turn the chairs" as quickly as possible because this was most of the demand for walk-ins who were waiting.

The gel manicure end result looked good, but I don't think it was worth the 100% dry removal of the cuticles and scraping of nail bed with the drill and the feeling  of being "pushed" through. It was my first time so I didn't  know to bring cash for tips and added them to my card. Including the $20 in tips, my bill was $105 for one of the upper level pedi choices and a gel manicure.

If I ever went again, I would specify that I don't want the nail drill used for cuticle removal or nail bed preparation. They did not charge me for the chair massage, probably because of the way they did manicure.

The best nail salon around.  The owner Annie & staff are friendly.  The massages are incredible. The prices aren't outrageous.