FAQ
Here's some frequently asked questions, but they're written out like statements because we feel that's a little less awkward.
Our favorite colors are, in no particular order, paisley, rainbow, and glitter!
We hope to see you soon!
Thank you! We love you!
General Questions
Where are y'all from?
The owners are both born & raised Austinites. Ask us about ATX in the 90’s! We love to reminisce. If you went to high school here around then there's a non-zero chance we have hooked up with some of the same people.
Do you guys really worship Satan?
Great question! Satanists don't actually believe in the actual existence of Satan any more than they believe in the tooth fairy, Jackalopes, or trickle-down economics.
For information about the Satanic Temple, check out their Wikipedia page.
We call ourselves "soft satanists" which means that we really dig a lot of the philosophies and symbolism of The Satanic Temple, but we think the bold black & red palette is too limiting.
Can we take photos at your building?
If it's just for your personal use then the answer is: yes, please!
If, however, you're planning on doing a photoshoot to be used as an ad, either for your brand or bc you're an influencer who is "collaborating" with a brand, then the answer is: please ask us first. We may either want to be paid for letting you use our location or we might find your company to be personally distasteful and not want to be identified with you.
How are you keeping us safe during the pandemic?
Glad you asked! We are doing everything required by the law and more to create a safe space for you to come and enjoy yourself. Please see our COVID rules section for all the details!
Store Questions
I live in town & don't want to pay for shipping. Can I come through?
You bet. Just choose pickup as an option at checkout!
I bought something and it arrived broken! What should I do?
Email us asap at hello@cutenailstudio.com and we will make it right! Sorry about that!
I'm an influencer and I want to do a collaboration with you! Who do I contact?
DM us on the platform you want to influence ppl on and we can chat!
Salon Questions
Are y'all actually open late?
Sometimes you just want to get your nails done & your pussy waxed and it’s late. We get that. Us, too. Let's do something about it. We're open later than any other salon in the city (or actually anywhere, as far as we know).
Do you offer hand massages?
We don’t offer spa massages. We house nail artists and want them to have as much time as possible to create. While we may someday start a spa, right now we're more like a tattoo studio where you pay for an artistic service, not a public relaxation experience. Like, you wouldn't ask your tattoo artist to scratch your head, right?
I'm scared of breathing in acrylic dust! Is there a solution?
We have a crazy expensive ventilation system! Partly we wanted a badass, state-of-the-art air filtration system, partly the new city ordinances demand that new salons have to basically be NASA airlocks. Either way, your lungs are hooked up.
What's up with this bathroom I see all over the internet?
Our bathroom is a nightmare disco mirrorball of LED and neon, which is great when you need to get away from the overwhelmingly chill vibes of the rest of the building.
Why are you so much more expensive than some place in a strip mall across town?
Our employees are well-paid, have tons of snacks, get continuing education from amazing people, and are never required to sign a noncompete contract. The implication here is that you might not find that at a lot of other salons, and that maybe you should think about that when you pop into a low-cost salon. Maybe.
What's up with parking?
We have a parking lot, not a garage or ample street parking. Feel free to ride your bike, tho, please!
Are you part of the creeping gentrification that is rapidly turning our beautiful city into a wasteland of beige condos?
We’re proud to be in an OG ATX house from the 1920s instead of tucked away into the first floor of a condo. It’s even owned by the guy who grew up in it!
Do you offer a drink service?
We used to. And we hope to again soon! It just feels weird to be offering drinks to people during a pandemic. I guess retaurants offer them? IDK we need to think about it some more.
What's your safe space policy?
We want you to be yourself without fear or social discomfort and we believe that every single one of you is a star. We do ask that you are patient with us when we fail (and we will!), and give us a chance to apologize and do better. And we ask that you keep our safe space ethos in mind while you're here!
Our space is free of hate speech and tries to constantly be sensitive to the needs of our staff and clientele.
Are any of your services gender specific?
We don't believe in 'MANicures" or charging extra for a "male brazilian" or whatever because we know that gender is a spectrum and we will happily perform literally any of our services on anyone regardless of what their genitals happen to look like. You are perfect and you are beautiful and you are valid.
I'm a traveling nail tech and I'd love to visit your salon!
Feel free to suggest your favorite and we’ll do our best to get them here!
Are you really cash only? Why?
We have a whole thing about why and are more than happy to go into it with you, but it's basically that paying 3% of every sale to a credit card processor REALLY cuts into our margins. We have the lowest fee ATM in the whole city on premises. If you absolutely HAVE to use your CC, we can work around it, but it's a 3% upcharge.
What is your cancellation policy?
We ask that you please reschedule or cancel at least 24 hours before the beginning of your appointment or you may be charged a cancellation fee of 100% the price of your scheduled appointment.
If for any reason at all you cancel your appointment within 24 hours of your start time you will be charged 50% of any services booked.
If you arrive more than 10 minutes late to your nail appointment, it will be canceled and you will be charged 50%.
If you arrive more than 5 minutes late to all non-nail services, it will be canceled and you will be charged 50%. Please arrive at least five minutes early, to get situated.
All no call/no shows will be charged 100% of all services booked.
These policies are in effect regardless of circumstances, whether it’s a traffic jam or you catch Covid or there’s really terrible weather or a bad breakup or a hangover or really anything! This isn't to be mean or insensitive - we work on commission and our time is valuable.
We love you, and we love our staff, too! We have a responsibility to enforce this policy. Please be kind to our receptionists.
Can I get a refund if I didn't like my service?
We have a NO REFUND policy for all salon services. While we pride ourself on the quality of our work, mistakes do happen and everyone who works here is a human.
In the event that you are not completely satisfied, please let us know at the time of your service or no later than 24 hours after. If we are able to provide a complimentary corrective service appointment, we will schedule it for the first available time within five days of your initial appointment.
In the event that you lose a nail or experience chipping within 5 days of the original service please contact us immediately to request a complimentary corrective service appointment.
If approved, complimentary corrective appointments must take place within seven days of the original service.
**Complimentary corrective services are subject to approval by management and will only be offered in the instance of service provider error, which does not include changing your mind about polish/gel color at the end of your appointment or damage caused by failure to follow aftercare instructions.**