I wanted to like Varnish Lane so much, especially since Ive heard great things! Unfortunately, while my nail technician was diligent/super nice, my gel manicure started chipping/peeling within less than a week (slight chipping at 2-3 days; full nails peeling off at 4-7 days). I love the concept of Varnish Lane and had a pleasant experience during my appointment, but unfortunately the gel manicures are at much too high of a price point to be chipping at 2-3 days.

Many of my clients recommended Varnish Lane. For Christmas, my partner purchased me a gift certificate and I’ve been hooked ever since! My nails always look amazing. Lesley is awesome. The space is so relaxing and calming. It’s the one time a month I find “me time”. I highly, highly recommend you go to Varnish Lane.

I had a wonderful experience at Varnish Lane. The staff was extremely friendly and the check in process was very quick and easy. As soon as I arrived I was helped. I wanted to get a design on my nails and my nails look exactly like the reference photo. I am very impressed and will definitely return. I am tired of my nails being brittle and breaking from all the harsh substances used at traditional salons. I hope continuing to visit varnish lane Wil give me the long durable nails I crave!The photos are the reference and my nails!UPDATE: My nails did chip within 3 days. I guess that is what I get for trying to move away from gel or dip.

Varnish Lane is one of the few indoor places I visited during in 2020 (when it was open) and I always felt safe and well taken care of. The staff is extremely professional, everything is spotless and well organized, and I love that the waterless component makes it a more sustainable experience. Each of the technicians are very skilled. Haven’t had a bad mani/pedi yet. Varnish Lane will continue to have me as a loyal client!

Super cute place, super good service and nice people. I got a gel manicure (main lane) and unfortunately my polish really only lasted about a week. My nails already started peeling and chipping ): normally gel will last me a solid 2 weeks mostly 3 weeks, so slightly disappointed since everyone there was so nice!

I visited the Varnish Lane Mt. Vernon location the day it opened!Two weeks later and my gel manicure is still going strong!I walked into an amazingly clean and calming atmosphere with the most beautiful wall of nail polish options I’ve ever seen! I was offered a complementary drink and could wait in one of their comfy chairs due to there being space.I had seen a nail design on their Instagram page that I showed my stylist, and she was more than willing to recreate It with the colours I chose! She even improvised for one nail that wasn’t shown in the picture and It looked amazing.My only hesitation is when I go for my next manicure I will be charged to remove gel the polish. Though their base prices are on the higher side, It is worth It for the cleanliness, care and quality of their services!Already booked my next appointment to try their pedicures out!

Varnish goes above and beyond for a nail salon. When I scheduled my appointment online, I mentioned the services were for my elopement and when I arrived there was a sweet personalized congrats card at my chair! Felt very special! My pedi and gel mani were perfect and the environment felt safe and very well spaced out but still like a high-end spa. Will return!

My wife and I got pedicures here (our first ones in months!). Their staff was very profession and safe, making sure they kept distance and or wore full masks and face shields the entire time. They have spaced out the room so no one is right next to each other. Their salon is very relaxing and comfortable. My toes and feet look the best they have in over a year, and I would absolutely go back!

Updating my review of Varnish Lane:My first main lane mani was two week ago, and I had a great experience in the salon. The whole experience is top notch, very relaxing, clean, and well decorated. There are a number of seats and it would be good for groups.I was super bummed when my first gel mani started to peel/chip from the nail bed. After reaching out a few times to the customer service email, I finally got a call from the Mt. Vernon location apologizing and offering to re-do the gel polish.Kayla did a fantastic job with the second gel mani and she explained why the peeling happened in the first place (it was not the quality of the gel but just the cleaning and lack of adhesion). Very pleased with the new set!

I flew into DC for a wedding and, due to time constraints, had to find a nail salon as soon as I landed. I googled a few days ahead and decided on Varnish Lane. I included in my reservation that Id likely arrive a little early or late, due to my plane. When I walked in, the receptionist greeted me by name, probably because of my luggage! I was a solid hour early, and they were able to seat me within 10 minutes. The receptionist took my bags and held them behind the counter for me. While waiting, I browsed the beautiful jewelry and other items. I noticed that they are a water free salon, which made me EXTREMELY skeptical...I wasnt aware of this when booking. My nail tech did a wonderful job and was very friendly. She asked for my opinion on the application and if I wanted another coat or two. My nails came out fabulous. Here we are, almost three weeks later, and I dont have a single chip. I dont even have any edges lifting up, which is normal for me, since Im pretty hard on my nails. So, gone is my trepidation around a no water salon...now Im kind of wishing we had them here at home. Lol. Anyway, had to come back on here and give my positive review. If I had to find a complaint, it would only be the price - kinda expensive for a basic mani/pedi, but I also dont live in DC, so Im sure thats the norm there. Great job, Varnish Lane! Thanks for pampering me!

Varnish Lane is always clean and efficient. Their staff members are all very helpful, friendly, and kind.

Best mani/pedi ever. My nails last longer when I come here...you get what you pay for. Friendly staff, beautiful store, and a wide selection of high quality nail polish. I really appreciate that they don’t remove polish with drills and that they don’t use water. Not only is it more hygienic, but it’s also more environmentally friendly. Wish there were locations nationwide!

70$ for an inconsistent gel manicure? No thank you. A nail salon with elegant design, clean and pretty. The staff is polite, they have a no cell phone rule, I couldn’t speak over the phone as they warned me which is fine. The first gel manicure I had was impeccable!!! It lasted for 3 weeks, was so impressed by it so I went back there even though it’s far from home. However the second one was below mediocre, inconsistent. They use a special gel and they don’t use water, which is cool.

Maya was so great! I got gel mani pedi before a beach trip. Maya did a great job!I came with my boyfriend and a friend of his. We had to be seated spaced out due to COVID-19 safety measures, which is totally reasonable. Staff were very attentive and safe the whole time. The other guests followed the rules.Please be kind to the staff and follow all the COVID rules.

This place is amazing, and Im so happy its on my block! I was skeptical of a waterless pedicure, but after visiting twice now, Im a believer. The luxe pedicure includes paraffin wax and my feet have never felt better. This is easily the cleanest place Ive been, and the staff is kind & professional. I HIGHLY reccomend visiting if youre thinking about it!

Pie did a great job, amazing detail on the halloween design

The waterless option works! I was hesitant at first. I walked passed this place everyday thinking what kind of place would do nails without water? Boy was I wrong. It’s day 3 and my nails still look good. No chips or smudges. This is not gel polish by the way.

I was a bit apprehensive to try a “waterless” mani/pedi but decided to give it a try. This is hands-down the best nail salon I’ve ever been to. The check-in and check-out process was simple, everyone was very professional and helpful, the atmosphere and music playlist was very relaxing, and the quality of the manicure and pedicure was superb. Gima did a great job! This place is worth every penny.

I loved my manicure! The spa is clean and so beautiful. And the staff is super kind.

Visited Varnish Lane for some much needed pampering and relaxation amidst election week stress. Was super impressed at how they took me and a friend both for mani/pedis the same day, moving around the schedule to make it work. Their COVID precautions are excellent, and I felt very safe. The environment is as calming and close to spa-like for a nail salon as I have ever seen. Titi provided an excellent mani/pedi--her attention to detail was fantastic and she made sure I was comfortable and relaxed! A bit pricier than Im used to in DC or NYC, but very much worth it for the entire experience. Ill definitely be returning.

I’ve had three gel manicures here. The first one lasted a month and was great. The last two I’ve had peeled in less than a week. Non- gel should last at least a week so this was surprising and disappointing to have a gel peel so fast. I love everything else about the salon and they have the best color options but proceed with caution. I would not recommend a gel manicure here.

I wanted to love this place. Gorgeous, new location thats super clean and truly soothing - plus, really convenient hours. Online booking is simple and they accept cards without complaint. However, less than three days later and my gel manicure is already chipping. The manicurist did a beautiful job shaping my nails and dealing with my gnarly cuticles, but Im really unimpressed by how everything is (not) holding up.

I am really disappointed to leave a bad review for this salon. The atmosphere is beautiful and my appointment was pleasant.I got a gel manicure on Saturday. However, on Thursday, only five days later, one of my nails completely peeled off. Friday morning, I called and asked if I could come in the next day, on Saturday, to get my nail fixed. They informed me that, since that would be a week since my first appointment, they could only charge and provide a full, new gel manicure — even though I had called before the week was up and simply could not come in until Saturday. This strikes me as a very unfair policy and is also not accommodating to what I imagine is the majority of their clientele (young, professional women with very full work weeks).And, in any case, there is no reason a $50 gel manicure should peel within a week.As a result of this experience, I will not be returning or recommending Varnish Lane.

Got a gel manicure with a friend who booked the appointment. Nail tech did a great job, but at the end of the manicure I read the ingredient label on their hand cream for sale and saw it had macadamia in it. I am severely allergic to all nuts, so I asked the person at the front desk if this is the lotion they use during manicures. She said it was, and I told her I was allergic. She didn’t seem concerned, but let me know the other lotion they used also had almond in it. I had to immediately wash my hands and wound up with a rash on my face for NYE. In the moment I expressed my concern and the front desk person didn’t seem to care at all. I totally understand telling restaurants about my allergy since food is involved, but never have I had to warn a nail salon about this. Considering how common nut allergies are there really should be some notice given to clients. It was a huge bummer. And then, four days after I got my gel manicure, it peeled off. The gel started to lift off my nails as a whole and would come off in huge chunks. It was like it was only stuck to my nails around the very outer edges. Huge waste of money and irresponsible toward the health of their clients.

I normally love Varnish Lane and think they do a great (and safe/clean) job. Their prices are a bit above average for DC but I dont mind paying more for a quality job. Their polish is 7 free or higher, which means its free of the 7 most common toxins like formaldehyde found in nail polish. Because of this I find their gel manicures dont last as long and I am actually OK with that (it alarms me that some gel manicures can last 3-4 weeks... cant be good for your nails). However, I got a gel manicure and pedicure on 12/5 and two days later the manicure was chipped. I dont expect a manicure to last for weeks on end but I hope for it to stay chip free for at least seven days. I am very disappointed!

Varnish Lane provides a top-notch mani/pedi experience in terms of luxury and cleanliness - for a high price. Before COVID, you were offered an array of beverages served in an actual glass. Also, you can’t talk on your phone so it’s nice and tranquil, and the staff are very professional. However, last time I left the salon, my gel mani chipped after 3 days. Not the quality I expect for gel, especially when I’m paying that much.

Spa-like experience! I got the main lane gel manicure and it was the highest quality manicure Ive ever had. Thank you, Anu! I traveled with heavy luggage across the Atlantic and skied for a week. No chips! Is it expensive? Yes but you get what you pay for.

My go-to for a non-toxic mani/pedi, especially when I need a little quiet time - The services are great and the space is so peaceful and well designed. My nails have never been healthier since I switched to clean products. The team is very attentive to detail and you definitely get a better quality of service than elsewhere. Also the reclining chairs! I almost fall asleep in them every time.

Omg, I agree this place IS amazing.Great music, really comfortable chairs, super kind a nice staff. Such a great experience. Relaxing.Ananda and I think it was Naomi (forgive me if I got the names wrong though I know you had name tags) were so kind and professional. All the staff were great.Loved the design elements of the space. I will definitely be back next time I am here.I wish back home in PA that we had one of these. The waterless pedicure was truly fantastic.Highly, highly recommend without reservation!

Its really pretty and clean, but I got two gel manicures here and neither lasted more than a week. For what you have to pay here its definitely not worth it.

This place is nice and fancy, but the manicure itself is nothing special. Plus we were shushed by the front desk woman...even though we were speaking at a completely normal volume. So if you want to get an underwhelming manicure in complete silence, Varnish Lane is for you.

This is an update to my previous review regarding how careful and attentive to safety Varnish Lane is. Even before Covid this nail salon made safety of both customers and their staff a priority with waterless service. Now, with Covid they continue to prioritize safety with several. measures. Most notably they are only using every other chair, which is not a requirement by DC. In addition, I have seen both of the owners present in the salon and actively participating in the safety measures including sweeping the floor (the owner did this!). I am very confident they have done everything to make sure everyone is safe. If your nails are in need of some TLC this is the place to go!Previous review:Gima is the best manicurist Ive been to!!! She is very dedicated and understands me. I have been going to Varnish Lane for three years at both the Mt Vernon and West End locations. They have an excellent atmosphere that is very relaxed and focused on clients needs over volume! Also, I know Anu & Crystal are fantastic!

Varnish lane is a great space to get your nails done and relax!! I would highly recommend varnish to my friends!!

This was my first time at varnish and I had the best experience ever, the ladies there are awesome its worth it even waterless.

Very nice manicure but I did miss the massage chairs of a traditional nail boutique 🤷🏼‍♀️Be prepared to spend extra money on some really interesting, ethically sourced retail!

I have gone to Varnish Lane twice for pedicures and manicures. The studio is clean, there is no wait if you make an appointment, and the experience is very relaxing. I was curious about the waterless process and believe it does result in a better mani/pedi. Great selection of colors and brands of nail polish. I could not really tell a difference in the regular vs luxe lane pedicure so I would stick to regular if you are debating. Also worth pointing out that you can automatically tip on a cc which is great. I have only one small critique and it is that their chairs do not massage.

Amazing staff. Love the atmosphere and music. Best pedicure Ive had in a long time!

Great place, excellent service, awesome mani/pedi. FEMALE FOUNDED & WOMEN RUN!I was initially hesitant to book an appt, because, unlike your traditional nail salons, Varnish Lanes services are all waterless. Frankly, I didnt understand how this could even work. Turns out, its a hellofalot better.On their website, Varnish Lane lists the reasons why a waterless mani/pedi is better; being the professional marketer I am, I did my own research prior to determine whether these statements were true, misleading, or completely false.They all checked out.1. More hygienic, cleaner, less likely to cause infections for customers.2. Fun fact: water-soaked nails swell, therefore, after youve got your polish applied, and your nails completely dry, they retract to their normal state. This makes them far more susceptible to chipping, because the polish has already been strained, if you will.3. Better for the environment. Duh.Aside from the style & technique itself, Varnish Lane is so relaxing. Whoever did the interior design definitely has a flair for Joanna Gaines, but puts an urban, modern spin on it. Its open and bright, you can breathe properly when you walk in, and it. is. clean. as. all. get. out. The cleanest. Seriously. Its so clean.And, theres no TV. No need to worry about a constant stream of news, or an ungodly amount of Taylor Swift, and/or Adele power ballads. No Adam Levine & his perplexingly terrible tattoos serenading you for the 4th time in 40 minutes.My mani and pedi look awesome, but the service I received from the wonderful ladies who beautified my hands and feet is just as important as the outcome. Shout out to both Emma & Gima for their meticulous, thorough, and awesome work.In addition, the manager, Gabby, was kind enough to answer some questions I had, despite the fact that Id overstayed my welcome by about 10-15min.On top of the excellent service, ambiance, and skill of the techs, Varnish Lane was founded and is run by a mother-daughter team.#femalefounded #womenrunAt this point, do you need any more reasons to book an appt? No, you dont. Oh, btw, you also get champagne. So...now you have no excuses. Get in there ASAP.

Nice and clean environment!

The deluxe pedicure was very worth it.