Poor disappointing experience

I previously had a terrible experience with a Hollywood waxing technician who burned me so badly that I had to rush to the pharmacy that same evening and was put on a course of medication. Since then, I’ve struggled to find a reliable place for waxing—until someone recommended Dream Nails in Canal Walk. Based on that recommendation, I decided to give them a try.

I called on Monday to make a booking, but their phone line wasn’t working—something that, in hindsight, should have been my first red flag. I ended up communicating via WhatsApp with a lady named Mariet. The very first question I asked was whether their Hollywood wax included the grooves of the leg (bikini line) and the lower stomach area (just above the private area). Mariet confirmed that it did. I asked this specifically because some salons include those areas while others don’t, and given their high prices, I wanted to be sure.

On my way to the appointment, my sister warned me to be cautious, reminding me of my previous bad experience. I reassured her, thinking, It’s Canal Walk—it should be fine.

Upon arrival at Dream Nails, I was immediately unimpressed. There was no warm welcome or friendly atmosphere, which is something you’d expect as a new client. The front of the shop, with its foot spa chairs and nail bars, looked presentable, but when I entered the waxing room, I was completely shocked.

The room was tiny, with walls that didn’t extend up to the ceiling, meaning I could hear everything outside, and everyone could hear me. There was a dirty wall shelf next to a kettle where I had to place my bag and clothes. There was no pillow for my head, and the plastic covering on the bed looked unclean—it wasn’t sanitized in front of me either. To make matters worse, the technician was dressed in casual clothing, including a leather jacket. How does a professional salon not have proper uniforms or hygiene standards?

The space was so cramped that I couldn’t even open my legs fully without the technician bumping into me every time she moved. The wax was excessively hot, and despite telling her this, she continued without adjusting it. The strips got stuck on my skin, and she struggled to remove them. The pain was excruciating—far worse than any waxing I’ve experienced in all my years of doing this. And this is despite me having shared my previous burn experience with her beforehand. I had also reconfirmed with her that the wax included the bikini line and the area above the private area, and she reassured me that it did.

I left in so much pain and frustration that I didn’t even check properly. It was only when I got home that I noticed all the remaining hair in the bikini line area. I immediately messaged Mariet on WhatsApp and followed up the next morning with photos as proof. Hours later, I received only a casual apology and was told to come back. When I explained that it was a major inconvenience due to how far I lived, Mariet responded that the technician, Privilege, claimed she couldn’t wax that area because it was part of my legs—despite me confirming with both Mariet and the technician beforehand that it was included.

Since then, they have ignored me—no sincere apology, no accountability, and no offer of compensation.

I am truly disappointed and disgusted that a salon in Canal Walk operates this way. I will never return, nor will I ever recommend them to anyone.