**See post-update at bottom of page**
What an amazing weekend I’ve had in Johor, Malaysia. Crossing the Singapore-Malaysia border on the 11th day of Chinese Lunar New Year couldn’t have been faster. To be exact, 10 minutes was all it took to clear both sides’ customs as compared with an hour or two.
As usual, a day in Malaysia is all about good food, shopping, manicure, grocery and petrol. This review will centre on my gel manicure experience at De’ Touch Beauty Care, although I’d really wanted to add in morsels of information on my lovely day-trip at Aeon Mall Kulaijaya.
Judging at how much I tend to write for each review, I better dedicate a separate post for the trip details. Watch out for my subsequent post on ‘Things to do’ in Aeon Mall Kulaijaya. In the meantime, continue reading to find out the 8 Reasons that made De’ Touch Beauty Care my favorite Johor Salon of the moment.
Location of De’ Touch Beauty Care
De’ Touch Beauty Care is located about 300m from Aeon Mall Kulaijaya. The address is:
De’ Touch Beauty Care
No. 47, Jalan Kenanga 29/3, Bandar Indahpura, 81000 Kulaijaya Johor
For those who are not familiar with Malaysia address format, Jalan Kenanga 29/3 is the street name.
Once you cross the road, continue to walk along street 29/3 until you see a Chinese eatery named “Tea Garden”. De’ Touch Beauty Care is just a few units down the street.
About De’ Touch Beauty Care
De’ Touch Beauty Care is owned by a young and pretty lady by the name of Jacqueline Chong. She has another assistant who happens to be her sister. The two of them man the nail section which is at the inner portion of the outlet.
The same unit is fronted by a hair salon (with three other staff), which I believe may be operated under a different company name. Nevertheless, if you want a 2-in-1 hair and nail service, this is one option you can consider.
What’s Good?
1. Pleasant Lady, Great Service
Jacqueline is a polite and soft-spoken lady. With her friendly and demure demeanor, I bet it won’t take long for you to feel totally at ease with her. After a light-hearted chat, I got to know about her brief working stint in Singapore. She was able to relate to us, Singaporeans. Feel free to ask her for recommendations on what’s cheap and worth buying in Malaysia.
Not only is Jacqueline a sweet lady, she displayed good customer service. She listened attentively on my request, and was able to give me confident suggestions when I needed them, e.g. color combination and nail design layout.
2. Fast Service
This must be the fastest manicure service I’ve had. From the moment I entered the store to when my nails were ready, only 40 minutes had elapsed. This included pricing enquiry, design discussion and recommendations.
Jacqueline was very focused and got started immediately with nail preparation while I took my time deciding on the nail designs.
3. Cosy and Quiet
The nail section is only big enough to hold four customers, two at the pedicure corner and two at the manicure table. So if you prefer a cosy and quiet environment, this is a good option.
When I was there, I was the only customer. I could discuss my nail requirements without having anyone else listening to the conversation, unlike my experience at Nail.it at Holiday Plaza Tower.
4. Got Most of the Basics Right
I have no complaints about her work. There was no blood or pain to remind me of my torturous session at Mosh Nail, Aeon Bukit Indah. The nails were nicely shaped and the polish was even and smooth. One thing I had hoped for was for more of the cuticle to be removed, just like how it was done at Nail.it, Holiday Plaza Tower.
5. Eye for Beauty & Steady Hand
From the photos of her work to her advice that turned out to be great, it is apparent that she knows what she’s doing and has an eye for aesthetics. When I showed her the design I wanted, she didn’t even need a second look.
Because my nails were short and small, she wasn’t confident that she could complete the design without some modification. In the end, I saw her completing the challenging work with steady hand.
She gave me what I wanted.
6. Reasonably-Priced
I was quoted RM68 for gel manicure. The design that I wanted on the fourth finger of each hand was quoted at RM10. My total spent was RM78 or SGD29 (inclusive of two designed nails). This is cheaper than Nails.Room, Sutera Mall, but slightly more costly than Nail.it, Holiday Plaza Tower.
7. Free Wi-fi
Free wi-fi is available. In fact, that was how I managed to do a last minute research on nail designs and color combination at the outlet.
8. Conveniently Located
As mentioned above, De’ Touch Beauty Care is located within walking distance from Aeon Kulaijaya. Your friends or family will have lots of things to do while waiting for your return.
What’s Bad?
1. One Nail Under-Cured
One of the nails was under-cured and looked matt.
Before leaving the salon, I’d asked Jacqueline to take a second look. Both of us thought the matt-looking nail was due to the cuticle oil which is quite a normal occurrence. The gloss would normally regain its shine once the oil is washed off.
Unfortunately, this proved to be the case of under-cured nail. I’m sure Jacqueline would help rectify things if I revisit. But hey, the matt nail looks pretty cool too, yes?
2. Limited Color & Design Add-ons
As De’ Touch Beauty Care is a small set-up, the color and design options seemed quite limited as compared with larger and more established nail spa.
3. Not Located within Mall
I’d said the location is good. With my insatiable demand, it would be even better if De’ Touch Beauty Care is located within Aeon mall. Walking 300m under the hot afternoon sun can be a strong deterrence to vain ladies (Me! Me!) who avoid sun like a plague.
I walked over only in the evening.
4. Far from Singapore
Of the few nail salons I’ve visited in Johor, Malaysia, this is the furthest from Singapore, about 40km away.
Overall Recommendation
So far, this is my favorite nail salon in Johor and I will definitely revisit. The fast service is a big draw for me, as it leaves me more time for shopping and entertainment. If you are planning for a visit, do make an appointment to ensure you get a slot. Also, if you notice your freshly polished nail is matt, do request to have a wash within the salon before you leave.
Post-Update (16 Mar 2015)
I was disappointed to see the nails chipping and peeling off from the 10th day. They didn’t even survive the second week mark, which was an exception rather than the norm. All gel manicures I’ve tried were able to last more than four weeks, with many lasting about six.
By day 13, some polish had totally peeled off (see index finger in photo below). Others were semi-peeled off. Shampooing had become a difficult affair as my hair would get stuck underneath those layers of semi-peeled polish. The only good thing that came out of this is that I probably don’t need to pay for ‘soak-off’ (removal) service.
It has been a great struggle for me deciding if I should share this. I’ve got no qualms giving negative reviews on large organizations. But for smaller set-ups, negative comments may affect their business or even livelihood. Furthermore, I did like the lady owner and her efficient work. What a pity that great customer service and skills were negated by the use of non-durable products.
I decided to proceed with an update because HONEST REVIEWS form the main basis and existence of this website. I don’t want any readers to be misguided.
With great regrets, I’m adjusting the rating down to 2 stars. Many opt for gel nails because they want the longevity of it. Hence, durability forms a great criterion in deciding how well a nail spa does. Rating: 2/5
When the owner is ready, I am most willing to revisit and review the service again, if that helps!
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