Luxurious Nails

For Ty Nguyen, opening Luxury Nails at Shelter Cove Marina isn’t simply the launch of a new business. It’s the culmination of a lifetime spent learning the nail industry, a decade spent building relationships on Hilton Head Island, and a long-held desire to create a salon entirely around the experience he believes clients deserve.

Judging by the approximately 200 clients who have already followed him to his new location, Nguyen’s philosophy is resonating.

“I built a very strong bond with all my clients,” he said. “They’re like family to me, and they helped me get to where I am now.”

Ty Nguyen is photographed in his new salon, Luxury Nails, located in Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina. 

That sense of family is particularly fitting, considering Nguyen’s own introduction to the nail business began with his.

Born in New Orleans, Nguyen grew up throughout Louisiana, living at various times in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Alexandria, and other communities as his family moved around the state. His parents worked in the nail industry, which meant the salon became a familiar part of his childhood.

“I was one of those kids who was in the nail salon helping Mom and Dad,” he said.

Later, his sister and her boyfriend moved from Louisiana to Pennsylvania, where they opened a nail salon in a small town. Nguyen eventually joined them, spending six years there helping with the business before the family’s story took another turn.

After about a decade in Pennsylvania, his sister had endured enough cold weather. She began researching warmer places to live and work, and Hilton Head Island caught her attention. She eventually moved south and opened a salon on the island. Nguyen followed, beginning what would become his own decade-long relationship with Hilton Head.

Over the years, he worked in salons on both the north and south ends of the island, steadily developing a loyal clientele. Along the way, however, he also began forming definite ideas about what he would do differently if he ever had a salon of his own.

“I wanted to do it my way,” Nguyen said. “I wanted more customer service, and I wanted to do it for the locals.”

Luxury Nails is the result.

A Waterfront Salon Experience

Located at Shelter Cove Marina next to San Miguel’s, Luxury Nails offers something few salons can put on their service menu: a waterfront view. “You can literally see the water from my salon,” Nguyen said.

The setting provides the backdrop, but Nguyen has been intentional about creating an equally appealing experience inside. His vision was a salon that felt sophisticated without feeling intimidating – fresh, immaculate, comfortable, and decidedly upscale.

“The vibe is very classy, luxury-looking, clean and new,” he said.

Cleanliness is particularly important to Nguyen. His years in the industry showed him that the salon environment matters almost as much as the finished manicure or pedicure. Luxury Nails incorporates ventilation designed to help keep the space fresh, while Nguyen carefully selects products with both quality and the client experience in mind.

“I have a lot of luxury clients, and they like clean and freshness,” he said. “So I try to make it for them.”

Even the pedicure chairs reflect his attention to detail. Higher-end chairs feature massage capabilities, steamers, and multiple jet settings designed to turn a routine pedicure into something closer to a mini escape. After all, when the view outside is Shelter Cove Marina, relaxation comes naturally.

Luxury Nails offers traditional manicures and pedicures along with waxing services and an extensive selection of nail enhancements, including traditional gel manicures, dip powder, acrylics, and Gel-X.

Nguyen said dip powder is currently among the most requested services. “Everybody loves doing the dip,” he said, noting that many clients appreciate its strength and durability while maintaining the appearance of the natural nail.

Clients can also choose among five pedicure options, allowing them to customize their visit according to how much time – and pampering – they want.

Nguyen is equally selective about the products used in his salon. He has sought out polish options formulated without certain ingredients that have generated concern within the nail industry, part of his effort to offer clients products he feels confident using.

But for Nguyen, technique and products are only part of what makes a great nail appointment. The details have to be personal.

“I take pride in everything from cleanliness and quality products to making sure your nails actually fit your personality and lifestyle,” he said.

Clients Who Became Family

Perhaps the most remarkable part of Nguyen’s new venture is how much of it has been built through relationships. His longtime clients didn’t simply book appointments when Luxury Nails opened. Some helped him navigate the practical steps of becoming a business owner, assisting with everything from his LLC to the salon logo and other details involved in launching the company. 

That support is something Nguyen doesn’t take lightly. After working across Hilton Head for 10 years, he has developed connections throughout the community, from business owners to longtime residents. Many clients have been with him for years, and their loyalty gave him the confidence to finally create a place of his own.

In turn, Nguyen wants Luxury Nails to feel less like a revolving-door service business and more like a place where clients are recognized, welcomed, and cared for. “We genuinely care about making every person who sits in the chair feel comfortable, confident and beautiful,” he said.

That statement may best explain why so many clients followed him.

Luxury Nails HHI

9 Harbourside Lane

Shelter Cove Marina, Hilton Head Island

(Next to San Miguel’s)

Website: luxurynailshhi.com

Instagram: @LuxuryNailsHHI

Facebook: Luxury Nails HHI

With Luxury Nails now open, Nguyen is settling into a new role – not simply as the nail professional his clients have trusted for years, but as a business owner finally able to shape every detail of their experience.

A formal grand opening and possible introductory specials are still being planned, but Nguyen’s longtime clientele hasn’t waited for a celebration to find him. They already know where he is.

For new clients, Nguyen hopes the combination of waterfront scenery, elevated amenities, quality products, meticulous cleanliness, and personalized service will distinguish Luxury Nails from the moment they walk through the door.

For longtime clients, however, the new salon represents something more. They have watched Nguyen work toward this moment, encouraged him along the way, and in some cases even helped him get there.

Now, from his new space overlooking Shelter Cove Marina, Nguyen gets to welcome them into the salon he envisioned all along. “I’m just trying to be different,” he said.

At Luxury Nails, different looks a lot like beautiful nails, waterfront views, and making every client feel like family.