I went to Karina for nails when she was ..

/

.. at Rescue Rittenhouse and really missed her after she left.  I've had my nails done at a ton of different places, in many cities, and she really is one of the best techs.  

I was extremely happy when I discovered that she is the owner of this new(ish) spa.  I went to get a mani right away.  And it was fantastic.  But for one nail clipped just a little too short, I can't find fault with anything else (and this, in and of itself, unusual!).  My cuticles were well taken care of; the massage was awesome, the color is great, and so far (24 hours and a couple of hot showers later) the dark polish is still there.  After she was done applying color, she even applied cuticle oil -- because they do get dry by the end of the treatment!  That was a super nice touch. 

Apparently, Karina was also happy to see me, since she gave me a 20% discount, which was totally unexpected but much appreciated.  

She showed me around the spa and I noted that they only have one pedi chair.  You can come with a friend, but one of you would not get the full benefit of the treatment.  Hmm, I wonder if that'd be okay with my sister? 

I'm definitely going back, soon.  Maybe I'll cancel my pedi at Rescue and get it done with Karina tomorrow.

Tough Crowd T.

Just got an "express" pedicure ..

/

.. here after Rescue Rittenhouse had to cancel my appointment due to a power outage in their building. I was nervous about paying $40 for an "express service" but I was very happy with my results! It is a small place that emphasizes green products. Although thats a plus, its not a top priority for me (sorry!). I get mild ingrowns on my big toes and I get nervous about going to run of the mill salons and having them try and cut them, so I looked on yelp for highly rated higher end pedicures and ended up in Mi Cumbia. Extremely comfortable pedicure chairs that literally almost put me to sleep. The ambiance is extremely relaxing. The woman doing my nails was hesitant to cut my big toenails since they were so short (I tried to fix them myself) and ended up getting one of the other ladies to come do it. I appreciated her not doing something she wasnt comfortable with, and I really appreciated them taking to time to get someone to fix them for me. It says the express pedicure is 30 minutes but I did not feel rushed at all, and it did end up taking longer (in a good way!) All in all $39 is a small price to pay for getting rid of ingrown toenails and in a comfortable, relaxing, and VERY clean place! Cant wait to come back.

L K.

I felt compelled to join yelp in order to share ..

/

.. my experience with Karina. 

After reading other reviews, I decided to book my first brazilian. Let me tell you that I have made other attempts at other places, but always decided to stop with a deep bikini -  scared by the pain to take the full plunge.

I booked the appointment, I mentally prepared, I popped two Bayer Back and Bodies and made my way to the spa.

Everything that others are mentioning is absolutely, 100% true. Karina is very knowledgeable and professional. The spa is very clean but homey, calming and welcoming. She walks you through the entire process, taking time to point out where you are more sensitive. She asks you to concentrate on your breath when she reaches a point that may sting more than others. She applies a cream that helps close your pores and protect against bacteria. She also gives you a packet to take home for use after your first shower.

The price is comparable to other spas in the area.

The entire process was really quick and honestly the most painless bikini wax I have EVER received. I will absolutely be back.

I'm a total convert. Thanks Karina!!

Christina S.

Wow. Wow wow wow ..

/

.. From the minute I walked in to Tierra, I found nail heaven. The staff is extremely talented, personable and professional. They thought of many of the details other salons forget - assisting me with my coat so I wouldn't stain it after trying a few nail colors, offering me a tasty beverage, helping me stow my gear. That care and attention would have me sold already, but then there are the treatments!  As this is an organic salon, there is no nasty, headache inducing nail salon smell - just sweet, natural scents of came sugar and coconut, or whatever treatments you enjoy. I had the lemongrass brown sugar pedicure, and my legs have never felt so soft as they do right now. No further moisturizing lotion required due to the avocado oil. My manicure was even more divine, if possible, with warm coconut oil brushed over my arms, and followed by cold coconut shavings for a delightful contrast. 

The polishes are all natural, so you can feel good about what you are putting on your body. 

It is pricy, but well worth it. I would go every week if I could. 

What more could I want?  More pedicure chairs (they only have two), and maybe someday they'll offer a wider variety of natural treatments such as massage and facials.

Totally worth it!

Michelle H.

Justin greeted me at the door with a welcoming smile

/

.... and offer of water--and you can actually breathe in this salon without getting a headache or feeling naseous from fumes. While I sat patiently he brought over the list for chocolate flights--immediately my ears were all his and went off of his suggestion of which was his favorite (Dominican today). For a buck you can't beat it and since it was 530 in the afternoon it was a great pick me up!  
Karina took me in the back for my waxing and, like other reviewers have stated, she explained waxing and why you shouldn't go somewhere that double dips. I've never had anyone explain to me about waxing and what you should look for in a reputable salon before and, I'm glad she does this. Seriously wish other salons would too but, I guess that shows the level of commitment she has toward providing a healthy, pleasant experience.
What I *really* appreciated was that she said for me to come back in a week or two to get my legs waxed because, while she could wax them today it would be pointless. If we'd done it today I wouldn't have had smooth "hairless" legs as there were some short hairs that need to grow out a bit more. So, needless to say, I immediately decided I'm only going here the rest of the time I'm in Philly. Also, this was the most painless wax I've ever had...I do have a high tolerance for pain but I think anyone can make it through a waxing with Karina.  Also, she put on this antibiotic cream that's nice and cooling while a bit tingly, and gives you a little packet to apply the next day to deter ingrowns and any sort of infection. Definitely a nice touch!
We were talking about Colombia and I have a few friends from there so she said she'd give me some panela to try. OMG...I may have replaced my sweet tea habit with this stuff!! It is definitely worth whatever price they are charging for a glass...definitely cools you off and is just sweet enough, the freshly squeezed lime juice was a nice touch too. 
So, if you've read this far and have any hesitations, please just book an appointment and get in on the not-so well-kept secret of Tierra Mia. I've already booked my next waxing and am figuring out how to make a mani/pedi appointment work with my schedule.

Kerry D.

Sarah H.

/

I came here for a bachelorette party and it was wonderful!  It was my first experience with mani/pedis.  (I've gotten my nails painted before but never really gone for a full luxurious manicure).  The entire staff was friendly and sociable.  I felt like they were all genuinely enjoying themselves and happy to be there with us. It was a very positive, upbeat place, but at the same time extremely relaxing. The decor is very warm and cozy with wood floors and coffee bags lining the walls.  This was such an amazing place that I am looking for excuses to go back! 

Also its organic, a BYOB and they offer chocolate "flights" (samples of usually 3 organic chocolates) for $1.  You really can't go wrong here. I whole-heartedly recommend coming here for a little personal treat!

Karen B.

/

this review is for the coconut manicure, which i indulged in a week ago but waited to write about so i could see if the polish stayed on or not.

the verdict? awesome.

i'm the kind of girl who occasionally splurges for a manicure, then takes it off a day or two later at the first sign of chipping. not this time. i'm still rocking my "kaydee pink" nails a full week after my appointment with karina, who was really sweet, friendly and funny (and helped me choose the perfect color). the coconut oil (i think that's what it was?) she brushed onto my arms felt and smelled amazing, and the spa itself is a clean, beautiful and soothing environment. 

services might cost a bit more here than at typical nail salons, but i say it's worth it, not just because these people know what they're doing but also because of the strictly organic products they use. it freaks me out that many manicurists have to wear face masks at work -- for the hour i spent at tierra mia, i was psyched to avoid feeling like i was breathing in a bunch of toxic chemicals.

no complaints -- and i've already made another appointment (which says a lot about my experience here, considering i usually get about one manicure per year). love.

Zoe P.

/

It's been eons since my last manicure. In an effort to save money, I've completely eliminated unnecessary spa treatments and instead do them myself at home (if I have time - which is pretty much never). But eventually you reach a point where you need a little bit of pampering, so when my friend asked if I wanted to get a manicure with her before our friends' wedding, I said absolutely YES!

Neither of us had been to Tierra Mia before, and since she was really intrigued I agreed to try them out. She made the appointment for us (a deposit is required, apparently), and I would recommend it since its a very small salon. They only offer nail care and some wax treatments, which I may be tempted to try out on another occasion. We were greeted by a lovely girl who was also a nail technician, and with their help chose colors from their water-based polish supply. My friend chose their signature manicure with coconut oil and coconut shavings exfoliant, while I opted for their special spa manicure that involved a massage with mango seed pulp, sea salt scrub exfoliant, and then a lime-cucumber pulp massage. I was a shot of alcohol and a small umbrella away from being a tropical drink! Both nail technicians were very nice, professional, and gave us nice clean manicures. While her nails were drying, my friend enjoyed some Colombian drink with cane sugar and lime juice, and we were also offered Colombian dark chocolate with coffee (delish!).

Leah H.

/

Mi Cumbia is an absolute gem. Karina really knows what she is doing with waxing. I've been going here for a while for bikini waxes, which are always low pain. I recently got my eyebrows waxed here (a major personal fear) and the results were great. A bit expensive compared to other places in Philly (though not other big cities) but given the quality it all seems worth it!

Me C.

/

Great little place. I really like it here and it's calm and quiet. Karina is incredibly professional and sweet. I don't go anywhere else.  It's all organic too! 

They're a responsible business mindful of the environmental impact and general nastiness of chemicals. That's something a lot of businesses cannot say- well worth the money. 

Also, if you're offered the Colombian iced tea- drink it, it's delicious.

B M.

/

Honestly, I could write a novel on how wonderful this salon is. I have been a regular customer since the very first days of the salon (Tierra Mia!) with Justin and Karina. They have truly put their heart and soul into their business, and they have a wonderful staff that never fails to greet me with warmth and genuine desire to make my experience beyond exceptional every time. I'm a broke graduate student, so the prices are a little steep for me, but more than worth it. You are truly paying for an experience at Mi Cumbia Organica. Also, the polish lasts much longer than any other salon polsh I've ever had. Karina, Marjorie, and staff are particular and take pain-staking effort with each client to produce their best products. I have and will continue to recommend this salon to every woman I know. Every woman deserves to have the Mi Cumbia Organica salon experience!

What a wonderful and charming place!

/

I had a mani, pedi and brow waxing -- all to perfection! Karina took her time with my waxing; taking great care to do a great job.  In all my waxing and threading experience, she took the most time and consideration.  I'm definitely won over by her.  
Marjorie was a true professional too.  The atmosphere is peaceful, warm and clean.  It seems that they successfully make great efforts to provide quality services in a serene setting.  I'll be a repeat customer for sure!

Ambrose C.

Sara L.

/

After a while away I went back to Terra Mia, since I needed a really good pedicure, and I remembered having a great experience here.  Again, the pedicure was fantastic--definitely made my feet super smooth.  The organic polish is holding up well (a week in) so I'm very happy with that.  I got the cucumber pedicure, which was cooling and relaxing.  Later in the week I went back in for a manicure, and bikini and eyebrow waxing.  The manicure was with the coconut and was the signature manicure.  They gave me some tips on keeping it up which seem to be working since the manicure is holding up through one day of helping a friend move and one day of assisting on the set up and breakdown of a huge event.  
The star of the event though was the waxing.  The bikini and eyebrow waxing were the best I've EVER had.  Let's face it, bikini waxing is slightly dehumanizing and awkward.  But Karina made me feel really comfortable and she did a great job.  She was very thoughtful on my eyebrows also and really took her time to get them shaped so they look really good.  They use a soy wax that is supposed to be less painful--I don't know if it was the wax or Karina's technique but it really wasn't as bad as I was expecting.  Overall a great experience that will definitely keep me going back more frequently.

A. R.

/

I am very impressed - and that takes a lot!

I recently moved to the area and this place came highly recommended.  It also had wonderful reviews here on Yelp so I decided to give it a try.

This is definitely an appointment only place and there was only limited availability when I tried to book something.

Everyone was wonderful, very attentive, friendly, outgoing, yet not over the top.  The atmosphere of the salon is lovely.  

I had my eyebrows done and before hand Karina(sp?) went over exactly what she was going to do and why.  It put me at ease to know I was in knowledgable and skilled hands.

Before leaving I scheduled my next round of services to be sure that I could get a spot and I can't wait to return!

You definitely get what you pay for and this place is well worth it!