Vis-a-Vis

Very tranquil setting and they make you feel so relaxed no matter what service you are having done.

Like mama always said: Don’t judge a book by its cover. As you approach Vis-​a-​Vis, you can’t help but wonder what type of spa is housed in a nondescript office building. But, open the doors to a wondrous, tranquil place. The waiting area is minimal, but fear not, because you will soon be whisked away to a spacious treatment room. From the calming music to ultra soft sateen sheets, you will melt into your spa experience.
My facial was prefaced by a brief consultation, then Kimmie went to work. I have never had a more choreographed facial, every brush stroke and hand motion was performed with deft skill and continuous pressure and motion to transport me into the best facial that I ever had! My skin looked and felt amazing when I left! I will definitely be back to see Kimmie every 4 – 6 weeks!
Perk: Online scheduling!

Incredibly calming and professional. Scheduled my 1^st ever bikini wax with Dani and she was amazing. Kind and gentle. She answered all of my questions and made me feel very comfortable. Couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Pamela is awesome! She made me feel so comfortable and did a great job! Super clean and nice salon!

Vis-​a-​Vis has become my go-​to salon and spa for skincare. Their heart-​crafted line of skin care products are extensive and natural. I can find something that fits my skin and needs with the changing seasons. The whole line is affordable. They also have professional products they carry and recommend for skin aliments. Along with cosmetics as well. They have quite a menu of skin care services; from quick breaks to a 2 hour pampering facial experience.
They just opened up a second studio for skin care in the same building. Same parking, just different entrance.
I cannot say enough about Vis-​a-​Vis. They are a full service Salon and Spa, however, I am crushing on the skincare.

My dad’s family is Eastern European.
My mom’s family is Hispanic.
It’s only fair from these facts alone the one would reduce (correctly) that there is a high probability that I might or might not have a unibrow.
I came to grips with this in fifth grade and have subsequently made it a priority to find a licensed aesthetician prepared to deal with me as soon I moved somewhere new.
That being said, upon a brief two day visit in Ann Arbor before my move the following week, I made my first unannounced visit to Vis-​a-​vis… And I must say, I left very satisfied.
Allison did my brows. She’s good. Although I’m not terribly objective. If a place can literally remove my unibrow and not leave me with burns I am amazed and tell all my friends about this «amazing place» that they «must go to». Just kidding, I am sort of picky bc I don’t want to look like Chewbacca or my name is Roxy and I am from Indiana.
And the prices. I got my caterpillars shaped into two wizard wand strokes for sixteen bucks, not including tip. I’m not complaining. I believe on my most recent visit I paid a little bit more but honestly no more than I spend at the vending machine of my school everyday.
Also if you’re like me and 72% scared of picking up the phone half the time and would rather conduct most of your business through the interwebs this is absolutely the place for you. You can make an appointment online but unfortunately you have to show up in person to get them brows waxed. I think they’re still trying to do that online.
There is also delicious candy in the front which is great because there are so few free things left in this world and besides free college or whatever free candy should be a priority in this wonderful country.
This place rules! Over and out.

You had me at «Fire & Ice» massage!!! Amazing! Ask for Letha just incredible! Nothing else to be said she’s just incredible!

Super amazing! I got a Brazilian wax here and the therapist was so great. She was incredibly professional, and my wax felt a lot more painless than when I got waxed before. The last time I waxed was also 4 months ago lol. I highly recommend this place! Their rewards system is also really nice!

I travel a lot so regularly check out Unilocal for recommendations in new places. I did a bit of research for a spa which lead me to Vis-​a-​via in Ann Arbor. It comes highly recommended and rightly so. The staff are very courteous, I really like the lay out and feel of the spa and the products they have for sale. Lee was my esthetician. She was friendly, made me feel relaxed and very diligent.
She even suggested a few spots in town for some food, nothing like a bit of local knowledge.
When next in Ann Arbor I’ll be back!

I got my eyebrows done with Chelsea and I am not coming back! I stressed out to her multiple times how much I dislike thin eyebrows on my face and guess what I ended up with? Yup! Thin and uneven eyebrows. Oh well… I saw good reviews and I have it a try but left disappointed not to mention wasted $ 30. I hate giving this please one star because Chelsea was very nice and friendly so was the staff. Maybe I expected too much?!
Update: I got a call from Daniel soon after I wrote my first review which I did give one star to and was pleasantly surprised to be invited for a free eyebrow correction session. I had a nice visit and Daniel did such a great job. So if you want your eyebrows to be done right make an appointment with Dani!

I started going to Vis-​a-​Vis for eyebrow waxing about 5 – 6 months ago and was incredibly pleased (Bonnie is a joy — skillful, friendly, makes all requested adjustments). After that I decided to take the plunge and start getting semi-​regular manicures. My nails were, and had always been, a giant mess, and I’d feared getting them done *because* they were so bad! But all the appointments have been fantastic, professional, and made me feel so much better about myself! I’d highly recommend Elizabeth for nail service — she’s so kind and really takes the time to do a great job, plus she’s truly invested in your overall skin/​cuticle/​nail health — not just about selling expensive services. For example, she specifically warned me against getting shellac too often and suggested some easy steps to keep my nails from drying out.
In terms of location and ambiance, I don’t think I’ve ever been to a more beautiful, relaxing, and comfortable salon. All the staff are so nice and very genuine, the décor is fantastic, and they offer some lovely extras (free beverages and chocolate). It also happens to be quite close to my house and they have ample parking, which for even being on the outskirts of downtown is great (someone else noted few visitors spots — make sure to go to the Vis-​a-​Vis specific section in the back lot that faces Kingsley, not just the generic «McKinley Center Visitor» spots).
Price wise they seem reasonable — eyebrow waxing is comparable to other salons around town and while the manicures are probably a bit more than a stand alone nail place, they do have multiple levels of service, so you don’t have to do the full one every time if you only want a new color.
Honestly I have to pull back from making too many appointments there, in part because I just enjoy going so much!

This place is deceptively small from the outside. When you step inside, you are greeted by a beautiful and expansive spa. They offer a wide range of services and I have been happy with all of the ones I have received. There are small details such as chocolate at the counter and tea/​water when you check in that make the experience that much better than other locations.
I highly recommend Vis-​a-​Vis anyone looking for some spa services.

If you asked me to list off or count the many ways that I love this place and the awesome people in it, I just wouldn’t be able to. It’s really just that wonderful. I don’t do spas guys, I don’t do the kind of self-​care that I should engage in to get though grad school, but these lovely ladies have taught me that it’s okay to pamper myself and they do it well. I decided that if I was going to go for it, that I was really going to go with gusto, so I made a waxing appointment. The esthetician that I was given was Chelsea and she was perfect. I’m such a novice, waxing is not something I normally do, of course, and for this reason it can be such a painful and awkward process, but not with Chelsea. She’s kind, gentle and always warns before any pain or discomfort might be felt.
She’s comfortable with customization asking if I’d like a little more, or less, and answered several ridiculous questions about post-​waxing skin care, with a handout to boot after my appointment. I was happy, some months later, to return to her smiling face, with a similar, low pain-​low discomfort appointment in which she was prompt and her normal, awesome self.
Now to tell you about my makeup experience. I have two left hands, if that makes any sense, when it comes to makeup. I just never got the hang out and use it minimally. After a long, harrowing semester, however, I decided I was going to get it done for a job holiday party. Many of us are in scrubs and comfortable clothing all day, and this is the one day a year you get to see everyone look their absolute best, it’s a lovely affair. Six days before my birthday and the books behind me (at least for a few weeks) I decided to go all out. Hair done, nails done, everything DID. I got Bonnie as my make-​up lady, she ran a little late, but sometimes you need an extra few moments to do your best work, and so I understood and had more than enough time to spare. I was, in all honesty, a bit worried — some people do not know how to work with darker complexions, but Bonnie had no issues and within just 20 minutes I looked like a natural beauty, but enhanced. A little bit on the eyes, some lip and cheek coloring and skin toning and viola — holiday party ready and what a night it was. Went perfect with my outfit, which I didn’t even tell her about. Bonnie just knew exactly what I needed. It was a great beginning to the holiday season/​break.
I can’t emphasize enough how awesome this place is, just go and be prepared to love yourself for the decision and relax. You’re worth the time, and so are they.
Note: The selfie I took that night is my profile picture if you’d like to see her work.

I bought a massage package as a surprise for my wife at Vis-​aVis, she couldn’t have been any happier with how she was treated during her visit… great job Vis-​a-​Vis! Also, very reasonable pricing and just a few blocks walk away from some bars/​restaraunts for those of us who need to kill some time while waiting for our significant other.

I love this place! I had a great experience getting a massage there. First, I love how they let you make an appointment online; I am profoundly more likely to go somewhere if I can make an appointment online. Also, in downtown Ann Arbor, it is always appreciated for a business to have its own parking spots. Their space is a little small, but decorated really well, so it’s kind of quaint and cozy. I really like how they have a separate waiting room, so you aren’t sitting right next to reception while you wait.
Letha gave me an amazing 90-​minute massage. If you go over a certain amount for massages, then you get to pick one free enrichment, so I got the hot stones, and those were definitely the best part.
Also, they let you add a tip to your credit card (as opposed to only accepting tips in cash like some places), so that’s nice.
Highly recommended!

I absolutely love coming to Vis a Vis. Each person I interact with is calm, friendly, and accommodating. The service is impeccable and well worth the money.
I’ve had my first 2 services from here and cannot imagine going anywhere else. The esthetitians are knowledgeable and experienced and really strive for perfection. Would gladly recommend anyone looking for hard wax treatment to try Vis a Vis !

This was my first time getting a facial ever and it was a great experience. Since I had never had a facial before I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect or how painful extractions would be. But Veronica was a charm. She asked me problem areas/​concerns, then addressed all of them. She talked through what she was applying and what to expect before doing it. And to be absolutely honest, the extractions were completely painless. Seriously. I didn’t flench. I smiled and laughed actually. By the end of my 45 minutes facial I was completely relaxed. (They give you a foot massage too which is amazing!) I am excited to have found such a professional, clean, and friendly spa!
The only negatives are 1. parking can be a little tricky? The parking structure nearby was full, street metered parking has time limits, and there’s only a few visitor spots in their lot 2. As a pharmacist it was hard not to notice spelling errors on their waiver form of various medications ;) Hopefully they can correct these soon!

Updating my review from two years ago because Vis-​a-​Vis is worthy of another 5 star review even after all the years I have been a client. I have sent numerous friends and family members to Vis-​a-​Vis for services and the care and results are always amazing. In my last review I made a comment about wishing for nail services and YES they now have nail services. The spa is still is sparkling clean and always quiet, just what I want in a spa. You can’t go wrong visiting this spa!

After navigating on Unilocal and seeing all these fantastic reviews of Vis-​a-​Vis, I decided to give them a try and get my waxing done there!
First of all, Scheduling was super easy and the receptionist Kim is super friendly. That was a good sign! Since I was looking for a last minute same day service, they were pretty booked up, I told them I would give them a call back, maybe another day! But lucky me, they had a last minute cancellation and was able to put me on the list, and here I am! Getting my eye brow and bikini waxed! Yah!
Finding them was easy and they have a parking lot right around the corner, so that was a huge plus considering it was downtown!
Walked in, greeted by the receptionist, got my tea and waiting for my waxing technician. I have two waxing technician, Alison and Lee.
Alison did my full face and eye brow maintenance. She is young, friendly and skilled. I didn’t feel much pulling or pinch, and the whole process was quick and easy! Eye brow was shaped well and she cleaned up really well! Handed me the mirror and had me checked a few times and made sure I was 100% satisfied. Good stuff!
Then, it was my bikini Brazilian waxing… Okay… This is my first Brazilian wax… first bikini wax… Nervous!!! But Lee is Super!!! Explained to me step by step what to expect and how this type of waxing works! She made me feel extremely comfortable and we were able to carry lots of good conversations from nutrition, health, wellness to family, career and adventures! The whole thing was nice, informative, comfortable and fast! I didn’t feel much of the pulling and tweezing considering it is one of the most sensitive areas of the body! Towards the end, lee also applied some essential oil based serum for me to prevent bumps or discomfort as my skin is very sensitive :)
After my session is done, Lee patiently waited outside for me to get dressed and also brought me a bottle of water to go!
Overall, I had a great experience there! And I will definitely be back for my facials, make up sessions and more!
Thank you Vis-​a-​vis for such a great service! Thumb up!!!

I like to think of myself as a blue collar type of guy. I am a wrestler, didn’t grow up much, and enjoy the «fuck ya» feeling of an excellent hamburger, rather that a salad.
So, when my GF bought a couples massage for us as a Christmas present, I was at first turned off, then intrigued, which became excitement, which ultimately resulted in nervousness.
As we pulled in to the fairly nondescript parking lot, I got a fluttery feeling in my stomach. When you think about it, you are going to share a fairly intimate experience with a complete stranger– touching your naked, oily body with only a sheet of cloth covering your junk.
Nonetheless, this feeling of unease was quickly quieted as the receptionist was very nice, even though we where 15 minutes late. we took a seat in a clean waiting room with soothing music playing and waited for our masseuses to arrive.
We were met with the smiling face of Julie, and she was excellent. She led us to a dark room and told politely to change into robes. Her and her partner came back and thus started our massage.
Everything was extremely professional and our masseuses were very skilled. Pricing was reasonable and you can definitely tell that they pay attention to detail:
– All their media is creative and refreshing
– they use some special fabric thing which makes all their towels and linens smell really good
– just the right amount of small talk and silent work on your sore muscles
I will definitely be back when I am really stressed!