Elements Salon And Day Spa

The makeup woman, I believe her name was Christine, did an amazing job for me when I was the bridesmaid in my only sister’s wedding. She convinced me to do the airbrush makeup and it was worth every penny. The bride loved my makeup so much when she saw me, she marched in and asked them to do hers too. They were so sweet to accommodate her on her wedding day and she looked amazing. This salon is the highlight of an otherwise horrible hotel. Ask for Christine!

This is such an AMAZING salon and spa that I don’t even know where to begin! Everyone is friendly and fun! They go out of their way to make me comfortable and provide all kinds of neat services such as makeup classes and hair lessons for those looking for something different. There is always delicious coffee from the Keurig on hand as well as special treats and plenty of magazines to entertain if you need more than the friendly staff! The aveda products smell wonderful. Its such a pleasure getting to try out new scents. They give wonderful massages, manis, pedis, and a variety of treatments too. The lovely ladies that work there are always trying new products, makeup treatments and style but they each have their own specialty. If you are looking for a mani/​pedi, come and enjoy! It’s in a private room next door to the salon so you can enjoylit lettle quiet while soaking in the delicious aveda scents. Oh did I mention what a great color and cut I got? There are so many great things to say that I almost forgot! I really can’t say enough about this place. Stop in and enjoy!

My friend selected this salon for her bridal hair (and our hair as well). They were great at accommodating me who came in late to NY from out of state.
However, I did elect to get my makeup done and while it was fine, it wasn’t really anything I couldn’t have done myself (and I’m pretty basic when I do makeup). She did a smoky eye which looked nice, but I felt my base and coverup were really lacking in application. I also felt it was rushed. I’ve had better and more comprehensive makeup done at a department store for free.
The woman who helped me preferred not to do my hair which I found slightly odd because she seemed to be the manager and she said it wasn’t her thing (which is fine… I guess?). Although I just needed my hair curled, she didn’t really want to even though she had curled someone else’s hair before doing my makeup. So I waited until the poor girl that did my hair frantically did someone else’s hair and cut could get to me. It seemed like the girl got dumped with all the «hard» work while the other women sat there and chatted waiting for their regulars.
The girl who did my hair was nice and sweet and although I had asked for a beachy wave, I got straight curls which was fine. It held up great during the whole ceremony and reception.
The place is fine, and I do prefer Aveda salons, so a plus for that. I do not know what the other salons in Auburn have to offer so I cannot compare or make recommendations.

I have been to Elements a few times for various services, most recently booking time for my bridal party on my wedding day. I wanted to love this place, despite the awkward setting in oddly refurbished hotel rooms (you actually have to go out into the hotel hall to enter the other side of the salon. Not a big deal, but sorta strange). But there was one major downfall, and that had to do with the second most-​photographed body part of a bride: the hands.
I got a basic mani, which was decent enough right on through the base coat. But when the manicurist pulled out this odd set of tiny paintbrushes and asked her coworker if she used guides to do the tips of a French mani, I was worried. After carefully examining her brushes (I wondered if she had ever used them before), she selected the skinniest one and proceeded to paint a series of thin, crooked lines across the tips of my nails. The brush was so small that she had to go over her work several times, resulting in a lumpy-​looking mess. Never in my life have I seen a French done this way, nor have I seen one so sloppy looking. I was pretty horrified, but not wanting to hurt her feelings (or risk being called a Bridezilla), I took it for what it was and figured I’d just repaint my nails a solid color at home. Was it the end of the world? No. But I wish she’d just told me she couldn’t do it and I’d have happily skipped the tips. After all, it was my wedding. Of course, the other woman who did the same mani for my friend did a fantastic job, freehanding the work with the brush from the bottle. So a word to the wise: feel free to get your nails done, but don’t let the middle-​aged woman with blond hair (Linda?) anywhere near you with a bottle of polish.
As for hair and makeup, everyone looked great. One of the younger employees, Christina, did a really nice job with my updo, taking seriously my concerns about everything staying in place since I have a ton of straight, fine hair. She also did my airbrush makeup, which was a first for me. While pricey, it looked very natural, gave me flawless skin (without feeling heavy), and stayed put the entire day, making it well worth the cost.
Pros:
–plenty of parking
–convenient for Holiday Inn guests
–cheerful, friendly staff
–free beverages (iced tea/​water when we were there)
–updos, makeup, wash & style
–prices (on par or lower than other area salons)
Cons:
–ambiance
–manicure (depending on who does it)
–cramped space in mani/​pedi room