Milk & Honey

I had a signature massage with Lala at the 2^nd street location. Her technique and demeanor were exceptional. Be advised, this girl is strong so if you ask for firm pressure, be ready! I say that as a huge compliment. I know she would have been happy to adjust the pressure if needed. The massage was amazing and of course the facilities are always great at M+H.

I have only ever gotten a message here and I can say, while expensive, you get your monies worth. I hate the experience of getting a message and when your done you put on your clothes and go. I want to clean off afterwards. Milk and Honey does it correctly.
You check in get a locker undress and toss on a robe. Once you are done in the locker you head to a nice waiting area with snacks and water. You get to relax while your therapist gets everything ready.
Once done with the message, which I have had four of at this location all of which have been fantastic, you head back into the locker room where they have steam showers, which are amazing, to clean all the oil off and get refreshed and ready to head off on your way.
It’s amazing.

I got the most amazing facial from Sarah yesterday. It was extremely soothing and effective. Yay!

I had a heavenly experience! Heater was the
. I will defientely be returning the next time I am in town! I was able to book my appointment within 30 minutes of it starting. You should jump into the steam shower afterwards.

Amazing massage! I had a 105 min deep tissue massage with Kat, she did a great job! I’ve been stressed a lot lately and my neck, shoulders and overall my back was very stiff. She was able to spot those tensioned areas and worked on them gently. I feel rejuvenated and all my back pain is gone. Also the place is very nice and clean. They even provide you contact lense solution in the changing rooms, which might sound like a small detail but you definitely need that after keeping your eyes closed for almost 2 hours.

My first appointment at milk and honey did not go as expected. I wanted a different end result for my lashes and felt like I overpaid for what I received. I did complain to management and they were genuinely helpful at trying to resolve my concerns. I returned a week later and saw Erin kate for my lash extensions and was very happy with the results. She is very thorough and quick at applying the lashes, and I immediately saw a huge difference in the volume. I will be returning biweekly to have her do the refills. Extensions are definitely technique sensitive and you must find the right person to do the job! Thanks Erin Kate!

The word of the day is Liz, because she rocks! I came in to get a manicure and she was super sweet and has all around awesome energy! She did some very gorgeous nail art that was sharp, clean, and cute. I’m super excited to come back for more with Liz! I cannot tell you how much I recommend her.
The place itself is very clean, relaxing, and the staff are very helpful. Super excited to try out all of their other services too!

Maria gave me the most amazing 2 hour massage! She made the weight of the world I’d been carrying on my shoulders melt away, and allowed me to finally relax… ohhhh how I needed this!

Unparalleled service and excellent massage! I cannot say enough about Marvin (my massage therapist) and Summer, the manager! I haven’t had a massage like this since I was at The Ritz! I will absolutely be back and would recommend Milk & Honey to ANYONE with discriminating taste who appreciates spa sophistication, professionalism, and excellent technique! Best money I’ve spent in quite some time.

Absolutely wonderful 1 hour and 15 min massage with Isaac. He was AMAZING! I like pretty firm pressure and he kept it up the entire massage which I seriously appreciate when dropping a bit of money. Loved the steam shower, products smelled great, and I left feeling epically relaxed. I think the snacks could improve but hey, I won’t complain and I’m a complainer.
I also received an email the other day for a complimentary massage add on if I booked another massage for my birthday. Ex: 15 min extra foot massage. Uh, ya!!! I’ll be back ASAP. Thanks again.

After getting a notification that my flight out of Austin was delayed, I had a wonderful last-​minute massage here. I got a 60-​minute massage and my therapist was responsive to my tender areas and offered some exercises and tips. The locker room is a bit small and the steam shower in one of the showers was broken, but I didn’t have a lot of time to enjoy the amenities anyway. Friendly service; a professional and relaxing massage. I’d recommend this place to anyone looking to relax! Tip: I checked the online booking system and it said that they didn’t have any slots, but there was an opening when I called. If you want a same-​day appointment don’t rely on the booking system, call.

UPDATE TO MY ORIGINAL REVIEW:
After seeing the effort that the Milk + Honey team (especially the assistant manager, Diane) exerted to fix the problem, I am sure that I will continue to give them my business. Mistakes happen, you can’t avoid that, but it speaks volumes to me when a team will go above and beyond to make you happy. Thanks, Milk + Honey!
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OLD REVIEW:
Don’t get a manicure here.
Yes, it looks great and yes, I love that they use new tools for every guest, but for $ 55, the gel manicure sure doesn’t last long! I got a manicure on a Thursday, and between then and the following Monday, one of my nails is already chipped. Keep in mind — I did nothing labor-​intensive in that timeframe so there’s no reason this should have happened. Also, this is not the first time this occurred (see previous review), and yes they were happy to fix it, but I had to go in TWO MORE TIMES because it kept chipping after just a couple days.
Save yourself the extra $ 25 and go to a regular nail salon — you won’t get the same atmosphere, but at least your shellac will last longer than 4 days.

Their facials are Devine!
I love the relaxing atmosphere, and inviting lounge.
I have had no negative experiences.

In town for a few days… Called and booked an appointment with SHANTEL… She was AMAZING!
She has the gift of massage… She knows right where to concentrate and is ably to get out knots and still make it feel great! Highly recommend SHANTEL! Nice star, clean and an overall great experience

A valentines gift for the wife. A day at the spa, complete with massage, facial and pedicure. I have nothing to review myself other than the price was a little pricey.
A review from my wife:
Cleverly clean place, looks clean, feels clean. Unlike others she’s been too. And the most homey relaxing organized spa.
Massage was perfect. Nothing special to report, just an average to great massage
Facial, her first time. Says its allot of stuff but it was cool. More effective than the ones she uses at home.
Pedicure, she did a good job other than getting her ingrown toenails out.
Location good, parking sucks.
The end.

My eyebrows were fully grown in and ready for a great wax! I asked for her to follow the line I filled w my brow pencil and she took most of my eyebrows off. They are literally non existent and different from each other. I HATE skinny/​thin eyebrows, and now the pencil I use I have to draw on my skin. Not cool.

I come here regularly to get my nails done, brows waxed, hair cut and, now, hair colored. I see the same people every time, and feel that the service is always consistent and of high-​quality. The attention to detail is almost surgical, and everyone seems to get retrained regularly in response to customer feedback. I also like that I’m not constantly being up-​sold or asked to buy more products or an upgraded service. I hate that and feel it cheapens my experience. The one-​stop-​shop aspect of milk & honey is also a huge part of the reason I come here. I like to knock all my beauty-​related stuff out in one go, and I like that I can get pretty much any service under one roof. My only complaint is I wish milk & honey would do more for regular customers beyond offering minimally discounted packages. I do spend a lot of money here and it would go a long way in further earning my loyalty. Also, I would LOVE if they offered threading. I like the results of eyebrow threading so much more than waxing, but there is no place downtown that offers it.

It was ok, not really worth the price.
PROS
–very relaxing environment, dim lighting, the correct music at the right volume
— professional staff
CONS
— I was freezing the whole time I got a massage. The room was quite chilly. The gal would put a warm towel on me every once in a while but that would only last so long.
— the locker room area was gross. Hair all over the shower, rusting shower walls and fixtures. My bathrobe fell on the wet floor because the hooks were falling out of the wall.
— I was upsold a back and foot scrub for another $ 30, they kinda just slapped it on and immediately wiped it right off. I was regretting paying extra for that.
— It took a long time to get to use a shower. There are only two available and three people waiting ahead of me. We just sat around and talked about how awkward it was to be waiting.
The overall massage went well, nice gal. Overall experience, meh…

Rosalyn is a fantastic massage therapist. She has a skilled touch and listens and delivers on exactly what it is you need. I was sad when my previous favorite therapist left this location, and now that I’ve found Rosalyn, that void has been filled! Hunter did my mani/​pedi and went above and beyond to help me decide on a color and make sure I was satisfied from start to finish. I went on a Monday morning, so the spa was rather quiet, which I prefer since it’s a smallish space anyway. Overall a great experience.

Can I just say WOW! This place is so amazing, relaxing and inviting. I went in for a full facial, which was divine. The service is amazing no complications or issues and the staff is so friendly. Price range is a little pricey but also fair for the service, location, and for the whole experience. I will defiantly be going back to check out their other services! Great Job Milk & Honey!

I had a facial today with Katina, and a pedi with Deanna and they were both really great. The spa was super clean and comfortable and parking was not so tough as I had worried it might be. I was really glad I took the time to give myself a little birthday treat. And Katina and Deanna helped make my day relaxing and refreshing. Thank you both!

Nice serene place and great front desk staff. My haircut that I had last summer was not so bad, but nothing special and over-​priced. BUT I give 5 stars for the special milk and honey coconut and lemongrass hair mask that I bought. I usually feel ripped off when I buy salon products but my hair is so silky and hydrated with this mask. I leave in on overnight and perfect hair the next day. I can imagine that it smooths hair out for those who have frizz as well. I am always on the look for good hair products so I think I will shell out the bucks for her shampoo and conditioner.

so disappointed. i will not be going back.
went in for an 8:45 am facial for 75 minutes w ultrasonic, booked on-​line the night before. was to be a 75 minute service. arrived on time, and waited to have someone check me in (there was a lot of opening-​hour commotion going on), and then was asked to wait to be shown into the ladies lounge, since i was new to the location. once inside, slipped into the robe & slippers, and went straight out to waiting area. i was the only person in there. so i waited. and waited… and waited… it was 9:05 when the service provider came for me. obviously, it was opening time and everyone was still getting their day together. finally, we are in service. sadly, though, the facial was mediocre, which is not okay for a $ 155 service. by mediocre, i mean: the massage was half-​hearted, and did not give equal time/​attention to each side; questions i asked about the ultrasonic being used were barely answered and not in technical terms. if i could come up with the right question, taking shots into the dark, then she would answer. it was like pulling teeth. as that this was my first ultrasonic experience, I’d like to know what I’m paying for and how it works, I’d expect a milk+honey service provider to be able to educate me. i thought the service was seeming a little bit faster than 75 minutes, as i was told we were all done and to take my time getting up. i walk from the treatment room to the ladies’ lounge, and it is ONLY 10:00. that is a 55 minute facial for $ 155. how is it acceptable to be 20 minutes short? was going to say something at check-​out, but there was a line that I had to wait and wait and wait in, as it took two ladies and running back to the manager to help some other customer who was doing a return. i felt that front desk was speaking w a demeaning and snooty attitude to this customer, basically trying to embarrass her for wanting to make a return of something she changed her mind on. other customers also waiting in line began to exchange looks, the look one exchanges when the sales clerk is treating you like you are beneath them. also known as the little hitler complex. anyhow. i realised at this pace, there wouldn’t be enough time to both lodge and resolve my complaint. it was 10:20, i had been waiting in line for 10 minutes, there were two customers in front of me and had an 11:00 appointment to get to. all i could think of as i left WHY DIDN’T I BOOK WITH VIVA DAY SPA?

I had an appointment at Milk & Honey’s downtown location last week and it was a great experience. The service was excellent from start to finish. Special thanks to Hunter for the best mani/​pedi I’ve had in a long time (great attention to detail!) and the front desk staff for quickly resolving a scheduling issue that was entirely my fault.
Plan to arrive early so that you can use the steam showers!

I got a $ 100 gift certificate to spend here and it was the best spa experience. Hands down, probably one of the best Austin has to offer. I called ahead to ask about parking, and I was given instructions to park at the City Hall garage. The good thing is M+H validates parking for up to two hours, so it was a win-​win situation. I was ushered into the dressing room where I was given a locker to store my valuables and belongings and also given the opportunity to disrobe. Afterwards, you go into the waiting area that was replete with calm music, cucumber-​infused water, some wholesome snacks (almond nuts, dried prunes, and cranberries).
I was booked for a 60-​min deep tissue massage therapy with Theresa and it was heavenly. She took into consideration my preferences and made the experience very delightful. The massage was thorough and I feel so light as a butterfly. M&H uses natural and wholesome ingredients in their products.
After my massage, I used the steam room that was a complimentary experience to the massage.
Overall, I will recommend this spa to anyone who want to loosen those tight muscles!

I booked an appointment because the $ 100 gift certificate expires at the end of the month. I booked my appointment online and mentioned I would pay with gift certificates. I had a nice massage and when I checked out, I was informed I wasn’t allowed to use the certificates and they are only valid Monday through Wednesday. I didn’t argue and checked my certificates and it does indeed say that in the fine print so I was out of pocket $ 150 at Christmas time.
My complaint is, what business does this? My boss paid real money for the certificates. Why are there restrictions as to when I can use them? I would understand if it was a groupon or special promotion. Seems ridiculous and there is no way I will be able to use their services during their allotted times. So now, I have completely worthless certificates.
The stars are for the massage and not for their policies. What a waste of money.

I scheduled an 8:45 PM appointment yesterday for a Signature Hydrafacial in Austin downtown location. I got there at 8:15 allowing myself 15 min for parking. I went around with no lock and later realized that they do not validate parking beyonf 6:00 PM on a weekday. Finally had to valet the car for $ 15 and it was 8:45PM by the time I handed my car and went to the salon (the actual time my service was supposed to start).
By the time I changed and filled out all the paperwork and walked into the room it was 9:00 PM. I paid for a 60 min treatment and requested an eye treatment upgrade which was an additional 15 min. I was expecting a total service time on 75 min. The 60 min signature hydra facial included neck + décolleté treatment. When the technician started with cleansing I mentioned that I requested 15 min Eye treatment upgrade and she can skip it if she does not have time since I was already late. She said she will see towards the end. I asked her is she can clean my eyes as well since I had makeup on, if she was going to do the eye treatment. She just swiped with a cotton ball, all my mascara and eyeliner was still intact.
She ran the Hydrafacial machine 3 times on my face and maybe later realized that she needed to do the neck area and ran it once through the neck area and did something for 5 min on my eyes. 9:45 PM she was out of the room. I got a better massage when I got my signature facial done in the Hill Country Galleria location.
I thought that was ridiculous and a rip off. I understand due to parking issues I got there at 8:45 instead of 8:30 PM but she did not any clients after me. If I was late she should have refused to do my eye treatment and asked me to go for a regular Hydrafacial instead of a Signature which was $ 45 more.
Forget about feeling relaxed I felt miserable after what happened. My service was 30 min shorter than it had to be and I ended up paying a huge amount plus an additional $ 15 in parking.
Milk and Honey was my favorite place to go but now I am in doubt after what happened.

Magical land of paradise. Totally on impromptu, I called up Milk + Honey hoping they had an availability for me at the last minute. It had been a uncomfortable, rainy weekend, and I had decided to splurge. I booked a customizable facial with Priscilla… And all I can say was that it was by far the most luxurious facial I’ve ever experienced. The place was spotless, beautifully themed, and smelled of happiness. Priscilla was the perfect blend of knowledgeable, warm, and gentle. She talked just enough, but still was able to provide the quiet spa-​like experience where I could totally zone out and enjoy the atmosphere. My facial constituted of a massage, an abundance of various «purify» masks full of neem, argan, jojoba oil, and blueberrys, as well as extractions, and steam… and other goodies.
Afterwards, I had a steamed shower.
This place is definitely worth the extra money! Can’t recommend Priscilla and the entire place enough. Will be back next time I’m in Austin.

Went for a mani/​pedi with Hunter and she did a fantastic job! Great attention to detail and gave excellent advice on how to maintain between appointments.
Also, shout out to the front desk. Despite being slammed, they got me checked in with ease and offered complimentary beverages (wine, mimosas, etc) at each encounter. Wonderful job to all the ladies who assisted me at m+h! You made me feel very relaxed.

My experiences here were not consistent. For the price, just a little massage during the shampoo would have been nice.
Unfortunately, it seemed that every third haircut needed to be fixed. I always appreciated the top notch customer service.

This was my second experience at m+h, the first being a mani pedi which was very nice. But, to truly get their whole experience, I suggest getting a spa treatment. I received a facial and the therapist’s name was Kylie. She was super sweet and professional, explaining every step of the process and really taking her time customising the experience.
The atmosphere is very tranquil, as you can get a steam shower before changing into your robe and heading to the relaxation room where spa water and tea is served while you await your appointment. It really is such a nice way to treat yourself! I will be returning many times!

The layout and ambiance of this location are very nice and my signature massage was pretty good.
I received a facial and peel service that left my skin with a severe reaction. The manager called and refunded me, and they brought me in too look at the reaction and gave me some Rescue Balm to help heal. The final consensus was that my acne cream (Epido) caused the reaction — I’m not a professional, but I think it was that the chemicals were too strong, because I don’t have sensitive skin and I don’t use Epido on those spots of my face.
Either way, it really stinks. People keep saying things like «OMG did you fall off a bike?!» I just hope it doesn’t scar!

I don’t like to so much as send an undercooked steak back to the kitchen, because it makes me feel like an asshole. I don’t write reviews very often (if ever), and I don’t think I can remember writing a single bad or scathing review of a business — ever. However, in good conscience I could recommend milk and honey to exactly zero people, unless I was looking for creative forms of passive aggressive Southern revenge.
I went in w/​brown hair, looking to transition back to bright red, which I have done many a time. I booked a two process in case it needed to be lightened. I took a Pinterest board w/​about 40 pics of the color I was looking for so she could look at a lot of different angles etc. I took a picture of my hair the last time I went from brown to bright red. I specifically asked her if I needed to lighten/​tone my hair for the color to take, and she insisted a single all over color was fine.
What I ended up with was not only NOT what I asked for, it was fire truck red on the top, various shades of red in the middle, brown w/​a red tint on the bottom, and so streaky that in some photos, you can actually see where she used the little four prong brush to apply color. I was obviously unhappy, and after telling me that she «thought it was red» and that it «had dimension» she suggested putting toner on the top to make the top less bright. Uh, not really a solution. To any problem.
I spoke to a manager the next day, who wanted me to come in for a redo. I was in NO WAY comfortable w/​someone at milk and honey fixing my hair, but I did want a manager to put their own eyeballs on the catastrophic color job. We emailed pictures to her, got no response, and then a different manager called back yesterday. She suggested the following «reasons» why this might have happened:
— a miscommunication (I literally don’t know what words one would use to ask for the result that I got)
— the stylist told me to cut my hair first but I refused (this affirmatively, 100% did not happen)
— my hair was too damaged (I don’t lighten, curl or straighten it, so… how? Also, my hair was fixed by another salon today without incident, and each stylist there confirmed my hair is healthy and in good shape).
Ultimately, they refunded my money and refused to cover the cost of the correction since I had it done at another salon. I spent 3 hours on Tuesday at milk and honey to have my hair ruined, and had to take off of work for a color consult (at Jackson Ruiz). They estimated that it would take 5 hours and $ 575 to fix my hair, and after looking at what I asked for and what my hair actually looked like, were confident that the color I wanted COULD be achieved if done properly, that my hair was in just fine shape, and that there really wasn’t a good explanation for what had been done to my hair. As it turns out, it took 6.5 hours and $ 700 to complete the color correction because the color had been so poorly done.
To be honest, shit happens. As devastating a result as this color job yielded, if it had been handled appropriately I would probably feel differently. But a stylist ruined my hair, tried to play it off, and then management tried to blame me before refusing to do the right thing and pay for a service that would have been unnecessary had milk and honey not ruined my hair in the first place.

Richard at Milk and Honey was recommended to me by a girl in the building I just moved into. Since she also has short hair, I decided to give him a try.
Richard listened to what I had in mind for my haircut, and executed it perfectly! I love my hair!
If you need a stylist in Downtown Austin, check out Milk and Honey!

I can’t believe I’m writing a bad review for Milk and Honey!
I went to M&H last Saturday, to start my day and weekend off with an early morning massage. My lmt from last time had quit, and the person who took my appointment recommended Rosemary as an equivalent person (similar skill/​training) to work with.
The welcome area and ushering in was as relaxing as ever, and I waited in the lounge, munching on almonds, giddy with excitement about my hour of pampering. Once I was taken inside the massage room, I explained clearly that I was there for an hour of relaxation, didn’t want too much digging into knots, and wanted to be able to unwind. I explained my main areas of discomfort, and when asked, also expanded on secondary areas to work on if we had time.
I few minutes into the massage, my massage therapist had already moved past my primary area (low back & hips) and moved on to the secondary (shoulders). She spent tons and tons of time here, digging and prodding, and I finally had to ask her to please move back along another area. She said she would, but only spent a short duration there.
At this time, I also realized that the music was very tension filled, and asked her to turn it down. She commented she hadn’t found her usual channel. The massage proceeded and I found myself really unable to relax. The room was noisy. She wasn’t hitting the right spot in terms of technique, location, or intensity. We flipped over to the front, and she again went for my shoulders, which were already uncomfortable from the previous prodding.
I again found, now much closer to the end of the massage, that the sound was terrible. I asked her to switch her personal fan off (she had pointed out the fan earlier, but I hadn’t realized how much noise it added over the music). Once the fan was off, I realized just how much noise it has contributed to making me unable to relax. My stress went down by several points, but we only had a few minutes left. Again, we ended up working on stuff that I didn’t want worked on.
At the end of it, I had spent an hour unable to relax, stressed out by the sound of the room, and had service focused on areas that I had clearly mentioned as secondary. This was a very disappointing experience. I have been to M&H a few times in the past, and never had such a bad experience. Suffice to say, that instead of making my day, my early morning massage pretty much ruined it.