L’Essentiel Spa

everyone deserves a second change, especially when the services are ok. The owner did a good job the one time that I saw her. The employee, not so much, especially not with scheduled appointments. No confirmation email as before, and when I arrived, there we all were, waiting for our appointments which were overlapping within minutes of each other. double booked? running late? forgot to write the appointments down? anyone’s guess.
when I showed up for my next appt (again no confirming email), the place was closed, dark, locked. I left a message, and about a week later someone returned my call to apologize, yes they’d forgotten my appt, assured me it was an unfortunate oversight, and that the owner would call. that was over a week ago. Not having heard anything further, I’m afraid that scheduling is not this place’s strong suit. if you’ve got lots of time on your hands, then maybe this place will work for you.

I went in for the Beaute Neuve Double Peel over the weekend, and had a fantastic experience. Susanna, the owner, was very professional and knowledgable; she really made an effort to inform me about the procedure and answer any questions I had. The spa is beautifully decorated, and has a vintage-​French vibe. The facial was very relaxing, and the products used smelled fantastic. I also really enjoyed the music that was played during my treatment.

I LOVE THIS LITTLE HEAVEN. Susanna is so wonderful, personable and generous. I have very stubborn hair, and as I was getting finishing my treatment, she got a new fancier machine, and she decided to give me 2 complimentary sessions with it to make absolutely sure everything was gone. I love the place, the staff and the costumer service, and how dedicated they are. Overall Lovelyyy!

Love this place. It’s conveniently located in Belmont center, close to me (Watertown). I’ve only come for the facials but I have a friend that comes for laser hair removal and has been happy with that service, too. The spa is nicely decorated and it’s surprising to come in off the street and walk in to this lovely place. Sandy is the aesthetician and she does a wonderful job with the facials. I love her massages and recently had a collagen mask done, my face looked wonderful. I had a milia extracted during my last facial and I didn’t even know she had lanced it, she was so gentle. You’ll be happy here! I just read the last review, sometimes with reduced price specials, extractions are not included… not sure if that’s what happened with that person…

Just terrible. So very sad. I was so looking forward to this facial and it did not remotely resemble any facial I have eve had. I’ve been to Elizabeth Grady and Catherine Hinds and the students there could have done a much better job. No extractions, terrible massage and the poor woman was just a nervous nelly which added to the poverty of the whole experience. Save your money and go to Catherine Hinds.

I bought a laser package from L’Essentiel. It is very difficult to schedule an appointment with them, they never answer the phone, you have to leave a message and wait for a call back. Also, they don’t check their voice mail often.
It doesn’t seem that they pay attention to their scheduling system either, I received appointment confirmation twice for appointments that were cancelled and I wasn’t properly notified of the cancellation. When I complained, they just ignored me. Very poor customer service.

Really love this place, I’ve been going for laser for about 6 months now and can’t get enough. I wish I had gotten all my laser done here! The clinician is super friendly and helpful, put me at ease when I was nervous about the pain of the treatment. I’ve never met the owner but recommend this place to everyone. Definitely would come for a facial or other treatment too!

I bought a Living Social voucher for laser here last year and was really pleased with the experience and results.
I thought the package I bought was really reasonable and Suzanne is really nice. She was incredibly patient explaining details and does an excellent job. The whole experience was essentially painless, and there was no swelling/​redness/​anything afterwards. The office is nice, she’s certified, and equipment she uses is really good for laser. Overall I was really pleased with the results and think she did an excellent job.

I was very happy with my experience with L’Essentiel. I called to schedule the appointment and was called back the next day with more information. I wasn’t able to make it to the phone but Susanna left a message with a proposed appointment time and I was able to call back and confirm. It worked out perfectly for me!
When I went in for my appointment she was training a new assistant. I’m sure once the assistant is fully trained it will be very easy and quick to schedule an appointment so I wouldn’t worry about that if you are thinking of going here and were leery about previous negative reviews.
I got laser hair removal and Susanna explained everything to me and I felt very comfortable there. The ice roller that was mentioned in a previous review was definitely helpful during the treatment. My next treatment is scheduled for July and she had appointments that fit my schedule without a problem!

I would recomend this salon to everyone. I was very nervous but the owner, Suzanne, explained the procedure clearly, she was always on time and I love the results! I wish I had found Suzanne early and had done this years ago.

UPDATE 5÷3÷13: I had my last treatment about a month ago and my star rating is still 5 because for what it is, it worked as advertised AND because I think Susanna is awesome — a great blend of professionalism and warmth. Also, she remembers who you are and what you’ve chatted about in previous visits. BUT I want everyone to know that IPL is not laser hair removal. It’s sort of like getting a wax where it takes longer for the hair to grow back and it may grow back thinner than it was before. My own hair has been reduced, maybe around 30% after 4 IPL treatments. For me, this worked as advertised. I can go without shaving and even when it grows in a few millimeters it’s not very visible. Personally I was willing to take the risk of it not removing all the hair permanently because it was $ 100 for 4 treatments — that’s like getting a wax each time. However, I will probably go back to my original person who uses Candela GentleLase which is true laser treatment. This permanently got rid of hair (I just never finished the treatments because they are expensive).
I’m writing this with the intention of providing an update at the end of my treatments. If I don’t provide an update, it’s because I’m typically a lazy reviewer and the treatment went as well as I expected. :)
–What: Laser hair removal
–Where: underarms
–Prior Experience: I had ~4 treatments in 2007 for lower legs, bikini and underarms. I know what to expect.
–Why: The underarm hair originally was thick and it worked well until halfway through. Then it was thinner and the original treatment intensity wasn’t working; the proprietor wasn’t willing to be more aggressive so I couldn’t justify the cost any longer.
–$$$: Bought a Google Offer ($ 100 for 4 treatments on small area).
I called expecting to play phone tag based on some reviews and frankly, I was okay with that because it seemed as if this was a small business and it’s not always easy getting right back to people. She answered on my first call and worked hard to find an appointment that suited me. I never felt rushed or like she was focused on selling me services; she was consultative, asked an appropriate amount of questions and booked my appointment.
In person, Susanna is very friendly, knowledgeable and a good conversationalist. Clearly she’s a people person. I’m used to spas who try to up-​sell at every opportunity. I understand that you must sell to success so I don’t inherently have a problem with this, but I am just that type of personality who does her research and doesn’t want to be sold to. Susanna did none of this.
The physical atmosphere is very comfortable and inviting. The waiting area is small but feels spacious — a good use of the space in my opinion. The back rooms are lighted just right, have a nice, but not overpowering scent and nice music. I felt comfortable the whole time.
The laser treatment was as comfortable as it could be. Yes, laser hair removal stings a bit, but Susanna uses ice cold rollers (think of lint rollers) on your underarms so that after every laser zap, she rolls over the skin. It’s amazing how this helps. In my previous treatments at another location the woman who did it would take breaks with ice packs and then I’d use them after. It was adequate, but the roller is pretty awesome.
I like Susanna and I like the business atmosphere. I’m hopeful that this treatment is aggressive enough to zap away the remaining hair I have. I won’t know for sure for several months, but so far I’m happy with the service aspect.

I bought three of her facials through Living Social. I called 3 times in the course of three weeks and never got a call back. I called Living Social about it and they were also unable to get in touch and refunded my money (though as LS credit and not as $) but seriously, if I can’t make an appointment how can I get a facial?

I came across L’Essentiel through Living Social, and am so happy I did.
I’ve had treatments at other spas, but felt the most comfortable and relaxed here. Susanna, the owner, is very knowledgable, and makes you feel like your a friend stopping in for a visit. I’ve only been in once, but look forward to my next appointment. Highly recommend it!
P. s.they sell cool jewelry too!

Ever feel like your spa experience is a whole lot of window-​dressing, stage play and fakery? That you’ve spent a lot of money for a facial where someone rubs a lot of pretty-​smelling unguents that don’t really do anything for your skin?
That’s not the case at L’Essentiel. Tucked into a tiny two-​room Victorianesque nook in a building in Belmont, L’Essentiel is not your fuzzy slippers-​and-​robe kind of spa. In fact, spa is probably not the word, because you get some serious hard-​core dermatologist-​level treatments like laser treatments, dermabrasion, infusions, electrolysis, peels – a lot of stuff that requires special machinery that a dermatologist must sign off on and an operator must get certified on.
It all sounds very clinical, but the atmosphere isn’t. Susanna, the owner/​proprietor, is warm, engaging, a great conversationalist, and very passionate about what she does. This isn’t the place to go with all your girlfriends a la Sex & the City (you probably wouldn’t all fit in the waiting room anyhow)-and Susanna freely admits that she’s a bit clumsy at waxing!
Probably not the thing to tell someone when you’re about to give them an ultrasonic treatment: a three-​modality treatment of electric currents drawn across the face for various levels of cleansing, exfoliating, and penetration. Nonetheless, she didn’t drop the wand or anything like that. I don’t remember the exact high school science to explain this, but the currents are insulated from burning you with water, ultrasound gel, and vitamin masks, depending on your skin’s needs. The wand doesn’t hurt, but it does make a weird high-​pitched sound and can crackle like a Geiger counter that isn’t painful, but occasionally uncomfortable.
When I was through, my skin glowed like I’d just had the best orgasm ever. I can’t remember the last facial that made me look so relaxed or as airbrushed as an Elle model. No post-​facial blotchy look afterward, either!
The downside, of course, is that this level of expertise doesn’t come cheaply. I went for Spa Week, so it was very doable. But when you consider the money you waste on traditional facials that make you feel good for about an hour, it might be worth the expense if the effects last longer.