I've been coming to Aura for Dysport, Restylane, and PDO threads for more than 10 years. The doctor, the NP, and the staff are great at putting me at ease around decisions that affect my appearance - I am relatively risk-averse. Aura has helped keep me looking younger as a 50-year-old man in the tech sector where ageism is, unfortunately, alive and well. Highly recommend Aura, you all are awesome! read more

I've been coming here for over ten years. Claire is great!!!! Very personable and her conversation is friendly and warm.

This review is specific to laser hair treatment only. SUMMARY: I recommend this place IF price is not a problem. LASER HAIR TREATMENT: I have been going here, for my underarm, lower legs, and Brazilian. Of all the nurses, Christine is the best. She is thorough, patient, and honest with expectations. On top of that, she is friendly and polite. Of all the areas I've had done, Brazilian is the most painful, well at least for me, because I have stubborn hairs . So if you are one with less and thin hair, then everything will be a breeze! Christine always made sure I am comfortable as I could. Let's be honest, there is no such thing as painless LASER hair removal. Drink some Tylenol for the pain and avoid caffeine before and on your appointment, it helps! They have a room you can use to prepare if you are using a numbing cream. They can also prescribe a numbing cream to help ease the pain. PLACE: Chic, upscale. Clean! It better be, right? The waiting area is pretty. Nice spot to do selfies BATHROOM: Spacious! And what can I say, good for selfies ! Soap, lotion, sanitizer all provided. Huge floor length mirror. Did I already, good for selfies PARKING: Well, this is in the Financial Fistrict of SF, so good luck finding a street parking or you can park in a paid parking lot. There is actually one along Columbus, same block, walking distance to the spa. There is also a parking structure on Washington and Kearny. read more

Aura Skin Spa - Waiting area - Skin Care Near Me - San Francisco, California

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RUN. If you want a terrible experience and a waste of money go here. Parking is a nightmare. The girls are kind and that's the best I can say. The nurse did the typical, "show patient a mirror to highlight their insecurities" marketing tactic before the procedure. I mentioned I liked my freckles not knowing she would only treat my lower and upper face. 1/3 of my face was left untreated for $1k. When I asked to retreat it she said they lose money every time the machine goes on which is a lie (I've worked at a laser spa). She was unaccomadating and a liar, awesome. NEVER HAD A BIGGER WASTE OF MONEY IN MY LIFE quite frankly. read more

This review is for Vanquish Me treatment. I am not going to write long. Simply I want to alert you to save your money. Do not waste it in something you are going to have 0 results. I really do not understand how they can still sell something that does NOTHING. The first "complimentary" consultation was OK. The person that conducted it told that I may need more than the 4 treatments they offer (you have to buy four treatments at once); so I asked her: "But, Am I going to see some results with only four treatments?" She said: "Yes". I was willing to buy more treatments if I saw some results. So I bought the four treatments. Ten during the first treatment, the guy who did it: "It works, it works, it works". HE repeated it several times. I was a little bit skeptical since I barely felt anything. They told me that I would see results two weeks after the fourth treatment, and continuing to improve in a long term. After the fourth treatment, I didn't see anything. Ok, they mentioned that. After the first week, I didn't see anything. OK, they mentioned that. After the second week, still waiting. After the first month, still waiting. I am in the second month waiting for Godot. read more

This review is about a year late (embarrassing), but I have loved my experiences with Aura Skin Spa. The office staff is wonderful, so friendly and understanding with my fleeting schedules. My favorite injector in the world Susanna is so knowledgeable and a true artist, she will say what's on her mind and give her honest opinion about whether something needs to be touched up or not. I've done a plethora of treatments throughout my months in SF with them and am satisfied with them all. That's EXACTLY what you look for in an injector. The specials are great, they really work with you and they also can plan long term goals w new, exciting treatments out. If I ever leave SF, this will be a toughie for me to let go. Love y'all so much. Okay honestly, reading any bad reviews I see here, I have no idea what happened w those clients. I genuinely can't believe them, because my experience has been so polarizing. Truly wonderful, very professional, NEVER any bad side effects or scars or any of that. And let's just say I'm a qualified person to say this I have done a lot. My lips look perfect, I can't imagine going anywhere else. No one ever thinks twice in terms of them just looking 'naturally' luscious. I hope my review influences prospective peeps to look into them: laser skin treatments + injectables are truly their forté read more

Aura Skin Spa - natural yet precise work by Susanna (praying this is how she spells her name) - Skin Care Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I have been seeing Dr. Waechter for several years for my cosmetic needs, and as you can see by my previous reviews I absolutely love him! However, I felt the need to write an updated review for Aura's Nurse Practitioner Carlos Sandoval. Carlos DEFINITELY deserves his OWN review. I've seen Carlos a couple of times when Dr. W. was not available. Let me tell you, he is just as AMAZING as Dr. W and just as much as an artist! He handled my tricky under eye Botox area effortlessly with complete ease, and I absolutely LOVE my results. Aura is so lucky to have both of these MASTER injectors! I completely trust both Dr. W. and Carlos with my cosmetic needs. I will gladly see either anytime! read more

I've been going to Aura Skin Spa since 2020, and my first chat was with Carlos over the phone. He totally amazed me with all the laser treatment info he dished out for my Fitzpatrick 4+ skin type. It was a refreshing change from other places that make you jump through hoops to get basic info. Carlos respected my time, gave me the information needed, and honestly, that's why I've been hooked on their Fraxeldual treatments ever since. During my actual treatments, Carlos has also been sensitive in addressing my treated area. It's a very sensitive area and it takes a lot of trust for someone to treat me through it... Even though I've got a bit of a drive from Trivalley, I keep coming back to Aura Skin Spa. The staff is professional and friendly, and I feel lucky to have found them. read more

I cannot say better things about my Morpheus 8 experience with Christine! She is my go-to gal for all things at Aura, but I am especially impressed with her skills and the Morpheus 8 machine. She always makes me feel comfortable, explains the treatment plan, and is great at checking in on me during the treatment (and after) to ensure I am getting the desired results. My skin texture absolutely glowing, my pores are smaller, and my skin is noticeably tighter - which makes all of my anti-aging dreams come true. I highly recommend Christine, Aura, and Morpheus 8! read more

I have a lot of scar tissue in my face from old filler problems which makes me very difficult to inject. Carlos Sandoval the nurse practitioner who injected me wasn't nicey none about it. He was hard core. He really pushed the needle up and in. It didn't hurt but it was disturbing to feel the needle in my face like that. Fact was there was no other other way he could do it because of the scarring. The result was superb. Really really great. He did a fantastic job and I am very grateful and very happy to leave him a rave review. read more

I strongly suggest avoiding this office: it's outdated equipment and shady pricing, where they lure you into unnecessary packages. I called about the Velashape and asked if they have the latest - Velashape 3 - which has been out for years and got FDA approval in 2013. No, they only have Velashape 2, the way older one. I asked the price for one Velashape treatment on the abdomen, and he quotes me the price for 6! But I only want 1 and that's what I asked. So I ask again and find that this office charges $300 for one session with their OLDER Velashape 2. Other offices in SF (like the Appearance Care Center, which I also found on Yelp) charges $275 for the Velashape 3. Yes, another office, also in SF, charges less for the best, and latest equipment! When I asked them why they charge more for older equipment, the rude male on the phone said, "I've worked here a long time, and most people buy the package." Maybe that's because you trick them into it! Well, I suggested he tell the office manager to edit their pricing and he said it's not up to a manager, and that they use a "marketing company" to determine prices. Look, I don't care who sets your prices, but hopefully you'd want to rectify this. He again tries to get me to buy a package, which again, I inform him I don't want. He then says he can offer me a price match. So you're going to price match the Velashape 2 for $275, when I can get the Velashape 3 for $275 elsewhere ? How does that make sense? I was about to get off the phone , and mentioned I'd simply write a yelp review to let folk know, since they didn't seem to care about their higher pricing and older equipment. All of a sudden homie on the phone is like, "Oh, let me get my manager and see if she can talk to you about reducing the price down." (Oh suddenly the manager controls pricing, not the marketing company??) Well, I told him that there should be transparency in pricing, for EVERYONE. And either way, I'd rather use the latest equipment that's been out for years than . He interrupts me, calls me some names, then says, "We have your name" and hangs up. What kind of weird threat is that? Just no. I did the research for you yelpers here so you don't have to. Avoid this office. I also looked it up and the Velashape III (3) has been out since 2014 or 8 years! read more

I had the best experience with Carlos for threading and Botox! I was a little nervous about threading but he took the time to educate me and ensure I was comfortable before proceeding. I even ended up bringing a friend for it bc my results were that great. Will definitely be back, thanks Carlos! read more

Time to treat myself on being groomed. They have a lounge area for tea and snacks. Nice! Clean and updated facility with contemporary feel to the place on treatments to be done! Appearance matters and so does everything else. First impressions are necessary and that's why I bought their service package. It's great staffing and appointments are required. They charge more than a hundred bucks for no show within 24 hour of no cancellation! Yikes. Besides that, pamper time with hygiene at its finest. read more

Terrible customer service especially from James, Tia and another SNOB back in 2016. I had multiple laser hair removal packages and the nurse burned my upper arms ( similar to Yelp user below) The receptionist said it will go away and it's normal. She said the dark marks will fade and she will make a note for the nurse to turn down the setting. Irresponsible person. Later, she tried to sell me other treatments and I kindly refused. read more

I've been coming to Aura for nearly 10 years primarily for laser hair removal. The team is very professional and helpful. Lately, I've been seeing Christine and she has been such a delight to work with. She is incredibly patient and methodical - she took her time to review my history, then took her time to talk to me about it and understand my thoughts and any concerns, ensuring to assess and adjust the treatment to my needs. Such amazing results! Highly recommend, esp. Christine. read more

First, I need to start by saying that the customer service here is exceptional (add one star). The facility is clean, and the snacks and drinks are always well-stocked (add another star). I am medium-light skinned as a person of color, but very tan for laser hair removal. So after each session, I would need a bag of ice to take home, and ice my area because my skin would be effected the same as my hair. I had my full Brazilian performed here. I bought the package of 6, and with each session, I would return the next week for a touch-up. Then, I went 4 more times to remove the majority of my hair. I had to go to another laser hair salon to have the remainder removed, and found out that laser hair removal doesn't have to hurt so much. Anyway, if you go for laser hair removal, have your numbing cream on for at least 2 hours, and make sure that the laser that they are using is right for your skin type. I would continue to go here if my entire body wasn't so tan. btw, I loved Jill - she's my favorite person there (she adds another star). read more

I came to Aura Medspa today for the first time and was so pleased!. Upon arrival I was greeted by the sweetest receptionist, Heidi. She immediately made me feel welcomed with her warm smile. She was the same employee who set up my consultation for me which was a breeze I might add!. The concern and reason for my visit was to get rid of crows feet and wrinkles before my little sisters wedding next month. During consultation, we decided on trying botox to address my concerns. The process was so easy and pain free. A lot of that was eased by the amazing bed side manor of my nurse practitioner, Carlos Sandoval. Can't say enough kind things about him. After my appointment, I ended up getting to meet the managers of spa, Larry and Claudia. I could tell after meeting the two of them just how much of a genuine passion and love they both possess for the establishment they run. The check out process was very quick and easy. I had a wonderful experience overall, I would totally recommend my friends and families to come here!. read more

This feedback has been sitting with me for awhile. I went to this medspa for laser facials. The space was clean and the staff pays attention to detail. I had an uncomfortable situation where the manager, when prepping me for the treatment, asked me if I was full Asian or half white, not aware that these questions are not appropriate, none of their business, and micro aggressions. When I responded with, "why does it matter?" There was a confused look followed with comments on how her family also was mixed heritage. This was when there were multiple anti Asian violence incidents happening locally and nationally. The treatments themselves were great but I think staffing could use some training on unconscious bias and micro aggressions that might make clients feel uncomfortable and harmed. read more

Let's just say I've gotten laser hair removal here and I've never had a bad experience. Everyone has been nice and wonderful each time I've had to make a reservation and at each appt. There are nurses who are nicer when doing the procedure, and those who will just give it to ya. So get to know them. I did listen to reviews and tried to go with Mia for most appts, she's really sweet and fairly gentle. One time, I didn't even think I waited that long, but they were so nice to offer me another free session for taking so long! Wow what? Score! I have paid for touch up sessions and now am finished. Oh yes, the best part, no more hair!! The results are awesome! I might have to shave....one a year? I'll get random hair growth sometimes but its sooo light and thin that it's barely noticeable and like one or two strands never more. Now if only the legs weren't so expensive.... I'd use to walk from powell st to here...thats pretty far my friends....dedication! hair free! read more

Today was my final treatment day! When I opened the door, staff were welcome greeting to me immediately. I lay down the bed.. It was surprising, how comfortable! Like at my home... Dr. Anthony asked me, How was my skin after treatment? I don't have to talk much, Because Dr. Anthony understands what I want to do. I am very satisfied about my facial treatments here and always warm.. I can't go to another place anymore. So i decided another session :) Have to work more hard :p read more

I went and got my beard lasered off, I have 2 treatments left, and I gotta say It's looking hella great. I am hairy like a chia pet, and this has removed like 96 percent so far. I can find a hair here or there, but that's it. I am definitely thinking of going here for more. The price was great. Also i should say i am a medium brown black man with black hair, so maybe it works better with the new lasers they have now? read more

I had a laser hair removal package got my underarms, brazilian, and upper lip areas done here! the service is amazing. Mareya (i think that's how you spell it?) at the front desk is super sweet. I had Cristine as my laser hair specialist and she did an amazing job at helping to make me feel informed and comfortable despite going through something as invasive and painful as laser hair removal! haha. parking is a bit tough in the area, but they have a paid parking lot right in the back that's not too expensive! plus, Cristine was so fast with my sessions, i barely was ever there longer than 40min! read more

I've been a client at Aura for over 6 years. Their staff and customer service has been top notch. I had Smartlipo performed by Dr. Waechter for my upper and lower abs and flanks and my results are amazing! It's been a few years since my treatment and I'm so happy that the results have lasted. I exercise regularly and try to eat healthy(ish) since I made this investment and it's definitely paid off. The other treatments I've had at Aura is laser hair removal and clear and brilliant. I completed a package of treatments for my underarms and I'm hair free. Literally no more shaving. I'm definitely considering my bikini. Mary Anne was my nurse. She was really nice and professional. Clear and brilliant laser treatments are addicting. They make your skin smoother, clearer and fresher looking. I've seen a couple different nurses for this treatment and everyone there has been great! Very knowledgeable and experienced. I highly recommend Aura! read more

Unfortunately I spent over $600 on Restylane and saw ZERO results. I was assured that I would. Was upsold more and more quantity with no difference in deep 'eleven' wrinkle between eyes. Was told stories about my strong facial muscles creating the deep lines and that the max recommended amount of injectable was administered. I have friends/ acquaintances with much deeper wrinkles who have had amazing results at other businesses with much less investment. I will not be bringing my business back to Aura. Even called to let them know that no results were obtained and got more excuses/ attempts to take more of my $ with absolutely no action on their end. read more

Will not come back anymore after finishing current treatment. I brought 4 full legs+underarm treatment on 2015 but didn't see any result. So, I added 1 upper legs and 3 bottom legs treatment on 2017. They only sent email to remind the customer, so I missed one last year. I requested to send message/call me a day before the treatment instead of email. On Jan treatment, they did call and remind me for apportionment. After treatment, I made appointment for March and requested call/text message reminder before the day of appointment. I totally forgot this appointment. Who will remember appointment made 2 months ago? Until today, I called to check my treatment status. They told me I missed the appointment. They said they did send email to remind me. I explained all these information to a male customer service. He said their policy is sending email(computer auto system). They have many customers so they could not call/text everone. He could do nothing for me. Then why no one told me that when I had this request on Jan? Okay, it's fine. I made next appointment with him tomorrow. The funny thing is he asked me "Do you want we text message to remind you". NO WORRY, I will remember my last treatment. There are numerous clinics offer laser hair removal service in SF. I will find one with better customer service. read more

I've been coming here for a couple years and seeing NP Carlos for filler. Him and the staff are always so accommodating. I drive from San Jose just because my experience here has been nothing but pleasant. I would highly recommend coming here! read more

***THIS REVIEW IS BASED ON MY CONSULTATION VISIT*** I have yet to try Aura's services, but I did go in for the consultation and let's just say, I was less than impressed.... RESEARCH I don't want to put all my business out there, but in the interest of helping my fellow Yelpers, I will say that I am *possibly* interested in cellulite reduction and laser hair removal. Both are non-invasive treatments that I've heard are relatively painless. Depends on quality, price and service. I've called about a half-dozen spas to see who performs Velashape plus laser hair removal. Aura came up on my list, and after speaking with them, they told me that a consultation was necessary to determine pricing. FIRST IMPRESSION It's really small. Don't expect a large space like Epi or Serenity. It's really quaint, and pretty clean. The waiting room is tiny. The lounge area is pretty small, too. While waiting, I was expecting tea / snacks/ something to keep me occupied. But they had NOTHING of the sort. Just a few old magazines and that was that. After I filled out the paperwork, total wait time was about 10 minutes. ONE THING THAT IRKED ME After I returned the questionnaire, the woman who gave it to me asked me out loud, "What are you here for?" I mean, she couldn't read the freaking questionnaire or ask me after I was pulled into a room? What if I was there for vaginal tightening or something like that?????? Laser hair removal and cellulite reduction are fairly benign, so I just told her straight up. CONSULTATION Now keep in mind, this is coming from someone who is very discerning, and when it comes to beauty, I can read through bullsh*t pretty quickly. First thing, I could tell the "Physician assistant" didn't really care for me asking too many questions off the bat (And I was wondering, they're called PA's?? I thought they were estheticians!!!). **One of my first questions was, "Are you using the Velashape 2 or 3?" **She looked at me all confused. Then she goes "Well, you need 6 treatments to see results" **Then I go, "No, are you using 2 or 3". **She goes "Are you asking if you can get it done in 3 treatments?" **I said, "No, version 2 is the older version, and version 3 is the newer version." **She goes, hmmmm, I'll check after the consultation. I mean, if you use an iPhone 6 or an iPhone 7, wouldn't you know? And wouldn't you know why the 7 is better than the 6? Same thing here. I don't know sh*t about Velashaping, but in my little bit of research, I knew that there were 3 versions. By now, I was deterred to even ask any further questions about the difference between the two. And guess what, when I'm paying, I want the best!!!! STRIKE 1!!! Next thing, I asked for "before and after" photos. She told me they didn't really do that there, and that the only "before and after" photos came from the Velashape company itself. OK....so of course they're marketing photos. How can I see what real results look like? Isn't it standard for a spa to at least collect voluntary photos or testimonials on a particular treatment? **Ladies - believe this - if I had fabulous before and afters, I'd throw them right on Yelp!** STRIKE 2!!!! Then, onto the Laser hair removal portion of the consultation....I started asking a couple of standard questions, and she goes "Why don't I explain how it works and then you can ask questions laster." OK.... Everything she explained was everything I read online. So what's the point? STRIKE 3!!!! And finally, one last blow.... On the questionnaire, it asks if you have a history of any issues or STD's like herpes or other stuff like that. I checked "NO" on everything. (I'm literally a health fanatic.). And this woman actually had the nerve to ask me "YOU DON'T HAVE HERPES OR ANYTHING"? I was thinking "Can't you read??". I just told her politely, "NO." In my honest opinion, Aura might offer good work, but how can I tell? I think that in the world of beautifying, the person on the receiving end must feel 100% comfortable. Maybe I hit some bad luck with a "physician assistant" who knew absolutely nothing outside of the que cards she was reading. In which case, that's a damn shame. She's representing the spa and should be prepared for a first-timer like me. I would never trust her to do my treatments. Who knows...I may do some more research and come back...but know that if I'm DROPPING MY HARD-EARNED DOLLA ON ANYTHING, Aura, please wise up, learn the basics of service, and know what you're talking about!!! read more

One star for cleanliness, other than that 4 days later I am not happy with my Dysport results or the way I was treated. After waiting 4 weeks for an appointment I finally arrive, fill out papers, and was escorted to the treatment room. Yes, I did buy a Groupon, but I also had a whole laundry list of things I wanted to to discuss and pay full price for (sun spots, laser hair removal, and adult acne). I thought the whole point of a Groupon was to get the patients in there and upsell them on other items? I asked Sophia if I could discuss some other treatment options with her, she said OK but then acted very annoyed, in the middle of my sentence she said, "I have to go, this is putting me behind" and she got up and walked out... wow, really? It was 6 pm and I was told I was the last appointment of the day. As far as the Dysport results, the "11's" are still there. It's been 4 days and usually they are gone or at least noticeably gone by now, not in this case. I'm also use to being poked in a few different areas for that much Dysport, but I figured that maybe she was concentrating it to that area. Anyway, I'm not sure what the deal is with this spa but if you're planning on holding some resentment towards people who use Groupons, stop selling Groupons. My patient folder even had a sticker on it that said, "Groupon", which after reading the other reviews I think is a code word for, "Be rude and water down the Dysport". read more

Honesty is their issue. Summary: Do your research on pricing before you pay and never accept their credit. Once you paid, your money is gone to their pocket. No refund nor credit whatsoever. Find out what level of treatment you are getting because they can rip you off without you even being noticed by giving you lower level and more treatments needed. They are very shady on that. At least, that is how I feel. To be fair, the place is very nice and clean, and their equipments are up-to-date. My story: I found out this place from Groupon. At my 1st visit to use my Groupon voucher, I got up-sold for something else, call Fraxel laser treatment to remove or lighten my birth mark on my thigh area for $500. After I got home, I did a little research on Fraxel and their website. I found out they were having a promotion for Fraxel. So I talked to Larry the next week when I had my Fraxel procedure. I believe he is one of the owner of Aura. He gave me a $100 store credit. OK. I had my fraxel treatment done. It was a little bit painful but I could handle it. Two days after the treatment, the redness was almost 90% gone. Nothing changed. One month later, I went back to talk to Dr. Waechter. He told me the level of treatment I had was the lowest one, so they gave me a touch up with next higher level. ( IMPORTANT NOTE: You need to know what level of treatment they are giving you, because that could mean you are being ripoff and you don't even know. ) I see a lot of reviews saying they were getting 6 or more hair removal treatments there. I'm wondering....... Another month later, I see a significant improvement but there is still redness. However, I received their email promotion recently , so I went back to get the pricing for my 2nd fraxel treatment. They said I will need to pay another $400 plus the $100 credit from last time. I said, why I couldn't get the same deal from last time, which was $400? They said, that was for 1st time customer. They also changed the wording on the $100 credit. Now, I can only use the credit towards my next faxel treatment ONLY, which mean I'll either pay another $400 to get the 2nd treatment or I'll loss my $100 credit. They are totally dishonor their credit. read more

WARNING TO ANYONE DOING LASER TREATMENTS HERE: DO NOT DO IT!! I came for my last hair removal appointment on my legs and was severely burnt. The first and second degree burns have been extremely painful, bleeding, and blistering. I've been told the hyperpigmentation scarring will last YEARS. No deal is worth that!! Upon immediately returning and telling them about the uncharacteristic pain, they only gave me some hydrocortisone cream. I am completely distraught, don't let this happen to you. read more

Aura Skin Spa - I repeat PLEASE DO NOT COME here if you care about your skin. They've severely burnt my legs with laser hair removal! - Skin Care Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have to agree the staff is not the most delightful bunch. I also purchased a Groupon for Botox/Dysport for my forehead horizontal creases. Obviously you're not supposed to get too close to the eyebrows or my eye will start to droop. I asked Sophia why Dysport vs. Botox and she claimed that it works better for the forehead area; whether this is true or not, who knows. I get my injections and leave; fast forward about 2 weeks later my right eyebrow has a pinch (crease) when I raise it leaving my eyebrows TOTALLY Asymmetrical! Not to mention the droopy eyelid. I schedule an appoint for a touch-up... I've been getting Botox for years and sometimes you might need a slight touch up especially if you're going to a new practitioner. I've never been charged for this service... I went back to Aura and Sophia was completely uninterested and annoyed with my uneven eyebrow/droopy eyelid syndrom. She finally tried to fix the issue and charged me $60.00 for it. My eyebrows are still crooked; my forehead is nice and smooth... I should have gone to my doctor who also specializes in skincare; I asked her about the difference between Dysport (using more overall units than botox). The only difference is the dosage and is commonly used by inexperienced nurses; the more units = less room for error. She also told me it was a waste of money to go back and get it fixed.. I'll be going to back to my board certified Doctor (Sheena Kong)... Crooked Brows read more

I grossly misunderstood laser hair removal. I thought it would be like in the 007 movies where a person is strapped to a table with a giant laser beam slowly moving toward their crotch. Luckily for me, this was not my experience. Anyway, without giving TMI, I am pleased with my experience. I was scared before going in (the lasers used at Aura are actually a wand device and operated by a nurse, not a mad scientist or cat with opposable thumbs). I had 3 sessions at Aura and one at Kaiser so now the hair is gone forever. I bought the same Groupon as everyone else but unlike everyone else, I had a good experience. The staff did tried to up-sell me (for only $$$ more you can get ____ done) and seemed disorganized (called/emailed me with different times of already set appointments - this happened on every visit). Even so, everyone at Aura was very nice, discreet, and professional. The facility is clean and clinical without being too hospitally. The "less one star" goes to the waiting room, specifically the looped Brooke Shields Eyelash Growing Commercial (may cause vomiting, loose stools, and permanent erectile dysfunction). There is no way to change the channel and BELIEVE ME I TRIED. The first day I was 1/2 hour early (I swear I was told a different time) and was forced to listen/watch Brooke Shields complain about her eyelash problem, which has something to do with wearing falsies on Broadway. As with all operant conditioning, I hate her even more than ever before and if I ever see her in person, I might pull out all of her hair. read more

Thanks to my latest IPL treatment at Aura, my skin looks really nice. My complexion is more even, most of the sun spots are gone and most of the once large pores on my nose have now been minimized. I look healthy and well-rested. I look like me at my very best. Why the change of heart? Let me explain. Shortly after posting my last update, I was contacted by one of the co-founders of Aura Skin Spa. He offered me the opportunity to come in and have the IPL treatment redone, as I stated in the update that I felt as if the results from my last visit were mediocre. In addition, he offered to refund the balance of the package I had purchased if I was not completely satisfied with the results this time around. As far as a customer satisfaction policy goes, it truly can't get any better than this. --5 stars for a 100% satisfaction guarantee During my visit, Maureen administered the IPL treatment. I was told that she has eight years of experience in performing IPL and, from what I observed, she demonstrated a clear proficiency and professionalism. Maureen executed the procedure with focus and ease in a way that those with supreme confidence in their knowledge and ability often do. She also managed to do this in an unpretentious and seemingly effortless manner. To date, I have had 5 IPL treatments performed by 3 different R.N.s. I am happy to report that my treatment with Maureen has been the swiftness and most pain-free of all of them. --5 stars for Maureen's expertise My overall experience at Aura Skin Spa was relaxing and pleasurable. The spa environment is one of pure tranquility, understated professionalism, pristine cleanliness, and attention to detail. You can see that a good deal of thought has gone into considering the experience from the customer's perspective. The owner really went out of his way to be kind and friendly this time around and, although it wasn't expected on my part, I very much noticed and appreciated his effort. (I wish I had his gorgeous skin. His face is a walking advertisement for the spa!) As always, there were no suggestions to purchase any products or more services. They were also very understanding when, after being pulled over for speeding, I had to cancel an appointment at the last minute. --5 stars for creating an excellent, client-focused spa experience I walked out of Aura with a bounce in my step, my skin feeling refreshed and knowing that, although it already looked good, my skin would approach appearing fabulous by the end of the weekend. Thank you Aura Skin Spa for restoring my faith! read more

About to get my last treatment @ this place and I wish I never went here. RUDE STAFF!! Yasmen who works the front desk really needs a new attitude. too bad they don't offer employee treatments for that. PARKING Lot around the corner cost an arm and a leg. I'm about to finish my treatment and I will never recommend this place to any of my friends. RUDE STAFF! Learn to be a nicer, maybe your clients will come back. read more

I, too, visited Aura for laser hair removal after buying a groupon. I'm a little mixed on the experience. The rooms were nice, the place was clean and modern, and the waiting area was comfortable. It wasn't terribly busy when I went (mid-day on a Friday) and there were small snacks laid out, though they were tucked in a corner and I didn't notice them until I'd been in the waiting room for 10 minutes or so. As for the service - Lourdes did my upper lip and bikini line (standard) and I was amazed at how quickly it went by. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but I pretty much felt nothing. She told me that the laser they use is quite large, so that's why they can do it so quickly. A word of warning on the bikini line though - wear scandalous underwear. I know, what a non-sequitur. But seriously, I wish someone had told me, because I feel like I got kind of ripped off because I was wearing boy-short type underwear (I wasn't given a disposable pair) which covered a lot of the area I was expecting to get zapped. I have two more sessions there, and I'll definitely wear different undies next time. TMI? Maybe - but I wish I knew ahead of time. To sum up, really quick service (I was back at my car 25 minutes after my appointment time, and they were running late) and a good overall experience, but nothing to jump up and down about. I'll be back twice more for my groupon. read more

1) Price was NOT as quoted, make sure you know how much it will be at the end before you start a procedure. I think they have a very 'creative' marketing director. 2) I had botox 2 months ago and it's already worn off. I wonder how much saline they pumped into my face? 3) Definitely won't go back. What is the recourse on Botox fakers? I guess I could call the Medical Board.... read more

Decent services, a mixed bag of estheticians, poor customer service and long wait times. These short phrases summarize my experience at Aura, where I went for over a year because I was tied into one of their package deals through Groupon. For appointments that usually lasted no longer than 20 minutes, I usually waited 30 minutes (on average) past my appointment time to be seen. Some estheticians were great, others were complete brutes, which, depending on the service you go in for, you really want to avoid. When I did have a problem, I called them and they were complete jerks about getting back to me and dealing with the problem. In fact, they never did, so I decided never to go back and never finished out the package I had with them. I don't like giving bad reviews, but there are so many great skincare places in the city that I'd rather give my money to people who care about their customers. read more

I purchased a groupon voucher for this new to me spa. The only way to book the appointment was thru email. It took them 3 weeks to respond and when they did, appointments were not available for a couple months. I could have use my groupon and money towards a business that wanted my patronage. I did purchased a living social deal and was able to book within a week. Spas are a dime a dozen. Aura skin is not unique. Never again. thank you read more

I've been to Aura 3 separate times now for 3 Brazilian, 2 underarm, and 1 upper lip laser treatment. I used to shave my underarms literally every day just so I could do downward freakin dogs at yoga without shame and have nearly cried on the table during every Brazilian wax I've had over the past 12 years. It is SO satisfying to look at Aura's work and think that I will never face either horrible scenario again. They have truly CHANGED MY LIFE! The nurses are great, striking the balance between making the pulse strong enough to be effective and not causing too much pain. I'm a total woos (see comment above about crying during waxes), and have been totally fine at Aura! I just have them pause after every 10 pulses or so to cool off, then restart, and even then the treatments are REALLY fast. And have I mentioned effective (see comment above on changing my life)?! My only complaint is that I can't afford them at full-price, but I *will* find a way to get 1-2 more underarm and upper lip treatments so I can get to 100% hair-free! (The 6 Brazilians I already bought will be more than fine!) read more

Before I bought the Groupon deal for the Laser Hair Removal, I decided to yelp Aura Skin Spa first. Good and efficient service. It's clean and well decorated too. I really enjoyed my first visit, because everyone there made me felt comfortable, which is important for a first timer. The underarm procedure was not bad at all, a bit painful, but thank god for the cooling effect after each pinch. After my first treatment, I saw great results, less hair were growing back and the hair that did grow back were thinner. I was impressed already. My second and third time back was quick and I was in and out of the place in less than 15 minutes. I also suggest checking out their website because if it's your first time getting laser hair removal, I'm sure you have tons of question like: How many sessions do you need or how does laser work? And their website is very helpful. Also a tip is to shave your underarm before you go in. The silly me thought the longer I leave my underarm hair, the better the laser will spot them. whoops, totally not the case. Anyhow, feels great to just leave the house in a tank top and not having to say "Oh crap, I forgot to shave!" read more