I want to preface this by saying I almost never go through the trouble to write a review. I do not recommend this place. The owner is very sneaky. I purchased a Groupon for one facial and when I got there the young lady giving me the facial suggested instead I try another facial (cheaper than what I originally wanted) which also included a 30 day "kit" to go home with in order to maintain the effects of the facial. I agreed as I thought she was making this recommendation based off my skin type. She says she knows I have a Groupon but they (Bare) will be able to refund me the price of that and then just charge me for the other facial. I agreed.
The rooms have a gap in the ceiling and you can hear everything going on. While I was getting my facial I could hear this same facial being sold to several other customers, this clearly was not something that was recommended based off my skin concerns/type, but rather something they were supposed to be upselling to everyone that entered; this was even being sold to someone having their brows laminated.
She finishes the facial and suspiciously tells me while I get dressed she will make sure we have the kit. She clearly knew they did not or why would she even say that. I go to check out and the owner and the girl that did my facial tell me... surprise, we don't even have that kit that we were supposed to give you, however I can come get it in two days or they can send it to me. Okay. How convenient.
Next, I am checking out and the total is about $240. I said I have a Groupon, the owner already knew this as she is who I spoke with on the phone on my way over to assure it was alright for me to use the Groupon at my visit. The owner says well we cannot reimburse you (as I was told by the girl doing the facial) but assured me Groupon will.
As I paid I included a tip, which was 20% even though I was now very dissatisfied but did not feel this should be held against the girl who did the facial, clearly this is the result of poor management and sneaky tactic. I noticed the tip (calculated automatically) was only calculated for the portion of the facial, and not the $140 kit that came along with it. I was also emailed a receipt which showed the facial as $100 and the kit as $140.
I call Groupon after I left and no, they will not refund me the price of the facial, they can only offer me credit. I do not need Groupon credit, I need the money back that I just spend on a real lousy facial. But this is not on Groupon, again this is the sneaky chick who owns this cheap looking "spa".
Two days come and go and I call to tell them now what is the point, I don't even want the kit as its been days and what was supposed to prolong the effects of the facial is probably no good to me now. The owner assures me that they will send the kit out today and she will send me a tracking number. I receive nothing. It is not until days later I call to dispute the $140 charge on my card days later that she sends me an email with the tracking information stating she knows I disputed but they offer no refunds and the kit was free with the facial, even though the receipt shows it was separate and the tip had only been calculated at the price of the facial, not including the tip. A week later I received this kit that is of no use to me and it still in the box. The owner maintains this was not a separate charge but rather written like that on the receipt to monitor their stock. If that's the case the poor girl should have gotten twice the tip she received.
Oh, they also tried to then sell me a package to make sure I was getting the most out of my facial, which I was not told would be suggested prior to agreeing to this crappy facial I was given.
So they lied to me about the Groupon, assuring I would be refunded. Lied to me about having a kit in stock that I would be bringing home with me to keep up with the facial. Then after I spend $240 I was not planning on spending would not refund me for the items they did not have in stock knowing it would be days before they would have it back.
The owner does not seem very bright to begin with. When she checked me in I wondered why they allow someone to dress and present themselves the way she was presented like she had just rolled out of bed, but did not realize she was the owner, which would explain why she was a lot more casual and lax with her appearance than the rest of the staff. For the money I spent there I will definitely continue to go to The Facial Bar in Crystal Lake or Mario Tricoci, also quite expensive but so much more worth it in the end, unlike this place which is a total rip off. read more