This review is based off the facial services, the esthetician's customer service, the spa…read moreenvironment, and the knowledge behind the practice here.
When the humidity is heavy my skin really struggles. When my skin struggles my stress heightens. When my stress heightens my skin struggles... You see my issue? I had been on a long journey of research, detoxification strategies, and product trial and error to try and fix my epidermal reaction to Wilmington's humid and chemically unbalance environment. I'm pretty well versed in the world of holistic nutrition, hormonal balance, and natural remedies both tangibly and ingestible. I decided to explore Wilmington's knowledge on the subject and see if West Meadow Spa could help me find a solution I had yet to experience.
After a very pleasant phone call with the front desk representative, who really made the spa and esthetician seem like a trip to cloud 9, I booked my facial a week in advance and built up my expectations for the visit! She asked me to come a few minutes early to sign some paperwork but my facial was at opening time so when I arrived I waited about 10 minutes for someone to come open the door. I thought it was a little strange for them to ask to come early, for them to be inside the building and see me outside and not open the doors until the clock struck opening time. Oh well! The inside was beautiful with tons of natural products for sale, water and tea options and a cute little lounge area to relax in while waiting. I quickly signed the papers and waited about 5 minutes for the esthetician to bring me in the room.
I had received such amazing recommendations about this gal before visiting but upon meeting and consulting with her my high expectations were not met. Everyone has their bad days and it could have been that kind of situation, but in my experience I felt her to be very judgmental and not as well educated as she had been led on to be. She would ask me general prep questions then not have any response to my answers, just going on to the next question. I told her all the things I've tried, things I've researched, conditions I've had in the past etc and at the end of the day she had not one suggestion for me other than to buy the tea they had in shop from a local vendor (which she applied to my face at the beginning of the facial which smelled awesome).
Throughout the facial she would give me ask me questions, quietly ponder a response to me answer then in an odd tone say she just didn't know the best way to go about that. It was really strange to me! Any who, the facial was refreshing, as they always are, but did absolutely nothing for my skin that day or in the future. She didn't suggest any helpful products or methods of cleaning, exfoliating, nourishing, etc. Though she did suggest I come back for a belly heating service which is basically a heating pad on your gut, ovaries, etc. that helps balance and calm everything going on down there, especially inflammation. This is a pretty cool service, especially for those who actually have serious ovarian and gut concerns, and I don't know anyone else in town that does this unique practice. However it was not really relevant to me and way out of my price range.
At the end of the day I spent almost $50 for a semi cleansing/calming facial and learned something new about heat therapy. I really don't want to hurt their business, and the front desk gal was the sweetest thing on this planet (review would have been 2 stars without her involvement), but I really can't see myself recommending West Meadow's facial services to anyone based off this experience.
