Not a good experience…read more I don't write a lot of reviews. I tend to write them when an experience is either really amazing and I want people to know, or it's really not good and I don't want people to have that experience. For context, I've had a lot of facials in my life-- too many to count. I'm new to Victoria and can't get to my longtime facialist on the mainland for at least a few months, so I decided to try to find someone good in Victoria. I thought to try Emerald Day Spa because of all the good reviews and awards. I specifically booked an extraction facial. When I was asked by Parisa, the facialist, if I had any concerns or things I wanted her to know, I said I was there for extractions, most importantly. I asked if she could turn on the light so I could show her specifically what I wanted her to pay attention to. She said no, that she would look at my face when I was on the treatment table. This struck me as odd, because I can't look at my own face when I'm on the table, and how can I be sure that she's seeing what I need her to see?? Next, after I'd changed, she took forever to come back in. I started calling out, "Hello! I'm ready!" but she did not return for at least five minutes. It was bizarre and stressful. Then she asked if I was comfortable. The towel I was lying on was really old and rough, and I asked if she could remove it. But instead of just taking it off, she left again for another five minutes! Once again, I called out, "Hello! Hello!!" She finally came back in and I said, "Wow, that was a long time just to take away a towel." Then, she didn't remove the towel and instead put down a sheet. This was okay, but to lose ten minutes of my hour and fifteen minutes while I was lying there, cold, was weird and unpleasant, to say the least. When she got to the extractions, I again said that I wanted to show her what really needed extracting, but since I had no mirror and I was now lying down, I couldn't be sure that I was pointing to the right things. She told me she saw what I was talking about: white heads on my nose, an enlarged pore that gets really clogged, and most importantly, a very large white head by my ear that needed to be punctured, drained, and extracted. I repeatedly pointed it out to her. She started the extractions with a small machine, and then said she was missing something and left again! This time leaving the door open!! OMG. Any relaxation I'd achieved was torpedoed as I heard the people in the hall walking by, talking, and I worried that someone else would come in. Back to the facial... Like I said, I've had countless facials, and I know what extractions feel like. She was NOT doing extractions. She continued moving the little machine around my face. I'm sure it was doing something, but it was not getting out whiteheads, blackheads, etc. Then she got to the area with the very large blemish. She futzed around a bit with the machine, and then said, "It's all cleaned out." Well, let me tell you, the big blemish is still there, as are the white heads on my nose and the clogged pore. It's like she did NO EXTRACTIONS AT ALL. No joke. Now I need to find another facialist who can actually do the extractions, or make the trek to the mainland. And I'm out $183 for something that did not do what it said it would. Perhaps there are other treatments that are good. I'm guessing that with all the rave reviews, other folks have had good experiences. But let me tell you, an extraction facial with Parisa is not why this place is winning awards.

I am so pleased to give Emerald Day Spa an excellent rating. I have been a client there for the…read morepast 6 years and I cannot speak highly enough of the service provided. My aesthetician, Paulo, is charming company who is a perfectionist when it comes to skin care. The atmosphere is relaxing, friendly, and casual; the location at Cedar Hill and Hillside is conveniently located ....not downtown, but 5 minutes from my North Jubilee home. I would not consider going anywhere else! Keep up the excellent service; Emerald Day Spa is A real gem!

Sara is an absolute amazing lash artist! Her work space is very clean and her work phenomenal!…read moreAlso. She is so kind and friendly! Love her!!!!

absolutely love lash love connection. Carmella is the absolute sweetest and she has such a high…read moreattention to detail and she went the extra mile to give me the results i want. sadly lash extensions don't stay on my lashes very well, nothing to do with the lash services provided here, but i will definitely keep coming back to get my brows done and will happily recommend them to anyone who asks. the prices are a tad high, however the environment is so peaceful and calming, they make you feel so comfortable while you're there. definitely worth the price.

I've been to Frilly Lilly twice now, and I am never going back to my old place - it's freakin'…read moreawesome here! I see Jackie for waxing (underarms and bikini) and she is by far the best I've ever experienced. I had a traumatic waxing experience years ago (think skin ripped off, blood, scabbing for weeks...nasty), but I've started looking a bit sasquaatchy so I've decided to give it another go. Jackie makes you feel totally comfortable even when your bum 'oley is exposed, which is not an easy feat. Cannot say enough good things about this place and Jackie...highly highly recommend!

Great selection and service. I was looking for something obscure and was pleasantly surprised by…read morehow helpful the staff was. This was something we experienced throughout downtown Victoria and it really enhanced our visit.

I had a hydra facial done 10 days ago and my skin is glowing! The results were instant and my skin…read moreonly got better with time! The knowledge that they have regarding skin care is phenomenal! They recommend their Eminence skin care line and set me up with a daily routine. My skin feels so good!! This is not my first experience with skin care treatments and products and it has far exceeded my expectations! I look forward to watching the owner Liz's Facial Friday's on Facebook at 6pm It has taught me allot about hyperpigmentation, hormonal imbalances, dry and dull skin. I highly recommend Heaven Spa on the rock for all your skin care needs and I can't wait to come back for my derma roller facial and laser treatments!!

This is my favourite spa for all things pampering. Reasonable prices, always welcoming and very…read morecovid safe.

I highly recommend Josie for doing lash extensions. She was competent and took time to understand…read morewhat I wanted. Pleasant surroundings and comfortable "bed" for the procedure. She accommodated me by coming in on a day she wasn't going to be in. The price was very reasonable compared to what I pay in California! A good experience all around. Thanks for rescuing my scraggly lashes on short notice!

From the owner: Eyelash services in Victoria read more

Absolutely the place to go for eyebrow microblading/shading! Ashley is amazing and takes the time…read moreto ensure the shape and color are right. She will listen to what it is that I want and then make suggestions and provide advice. She makes sure I leave happy no matter how long it takes. So professional and easy to talk to as well. I don't usually enjoy long sessions for any kind of cosmetic treatment (hair, nails etc), but I always enjoy seeing Ashley. I also appreciate the clean, professional and quiet location. Highly recommend! Annabelle

Christina is not only a lovely person, she is the ultimate eyebrow artist and pro. She did such an…read moreamazing repair to my old blading (done by a previous salon a decade ago.) Christina had to colour correct and if that wasn't enough she also had to fix "crooked" brows. Now they are magazine worthy! I never thought my eyebrows could look so beautiful again. The previous brows bothered me so much and I was very self conscious of them. Thankyou! Studio Kanti is THE place for eyebrows. (5 Stars is all that is available as the top review, but I want to give 10 Stars.)

The best hair salon in Vic. Hands down…read more These hairstylists are balayage queens, and colour queens, and cutting queens, and styling queens. They're all just hair queeeens. When I lived in Vic I used to see Tressa. I saw her a few times and she took my uneven cut and poorly coloured mane and changed it for the better. Not only is she a stellar hairstylist, Tressa is super fun to chat with and passionate about what she does. Both of that makes your time in the salon a fun experience. When I first decided I wanted to go blonde, Tressa was the first one to really get my hair back to being healthy before I began the process. Which if you have dark hair and have ever tried to go lighter, you know is a long ass process... Tressa also recommended me to my current salon and hairstylist in Vancouver and for that I am forever grateful. Yes, Tressa is amazing, but so are all the other hairstylists at Kharma. I have had friends get their hair done by Kristen, Amanda, and Tess, and they've all been more than happy with their finished hair. Whatever you decide to get done at Kharma and whoever you decide you want to see, I can guarantee you're going to end up loving it. Prices are fairly decent for what you're getting. But I've always been one to pay more for good hairstylists, because hey, it's worth it. Come to Kharma. You won't regret it.

I recently paid $650 for a balayage, clearly asking for a cool, ash blonde tone, but I ended up…read morewith a warm, gold result instead. I think this came down to a communication error during the consultation. If I had known that not lifting the brown areas would lead to a warmer overall color I would have made a different choice. The stylist told me that the toner she would use on my blonde would also tone the red out of the brown so I figured there was no need to lift the brown area. Beyond the color mismatch, my hair was back-combed aggressively, which caused significant damage and made the brushing-out process excruciatingly painful. For a premium service, I expected more care and a more thorough discussion about the possible outcomes. While the owner did reach out afterward to offer a free re-toning (85$), I'm still left with damaged hair and a color I didn't want. Also, keep in mind that they have a strict no refund policy outlined in their forms, which is worth knowing before booking. I hope this feedback helps the salon improve their communication and approach, especially for clients with specific color requests.

I had my hair done by Bri and I absolutely love it!! She gets it! I have asked a few different…read morestylists over the past few years for "lower maintenance" and Bri was able to do exactly that. Prices are good. And the salon is friendly & clean :) I live in Vancouver, but I will definitely be coming back to Victoria to get my hair done every 6 months or so! I am also going back in a couple days to get my eyelashes done

I got a haircut with Laura-Ashley recently that was honestly one of the best I've ever had! I…read morehadn't had my hair cut in a long time and Laura-Ashley listened to exactly what I wanted and delivered a fabulous cut. She is super knowledgeable about hair and knows exactly which cuts would flatter me according to my hair type etc. I will definitely be retuning to see Laura-Ashley in the future. Plus we had a great time chatting about Bravo shows!

I moved to Victoria from Los Angeles and could not find anyone who does blonde hair well. I went to…read moreChapin and I don't ever remember getting a more beautiful color. She is beyond phenomenal and so easy to work with . Thank you Chapin for being so incredible.

Haley did an excellent cut just the way I asked. She's personable and fun. Highly recommend.read more