Dal G.
Yelp
The experience felt far from aligned in my body, and I should've listened to that intuition from the beginning, and I own that responsibility as well as the responsibility of not saying certain things during my service that I have expectation would happen naturally from my experience that other facials and massages.
The facts: I made my appointment over a month ago specifically with the owner, Val. I was warned by the person who bought me a gift card that they were very strict with their cancellation policies and to make sure that I won't have to cancel . Those kind of places always rub me the wrong way to begin with. No flexibility in the reality of life, black-and-white thinking. And usually, one-sided favorably only towards them.
So I committed.. My appointment was at 5:30 and it was 4 PM when I received a phone call saying "hi would you instead like to receive your service with Bernadetta?" It took me a few minutes, but I then understood it was the golden hour office calling me about changing my service to another person. They were not upfront about it and we're hoping I wouldn't that and I or notice. They're also our price differences between the owner and Bernadetta that were also not mentioned to me and I do not know if they would have been honored.
This felt to me like an experience of someone, I learned after my service today to be the owner, and aesthetician, who is needing to learn the lesson of transparency and trust. It's hard to gain trust from a client when you don't give it to them.
My body then started to feel not trusted during our experience.
1. She greeted me as if she would have never Attempted to push me off to another person and instead reschedule me on me last minute
2. Val asked me to sit on the chair in our appointment room and when I asked, "is it OK if I just get a blanket, I'm cold," that was hanging against the bed, her response was, "Oh, it will just be a minute."
Another example of Complete disregard for the person who happens to be your client.
3. I was not told a single time what would be put on my face or near my face when my eyes were closed and I was laying on the bed. I've never been to a service that touches my body or face that does not let my nervous system know what the next step is in the process like "I'm going to put toner on your face," or
"I'm going to put a machine that sounds like an electric shocker up against your ear That is going to remove dead skin."
There was nothing relaxing about the experience, she was not gentle in her touch, My hair felt pulled on and luckily, I do like deep pressure in the massage that I got sporadically a minute or two of.
4. I felt this yuck in my body all day since leaving my appointment at 1pm. The yuck of, "Why didn't I speak up?"
But in reality, It is also, "How can a business owner treat her patient with such disregard?"
5. So I thought, I'll give her a chance and I'll ask her if she's open to feedback.
6. Val responded and said yes, on a call."
7. I said I was not available for a call and am available via voice message.
8. Again, as a business owner, wouldn't I want to make myself available to receive feedback from a client in whatever way is comfortable to them?
9. I called her and she got defensive, I calmly continued to read my list to her and let her know the door was open to change this client experience and that I have never felt more violated in my nervous system after a service and if I were a business owner. I would want to know that because I imagine that is not her intention.
Her response, "This is the first time anyone has ever called to tell me this."
Again, defending herself.
And so I responded calmly, "Whether it's the first time or multiple times, I would imagine that my experience as your client matters and can you take it as that?"
Anyway, very disappointed, she never even made an intention to make up the fact that she changed my plans last minute on Thursday, despite her super strict cancellation policy that protects her or cared to take any steps to make it right with me as her client
I hate writing reviews like this, but I really do think that this way of showing up in the world is not serving her and it is my hope that maybe through written words she will receive this message and let her guard down to treat her clients from the heart And in a way where when we think of "Golden Hour" As part of our community in Austin, our body feels calm and open
