Treatment we had: Brazilian bikini wax, $65.
What we loved: This Old Town spa, in a refurbished yellow-lemon row house, has a cozy atmosphere you can’t help but love. Comfortable chairs in the waiting area are a nice spot to sip a cup of tea—in ceramic mugs with saucers—or cucumber-infused water before a treatment.
In previous reviews of this spa done by The Washingtonian, the facials here were highly recommended. Owner Suzanne Olsen is an expert with skin.
But this spa does more than facials. I had booked a Brazilian—the true test of any waxer’s skills. While it wasn’t the most pain-free I’ve had, Angela Hall, my technician, used a mix of hard and soft wax to remove as much hair as possible. After waxing, she did a thorough tweezing of stray hairs—something many aestheticians overlook.
What you should know: The waxing wasn’t perfect. Twice, I had to remind Angela that the wax was too hot and nearly burning my skin. It’s something that a few more years of experience may cure—she admitted to having worked as an aesthetician for only two years. But after the treatment, she met me outside the room with a glass of cool water, something rarely done when just having waxing.
Bottom line: For those who live in the area, this is a friendly spa for a facial, massage, or underarm or leg waxing. The best part? Daily e-mail specials—you can sign up at the front desk—offer 15 to 25 percent off a variety of treatments.
Fountains Day Spa, 422 South Washington St., Alexandria; 703-549-1990; fountainsdayspa.net.
