I originally came here on a recommendation of my hair stylist and groupon coupon three years ago. I haven't gone anywhere else for my laser treatments or facials since. Sandi is very knowledgeable and provides 5 star service. She always fits me in for an appointment as I travel frequently and have to sometimes make appointments on short notice. Her new location in New Westminster is lovely, very bright and clean. read more

1. Unreachable: multiple phone calls and emails before each appointment. 2. Services: RF skin tightening (facial): - The treatments are recommended to take between 15-60 minutes; my first one was 30 min, the second 15 min, and the third 20 min. - Initial treatments are supposed to be weekly, which I suggested; she refused, saying she's doing them monthly. 3. Atmosphere: very tense from the beginning, Sandy is abrupt and not a nice person; it's a cold, uninviting place. Another important thing: I respect everyone's religious affiliations, but if it's time for your prayer, please close the shop and do it in your own privacy; your customers should not be made to listen to your prayers - absolutely inappropriate and unacceptable. I basically wasted almost $200. The worst part is that I had no chance to see if these treatments actually work--Avante - the worst experience. read more

Friendly and relaxing skin laser treatment!! I purchased a groupon and it was a great value. Nice to visit.

I started coming here because they offered a Groupon and I was hooked! Great service, clean facilities and the prices are reasonably affordable. Highly recommen! read more

I've been eyeing this place up for a while . So I finally decided to go in for a facial and laser on my underarms . I wanted to start on a small area to see results before I committed to a larger area . Sandy is super friendly and the spa is nice , clean and comfortable . I was happy with my appointments and now I'm waiting to see results . I can already see changes with my clear view facial . One thing to note is the specials and if there is a current Groupon available Sandy will honour that price . Which is awesome because then the whole purchase goes towards supporting a small local business , instead of having to pay a huge cut to Groupon. read more

These are the friendliest ladies ever! Sandy is so very nice, but Aman, who does my eyelashes, is just amazing - so kind. I would encourage anyone who needs some beauty treatments, to give them a try. read more

I decided to stop waxing and to get full Brazilian down south. I have been paying $50 each time I get waxed and I do get it 2 to 3 times per year. I found groupon for Avante hair removal for $99! Isn't that amazing?! I will not have to worry about waxing and shaving anymore. First impression: Avante office is very clean. Couches are in white leather and very comfy. There are 2 television screens to entertain your companion while they wait for your treatment to finish. The receptionist is very friendly and accommodating. She gave me a form to fill up for first time clients. The laser technician, Sandy, was very accomodating and professional. She made me feel comfortable. Afterall I am getting hair removed in my most private part! I will buy another groupon for hair removal on my legs and I will definitely recommend this place to my family and friends. read more

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Well.. I bought a groupon deal, 1 year laser hair removal with six treatments. I liked their service the lady served me was nice. But their treatment wasn't effective. I had a laser at my underarms and they still grew even after the 6 treatments and those are painful. 1 time my underarms had redness and it really painful she said it was normal but the pain didn't go away till a week later. I think the machine burned my skin. I was careful now and keep reading reviews because of this experience. read more

The staff here are super nice and my treatments were almost always on time. I bought a groupon and had 6 treatments done on my stomach line and armpits. While I was having treatments the hair grew back much finer and I did see it fall out as they mentioned. The treatments were very quick - usually just 5-10 mins. However, once the treatments ended all the hair grew back to exactly how it was before treatments started. This was a little disappointing. It could be that this type of hair removal doesn't work on me. At that time continuing treatments on my armpits was $25 a session. That's not too expensive, but since none of the hair was gone for good, it didn't seem worth it. The service was good and I would recommend them, but it didn't work for me. read more

I am also a laser newbie. Saw the deal off social shopper and decided to give it a shot. Being the newbie, I called to ask questions regarding preparation beforehand and was reassured of the painless procedure. Also got a friendly (non-automated) reminder the day before the appointment. On the day of, went in to Avante (located near the Highgate mall area). I parked near Highgate (no parking fee) and made the short 5 minutes walk. Avante is newly opened (3 months), and the interior is really nice and clean. I was greeted and asked to complete a short medical information (allergy/medication etc.) and waiver form. As soon as I am done with the forms, I was led into the room (no wait time!). Sandi is so sweet and attentive. I am the biggest baby (and more sensitive) when it comes to pain, so you may feel differently. What I felt was a bit of heat from the laser, not pain per se. So the heat was the main sensation I felt. Sandi made sure to check with me throughout the process and took breaks when I needed (which are few in between). The whole process was quick (less than 20 minutes). As an aside, both Sandi and Mani (Sandi's hubby) are super nice and cool. Sandy was really easy to talk to during the process. I was thankful that she noticed I was nervous and was talking with me (I think to distract me, and it worked). I had the opportunity to speak with Mani afterwards and just really like his whole down-to-earth philosophy. You get the sense that they care more than running the business and the monetary aspects. They wanted ensure customer satisfaction first and foremost. Definitely giving Avante Laser and Aesthetics two thumbs up! *Will update when the hair start to grow out/if there are any changes after multiple treatments. read more

Purchased 6 lasering sessions a few years ago and was told they would never expire (the only reason why I made the purchase). Called to make an appointment today and was told my sessions were no longer valid because of a change in owners. What a complete SCAM! I was never informed of said change or would have definitely taken the time to complete my sessions. I can't imagine how many more customers must have been scammed by this company. The person I was speaking with said she hoped I could understand. Why should I, as the paying customer, be the one who has to pay for poor management of their business? She even tried to sell me another session! As if i would ever come back after this terrible experience! Please save your money and never come to this establishment. read more

I first came here with a groupon voucher for laser hair removal on my underarms. I found the place clean and welcoming. The results have been fantastic. I have 90 % less hair, but with a few stubborn ones still coming through. The treatments are quick, with minimal discomfort. I still continue to have top up treatments after my groupon ended. Overall a very happy customer. read more

I've never been to a spa and felt like I've been to a dentist. Not sure how did this place get 4.5/5, but if you read their google reviews, you will get some real feedback. Horrible service. I went in for a microdermabrasion treatment. It supposed to be a deep cleansing and polishing treatment, but she didn't even take off my makeup properly to begin with. The entire treatment was less than 10 mins and it was extremely painful. The staff violently squeezed my pimples while using a suction device. The device is really old and low tech, nothing looks like what they posted in the pictures. My entire face was swollen and red with tons of breakouts and the makeup was still on! Horrible, don't waste your money and buy the groupons here. Save the money and get yourself a proper treatment somewhere else. Also, staff asked lots of odd personal questions too. read more

My wife and i where invited to there open house event. Wow once again Sandi, Manny and Sidney as well as the rest of the staff were amazing. The food was outstanding especially the bruschetta and the service was amazing. We consider ourselves very fortunate to be customers from the very beginning and would not change or go anywhere else no matter what. My wife and I have so much confidence in a Avante that our whole family is going there now we would not change anything and we would recommend this company and the staff to anyone and have done so in the past. And a special thank you to Manny for every time I come in he always always gets me a coffee and that i really do appreciate. read more

The hydrafacial is a must. My skin felt softer, cleaner and tighter. I have a glow to my face. So happy will the results and they are just getting better. I've always wanted to get it done. Took out blackheads, whiteheads. My face is very sensitive and it was barely red. Which was nice. There is no downtime. read more

These guys are on the Ball! Unlike my experience with another popular Vancouver Esthetics company, the staff here actually respond to voice, emails and follow-ups. I found them to be very professional. Would definitely recommend. read more

I bought 2 vouchers for my brazilian area and thanks God I didn't bought more cause it really didn't work at all! The personnels are very nice and good behaviour though. I've been told from the first treatment that %99 of the patients were completely satisfied and I should wait to see the result! I wait and guess what! None of my hairs shed and I ended up with thicker hairs in result of shaving instead of waxing during the treatment!! The other bad thing about the machine and technology they use is that you are not allowed to shave within 6 weeks up to your next appointment and if your hair does not shed (same me!) you will feel much hairier than before! If you want to waist you time and money go to this place! read more

Alright. So first off, I was a client here for over a year. I was one of the first people to get laser done by Sandi when she first opened. Over the year and a bit I have spend hundreds of dollars on products, facials and other extras Sandi always raves about. I'm not stupid, I always knew she was very business oriented and she pushes her products HARD. Which is fine, especially for a place largely run on social shopper or other promotional coupon sites. So today was my final treatment and I am here way earlier than I like to be because my last appointment was not booked properly, I will give them kudos for squeezing me in but because it was their fault I'm glad that they made time, however it was the end of this appointment (and a few other things over this past year) that warranted the one star, and I will tell you why. I don't like to leave negative reviews and after my last visit (The one before this one) I contemplated leaving a review but thought I would give it one more chance. Last time, I was treated very rudely by the receptionist. She was so cold to me because I was 5 minutes late. I have never been late for an appointment before and was unaware of the construction happening on Kingsway. I apologized profusely and still was treated so rudely. The owner, Sandi, witnessed the exchange and when I tried to mention it to her she just laughed at me. When I mentioned it to the other esthetician, Kate, she told me that the receptionist was a former art student and hasn't had any previous customer service experience. Hmm, what a shocker.... As for today, I was asking about using another promotional coupon to maintain my laser, and because my appointment was booked 5 days too late, I would not be accepted. I was choked but acknowledged the response. Even though I tried to book in earlier and was told there were no available appointments. Sandi and I discussed and she told me no exceptions would be made, not for me, not for anyone... Ok fair... Not the best business, but fair. As I was walking out the door, I said good bye and do you know what she said to me "have a nice life!". Omg!!! That was the last straw! Never again. I'm glad you won't accept my coupon and would rather pay the $300 to never step foot in your business again. I have spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars at your place of business. I have watched as your business grew and the quality of your services waxed and waned. You had told me several times when you first started treating me that if I needed more treatments you would give me the same price I paid because you would rather I had the 'best results' than having to settle for anything less. Apparently your compassion for people has changed and your priorities have shifted to getting the most people in and out. Final consensus: Not Recommended. Avoid this place for the huge emphasis on up-selling alone not to mention the total disregard for good customer service. There are many places in this great city that offer the same quality of services to customers without being pushy and rude. read more

I've been going for laser treatments for a while and have noticed that the new aestheticians work is always rushed and a bit bodge. Also the bed side manner wasn't great when I had Brazilian treatments done. I didn't feel like she was paying enough attentions and just moving her hands robotically. So it has become very sporadic. I still like the salon for its cleanliness and the location. read more

I got a partial refund from Sandi. She wrote "nuisance customer" on the cheque and was calling me an idiot for leaving an honest review. She said she'd call the cops when I asked for a full refund. I called her effed up and that was that. Aman was a sweetheart on the other hand so I love that there's some civil people working there. Go at your own risk. read more

I found Avante through Social Shopper, they had an unlimited hair removal coupon for $99 that I had to try (laser sessions can go for $100 each). My first time wasn't the greatest, however, after my 2nd time with Sandy, I became a regular. Sandy is very professional and super friendly. I was sort of scared with my first bikini laser treatment but she made me feel comfortable. She was chatting with me during the treatment and then I was pretty relaxed. They have a new laser machine that makes the treatment pretty much painless!. I go there every 6 weeks now and I will continue to go. I also bought some coupons for their Hydrafacial treatment which I love!. It really cleans your skin. It is like a little vacuum with a brush that scrubs your face and gets in to clean the pores. I get it done now once a month and I love it!. The staff is friendly and efficient, their receptionists always call to remind your appointments and they do their best to fit you in their busy calendar. I am glad I found them!. read more

I had a great experience when I initially started going to Avante. The technician who used to do the laser hair removal was great and I was waiting until after all my sessions were done to do a complete review. I have to agree with Chii Z. the place is clean but the new technician is horrible! She placed way too much gel which smeared all over my clothes. The other technician used to lower the heat settings because she knew I was sensitive from previous treatments but the new technician refused and I left with burns. I had Brazilian and another area done and she gave me only 2 piece of paper to wipe myself with instead of the wet wipes that the other technician gave. She was robotic and missed a bunch of spots. Its a good place if they bring the old technician back especially with the social shopper dealer. Go here at your own risk and expect patches of hair and burned skin. read more

I found Avante on Groupon and had my first laser appointment with Sandy. She is honestly just the best! Super knowledgeable and friendly! Sandy goes above and beyond to make your experience comfortable. Beside the cleanliness of the place and cool decor, her laser treatments work! I was so happy with her results I continued with my treatments on other areas. What I love about her is that she really wants to help you achieve your results and look and feel your best. Thank you Avante! read more

I was going to write a review but then realized I can say ditto to all of the good things that people before me have said. They are so friendly, helpful and professional @ Avante. I get email reminders before my appointments and a thank you email after my appointment---that is good service. I would totally recommend this spa to anyone especially if you find a Social Shopper coupon---in fact I would say you should call or visit the spa and see if they will match the coupon (so they get all of the fee and not just half). read more

I've been coming here for over a year and a half and the ladies here are the best. They are all very friendly and accommodating and I've never had a bad experience. Sandy and the team do a great job at making you feel comfortable and are very knowledgable about their products and services. Prior to this I was skeptical and a little scared of laser hair removal but they've wiped away all my previous concerns. The staff at Avante are very professional and I will continue to recommend them and they are my go to place for sure! read more

Having gone to other places for laser I would say this is one of the best =). They are quick and to the point. Laser is not a walk in the park in certain areas. Every time I go in the receptionist is professional and very nice. This place is clean and in a central area ( parking may be tricky). I love the reminder phone calls a few days day and they let me pre book 1-2 appointments as I know they get booked up fast =) I'm usually in and out within 10-15 mins. read more

I'm writing a review cause it's Friday night and I'm tipsy at home, need a social life, and can't stop touching my smoov face (thanks to hydrafacial) Super quick, friendly, effective and efficient service. The hydrafacial here is probably the cheapest one you'll find in the city - and you can see all the whiteheads and milky gunk that comes out. Equal satisfaction to watching blackhead extraction videos. They carry Dr. Zein Obagi skincare. There's free parking underground. Laser hair removal here is the most pain free (actually none at all) - and I've been to 3 different laser spas (yaletown, kits, oakridge). read more

Maybe it's because i bought a groupon but i find that i still have hair all over my face a couple weeks after each session. Hairs that are close to the upper lip, nose, and under lip never actually fall out. When i asked the technician, they just said that they can't get these hairs because of the type of laser that is used. Staff is professional, and it's a nice clean atmosphere. But if I'm getting my face done, I would actually like to see the hair gone, and not have to pluck, wax, and thread between my appointments. They tell you not to this, but they really give you no choice lol. I have to wait until late fall for my next treatment because of less sun exposure but I can't wait six months between treatments. And I guess they aren't to blame because of the way my own hair grows back but I'm definitely switching to another laser place during that time. Especially, when their suggestion to deal with hair in-between is to bleach and nair (wtf). This is unfortunate because I've already paid for a few treatments in advance. I probably won't try and ask for my money back. Honestly, I would rather just lose contact. I will say that fake five-star reviews for them are pretty obvious. And their snarky responses to the negative ones are hilarious and unnecessary. ALSO-im getting later treatment done somewhere else now and it is a night and day difference. this place sucks, don't waste your money read more

This place has the absolute worst customer service....I am in the process of fighting with them and now going through the better business bureau. Pretty sure they are going through financial difficulties and not honoring what you pay for,...DO NOT PURCHASE VOUCHERS FOR THIS COMPANY....Call the company you purchased your voucher from, I had no problem getting my money back from groupon. read more

I have had a horrible experience dealing with this business. First of all, they never pick up their phone. Whenever you call on their voicemail it says "we are short staffed, leave a message and we will get back to you"...sometimes it is easier to just talk to someone rather than correspond through email??? Whenever I have gone to their place, it is never busy and a lady is sitting on the computer doing very little but NOT answering any phones. This is the reason I had trouble cancelling one of my appointments as my daughter got sick. I couldn't get a hold of anyone when I called, several times. Then I had to email my problem but several days later I got an email that since I missed my appointment I had to either pay $30 or waive one of my previously purchased laser sessions. I asked them several times to look into this problem with an open mind and see what the reasons were for my missing the appointment, instead of showing some understanding or sympathy for the situation, their response was this "the matter is final and will not be discussed further. You must pay the cancellation fee.". Really??? I hope others consider this type of customer service before buying any packages, as emergencies can happen to anyone. read more

Went for laser hair removal. Disappointed as the laser is not precise in areas that i wanted lasered. For example- upper lip laser didn't reach the area below my nostril. So this requires me to do threading/plucking/shaving which i was hoping to not have to do. Paid for a full face however had to request the tech to laser my forehead. She didnt even touch my temple areas or nose. Purchased a 'Brazilian' laser removal however that doesn't include the bikini line or other areas that a brazilian hair removal should cover. Paid $250 for a brazilian treatment however they wanted a further $100 for bikini line. The staff were friendly. Place was clean. Laser was painless This was my first treatment so not sure how effective the laser is yet. read more

I was talked into getting an IPL a year ago after going in to Avente for a Hydrafacial. I was nervous to get this treatment but was told that nothing bad could happen. I now have white scars on the side of my face that I notice everyday. When I brought this up to the staff at Avante the customer service was terrible. I would never recommend this Spa to anyone. read more

I bought a coupon for a hydrafacial . They were so bad with the booking, made me wait for a month. I went in for the facial and it was like 20 minutes, when they had advertised the facial for 40 min. The coupon for the facial was not worth the money. I will not go back to this establishment read more

I bought the $99 Social Shopper deal and had my underarms treated. I wasn't that happy with my first visit as I felt like Sandy rushed through the appointment and she seemed irritated when I asked her questions regarding post treatment (ie, what to expect in the next few days & weeks). It felt like a production mill with one person coming in and the next person leaving right after - I wasn't asked if I had any questions or given a warm hand off to the receptionist. I am going back to give it another try with a different laser technician - hopefully I will have a better experience. read more

I had a great experience today at Avante, I had the hydrafacial with Sandi. My skin has never looked better. The receptionist is very friendly and cheerful. I will going back again, and perhaps trying some of their laser treatments. A very professional environment, I highly recommend Avante. read more

Avante received my attention because of the laser hair deal on Social Shoppers. I quickly searched them online and found the establishment to be clean so I purchased the voucher. When I arrived, the place is just as I expected clean and well-decorated. You can tell they didn't go cheap on their furniture. It looks like they opened recently. There was no wait time. I finished my question forms and immediately ushered to the treatment room. Sandi was really friendly and attentive. I like the automatic adjustable chair in the treatment room. Treatment was quick (15-20 mins for lower leg) and painless. I have a high pain tolerance so the laser treatment didn't hurt. I made the next appointment with the receptionist and off I go. Overall, great staff and clean facility! read more

I started out as a Groupon customer and went to get my underarms lasered, but after the experience I've had with Avante, I will most likely be a longtime client. After completing all of my laser sessions, my hair is completely gone! I love how their laser is pretty much pain free too. I've gone to one other place for laser hair removal and that one was so painful and intolerable. I recently received an email for Avante's spring promos and wanted to get a laser touchup. I noticed they were also having a special price for their hydrafacials, so I thought, "hm why not?". I went in and the hydrafacial was totally worth. Sandy spoke to me about my skin type and encouraged me to purchase some of their products to help with my skin. They were also on sale and I'm one of those people who can't say no, so I bought them. The products have definitely helped me with my skin and I'm really happy with the knowledge, products, and overall experience Sandy and the team has armoured me with. Will definitely be coming back. read more

I've been going to Avante Laser for the last few years every couple months, so needless to say I spent a fair amount of money here. I had to reschedule my appointment for the first time due to something out of my control. I called first thing in the AM and my appointment was in the evening. I was told I would have to either forfeit a session or pay a $20 fee. Other salons have similar practices, I'm sure. However being a loyal customer for the last three years and never missing an appointment - I would have thought they would grant me this gesture, but they refused to waive the fee. It's not about the measly $20, it's that this company cares more about their nickels and dimes than about professional service and courtesy. Needless to say, I will find a new laser centre that is customer service oriented. Surprised a company would want to lose a loyal customer over $20...poor business acumen. However, this business is only busy due to their cheap Groupon promotions...good luck getting an appointment. read more

I got a coupon from social shopper for hydrafacial. The staff was young and friendly and it seems like a busy place. It was my first time doing the hydrafacial so I can't compare that but I have had facials at other places and it seems to do the job at extracting stuff and I enjoyed the experience. The hydrafacial seemed to vacuum away my impurities, you do look red after it so I suggest not to plan anything after, altho a majority of the redness was gone by 1 hr or earlier. The treatment time seemed a bit short about 20 mins or so I was expecting longer like 45-1hr, I have booked my next apt so I will update my post on this later. read more

It was my first time trying photorejuvenation. The technician Sahar, was really professional. She put a cooling gel on my face, and with my eyes covered she told me exactly what she was going to do before she did it. It was reassuring and the sensation itself was not painful. It felt like a warm tingle and as she increased the strength, I felt it more but it was very tolerarable. The process itself was very quick and I'm looking forward to what the results will look like in a month. I will be going for two more treatments after. If you are in the area, it is a convenient place to get your beauty needs taken care of. read more