Sadly, after being a client here for 12 years, I feel compelled to update my rating and I will not be back. The spa moved this week and I HAD an appointment scheduled with my usual aesthetician . Yesterday, they called to confirm my appointment....I wanted to confirm the location, etc. At the end of the call, I said "It's with Ellen, right?". Oh no, Ellen had a medical emergency and we don't know when she will be back. I am sorry, but that is the first thing they should have told me!!! read more

I am not usually one to give reviews, but I am compelled to write out of my appreciation for Katie, and Carol Lewis Day Spa. My skin is far from perfect, I've suffered from hormonal acne since my teenage years. I found Carol Lewis Day Spa through recommendation from a friend. I made my appointment, and it was by far the best decision I have made. My facial was with Katie, a beautiful young professional who is a charismatic and very knowledgeable aesthetician. She asked questions no one else had ever asked me about my skin. She wasn't concerned about the clock, she took her time focusing on every problem area. She helped me understand my skin and its needs, the science behind skincare, and tips for getting the most out of my facial. She was not pushy about selling the products. She wrote a skin care routine that would help achieve the skin of my dreams. It was the first time I was the one asking for products. Needless to say, I bought a range of skin care products that were customized for my skin's needs. I left my facial absolutely glowing, my redness was gone, the hydration was restored, and best of all I had a new sense of hope that I could have beautiful skin. I am so looking forward to my next treatment of microdermabrasion and facial with Katie. read more

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!! That's how I would describe my first facial, and first visit to Carol Lewis Day Spa! This place is top notch, without the fluff and snobbery that you would expect to see at such an upscale spa. Ms. Carol Lewis herself sometimes takes your appointments and makes sure that your service was nothing but the best! She even accommodated my bridal party on a busy Saturday afternoon! The business itself sits in a home in downtown Birmingham, so right away you get that warm and fuzzy feeling! We were taken upstairs for our services and given cozy robes and slippers to change into. My facial was 5-star. My skin felt brand new and was glowing for at least a week after my service! I can't say enough how much I enjoyed my visit here. You have to try it out and trust me, you won't be disappointed. read more

I have been to Carol Lewis a total of 3 times now, twice for facials and once for a massage. The spa itself is very cute and nicely decorrated. I also believe the run some sort of wedding dress boutique out of the same space as their are lots of wedding dresses in there. For spa services they provide robes and slippers for you and a place to put your belongings. They even have snacks, candy and water available. I had no complaints with the facials other than I just prefer the products used elsewhere. But I would still come back here for a facial. The facial themselves were solid and the esthetician I had was great. However, my massage experience wasn't as good. My massage therapist was a very sweet woman however, her technique was not was I was hoping for. I had some pretty bad knots in my shoulders which I warned her about, she really just rolled over them a few times but did not utilize any techniques to dissipate them. She did do nice work on my hip flexors but my shoulders are sadly knotted up. My major concern comes from the fact that half way through my massage a small child began screaming in the treatment room next door. The spa has a no child policy as this is supposed to be a relaxing, stress free environment. Apparently, the woman in the next room over thought it was okay to bring her small child in to get a wax with her. The child was not happy and screamed for at least 20 mins straight. The receptionist heard it from all the way downstairs and came up, yet they did not take this as a sign to end the service. Then my massage therapist became so frustrated that she left the room to go speak to them as well, it still carried on for quite awhile. By no means was this the fault of my massage therapist and she did everything she could to try to handle the situation but this should have never happened. The receptionist should have politely informed the woman of the spa policy and asked her to reschedule. If she did not catch this, then the therapist doing the waxing should have done that. Once the child started to scream the service should have been concluded. There were plenty of apologies following my massage (which was obviously not relaxing at all) but that was it. I left probably more stressed than when I walked in. read more

I bought a Groupon for a 30 minute spring facial. When I called on the phone to make an appointment, they asked if I wanted to upgrade it to a full facial. I was a bit confused as I thought I had purchased a full facial so I declined, not wanting to spend more money. After reading some of the reviews, I was apprehensive about this spa. The people in there were very friendly and welcoming, not as described in some of the below reviews. I was running 5 minutes late and they were very understanding about it. Carol Lewis, herself was in the spa. The inside of this place is lovely and very spa like. Not all facials I have had, have this atmosphere. They have the robes and slippers and all of the typical spa attire here. My facial was very good and relaxing (no extractions) but it was 20 minutes at most and not 30 minutes as advertised. It is possible that mine was cut short because I was a bit late so I will give them the benefit of the doubt but they never said anything to me about the massage being shortened. I would likely come back here but I recommend arriving early. read more

!!! BEWARE !!! Do not do business here!! I got robbed, literally! They ripped me off! Two years ago, along with spa services, they also offered a wedding dress consignment shop. I consigned a $1800 wedding dress with them for a contract period of 18 months. After that period I hadn't heard from them, which according to what they told me would mean that they didn't sell the dress. So I decided not to leave it there and I called to see about coming by to get my dress. After 3 months of phone messages, and emails, I kept getting the same "we'll get back with you" line. They ultimately admitted that they dissolved the consignment shop and DONATED all the dresses to local charity stores!!!!! Seriously!?! My dress got sent to Salvation Army!?!? And they assumed I wouldn't want it???? The owner claims that they called and emailed every dress owner about the donation. NOT TRUE! I got neither. There is NO WAY I would have been okay with them donating that dress!! I finally got through to the owner about a month ago, after she had dodged me ALL summer. After a very tense heated conversation she said she would find the email that they "apparently" sent me, and forward a copy to me. Guess what? I haven't heard from her since! What the heck am I supposed to do?? My gown is gone forever and CAROL couldn't care less, nor does she think she's responsible for compensating me. As far as I know they may have sold it. Who knows! I have no proof or evidence of where it ended up. BEWARE OF CAROL LEWIS DAY SPA!!!!! read more

The spa is tastefully decorated, with a number of touches that make one feel like being in a first-class lounge! And the service is great: friendly and professional. Both Carol and Noelle were so nice, they made us feel relaxed and gave us excellent facials. We left very happy, and plan to return. read more

I went in for a facial- it was amazing!!!!! I highly recommend Bailey! She was so friendly and knew exactly what your face needed. I felt so comfortable from the time I walked in until the time I left. I can't wait to get my new facial done by Bailey here st Carol Lewis Day Spa!! read more

I moved back from NYC and felt lost about where to go for spa services (facials, waxing, etc). I looked at some online reviews and places in the area, but didn't get a good vibe like the places I patronized in the Big Apple. Then, I was flipping through Allure magazine and saw Carol Lewis Day Spa featured in the "Best of" section. It's not too far from me, so I swung by to take a look. It was adorable! So I booked my first service and I was hooked. In Allure magazine they mentioned going to Ellen, so I booked with her and I'm so glad I did. Ellen is AWESOME. She is very friendly and does a great job. Her facials are so relaxing and felt great. I've heard facial horror stories about other spas , but with Ellen I felt totally comfortable and my skin looked great. The spa itself is very nice. The ambiance is very warm and comfortable and always feels very clean. They recently took over the space next door and expanded to twice the original size. They have a really nice area upstairs to use for spa parties and it looks so nice that I booked a spa bachelorette party for later this month. They offer a really great deal for spa parties of mini services for half off the normal price and there is no minimum number of people required. Also, if you are currently working and show them a business card, services are 20% off the second week of every month. Check it out! read more

I had a facial and it was great. Got the 30min deal from Groupon and upgraded to 1 hour facial. It totally worthed. I enjoyed and my skin got so clean and soft after that. I definitely will go back for more. read more

Amazing experience. From the moment I walked in the beautifully decorated entrance, to the water and chocolates upon my exit, everything was great! I had a gift card which is the reason I went for my 1st facial ever, but I booked another in already. I can not wait! read more

I love this place! Years ago I was in dire need of a facial (that just sounds wrong) and I stumbled upon this place in downtown Birmingham. Carol herself did an amazing job. Since then I've sent my mom there as well as bought gift certificates for others. So when I saw Carol Lewis on Groupon I knew it was a must for my next visit to Michigan. The place is beautiful. It's tastefully done but not in a intimidating spa kind of way. The rooms with facials have heated beds and you can't ask for anything better than that on a ridiculously cold Michigan evening. The girl who did the facial was very friendly and really did a great job. I am taking away a star because while the facial was great it wasn't incredible like I remember Carol's to be. I did try to book with Carol but she was gone for her Xmas vacation. Also, my facial lasted about 45-50 minutes, not 60 as promised. I would highly recommend this place and am slightly confused by the reviewer below me who said this place stank and that it's a dump. Were they even reviewing Carol Lewis's spa? read more

I went for a manicure and pedicure on a Groupon special. It's always a risk when you go for a special because often I've been treated poorly at salons when redeeming Groupon. I thought my services were fine and on par with other salons I went to. I added on an eyebrow wax and liked the results. For me, the thing that stood out was the friendliness of the staff and the laid back environment. It seemed like the place you'd want to go on a regular basis. Some people like the super quiet spa environment, and if that's what you like this probably isn't the place for you. I do agree that the staff does seem very chatty. My only concern was that my appointment didn't start on time because someone was late for work. I didn't really appreciate that and noone seemed to notice it but me. read more

Medspa quality facials in an inviting environment. I'll be back in 8 weeks!!! Added bonus, no pressure to buy products, I don't believe they even sell products. This is a cosmetic junkie safe zone. Highly recommend - your pores will never be clearer, nor smaller. read more

I went in to this spa for a refresher facial (having bought their Groupon). I walked in and was greeted by a young female who couldn't be more impressive about looking bored. I was told to go upstairs and wait in their waiting area. I was greeted upstairs in about 10 minutes and told to change and go into her facial room. She seemed very nice and genuine. Before she started, I mentioned to her I was newley diagnosed with rosacea (extremely sensitve skin) so I let her upsell me to use products for rasacea. She told me it would be soothing to my skin and mentioned that it would help me keep from breaking out. So I took her up on her $30 upsell. Wow! I don't think I was ever so disappointed with a spa before. Especially with one that has so many rave reviews. I have to admit, I have never had a facial before, but my friends have told me how wonderfully relaxing they are. This was not relaxing. The person working on me, wouldnt quit talking and it was all negative. The products she put on my face tingled (not in a good way) and when I left there, my face had never been redder. At the end of the session, she proceeded to let me know I should come back for a real facial and repeated over and over that this was nothing. By the time I got home and looked in my own mirror, I was as red as a beet and I had a large pock/cyst on my cheek! It took 2 days for that to go away and three days for the redness to begin to go down. I will NOT be going back to this place and I do NOT recommend. read more

I have been going back every year or so for cleansing facials, and this year I wasn't happy with the results. I asked for deep cleansing and extraction ( I tend to break out) and it did not happen. My appointment lasted less than an hour. I am not happy with my last appointment and won't be going back. read more

I second Erica S. Review from 3/19/19 in regards to the constant upselling. This too was my second time at the spa. But the upsell was so awful that I was sleeping and the clinician asked if I wanted this or that and I said yes! I tried full facial threading and it was a COMPLETE DISASTER. I have tried contacting Carol for Days and left detailed messages and she has not returned my call. 6 days after the threading I still have marks and bumps on my once very clear skin. Ownership stinks. A good owner will respond to a problem. It starts at the top. There's lots of days spas out there for women. I would not recommend this one at all. read more

Truly disappointed by the way I was treated today. I had a 6pm appt, arrived before it to be ready to be taken in at 6pm...Rushed from downtown. Only to have someone who came in after me receive services that pushed my appt out by 20 minutes. I was not asked if this was okay with me, I was not told Ellen was running late instead I had to go down to reception and ask, in a robe. If they had bothered to inform me of this in the first place I would of advised them that I had a dinner at 7:30 and finishing my services at 7:20pm would not work for me. I left without service, fuming that I rearranged my day for this appointment and knowing I will not come back again. Lack of customer and general care. read more

In regard to my first post with this spa I did want to say that today I was refunded my money and offered a complimentary facial. They certainly didn't have to do that as they could have just said "oh well" and I appreciate that they did. Thank you. read more

I have been getting facials for over 10 years now and nobody does a better job than Ellen! I am so happy I finally found the perfect spa that offers such amazing services and hospitality. The remodel is also a plus. Ellen takes her time with you and makes sure your face is perfect before you walk out. Love this spa! read more

Second time I've been here. First was OK but this is about today. I got a facial and the whole time was spent trying to upsell me on products and other services, as well as degrading my skin. It's one thing to tell me how dry it is, but to keep going in detail, making me feel poorly, is not what a spa should be doing. I asked how to get rid of scarring and she insisted, the ONLY way was to do microneedling for $600, with the special I am running ;) yet they sell a product in the lobby to help with scars. I asked the receptionist how it worked, she said she didn't know. Made an appointment for a $60 facial, left paying $180 and in a bad mood. Won't be going back here. read more

See Ellen for waxing. She is a real pro and makes you feel comfortable. Very clean and priced fairly.

Had facial today and it was the best facial I had. Lauren was excellent! Spa is very nice and relaxing and they use good products.

We visited Carol Lewis Day Spa this weekend. I enjoyed the therapeutic hour long massage. The massage was very nice, and I caught myself nodding off towards the end - always a good sign! I felt like my masseuse had three hands, which is awesome. Two factors hold my review back from 5 stars. One was the atmosphere. The place was a bit dated... we noticed a bowl of press on metallic nails in the waiting area, and the decor left much to be desired. The actual massage rooms were very, very basic. They could have used an update, as well as some essential oils. The basement massage rooms looked and felt as if you were in someone's home basement, not a ritzy salon. The other was the wow factor - it just wasn't there. When paying $100 for a massage, you want the entire experience to impress, not just the massage. read more

I had a very odd experience here. I purchased a Groupon for a massage and glass of wine and set up an appointment. The massage was fine but at the end my therapist immediately ran out of the room without any instruction as to where I should go or do. I got dressed and no one was around. I went upstairs and no one was at the desk. After waiting for 5 minutes the receptionist came in and I asked about the wine. She gave me some and I awkwardly sat in the lobby and drank it as fast as I could. My therapist came back in the room and my assumption was she really had to go to the bathroom so she booked when my massage was done. So weird that I won't go back. read more

Always friendly. I see Ellen and the process is comfortable and quick; her presence makes the pain more tolerable. I can only speak about Ellen as I don't use any other services at this spa. Highly recommend. read more

This place is super quaint and fabulous. Ellen is wonderful. She is a fantastic facialist and the bikini wax with her is somehow NOT PAINFUL. Hello! I've also had a facial from Carol who is good but not nearly as talented as Ellen. GO HERE. You will love it. read more

I have been to Carol Lewis Day Spa twice. The first visit was for a facial and the second was for eyebrow shaping, both performed by Carol herself! The facial was lovely and Carol is such a nice person. She does things in a very clean and careful manor. She did two extractions with such precision that the next morning you couldn't even tell that anything was done. She answered any questions I had during the facial and was happy to explain everything that she was using on my face. I especially liked one of the exfoliating scrubs used and was able to purchase it at the end of the treatment. Carol is very professional and I never felt pressured in the slightest to purchase any of the products used unlike some other day spas I have visited. The second time I went to the spa I had my eyebrows done. I am very very particular when it comes to my eyebrows and Carol couldn't have been more patient. She explained everything she was going to do and made sure that I was not nervous (I've had some unfortunate eyebrow shaping experiences in the past). Basically I had a picture of how I wanted my brows to look when I went in and I happily walked out with those brows in reality when I left! Lets just say I am a perfectionist and it is very rare that I say something is done perfectly. I will never go anywhere else. In this case I give it a 5/5. Besides the two great experiences I detailed above, the spa itself it just gorgeous. Carol actually showed me around after my most recent procedure and she is doing renovations to make the already lovely spa more updated. There is even a room for spa parties that is cozy, elegant, and adorable! I would recommend Carol Lewis Day spa to anyone looking for professional care in a wonderful setting. I have never written a review before for any beauty establishment but I think this one was well deserved. read more

Avoid the eyelash tech (N) is her first initial - here like a plague . Shes an expert at the upsell aspect of her job. Bought a Groupon for natural lashes which included a fill in. When I arrived for my appointment, she then told me she should charge me for cleaning my lashes,but I did an OK job with it. She then asked me if I wanted "glamour lashes". She failed to tell me they would be an extra charge although I blame myself for this one -I should've asked. The glamour lashes ended up costing me $55 more. When she was done my lashes were very nice. Before I left the salon she insisted I make my appointment for fill ins , this appointment came only two weeks later. I asked if I could do it later as I knew that I would not need Fill-ins at that time. She said if I made it any later I would have to pay an additional fee. I reluctantly made my appointment for the next two weeks and I returned for my fill ins. Once I got there, I was scolded for being 10 minutes late. Then she informed me that she's going to charge me another $40 for fill- in (remember I got "glamour" lashes ). I refused, and walked out. There was no way I was going to let this woman charge me 2 1/2 times what I had originally paid for the lashes. Here's the real kicker -after I got home she texted a message to me and told me that I had used up one hour of her appointment time! She was implying that I pay one hour of time I assume. All in all I was charged extra for the glamour lashes, she was going to charge me for cleaning my lashes , she was going to charge me extra for delaying my fill in appointment, and when I did return for my fill-ins, she was going to charge me extra for the for the glamour lashes again . I wonder how much all of that would've cost me ? The GALL this woman has! Called the manager, I was offered 20% off of a facial. Awesome . Believe me there is no shortage of spas in Birmingham this one I will never return to. read more

Last week I booked a specialty facial and a 1 hour Swedish massage with Michele at Carol Lewis Day Spa. This is part two of a two part review as I wanted to discuss each service separately. NOTE: PART 1 OF MY REVIEW WAS REMOVED. I HAD A FACIAL BEFORE THE MASSAGE. After my facial I was sent back to the relaxation room. I waited briefly for the massage person (I think her name was Maureen, maybe Marie). She came to the room and we went down 2 flights of stairs through the lobby to the basement. The basement didn't smell like other reviews mentioned. I made this walk in my socks as I realized that I was never given shoes/slippers. Maureen did a very nice job of getting me relaxed with the massage. She left the room allowing me to get on the table and covered up before coming in. By this time I had a huge knot in my "traps" and she worked to remove them. This massage was very relaxing and comparable to other massages. When she was finished I made the climb up 2 flights of stairs to change. I came back down to the receptionist and took care of the bill. I had the Groupon for the facial but they had me down for a 75 minute massage which was another group coupon special. I didn't have that - I had a one hour Swedish massage. Not sure where all the confusion came from regarding what services I wanted vs. what was entered into their system. I paid for the 75 minute service and left. At this point I think I wanted this experience to end. read more

Is this a joke? This place is a complete DUMP! It's disgusting inside. If you get a massage, they take you downstairs to what feels like an old dungeon ... that stinks - the smell is so awful. My husband and I went there for 1.5 hour massages and I made him leave because I couldn't take the smell. Better off at Margots even tho I wish we had better options. Too bad Bacis Birmingham went out of business. What a beauty that was. read more

Ellen did my Brazilian wax and did an excellent job! She was through, fast, and timely. I will be going back for a facial next week.

I went here for hair removal (wax). The environment was soothing and relaxing. The price was right. The 3 stars are because throughout the entire wax the technician talked to me. Maybe she was trying to distract me from the waxing but it is not easy to carry on a convo when someone has a front row seat to your intimate areas. And towards the end she kept trying to push other services on me...because "I have finished this so fast, I am efficient, so maybe you would like a facial?" read more

This place is great! Got my first wax of my life today and it was way less painless, more comfortable and quicker than I expected! Good experience! read more

I HIGHLY recommend Ellen at Carol Lewis Day Spa. She and the employees at the spa are always very welcoming, professional and Ellen does an amazing job with waxes. She is always so pleasant and makes you feel 100% comfortable during your Brazilian wax. If you are looking for facials, waxing or even bridal consignment this is the place to be! read more

The staff and services were great. The owner Carol, absolutely ruined the experience. Extremely unprofessional, from rude remarks, to messing up the scheduling more than once, and not apologizing for an internal mistake of understaffing or whatever this issue was. Unprofessional none the less, would rather spend my money at The MGM spa or another spa in Birmingham- I wouldn't go back. read more

My husband bought me a spa package including a facial, massage and mani/pedi. What really stood out was the facial. Ellen is such a sweetheart. She talked me into adding a chemical peel and I'm glad she did! I have very sensitive fair skin and I was nervous of being red, but she assured me I wouldn't be - and she was right! It was my first facial and chemical peel, loved it and love the results! Wish they were more affordable, but I guess you get what you pay for?? Nail technician is such a doll, but I would skip nails here. Massage therapist was also very nice, massage was fine. The facial is what left me impressed!! read more

I took my teenage Daughter here for a mini facial, her first . The groupon was for 30 minute mini facial and I thought it would be a perfect start for a 15 year old girl and in what we thought was a really nice place. The front desk was engaging but the tech did not speak to my Daughter about her skin during the facial or engage her in any way. It was uncomfortable for my Daughter . We had higher expectations but it was dissapointing :( I doubt we will return . read more

I just had the best facial I've ever experienced by Rachel. I've lived in NYC and this facial was better than ones at top rated spas in manhattan. She was really knowledgable and friendly. I definitely recommend this spa :) read more

Love this place. I've been here for my eyebrows and for a brazillian and each time I was able to get the appointment time i wanted, I was very comfortable and they did a really great job. read more