Such a great place to relax! The prices were more affordable than I expected, which made the experience even better. Thank you so much, wishing you all the best with your current and future clients! read more

SO worth the money. John is kind and passionate about his work. Both his facial and the products I have used in the days following have made my skin feel and look amazing. I haven't worn face makeup since I saw him! read more

What a great experience! John is the consummate professional and explained the options. Really nice chat throughout and the impact from the facial was dramatic. What's more he convinced me to start taking care of my skin w a regime. I'm a convert. Should have started years ago but as he said u can make a difference at any age. U just have to commit. I'm in. read more

I am a Nail Tech as well and very picky because I want to be taken care off as I take care of my clients. Pam just exceeded my expectations. She understood what I wanted about my experience, and went above and beyond. She made my ... More read more

Had a great experience here with Tony. I made an appointment somewhat last minute via Yelp and was super impressed they were able to accommodate me so quickly. With a new baby at home my neck and back were killing me. This massage saved my life. I loved it. Usually I am very ticklish so I tend to avoid massages but I mentioned this to Tony and he used a ton of pressure so I didn't giggle. In fact, once he identified the source of the pain he really worked the area to the point where I had to ask for less pressure (usually I'm asking for more). When I mentioned that I was in physical therapy at the place across the hall from their office, he told me the name of the area giving me problems and told me to follow up with them for some stretches and exercises I could do to help. Great suggestion! This also helped me a ton down the line. In the days following the massage I was on cloud 9. I will definitely be back. Great local gem in the Castro. read more

Wow. John is awesome and gave me the best facial I have ever had. Super gentle, thorough, and talked through each detail about what and why, and how to improve my Rosacea condition. He is calm and had an excellent touch. He is a good spirit and I'm glad I found him, you will be too! read more

John Francis is a true professional who puts excellence and passion into everything he does. Plus he is a sincere and kind hearted person. Believe the hype, every glowing review is 100% true. Your skin will thank you. Not to mention, the spa is gorgeous with its clean , natural, artistic and warm esthetic. It smells amazing in there. John has the best candles money can buy. My favorite is the lavender chaparral candle by Aquiesse and my favorite Pevonia products are the Rose care, (amazing for reducing redness). read more

John Francis Spa - Skin Care Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I have to heap some praise on John for facials. I don't have major skin issues, just blackheads and occasional breakouts. After getting three facials with him (every three months) and taking some product recommendations, my skin is much clearer and practically glowing. He takes such care in applying products during the facial, and I love that he uses an enzyme mask for exfoliation rather than scrubbing my skin. He does thorough extractions, which is important to me. When I go in with stubborn blemishes, they are always significantly smaller the next day. John's passion for what he does comes through in his work. I highly recommend him for any skincare treatment. read more

I am really impressed by the care I received at John Francis Spa. I went in for a facial after neglecting my skin for so long and the results are more than I expected. John walked me through each step of my facial. He explained the ingredients in each product, how the ingredients were working for my skin, and why my skin was in the current rough and oily state. Once the facial was over, my skin felt so smooth and appeared hydrated and clean, free of oil build up and clogged pores. I can't stop staring at my skin! I'm definitely going back! read more

I wish i had the money to afford coming here. This spa is amazing. Super clean, quite, and just plain relaxing. I friend and I called in to see if we could drop by for a wax, we were shocked to hear $95. Ohh, no thanks! Five minutes later, we get a call back from the spa, they will accommodate us for 50. Hell yeh! It was definitely a pleasant experience, but to expensive to afford for people on budgets. read more

Great place to come and relax. :) The prices are not so high as i expected, so it was even more relaxing place. :)) Thank you so much! Wish you luck with all your current and new clietns. read more

On Saturday, March 16, 2008, Dennis aka Mangolicious headed to the fabled Castro District in San Francisco. His afternoon would consist of some much needed self pampering and indulgence, brow shaping and a facial. His destination, John Francis Spa. Dennis, a Silicon Valley executive has neglected himself over the last several weeks and has been working 14+ hour days since his last trip to the East Coast. His spirits, down, his energy abating, his face, dry, his eyebrows, a disaster. Enter John, the legendary skin care professional behind John Francis Spa. After an in-depth discussion of skin, daily routine, and maintenance, John dove in and began to meticulously shape and define Dennis's brow. Then with careful precision and patience he imparted a facial which consisted of many steps and can only be described as, "Phenomenal" Dennis was quoted as saying, "I've never had great skin, it never glowed." And now Dennis? "Wow, my skin looks amazing!" The client cheerfully left John Francis Spa with another appointment for a month and some carefully chosen products to help with the maintenance of his skin. Dennis was overhead saying as he left, "I've spent a lot of money in the past at department stores purchasing their products, Clinique, Kiehl's, Mario Badescu, and others I can't remember. Good products, but not balanced correctly for my skin. I can't wait to use the products from John, I want to maintain fresh, younger looking skin from now on." If there is just one phrase that summarizes Dennis's day at John Francis Spa, it's this one, "I glow!" read more

Oh, John Francis, where have you been all my life??? I went to John a couple of weeks before my 30-something birthday, with a simple request: "Make me look 20 again!" OK, so it was not the most realistic request, but through his magic, he got DAMN close! I've had several facials, and was not expecting the level of service and wisdom I got from John. He spent the first several minutes assessing my skin. Unlike the estheticians I have seen before who come in and say, "you wanted microderm? Great. Here's your gown, see you in a few." He really took the time to grab a light to look at what was causing my skin concerns, and even told me I didn't NEED the microderm that I had signed up for! John is pure magic. He knew how every ingredient of every product would work with my skin type. He doesn't push products. He is the BEST! Highly recommend and cannot WAIT to go back! read more

Lovely setting and great location! I've had several waxes by John and have been so happy each time! Looking forward to booking in for a facial!! read more

John Francis is a facial god. No arguments there. After getting a nice little commission check from my previous employer, I decided it was time for some pampering. With SF Pride coming up, I wanted my face glowing so I could scare off the out-of-towners with my beauty (insert laugh here). So what did I do? I searched Yelp for the best aesthetician in the Castro and BAM! I made an appointment. Slightly nervous about my first facial, John took the time to figure out what my problem areas were, what I was looking for in terms of long-term skin care goals, and how he could make me feel as comfortable as possible. Can you say amazing customer service and attention to detail? John sure can. My facial could not have been better or more relaxing. After working on my skin for about an hour, he ended the session with a great massage and some follow up care tips. I loved his products and skin care recommendations so much, I ended up buying some all natural products that focused on my problem areas. Huge thanks to John for bringing my skin to the next level and I definitely look forward to booking my next appointment. Cheers! read more

I first visited John on a referral by a friend. But, let me give you a little background. I have very sensitive skin, any moisturizer will break me out, and I have neglected my skin over the years. Sad, but true, so - I went in.... First off, it was very clean, smelled really good, and the staff, oh so friendly. My first treatment was - how do I say this....Incredible!! John knew his stuff. He was very informative, educated and all around, a complete professional. I walked out with a smile on my face and feeling revived. I have followed through with his recommended treatment, and my skin has never felt better..... Until... I went in for my second treatment, a peel..I cant even begin to describe how my face felt afterwards.... Extremely soft, its as if all those years of abuse were wiped away. Bonus: 1 - His hands are magical... He massaged the stress away from my neck and shoulders, so well in fact, I feel fast asleep. 2 - Rates, completely in line with what you would find elsewhere. 3 - Parking, was easy, I pulled right up in front. 4 - He's also very handsome! I can safely say that the folks at Mr. S Leather and Madame S highly recommend John Francis Spa....why you might ask? Because we all go there and we will all keep going back. read more

Reunited and it feels so good! I dropped by for a facial from John a few years ago...and I never forgot it. It was great. I took me a few years to go back, but I am glad I did. John did his magic again. You know -- all the lotions and potions and squeezing and whatnot oh and that great shoulder massage. Love it! Oh oh wait, and 20% off because it is my birthday! Which is great because he is on the pricey side. Not sure about the expensive Medicalia and Pevonia products John is an agent for (they are both owned by the same company). They seem to have a lot of the contents found harmful on the EWG site: http://www.ewg.org I prefer organic/natural and without the harmful products, and I wish I had taken time to do some research before just buying his products that he recommends read more

My best friend sent me a thank you gift card to John Francis Spa, and now I think I need to send her a thank you gift in return because of how amazing an experience I had here. John was thorough, explaining what he was doing and why he was doing it through each step of the facial, yet also providing an incredibly relaxing setting. He also provided an exceptional upper back, neck, and shoulder massage. When I looked at my face in the mirror at the conclusion of the 90-minute session, I was blown away by how much the redness in my nose and cheek area had been reduced -- and by the fact that I had NO redness around my brows following the brow shaping. I learned a lot about my skin and skin care products, my skin and brows look great, and I feel amazing! I plan to bring my husband to the spa for his birthday. read more

Once you get to know John, you'll love him, not only as your aesthetician but as a person. He is a total sweetheart! I've been going to John for a little over a year now. It all started when I started taking this horrible medicine and it completely made me break out, even after I stopped taking it! (I won't go into the details). But my mom was like you are getting married in 7 months, you better do something about your face, I don't care how much it costs me. (I'm in school, she loves me, she pays. :)) So I looked up places on Yelp, I found John. Now I'm not going to say after the first treatment my skin was fabulous. It wasn't. But it was improved. More than anything, I appreciated that John didn't rush to make promises about how fabulous my skin would look or how I had to try all these new products in order to get the results I wanted. Instead John sent me home with a lot of samples (that lasted me a good couple of weeks) and told me that if I liked them I could come back and buy whatever I liked. Well, suffice to say, I liked it, and it did work for my skin. It's been 7 months since my wedding has past, but I still come back to John every two months. There is nothing like the touch up to keep your skin healthy and keep me motivated to wash my face (for some reason, I hate washing my face). In conclusion, if you want to take care of your skin, need something improved, or just like facials -- go see John. You will notice a difference. I've had a lot of facials before John and I'll never have another facial from anyone else. I've found my man!! read more

Had my first appointment here this week! I went all out and booked a massage AND facial. And they were both wonderful!! I haven't had a facial in years and John was great at explaining the steps he was doing, what he was putting on my face and why, and my face felt amazing afterward! I will definitely be back. read more

Within the past 2 days, it seemed like I'm on track of an indulgence spree. Among the list were a 90-minute facial and another 90-minute massage. A great meditation opportunity, my style :-) Both services were at John Francis Spa. What a good find! The spa was very clean, quiet, and smelled great! Facial by John himself was EXCELLENT! He was very straight forward with the procedures and explained along the way what he was about to do to my face (I happen to care about that). He did a pretty good job of getting my face clean and clear (of you know what after years of neglects). John used exclusively Pevonia skin care line- supposedly all plant based and as much "organic" as possible. I skimmed through the ingredients and all sounded great and something I'd even eat, well, except for potassium sorbate. MARY the masseuse ROCKS!!! as always, she was very cheerful and enthusiastic about what my body needs! I had her massages manny times before at other spa and I was so excited to continue to follow her to this new location. I love her ability to just adjust her techniques accordingly to tailor to my needs which probably change every time I see her. Keep up the good work Mary!!! read more

John is a very thoughtful, experienced, and knowledgeable skin care specialist. Facials are absolutely dreamy and product line is top notch. Highly recommended! read more

I've been going to John for close to 6 years for all my aesthetic needs (facials, waxing, brows). Do I really "need" a facial? Hell yes! I can't say enough about John. He's professional, knowledgeable, gentle, and an awesome person to boot. Every time I visit him, I leave feeling relaxed and wonderful, and my skin (if I'm there for a facial) looks GREAT! John gave me a great facial the day before my wedding. The next day, when I showed up at the salon, the makeup artist and hairstylist both commented on how I looked so fresh. Them: you must have gotten a lot of sleep. Me: I couldn't sleep at all. Them: you must have drank a lot of water. Me: Not really. It was all John and his handy-work. I've tried some of the posh spas (Tru-spa, Bliss spa, The Claremont spa), but John is honestly much better (and cheaper). read more

So far I done 4 facials with John (every month) and I seen a FAST change in my skin. John was able to help control my acne and even out my skin tone. It's truly amazing. A+ to John Note: still broke but looking pretty without make up :) read more

This is probably my official resident facial spa I will go to. John is very professional and informative about taking care of my skin. And I will definitely recommend this to my friends and family. Thank you again, John! read more

John is the best-est-est. Ever. My first visit he sat my down and asked my about every detail of my skin routine and was really receptive. He's super personable and proffessional, and his services and products are great and get awesome results. I have pink, oily, rosacea nstiness infesting my face and when I leave John's, I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeVille! read more

Details, quality of products and service matter at John Francis Spa. Hidden in the heart of the Castro, John Francis provides my favorite facial in town. Here is why: Environment: Non-pretencious, professional, clean and relaxing Service : The receptionist new my name even before I gave her mine. That is the kind of service you get when you go to a small boutique spa! My Esthetician - Kathy my esthetician has lovely energy and gets the science of a facial. When asked, she takes the time to explain what ingredients and items are being used and why. She is not aggressive in her approach but still get's results so you don't leave completely swollen and scared from the extractions. Quality Products - They use Pevonia - all natural, paraben free products that smell amazing! Think Witch Hazel with Rosemary toner or Safflower with Aloe with Grapefruit oil moisturizer. Overall 5 stars for a total boutique spa experience. read more

I absolutely loved my whole experience. I am an extremely anxious person so I can't relax or stay still, I mean most of the time. I think I did pretty good. Oh & John? Amazing!!! Seriously. I'll be back in 2 months! Thank you for the thorough experience and recommendations. read more

Came here for a massage. Receptionist was very nice and helpful, the place was clean, trendy, relaxing. Got a massage from Scott, and he did a good job. All in all, I liked this place. Try it out. read more

My close friend and roommate introduced me to the John Francis spa, and I am obsessed! Honestly, now that I've had the John Francis experience, I don't think I can get a facial anywhere else! John is extremely knowledgeable about different types of skin and makes great product recommendations accordingly. John not only knows his stuff but also is a delight to be around. The spa setting is extremely relaxing, and I always look forward to coming in for my facials. Highly recommend! read more

John is fabulous! I've been going to him for over a year now. Two friends (picky ones, no less!) said he was the best and they could not have been closer to the truth. He takes his time and is so well educated. My only tip--make appointments in advance :) read more

John is not only keeping my skin glowing...but he directs me in making good life choices! This man is very passionate about his craft and is a wealth of information. Over the summer I received a series of peels to try and correct a bit of sun damage. The results are phenomenal! I couldn't be more grateful. Just recently I received a vitamin C peel which I absolutely loved. This SF weather makes even the most glamorous of us feel dull. I highly recommend taking this time to get to know John, his beautiful new spa and taking charge of a phenomenal new skin routine. read more

Love this spa. I have been getting massages here for the past few months and really love it. I usually get Toni who does wonders with his hands. He really understands what my body's needs are. I can strongly recommend them! Thank you! read more

Wow! I casually walked by this non-descript building on the way to the Post Office in the Castro and I walked out 4 hours later blissed out, skin cleared, and bikini ready for the weekend. This Castro located mini-spa (mini because of size, but 100% complete as far as niceties, relaxation and top-notch specialists). Here's what I loved the most: * John, the owner, took time to review my desired eyebrow shape, length of hair, and previous and current skin treatments. * I was totally comfortable getting my lady parts waxed by John (first wax by a guy for me). I just got a basic job, but I'd got back for more complete job next time. * John told me about products but didn't try to sell them non-stop (this happens at other salons). *Matt - 5 stars for the massage/bodywork. I really went in because I suddenly woke up with a killer backache a few days ago. We talked for a good 10 minutes before we started the work. Matt also took time to ask me about a medical condition that I had noted on the intake - that's a first! Prices are competitive. Parking is super easy right there (surprise). I'll be back soon - thanks guys!! read more

I went to John because it seemed like all his ratings were 5 stars but now that I've been I'm confused. This was my first attempt at starting to get regular facials. The pros: my skin does seem to be healthier (6 wks out) and I do like the product line he sells. I don't have experience with facials but I felt my skin looked good (not anything jaw dropping) immediately after the facial. He did have some good advice about skin care. The cons: He told me that he suspected I had a permanent, disfiguring skin condition (which I'm pretty sure is not true!). This left me teary and insecure the rest of the day after the visit. Also, I was trying to get a sense during the facial of whether I would be hit with a whopping product bill afterwards. He said he wasn't sure what things cost (it's his office!). Sure enough, after the facial, he suggested I buy almost a couple hundred dollars of products and frowned on my idea of "cherry picking" a few products to buy (in other words I should have bought all of them.) I'm torn about whether to go back or not. read more

I liked John and I miss his cucumbers on my face during my eyebrow waxes but the prices just don't fit a nonprofit budget no matter how nice it is. There's a vietnamese lady in oakland who now does them for $10. No cucumbers, no warm lavendar tea but she get's the job done! read more

I have gotten facials a few times in the last few years. It's a nice indulgence, and important to your well-being since your face is the first thing you and others see. Don't you want to like the way it looks and feels? I went to Kathy at John Francis for a facial on the recommendation of my friend Colleen. I thought my skin was acting dry and sensitive lately and couldn't pinpoint why. Kathy took a good look and pinpointed the situation. She gave me the combination skin treatment with antioxidants. It was fantastic! She uses Pevonia products which are truly no chemical additives and WORK! Plus the smells are fantastic without sensitizing my sensitive, fair complexion. Kathy is sweet, knowledgeable, and will pinpoint your skin issues. Plus just take care of you! I went into a hypnotic state, and my skin was really glowing after. This unlike some facials I've had-- where you walk out looking red and splotchy or break out. Go to Kathy! She rules. read more

John Francis is excellent. The facial he gave me was wonderful. My skin positively glowed when he was done. I definitely did not want to see what he sloughed off of me, but whatever it was, I look sooooo much better. I would definitely come back for another facial if, and this is why this is a four and not five start review, I could afford it. I have to say this was one darn expensive facial! I am not questioning the value of the services, again this was a great facial. Just saying that almost $200 for a facial is a lot of money! I know, I know, its my skin, and I should pamper myself, and yes, I've heard it all . . . its still expensive . . . Now, if anyone would like to get me a gift certificate for some random reason, I would gladly, happily book another appointment! read more

I've gotten facials from at least 15 different places over the years, and John is the absolute best. He knows *everything* about skin (ask him any factoid and he'll tell you everything you need to know) and prescribes exactly what your particular skin needs to look great and stay young. He uses primarily Pevonia products, but also has more 'aggressive' peels and such too. read more

Went in for a facial today walked out looking/feeling younger. John is a magician! He knows skin well. I can't wait to go back.