I have been a loyal client of Lavinia's for 15 years. Her spa is very clean and relaxing, the receptionist is attentive and easy to schedule with, its walking distance from Coolidge Corner (a plus for me) and steps from the Brookline Village T stop, and if you drive there is ample parking in a public lot a block away. I had my very first facial with her when I was in my 20's, and she has been the only person I allow to tend to my skin on a regular basis. She uses fabulous organic products and extracts like a pro--she's ruthless!! She leaves no pore untouched. Which is exactly why I go for facials, to get the gunk of city life/hard workouts out of there! I appreciate this level of attention, as I've had facials at other spas while traveling for work or on vacation, and I've felt they were lacking. Lavinia doesn't hard sell her product, which I appreciate, because, honestly, it sells itself! Her face cream is amazing. Its worth the trip over just to try it. Seriously. Go try it. She also does my eyebrow and Brazilian waxing. She takes time to shape your brows to complement YOUR own face. She doesn't cookie-cutter-one-size-fits-all her eyebrow waxes. I even brought my sister up from NY several years ago to have Lavinia help her with an over-tweezing problem she had. Lavinia helped her to see that a fuller more natural brow-line looks much, much better than an over-tweezed one, and showed her how to tend to her brows while they were growing in. My sister still talks about it! As far as Brazilians go, Lavinia is the best. She uses hard wax in large patches, no strips! She manages to make the experience fast and as pain-free as she can, all while being diligent not to miss a single hair. She will fill you in on how not to get in-growns (Read: EXFOLIATE!!) and keep you occupied with small talk while she "down there". All-in-all, its as pleasant an experience as you can hope for. If she happens to be booked, I have seen and been equally as happy with the other ladies at her spa. They take equal amounts of care with your skin, and truly seem to take pride in making you look your best. read more

Lavinia is genuinely sweet and clearly works hard. She corrected a mistake made by my dermatologist which I was truly grateful for, and when I raised a concern after my visit she gave me a complimentary product, which was a kind gesture that did not go unnoticed. That said, the experience itself had some issues worth mentioning. I noticed blood and product residue on the light that was positioned directly in my face during the facial. When I brought up the cleanliness concern she seemed unaware of what I was referring to. I also had product in my eye for the majority of the time I was supposed to be relaxing, the door was left open allowing the steam to escape, and she was chatting with another guest during my session. I did not find the facial relaxing all. The facial was also on the expensive side for the amount of product used and the time spent. I think with some adjustments to sanitation protocols and focus during sessions, Lavinia could be exceptional. read more

This is a small place so there isn't much of a waiting area. But really you won't wait to wait too long to get this facial. This really cleared up my skin and my face was glowing for a week after. The facial also includes a mini face massage. I added up getting a massage after the facial. While the massage was also nice, I realized after I didn't need to book a facial and massage in the same day. I used a spa finder certificate that was purchased at Costco. I highly recommend. read more

My friend recommended that I go here and I'm so glad I did. I had an European facial with a massage and acne treatment and I left feeling refreshed and invigorated! I will be back and planning on purchasing her facial oil. read more

Lavinia Borcau Skin Care - European facial and acne treatment - first session. - Skin Care Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

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Just the best ! I've known Lavinia for 30Plus years! Amazing service and products ! Give her a try! You won't be disappointed!

I came here thanks to my gym, I had a coupon. Lavinia is amazingly sweet and skilled. She not only comes from Europe and built the place by herself but she's always improving and updating techniques in New York. She told me she has workshops too which I'll be glad to attend someday! My experience was amazing and I recommend anyone who lives in Brookline to try this place. read more

I have been struggling with some chin acne since the start of the pandemic and I've tried everything. I finally decided to get a facial and I couldn't be happier!!! Even though the extraction was painful (first time so I was t too sure what it was like!) it was sooo worth it. I woke up this morning and my skin is glowing. I'm still red on my chin from the really inflamed acne that was extracted but it FEELS so much better. The whole experience was awesome. It wasn't the relaxing aromatherapy type of facial (because of my skin needs) but I love that Lavinia was upfront and honest about what my skin needed. I finally feel like I found a solution to this horrible acne I've been struggling with. Thank you thank you Lavinia! 100% recommend! read more

I have been getting plucked and waxed here for about a year. I go to other places in between trying to save money, but always wind up back at Lavinia Borcau, paying a lot for some very good hair removal services... However, had Lori at Mechanique not left the world of removing hair right around the time I discovered her, I would never have come back to LB. Anyway, despite the (normal for Boston) high prices, LB provides AMAZING eyebrow shaping, and fantastic bikini waxes. They use hard wax, which I find to be about a million times less painful than the wax+strip combo and all of the staff seem to hail from the Eastern Bloc. Now, you should know that one of my life rules is that one should try to be waxed only by eastern European women. They know what they are doing, they come, for the most part, from the land of hairy women. These women are no exception. They are tough, sympathetic, hygenic and capable of giving a lasting wax. Be aware that when they are done with your nethers they will spray them with rubbing alcohol. You will scream, and then you will fork over between $40 and $70 depending on how much bushwhacking you had done. LB also offers barre method pilates and skin care...neither of which I have tried at this juncture. Though, I am planning a facial soon! read more

I had a facial with Irina (?) and I was not impressed. For the price that you pay, you can definetly get something better. My friend used to work in the shoe store next door, and she said that all the women were crazy happy with Lavinia ... well, not me. If you want to go for a relaxing afternoon, with lots of nice smells, have someone put some cream on your face and shell out 100 bucks, then this is your place. If you want to see some results, there are MUCH better places out there They concentrate more on your relaxation than on your face and treatment of your problems. PS: they suggested I get some chemical peels (at age 22!!!!) and do them in the beginning of september (probably so I burn my face off and come back to them to fix it) read more

I have a review for their service, and for their conduct as a business. Service: I had gotten a daily deal coupon here and was eager to get my first facial. As others have mentioned, they did little to communicate what was happening, what would happen, or how long any of it would take, even though I told them it was my first time. I was annoyed, not relaxed at all, and did not enjoy the experience. Them as a business: I was automatically put on their email list without my permission. That didn't even bother me - I have no problem opting out. What bothered me, and still bothers me 2 years later, is there is no opt-out on their email (which by the way violates a law). Ok, fine, so I respond to the email requesting that I be opted out. I get another email. I email them again requesting opt out. I get another email (see where I'm going with this) for 2 whole freakin' years. I am livid. Do things right or don't do them at all. Anyway, I will never go back and would never recommend that anyone go there either. read more

I wish 0 stars was a choice. 1) I got a gift certificate that was expiring in one month. I made an appointment, confirmed it, and when I showed up, they told me I didn't have an appointment. When I asked to reschedule, they said their next available was....go figure...the day after my gift certificate expires. What a bunch of conniving jerks. 2) As the other part of my gift certificate, I had my legs waxed. They were double dipping in the pot of wax with the same stick. I assume they do that with their bikini waxes too. GROSS! I am so done with this place! They should be reported as a health hazard. read more

Lavinia is not vaccinated. I was not comfortable with her sitting over my face for an extended period of time in a warm moist environment.

I just had my first facial at Lavinia Borcau last week as I was using a gift certificate. I was greeted by Lavinia and after she checked my skin , and since she was already booked her Ukrainian assistant, (unfortunately I don't remember her name )has done my facial .She really has done a fabulous job! i was very impressed with the quality of my facial! I never had my skin so well cleaned. ussually most of cosmeticians don't clean my pores so well. The whole facial last 1 hour and half from which half and hour was only facial massage .it was so relaxing! I will definitely return! read more

This was my first facial is Boston. I just moved here and decided to treat myself after a difficult week at work. Booked a 6-7 pm appointment and got a confirmation call within thirty minutes. I had Lavinia herself, who is truly something else! I showed up for my appointment and everything was ready to go. I thought facials were where someone massaged a few masks and creams into your face and you were good to go, but Lavinia spent almost an HOUR AND A HALF extracting! My one hour appointment turned into two, with no extra cost. She even gave me the enzyme mask at no cost! Although it was painful at times, you can REALLY tell a difference. It feels like every single pore in my face got cleared and I have never had such soft or clear skin. Honestly a little miraculous considering I have struggled with acne and blackheads since puberty visited. The extraction method was a little rough so if you have a low pain tolerance I would steer clear. If not, would highly recommend. A little shocked to see the negative reviews- make sure to ask for Lavinia! read more

Seriously, the worst facial that I have ever had. And it might have been because it was Spa Week, but regardless, if you buy a facial, no matter the price, it should be worth something. I rushed from work to make my 6pm appointment, however it started at 6:30- without one apology. When the appointment started, no apology, no addressing that I had to wait. The facial was completely transactional- not to mention the room they do it in is small and cramped. Whoever did my facial kept leaving in between applying a cream or cleanser- she was actually performing other appointments in between! Honestly, it was the worst experience I have ever had. I cannot even believe this place. read more

I went for a facial and i was not impressed at all. I let them know it was my first facial, there was little to no communication through out the process, people were chatting by the door about cleaning up, and they started to vacuum right outside the door while i was suppose to be relaxing with some kind of mask on my face, not the most relaxing atmosphere. They made no comments or even asked any questions about skin, or told me what there were doing. read more

I got the groupon and went for the bikini wax and use of the sauna. WORST WAX I have ever received. It was like the woman (forget her name) had never done one before. She kept going over the same areas at least, no exaggeration, 3 times. It took so much longer than it ever should have. (I've gone to places like Interludes Salon and Day Spa in Malden, where it has been quick, relatively painless, and easy, so I know its not me that was the problem) When I was finally out of there, they told me that they were using a new wax, which is why it took so long. Doesn't explain waxing the same spot 3 times. Awful. It was painful, and I would never go back. read more

I had been looking for a place that does Brazilian waxing without the paper strips. A friend suggested this place. I arrived and it was a very calm and had a spiritual-like environment. I did not have to wait that long either. The esthetician was really nice, she tried to keep my mind off the pain, and she did a really good job. It is definitely worth the price and I was very satisfied with my service. Everyone was very friendly and attended me from the moment I entered. read more

This place is amazing. As soon as you walk in it smells soo good. They are also so friendly and nice. I went for my first ever bikini thinking I wanted a Brazilian and she was so helpful with helping me choose what to get and feel comfortable with the experience. Will be going back and highly recommend! read more

$240 dollars spent on rubbish! The "facial" is primarily 10 mins steam, 5 mins extraction, and 30 mins of lying there with a mask. Facial massage, zero. And after the facial ( on Saturday, 9/5), my skin is dry (I.e after the $120 luxury seaweed facial) and blotchy. Enough said. I also did a massage. Very, very bad idea. The room was cold, the radio loud, and the massage felt like an incomplete sentence, " I am on my way to."..?? Incomplete strokes, the lady use one hand at a time and for some reason rubbed, and rubbed my shoulder blades- no neck, no spine, no waist... I am not sure what she was trying to deliver. And they expect a hefty tip! Just a bad waste of time and money. read more

I went in for a European Facial at the recommendation of a friend, and I am glad I did. The extraction was a little painful (which she had warned me about) and my skin looked a little red/blochy for the rest of the day, but it felt great. When I woke up the next day- WOW! Flawless. My skin looked and felt amazing... I will be back! Side Note: I really liked the organic skincare line that they use, especially because I am pregnant and trying to keep away from chemicals. read more

Had a great waxing experience with Marina. She was fast, thorough and really nice to boot! I loved the hard wax they use there... I will never use strip waxing again! Will definitely return. read more

This place is amazing! I saw Lavinia today for my first facial. She is so sweet and knowledgeable! I have acne and she specialized her treatment to address the inflammation and clogged pores I had. She explained everything step by step as she did it and gave me recommendations for a new routine and products. Will definitely be returning! read more

Lavinia is a Brookline institution. All the most soignee local women go there. My whole family has been enjoying her facials for years. Even my husband and boys (teen acne) go, which says a lot about how lovely and welcoming Lavinia is as a person, since it was a hard sell to get them to go to a "day spa" in the first place. Lavinia and her staff have decades of experience, and the result is a truly superior facial experience. I also like her eyebrow tinting an waxing. The atmosphere is very soothing, and her organic products are great. In my book this is the only place worth getting a facial at locally. read more

So, the first two times I went here, I had Irina, and I loved her. I loved her even though the walls are so thin you can hear crazy noises (people laughing, talking, running up and down the small hallway) outside. I loved her even though these noises were disturbing the peacefulness of my facial. More recently, I had an awful experience and will never go back. (1) I call and make an appointment with Irina. Great. They schedule it. I call the day of to confirm - with Irina. I call 10 minutes before to let them know I might be running 5 minutes late. "Who is your appt with?" the girl asks, "Irina." "Great. See you soon." I get there - Lavinia asks me - who you are here for? I say- Irina. Great, she smiles - she'll be right with me. Lavinia gets me settled into the room, and 5 minutes later, who walks in? Some woman named IRA, not Irina. Irina no longer works there. I was really upset by this - it would not have upset me if the girl had just told me at the time of my booking - Irina no longer works here. (2) I am their last appt that day, so through the ENTIRE facial, I hear crazy talking outside the door & movement back and forth, doors opening/closing, etc. Absolutely nothing relaxing at all. IRA actually tells me - oh yes, you are our last appt, so they are being noisy. Yeah, I waned to say - it's always like this - or at least close. (3) She asks me what kind of facial I want. I ask for a rec. She tells me that I have normal (not too dry, not too oily) skin - so she recommends this Vitaminic High Frequency one - I say fine. She DOES NOT tell me it's more $$ than a normal facial. I then say - isn't there one with an extra long massage? She says yes - she'll give me the Vitaminic with a long massage. Fine. (4) I am def irked that of all the $80/85 facials they have to offer, she gave me one that was $95 without mentioning the price to me. (5) I am INCREDIBLY irked when I get home to read the description of the Vitaminic facial, I see that it is for VERY DRY skin. I do not have very dry skin - if anything, my skin is more oily than dry. And she told me - oh, you don't have dry skin, i will give you this facial . . . she clearly had no idea what kind of skin type that facial was for. I will never go back. I wish I knew where Irina was working. I've had great facials with Marianne Zula on Harvard Street near Coolidge Corner. I'm going back to her. (I only switched cuz my mother-in-law got me a gift card to Lavinia's.) read more

This place is a gem! I made a last minute appointment for a lip wax & they fit me right in. My aesthetician was "Erma" or "Ema," -I can't remember her name exactly but she was an older woman with very short, curled blonde hair. She was wonderful, it was quick, painless & she treated the area w/ an electricity wand to close the pores & minimize redness. I have never looked so normal after getting a lip wax! And at $14 it was definitely worth paying a little extra for the extra special treatment. read more

After talking with friends who know more about facials than I do, I've found out that I probaby had a bad reaction to the mud mask because they left it on WAY too long. You are not supposed to leave it more than 5-8 minutes. She was probably gone from the room for about 15-20 mins. That is why my skin got over dried out, extremely irritated and almost infected. I was very disappointed and I did not expect my skin to look worse after a facial than it did before. It is a good thing I tested this out many weeks before my wedding rather than the week before. I would have been devastated to have my skin in this shape at my wedding. I am giving them the worst possible rating because being a salon, they should have known better. Take my advice: GO ELSEWHERE. read more

I've been a client almost since the moment Lavinia opened her skin care clinic. For years, I have always had the best service and attention, but lately I've felt Lavinia has been a bit distracted. She sometimes leaves me during the treatment to check on something going on some place else in the salon. I know she's the owner, but I find this an interruption and unsettling. I also find that when we chat, she doesn't listen. This, too, is unsettling since I don't feel I have her attention. I was disappointed in my last facial with Lavinia, not because it was bad, but because I felt her attention was elsewhere and for the first time ever with her, I felt as though she was running an assembly line. read more

great bikini wax with Erma! Quick, virtually painless, relaxing atmosphere and very clean. They use hard wax as well which I find much better than the strips. Highly recommend! read more

The first time I came here and saw Natasha for eyebrows and an eye collagen treatment and loved it. Natasha was great and did a fantastic job, the results looked awesome. Today I went back for a facial and I believe the woman who did it's name was Ira. She was fine, it was a little awkward feeling because the first half of the facial was done in complete silence. No background music or anything, just silence. She didn't talk to me about anything we would be doing or anything. She commented on how clogged my pores are and asked what I do for skin care. I have pretty acne-prone skin, and told her I was on accutane for a long time. I told her my routine, which includes a gentle acid peel and a good amount of acne-fighting products. I also let her know that my skin looks a lot better now than it has for years, but the blackheads and closed comedones haven't budged which is why I was there. The extractions were painful, but fine. I knew there would be a lot of them and she put up with my whining. My skin is sensitive from being on accutane, so it happens. After that she slathered my face and shoulders with lots of products without telling me what they are or walking me through them, left a mask on and everything. After everything was said and done I asked her if there was anything special I should do with my skin for the rest of the day. She said no but started to tell me to wash my face as if I was a child. It felt humiliating and like she was judging me. I wash my face both morning and night and can't control what my skin does. Having acne is a biological thing and just because someone has it it doesn't mean they don't work their hardest to take care of the problem. It's something I am incredibly sensitive about and I am incredibly embarrassed that she treated me like that. I gave it three stars because I've otherwise had good experiences and the other staff are great, but crying because of something a staff member said about me is unacceptable. I'm going to come back and request Natasha and hope I'm never treated that way again. read more

I have been coming here for two years and Lavinia is amazing. Only person that keeps my eyebrows in the shape I like. The skin care is fantastic and customer service superb. Very satisfied with both waxing services and facial treatments. read more

I have to agree with some of the other postings here that say Lavinia's has really gone downhill in the past year. I don't know what's going on with the owner, but she just doesn't do quite as good a job anymore. She's very distracted during our waxing sessions, asking me the same questions she asked me last month. She's also ALWAYS pushing to sell more stuff to me. I know you're a businesswoman, but It's frustrating! I'm a frequent customer, I clearly like the place, stop trying to upsell stuff. Also, I'm always on time for my appointments, she's always running late. She comes in like a whirlwind, does her thing, and runs out while slamming the door behind her. The website is beautiful, as is the actual spa. But they lack the basic amenities that most spas offer. For example, when you leave and tell me to get undressed and lay on the table in prep for a brazilian, offer me a darn towel to cover up while I'm waiting for you! It's basic. The receptionist is pretty terrible too, mischeduling appointments, not returning calls, etc. I went in with my husband the DAY BEFORE our wedding because he wanted his eyebrows waxed. They didn't have him scheduled and had to "squeeze him in" - which resulted in a rather poor wax. Good thing he didn't notice... And I think Lavinia felt pretty bad about it so she gave us a complimentary Lavie Organique soy candle which truth be told, is quite lovely. Sorry to say that I probably won't be back...there are so many great skin care spas in Boston where I know I'm getting the right service for my hard earned dollar. I hope that this spa will take the time to re-evaluate itself, I would love to return when the time is right. read more

I am very picky (ok maybe a little bit OCD) about choosing a place to go to get my eyebrows shaped. After several bad experiences I am always hesitant to try somewhere new. Enter Lavinia- after reading reviews I decided to take my chances and pop in, and Lavinia happened to be available for a walk in and I am so grateful. She spent the first few minutes explaining the shape of my brows and how she thought they would look best- she didn't do anything without asking me first. The salon uses the new cooling wax, which was painless and then Lavinia perfected the shape of my brows with tweezers. Voila! My brows look wonderful. It looks like I have found myself a new brow-shaping mainstay. read more

I been coming to this place consistently for over 4 years, every six weeks or so to get a Brazilian Wax. Before I came here I never had a Brazilian Wax done in my life! Needless to say, the procedure itself is not the most comfortable or painless thing in the world. Not the case at this spa! They use a Hot Wax-not strips-that goes directly onto your skin, wait a few second until it cools down and then, they peel it off. The first time was a little painful, but it's hardly painful anymore, because my skin is used to it now, and the hair growth diminishes greatly the more you do it. The skin professionals there are really competent and incredibly welcoming. Both Ira and Natasha-highly recommend either one- are so friendly, I forget I am getting a Brazilian Wax done. Other important pros about this place are; is always super clean and organized. And the prices are really reasonable. I been paying 65 dollars for a Brazilian Wax for over 4 years now, 80 dollars including the tip. I feel incredibly lucky to have found this place. Both the establishment itself and the people who work there are great. read more

I wouldn't go anywhere else to get a wax! They do such a wonderful job. I've been going back for years and have never had a bad experience. I do not have much insight on anything other than waxing but I do know people love their facials etc. The entire staff is full of knowledge and experience. read more

AWFUL customer service. Rude and racist technician, please read on. I came here with a groupon for a brazilian wax a couple of months ago and will never return. For one they took me 20 minutes late, which wouldn't be so bad if that wasn't the original appointment time that I asked for. They made me book an earlier time, though, so I rushed to get my morning errands done, just so I could sit there and wait. I asked about the salon portion of the groupon, too, but was told that really doesn't go with a wax, they only put it on as advertisement that they have it. Now for the horrifying experience, the wax: I wouldn't have minded waiting so much, but during my wax the technician was extremely rude, unprofessional, and blatantly RACIST. As other yelpers have noted they talk to you during the whole thing, just don't make the mistake of admitting you've been to other salons. Even though the salon charges significantly more then the $30 I'm used to paying, I was intrigued by the European wax they use (it's put on very thick, hardens, and this is what they peel off, no strips) and was honestly considering coming back sometimes. This was before I was asked about my past experiences, though. This is when the conversation turned to a one way rant about how the industry is being ruined by such practices and, since yes my usual waxer is of Asian decent, all sorts or racial slurs about how their credentials can't be validated since they all look the same and how disgusting it is how many of them cram into one apartment. I'm sorry if it offends anyone that I wrote that, I'm not saying it's true, but that is literally what she said to me! I couldn't believe how blatantly racist she was or how completely unprofessional it was for her to be saying this to a first time customer. I didn't know how to react and was extremely uncomfortable. Needless to say, she was not nearly as gentile during her rant as during the start of the wax and was less then polite when it was finally over. Mind you, I never insinuated that I wouldn't return and was honestly thinking of coming back at first despite the steep price. I had originally been asking questions about the wax they use since it's so different, that if she'd concentrated on what makes them better instead of ignorantly spewing racially offensive comments I might have returned. Ignoring the customer service failures, I'd give the wax technique a 3.5. Not as thorough as I'm used to and more painful then I'd like, but that might have just been because she was ranting. Whichever way you look at it though, for the price they should be doing a better job with a MUCH better attitude. read more

Amazing service, and the ladies are very great and patient. Very relaxing environment. Got my eyebrows done and it was so great.

Went here for a spa week facial. Perhaps it is a more pleasant experience for regular clients? Natasha was so rough, I kept waiting for the relaxing portion to begin. There was little to no communication throughout. It all began with the press of a button where my raised bed flew downwards, prompting me to white knuckle the sides, she scrubbed to get off my mascara (isn't the eye area the most delicate?) and put the hot steam so close to my face I flinched (she pushed my head back in place and told me if I don't stay close up to the steam, the extraction will be more painful). She came back after I was steamed and threw on the light which blinded me (again, I flinched) and she told me my eyes were sensitive. Extraction was painful as usual, yet she did not seem to feel my pain. Usually they say something like, "dont worry it is almost done". Then a clay mask that hardened into a concrete like substance. I think she was doing a bikini wax while my mask was on... I could hear them next to my room. No massage at any point which is a bummer. Anyway, yes my skin is clean and glowing and I am sure the products are top of the line. But a relaxing facial it was not. I prefer a combo of both. Sounds like the owner is much better... read more

On the basis of Yelp/Citysearch reviews, I scheduled a bikini wax with Erma - the wax itself was fine but BEWARE OF DISHONEST BUSINESS PRACTICES. I scheduled a regular bikini wax and when I got into the room, Erma asked me if I wanted a Brazilian. I said no, just a regular wax and she said "oh, a high bikini wax?" and I said well, I want it somewhat high but not anything crazy (assuming, she was asking me how much I wanted taken off). When I went to pay, I was charged $45 vs. the $28 regular bikini wax price because although not listed anywhere on the services sheet, a "high bikini wax" is a more expensive wax (although it wasn't any different than regular bikini waxes I've gotten elsewhere). Won't be going back. read more

Irina and Lavinia are great. They use all organic, all natural products instead of harsh chemicals and they are very knowledgeable. They're very attentive and always make sure you're comfortable. I've had a facial and 2 organic peels and have been really satisfied with the results. I think the price is moderate compared to super expensive spas but you get excellent value and a lot of personal attention read more