I initially came to this boutique because i was given a gift certificate. I booked my appointment online with a random stylist that was available on my day off. The boutique was very clean and relaxing. They have their own skin care line, that is all based on natural products. I initially booked the appointment for a green tea facial with Milena, but after Milena observed my skin, she recommended a deep pore facial with a green tea mask. Milena was very precise and was not afraid of extracting my skin, which i loved!!!! I have been looking for someone who is not afraid of actually cleaning out my clogged up pores! My skin felt amazing after the procedure. Overall Milena did an amazing job and I scheduled my next appointment to come back in a month! I highly recommend!! You will not be disappointed! read more

Checked out the Coolidge Corner location last night after work for a much needed facial. The 60 minute facial took exactly 60 minutes. The esthetician was extremely detai oriented and took her time with everything, I even got my neck and should massaged which was awesome. The products used were just accurate for my skin, which is sensitive with some blemishes and roseacea. Got the mask with the 20% off discount for first time clients. I can only speak from my experience and it was perfect and I'm a hard pleaser. They didn't even push hard with the products, which I appreciated very much. Will probably go again. read more

First time at Violet today and I was pleasantly surprised! I had a brow & Brazilian done by Kashia and she's amazing! Very kind, sets you at ease and has a great technique. I can't speak for their other services but I will certainly be back to give them a try! read more

I don't like how they ask you to remove your shoes and put on their plastic sandals when you arrive. The shoe exchange area itself is uncomfortable, and there's no handy spot nearly to sit to remove your shoes. What is that all about? The closet is never going to be big enough come winter. The facial itself was competent, but the esthetician was pretty judgmental about my skin. She literally said "ugh!" when she turned on the bright light to check out my skin at the beginning. I left feeling worse about myself and less relaxed than when I arrived. I won't be returning. Brookline seems to be a not-so-great place in general for spa services. read more

After all Violet Skin Boutique cares about customers satisfaction. I had a bad experience due to a third party with them, but one of Violet Product specialist replied to my e-mail addressing the issue, and she helped me out & handled the situation in a very professional manner. (Something that is rare now!) So we fixed the problem, in addition the Violet Product Specialist offered me a discount in a future service. I have used Violet Skin Boutique before for facials and massages and was really nice, now that they have taken the time to fix my problem and offer my a discount for a future facial I encourage other people to visit the spa and try it for themselves. I do respect and admire the businesses and people who take time to listen to their clients and try to amend things & provide the best customer experience whenever possible. The products they sell at Violet Skin Boutique are marvelous too! Thanks~ read more

I love this place. This boutique spa is perfect for what I needed. I have frequently been there for waxings (Kasia and Maria are fantastic!) They use a hard wax that doesn't require strips. It works wonders on my very stubborn hair, and lasts longer than other types of wax. My last experience there I was able to have one of their facials as well. Though I didn't have an appointment for this, they were able to contact another client and alter her reservation to fit me in- this was on a weekend, and for a promotional priced facial. On top of that, the facial was one of the best facial experiences I have ever had. I was so relaxed and revived after my facial, I can only image what their massages must be like. The facial also soothed my rosacea and evened my skin tone. I can't speak highly enough about Maria and Kasia! They don't pressure any "up-sells" or extras during the facials, but I have purchased their products and have been very pleased with them. read more

If I could give this place 6 stars I would! I went to see Melena for a French wax and ending up going full Brazilian because she is a waxing goddess! It was as painless as a wax could ever be, she made me feel so comfortable, the facility is lovely and let me just say that the lady bits look like a million bucks! I also got an amazing smelling (and apparently tasting!) Sugar scrub she recommended to keep me smooth between visits (which is all homemade).. I already am planning to come back in a month and will be also trying one of their facials.. they have a summer deal on! Trust me ladies, this place is the spa we have all been dreaming of! read more

I saw other customers have a wonderful experience, and noticed that the staff were very friendly. Unfortunately that did not extend to me. I have very sensitive skin, and when I exclaimed about how painful it was, the esthetician laughed. She blamed me for not coming in sooner as to why she "had to go so hard on me". I don't buy this. I believe facials can be gentle, and in fact when I got my first facial in my 30s, it wasn't as painful as this. She left the room at one point without saying anything to me, and then spoke in another language outside -- it's just no difficult to figure out what that was about. She let me leave with something on my face. I did not feel at all taken care of and will certainly not be back. read more

A few days ago, I was reminded how much I cannot live without Violet. Running out of my Violet Black Raspberry soap with crushed seeds, I pulled out a cream cleanser by Kerstan Florian, a high end spa line. I figured how much harm can it be until I go to Violet's this week and buy more of her cleanser. Well within 2 days, I managed to get 4 pretty sizable pimples. All of my good care down the drain so quickly. For some reason - not much else works besides Violet's products. For fussy skin, her formulas cannot be beat. My only ask is that they carry more of the black raspberry soap. It seems to sell out quickly and sometimes isn't there when I go in. read more

I've been going to Melena for Brazilian waxes here for years. Unlike some salons, this place uses the no-strip wax, which is heavy-duty enough to handle my very hairy areas. Melena is quick and effective. She gets every single hair! read more

Double dipped in their waxing. Saw it with my own eyes and commented, but was told not to worry about it. tsk tsk tsk

Just had an awful experence at Violet but it seems like there are many others with simliar experiences. This is a shame... Two years ago I got a massage at their Newbury St. location and it was devine. Knowing this my girlfriend purchased me a gift certificate for another massage for my birthday, from value club. Today I finally made it in for a massage. The gift card is valued for a 90 minute massage but they only had 60 minute massages available for today. Okay, fine by me. I get there and am asked to remove my shoes to put on some really hard slippers, that every other person who has walked through the door has worn (even bowling alleys spray some sanitizer into their shoes). But okay...still eagerly looking forward to my massage. After sitting in the waiting room for 20 minutes, I was finally met by my massage therapist and I explained to her what areas needed more attention. We went into the room and I received a massage for about 45-50 minutes. Afterwards, my therapist rushed off to her next client, stopping me in the hallway to tell me that I'm too muscular and that I should try yoga instead (actually I do yoga but seeing as how I am also a smei-professional football player, strength training is also a part of my regimen...so ummm....thanks?). I then proceed to the receptionist to pay for my mediocre service. The receptionist asks me if I told anyone that I was paying with value club gift cards. Since there was no stipulation on the certificates, on their website, or even at the desk I hadn't. She proceeded to tell me that I couldn't use it for my massage but that I could use it for a facial or manicure. I don't get facials and I already have a great manicurist (nor do I need $165 worth of gift certificates for manicures). I asked her to speak with her surpervisor because I had no other need for the certificates. She typed with her supervisor for a few more minutes only to tell me that there is nothing that she can do and that I needed to pay $105 for my service (thank god i brought my credit cards with me). I still tipped my massage therapist on the full value (it's not her fault that the managers could care less about customer satisfaction). So I have $165 of useless certificates because I will never visit Violet again... Don't waste your money!!!!!!!!!! I get massages monthly and have tried various places in and around Boston, the massage ranked among the mediocre AND customer service was the absolute worst. read more

I contemplated this review for months now, because I didn't want to write what happened when I went here for a wax, but then I spoke to two other women who went and unfortunately had similar experiences. First, this place has HIGHLY unsanitary conditions. They re-use their dipsticks-- putting them back in the same vat of wax they use on all of us, ladies (and gents). Second, Violet is a terrible listener with really awful customer service inclinations. We're all hearing how "in this economy" people should fight to keep business up, so I hate to be cliche-- but "in this economy," I expected much more. When I scheduled my appt, I booked a bikini and leg wax. I had just had a baby and hadn't had a wax for MONTHS. I was in need. I had my mother in law watch my newborn just so I could make this appointment and hauled myself across town to Brookline with high hopes. Upon entering the waxing room, I noticed little hairs on surfaces, including the towel I was asked to lay upon. Decided to ignore.. Violet was my waxer. Not only did she--without asking-- cover my entire womanhood with wax, leaving me to look like a 12-year-old, but she informed me after she stripped it all off that she was done. Never mind my extremely hairy legs. At first I thought she was joking, so I asked, "What about my legs?" "No, no-- you only scheduled a Brazilian wax. I don't have time for your legs." This is the abridged version, but after a long back and forth, with me explaining that this was the first time I'd left the house since my son was born, that I had come all the way across town, that I HAD booked bikini AND legs, she just shook her head and said "sorry." I tried to let the hormones subside, but I tearfully looked at her and said, "Please?" "No, I'm sorry. Next time, you make sure to book legs too and we'll be sure to help." And that was it. She sent me to the reception area to pay. And yes, she charged me the full $80. She came to the front as I was leaving to remind me to book enough time for my legs next time. I will never, ever go back here. read more

Big fan! I've been going to Violet Skin Boutique and seeing Violet and using her products for quite a number of years. I love that Violet formulates all of her products using natural and gentle ingredients. read more

I love this place. The facials are out of this world. And the bikini wax really does hurt less than at other waxing places. I also love their face soaps and the treats they have in their waiting area (dark chocolate, tea, etc.) I hate parking there and it's far from my house, but it's a little oasis that I really enjoy the total experience at Violet's. read more

I've been to Violet's a couple of times for waxes, but have decided not to go back. It's true, the waxing seems to be less painful than some I've had before, but for some reason, it doesn't seem to last as long. My real concern though is that I had to remind one of the aesticians to wear gloves and also the fact that they dip the wooden stick they put the wax on with over and over again into this big vat of wax, the same vat of wax used on the person before me (meaning the wooden stick for them was dipped in wax, applied to whatever body part, and dipped again and again.) I asked my aestician about it, and she said it's a valid question, and that the wax is hot enough to burn any bacteria from the previous person. Maybe so, but it's still pretty gross to me. read more

I tried to schedule a wax with Violet because of the rave review on Daily Candy and was told she did not have any open appointments for a while so I could see someone else - whom the receptionist assured me was very good because waxing was all she did at the salon. I went to my appointment and a lady came out that introduced herself as someone completely new - neither Violet nor the other person the receptionist had promised me. She was running behind by about 15 minutes so she came out to let me know and apologize. When I finally went in, the wax was sooooo hot I thought I was going to have 3rd degree burns. I tried to keep it in for a while, but my legs kept twitching and I couldn't help but squirm around. I have had waxes on numerous occasions so I know this temperature was not normal! I finally asked her why the wax was so hot and she seemed to turn the crock pot of wax down but also seemed surprised that I was saying that. The wax never got any cooler. On top of that she was very very slow which just made the entire process way too long and too painful. If it wasn't for the severe heat and pain, I probably would have been more upset about the double dipping of the stick in the wax. read more

I've had two facials here and both were great. I've had facials at the Newbury St. location as well and the experiences are comparable. I like the Coolidge Corner spot better because it is bigger and newer. It's also right on the T and if you drive, it's much easier to find parking in Brookline than in Back Bay. read more

Yelp filtered my last review of Violet's Brookline location. I think it is interesting that so many 5-star reviews of her salon have been filtered by Yelp. I love Yelp for helping me find great people but I do think it is suspicious that with so many 5-star reviews (seen only after removing the filter), Violet only gets a 3.5 star rating... I've been going to Violet since I moved here in 2008, and have tried other salons here but was appalled at how little they knew and did for the money and will only go to Violet at this point. I'm starting to think some of the lower ratings (most are from a couple of years ago anyway) are more suspicious than the higher ones! read more

This violet was just as great as the one on newbury st, my favorite place to get a massage in Boston. The atmosphere is so clean and relaxing and the massage oils smell great. Highly recommended read more

I have been to Violet twice now for a Brazilian wax. The first time was because I had a GroupOn and wanted to try someplace new since my old wax place was about an hours commute away which was becoming a real hassle. The second time I went they were having a sale where Brazilian's were $55 instead of $65. While the deals were great to have, I would easily pay $65 for a wax here. Most people think that's crazy expensive, and I don't disagree, but the place is clean, staff is nice, and the wax process is easy and efficient. They use hard wax here which I had never had before and boy does it make a BIG difference as far as pain, I'm not so good with pain so this was a welcome experience, yet another reason to pay a little more. Also, the estheticians I had both times were great with tips to keep away those nasty ingrown hairs and really took the time to interact and give a little more of a personal experience. While a little bit on the pricey side for myself personally, it's worth it! read more

I visited Violet Skin Boutique for the first time and it is such a find! The waiting area is peaceful and there is a selection of yummy treats and drinks set out for the clients. The staff are gracious and I've heard rave reviews about the massage therapist. Violet, the owner, makes all the products they use in their treatments. They have so many service, I can't wait to try them all! read more

So annoyed. I called Violet Spa to schedule a pedicure and the receptionist told me she had an appointment that was later than I had wanted but she would put me on the cancellation list. I told her to put me down for the appointment that was available and she told me to call to see if there was any openings earlier. I called two and a half hours before my scheduled appointment and the receptionist said it was no longer available because a different client was running late. So basically they canceled my appointment without telling me and we extremely RUDE! read more

I got a brazilian wax, underarm, legs, it was an amazing experience. I had so much hair but she was really kind to me, gentle, the wax didnt burn, the type of wax they use must be special because it didn't hurt my skin or leave bumps 1 week later, but it also could handle removing my really thick body hair. I love that they use all natural ingredients, you can tell and it makes a huge difference. She seemed to know what she was doing, even going with the swoops of the hair. Mirlena is really great at this craft and I plan to come here again and more often. Finally a place I feel comfortable getting a wax. read more

My eyebrow wax here was more painful than most others I have had, and I ended up with a lot of redness around my brows. But the main problem for me was that after the waxing, Violet filled in my eyebrows with pencil. So much so that I had to wash my face before leaving. I looked ridiculous. I prefer Lavinia Borcau in Brookline Village, which incidentally is also much less expensive. read more

I have had 3 facials here now. I always want to love it because the atmosphere is so nice. The lavender and soft lighting. But the staff isn't friendly, the facials are ok, not fantastic, and I really agree with another poster about the constant criticism during the facial. I think they do it because they are pushing so many of their own products. The chocolate facial stuff is very refreshing. But other than buying a couple of their products, I don't feel too interested to return. You can get better facials on Newbury St. It was just ok. read more

Great 30 minute massage. Nice, relaxing place. Room was warm and music added to the mood. Overall great experience.

My mom and I have been going to Violet Skin Boutique for years, and I cannot believe it took me this long to write about it. As someone that often treats herself to various spa and beauty treatments, I do think of myself as a highly discerning consumer of pampering. Everything from the cozy calming waiting area to the treatments and all natural homemade products at Violet is heavenly. I love deep cleansing facials by Milena and Kasia who are both incredible and work miracles with my skin. I have sensitive skin so it always impresses me how they are able to extract and exfoliate without causing excess irritation which can often lead to bad breakouts later on which happened to me in a few other spas. Now on the massages....If you haven't experienced the magical hands of Tal, you have not experienced a proper massage! Wow, this woman is a God sent! My sister in law had a terrible neck spasm that lasted for months and she even completed a course of physical therapy for it with no success. My mom got her a gift certificate to Violet, and Tal literally cured her in one session! Ever since then both her and my brother travel from NYC specifically to see Tal. My mom is a workaholic nurse that's always on her feet , constantly stressed out, and never has a chance to relax. Tal not only restores my mom's back to a relaxed state but she also transforms her spirits on a regular basis. My mom literally walks out of there a vision of tranquility and it lasts for days. I highly recommend Violet to anyone that's in need of quality pampering and deliciously smelling and healing face and body products! read more

Went in to get my eyebrows done before my wedding day. I usually go to a place up the road but thought I would give this place a try a treet my self a little. The shoe thing creeps me out!!! Went in for my appt and was insulted from the beginning about my skin, really if u want to sell your products don't insult me. Then during my waxing I was told that I must of put something on my face that it made it difficult for her to wax propely. I have been getting my eyebrows waxed for nearly nine years and I have never heard this excuse. When it was done I was told that the reason they are uneven is because of what I must of put on my face??????? I left with the worst wax of my life. They only neede cleaning up they wear perfectly even when I walked in!!! I work almost next store to this place and I always make sure to tell people never to go their. read more

Love this place! Their facials are amazing and the skin products work so well, I'm definetely hooked and a true fan.

I got a Living Social deal for this place a couple weeks back. I've been excited to get a facial and figured I'd try it out. So glad I did. My esthetician, Kasia, was amazing. So friendly, made me feel so comfortable right away. The facial itself was great, very soothing, and she was able to extract all the little bumps out of my face, leaving me feeling like a whole new person. I will definitely be going back in a couple of months. read more

Don't do it!!!! The place looks great with dim lighting but when I turned the lights on and looked around, dirty, dirty, dirty. My facial was ok, but to think that they used dirty sponges, tools etc....NO THANKS read more

I have never felt the need to write a review for a business before but I felt compelled to write one for Violet Skin Boutique. I went in for a brazilian wax yesterday after trying several places throughout Boston. My esthetician was very experienced and made me feel so comfortable throughout my whole wax. I felt in the past that most estheticians rush through the wax as quickly as possible but she really took her time and was very thorough. For something as uncomfortable as a brazilian wax, she really made my experience so pleasant and I will definitely be recommending Violet Skin Boutique to any of my friends interested in getting a wax. They use hard wax which I definitely prefer over softwax/strips. Also the ambiance and atmosphere of the whole spa is so relaxing and professional. I did use a livingsocial deal for this wax but I will be returning and would definitely pay full-price for the quality here! read more