Illume Day Spa

I JUST returned from my first appointment with Stara and couldn’t wait to write a review. She was very friendly. Even when I was late (oops!). The room was wonderful and she did a fantastic job explaining everything and really paid attention to my concerns and what I wanted out of the experience (in this case tons of extractions). I can’t wait to go back!

Both Stara and Cate are fantastic. Whether you’re looking for a gentle waxing or a fabulous facial, you begin to relax the moment you set foot into Illume Day Spa.
These ladies really make you feel special and give you their uninterrupted attention. Great attention to detail, and really pure products used.
I’ve given several friends a gift of a facial at Illume and have had nothing but the best feedback!
Illume Day Spa rocks!
Adrienne

This is THE place to go for all your skin care needs! Stara is amazing at everything she does. The waxing is painless and professional. She is magic at facials. And the spa itself is just a really beautiful and comfortable space that is decorated so well! I would never go anywhere else for my beauty needs.

After experiencing facials from around the world, I can say for certain that Cate’s are THE best. Cate is beyond knowledgeable in her work and she goes beyond the shallow layers of skin to purify the face. She works from the inside out & has worked wonders on my once irritated and difficult to work with skin. My skin has transformed and is now under control thanks to Cate. I haven’t seen it this clear since high school! In addition to facials, I have also been getting great underarm waxing that is quick & pain-​free. The ambiance of the salon makes it very easy to get comfy & feel at ease. I look forward to each appointment & will never go anywhere else!

I loved my first facial with Stara! She is very knowledgeable and it is obvious she has been doing this a while. I felt at ease the moment I walked into the spa and was taken care of the entire time I was there. I much prefer small spas such as Illume, when you’re there it is all about you. At larger places I can’t help but feel like just another number, where the esthetician or massage therapist goes through the same routine over and over. My skin is so much softer and brighter after the Signature Facial! It is worth every penny, and I will be coming back for sure!
Street parking was not an issue at all and it was very easy to make an appointment online.

I’ve been getting my brows done by Stara for about two years and I can honestly say that if she ever moved out of Portland I would have to move with her, she is that good! The space is very relaxing. In the waiting area, there’s a nice comfy chairs with a good selection of magazines and a nice airy feel to it that puts you right at home.
The room itself was also very calming. The bed/​table was extremely comfortable and there was a nice fluffy duvet that kept me nice and warm while some light background music plays.
I just started getting adult acne and decided to get a facial to help with the redness and inflammation. Stara helped guide me through the process: First, she prepped my skin, looked at my skin under her microscope and then decided that I could use a light peel and extractions. The peel was tingly, but Stara was very good about checking in to see what my irritation level was. After wiping off the peel and soothing my face with a gel of some sort and also with a warm towel, she prepped my face for the extractions with a humidifier. While my face was warming up, she gave me a shoulder massage which relaxed me even more.
The extractions were next and I was expecting the worse (after all, how comfortable can it be to be squeezing blackheads out of tiny pores on your face!) but Stara made the process as quick and painless as possible.
Final bit of cleaning, and moisturizing and I was good to go.
I’ve always had a really good experience with Stara, I love her demeanor, appreciated her knowledge and experience and how that translated into the feeling that she really cared for my skin. For days after my facial, my skin still feels very smooth and clean! Thank you Stara!

I’ve been following Cate since 2008 and am so happy she has opened up her very own spa at Illume. Cate is a skin genius and has the attention to detail most other estheticians only wish to have. The space is lovely, relaxing and charming. I visit Cate for waxing & facials and I couldn’t imagine going to anyone else. I’ve referred a few friends over the years and they’ve become loyalists. This is not a big day spa but if you’re looking to have things done the right way, visit here.

As the previous writer, I’ve been following Stara around to what appears to be her final resting place as an aesthetician. She’s amazing. No upsell, no chatter, just professional service with MY skin in mind. Love the way she considers the whole picture: i went in recently before a trip and she changed her planned course of treatment because of my destination climate. I never hesitate: i lie down and et her determine what my skin needs, and i always look fabulous for days after. The spa itself is lovely: simple and elegant, quiet — with excellent colors! I can’t recommend Stara or Illume highly enough. I’ve been a spa junkie my entire life, and I would go nowhere else in Portland.

Alright, at the risk of some teasing and a blow to my machismo, I’ll admit I got my first spa service due to my wife prodding me to go see Kate with a gift certificate she gave me. For my fellow men out there, there’s nothing feminine about someone squeezing out every last black head on your face, but if you would rather not have god-​knows-​what crud residing in the pits of your face, you might consider putting your ego aside and biting the bullet as I did and get a facial. If you do, I’m certain no one will make it as pleasurable as Cate will. Her manner is very relaxing with a great sense of humor and you will feel much more like you just had a soothing massage, when in actuality you had all your zits popped and blackheads excavated. It’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it and Cate is pretty much a ninja at it. So bring on the jokes, but know my face is cleaner than yours which may or may not mean yours has the fecal matter of dust mites crammed into every pore. Food for thought. #illumedayspa

I’ve followed Stara to many places over the years and I have to say that I love this place the most! The reception area is welcoming and makes you want to see the rest. The rooms are just as cool, I love the beds:-) Stara is by far the only person who will do my waxing. She always gives me a little extra, be it taking care of a zit for me or running the little wand over problem areas. I’ll follow her anywhere!

Stara has been my esthetician for many years. And I look forward to many more! She is hands down the best esthetician I have experienced. She is knowledgeable and thorough. Plus the arm massage! Her space is lovely and the bed is the best, I highly recommend her.

I admire anyone who wants to pick my zits. But I adore someone who endures such a task then gives me a massage. When you opt for the deluxe facial with Cate, you get these services and much more. This newly opened space is tucked on a side street not far from Sandy Blvd. The quiet location is really ideal for relaxing, and the spa itself is simple and lovely. Cate is a master with my very sensitive skin. Whenever my outer shell has decided to go to war with me and erupt in unspeakable landmines of red blochiness, I make my appointment and anticipate its arrival. Cate’s just awesome at what she does. And she’s a goddamn ninja with my ginger-​hued brows. I’m super hard on my skin, but Cate is patient, gives me helpful suggestions and samples of concoctions she think can tame the beast, and she’s just nice to be around. Which is a big plus when someone is looking at your face under a giant magnifying glass. With tweezers in her hand. Aimed near your eyelid.