Facing Thayer

Facing Thayer is truly a 5 star spa. As soon as you walk in the calm atmosphere and accommodating staff will make you will forget all of the busyness on Thayer Street that is one floor below. As a spa, they did everything that a spa should do and more. They made me feel important. They pampered me. Most importantly, they made me feel like I didn’t have a care in the world. They were professional, courteous, and well skilled in the art of body massage. The service was spectacular, and I can’t wait to go back!

My fiancée and I both got 2 facials by Lauren in preparation for our wedding. We were both very happy with the service and with the place. The whole experience was really good.

It’s a super cute place. They do relatively good work. I’ll admit, I miss my favorite nail artist who no longer works there… All is well and good until you see the prices. Holy upcharge, Batman. I understand the location is prime (parking is terrible though, notorious for Thayer Street). However, I’m not visiting this place and paying more because the rent is high. I’ve had better service for less expense. So, even though they’re good — I’ll still probably go elsewhere.

Went to get a Brazilian wax with Grace. It is the best one I’ve gone to in Providence! Will definitely go back again! They also do gelish which is pretty decent! Really satisfied!

My first experience with Facing Thayer involved a brow and lip wax, and the High Frequency Facial with Abby, the owner, who was an absolute gem. My skin has not been happy lately, and this 15 – 20 minute luxurious facial was exactly what it needed. A day later, my skin is brighter, less red, and less inflamed. The brow and lip wax was more expensive than I normally pay, but I was very happy with the results. This will definitely become a regular occurence for me.

Facing Thayer is one of my favorite ways to treat myself. Typically I only go if I have a gift certificate or a little bit of extra cash since the prices are a little higher than what I’m used to. I had a gift certificate so I went yesterday to get a manicure, pedicure and eyebrow wax. The staff was super friendly and the mani/​pedi were extremely relaxing. I have been before and had some experiences with some pretty stand offish people that work there but yesterday both the woman that did my waxing and the woman that did my nails were both wonderful. I had the paraffin pedicure and my feet feel amazing today. The sugar scrub that they use during the manicure literally leaves my hands smooth for days. The highlight was that they have a new line of long lasting nail polishes that are not gel or shellac but a regular polish that matches the CND shellac colors so if you want to to gel on your hands, you can match your toes! Game Changer! My eyebrows also came out great. The only reason I’m not giving them five stars is because 55 dollars for a pedicure is a little high. If any of my friends and family are reading this review, a facing thayer gift certificate would be a great christmas or birthday gift this year. ;) If you are looking for a spa and are willing to pay a little more for your nail treatments, check this place out!

I get my waxing done here with Sherry, who is incredible. It takes me a long time to find a person I trust with my brows so when I find one I stick with them! I go about once a month and have never had to wait more than like 2 minutes to get in. They are able to accommodate appointments with relatively little notice and have never had to bail on me. The spa is clean, organized and the staff are great.
Highly recommend, especially Sherry.

Chelsea is amazing and I love her!

Ok, so I’ve lived in Chicago, Paris, and now LA, but Providence is still home, and Facing Thayer is still the best eyebrow and brazilian wax I’ve ever had for the price. It’s extremely clean, the staff is professional and they do everything to make you feel comfortable, and they usually have a few last-​minute appointments during the week, which, for someone as last-​minute as me, is VERY helpful. Their beauty products for sale are great quality, and as a Bond no. 9 perfume addict, this is one of the only places in the city that carries it (or the only place). I also had the best facial ever there and with sensitive skin, I didn’t breakout after.
Summary: amazing for waxing services and skin care services, too. Products are top notch of you’re looking for apothecary-​type goods.

I absolutely love everything about Facing Thayer. The gorgeous set up and relaxing environment really make it a spa experience. Nail and eyelash tech Krista is my fave. She is so thorough with her mani/​pedi treatments and my polish always lasts for at least a week and I don’t even use the gel polish.
Facing Thayer uses LaLicious and Deborah Lippman products and you get your choice of lotion and scrub scents which is always a fun treat. And Krista is so creative, I often leave with a sparkly nail or two or a fun design.
As far as the waxing and facials, I’ve had both but the facial extraction was a bit rough. Owner and esthetician Abbie really does a nice job but I think I’m just not a fan of facials.
The retail space is overflowing with high end products from hair and skincare to make up and fun accessories. If you follow Facing Thayer on Facebook you can even score some last minute specials!

The staff is relatively friendly – sometimes a little stand-​off-​ish/​snobby. Their shellac manicures and pedicures are great, they stay on for 2 ½ weeks or more, they do such a great job (other places seem to chip in a few days). A bit over priced, but worth it.

I love the smell of this place when you walk it — it is like heaven! The products that they have are great, a selection that you would expect at a little boutique in NYC. I have found gifts for my mom that I can’f find anywhere else!
I have also gotten waxing done here and they are really professional and do a great job. I would highly recommend Jessica, one of the people who do waxing. It is a little bit of a splurge but well worth it!

Best place on College Hill for a mani/​pedi. They do a great, thorough job and always make you feel really relaxed. They’re both good at letting you having your space to study or relax, or can strike up a conversation and keep you entertained if that’s what you’re looking for. I’m not as big a fan of the waxing. They do a good job but I have tough hair and do better with hard wax. I always went to Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door Spa for my waxes but my friends who get waxes there always rave so I decided to stick with a 4 star review.

I got a simple manicure here on a Tuesday afternoon. I didn’t have an appointment, so they asked me to come back in about a half an hour, because someone else did have an appointment, which is totally fair. I shopped around at some nearby stores and came back. They took me right away at that point and the experience was great! She wasn’t rough at all and gave a great hand massage. My fiancé got to sit in a massage chair while he waited for me, free of charge, which kept him happy. The paint job and all else was perfect! I’ve had horrible manicure experiences in the past, but this place is seriously professional. It was $ 20 not including tip, and worth every penny. It’s been almost a week (I work almost every day) and they still haven’t chipped! And that’s not even with shellac paint! A+ I’ve found my new manicure home!

I’ve only been to Facing Thayer twice… both times for a Brazilian. The place was highly recommended by my best bud, but she went a couple years ago with a different waxer and lower prices.
Let’s start with Jess, the Brazilian waxer, she is really nice and does not make you feel even the slightest bit awkward. She chats with you throughout the process, warns you when its going to hurt (well hurt worse) and works quickly. The whole wax probably took less than 10 minutes. However… like a previous Unilocaler noted, she did miss a bit. I had to fix it up at home which is annoying. Also, both times I went, I waited about 15 minutes for my appointment.
The wax costs $ 50… pretty standard around here. Not too much, not so cheap you are scared.
I don’t think I’d go back, but I wouldn’t tell you to avoid the place.

I walked in without an appt. and was seen within 15 minutes for a brow and lip wax. The appearance of the retail section was very nice and the staff were very friendly.
The waxing room was very clean BUT… it was SO poorly lit.
My brows and my lip did hurt a little more than I’m used to. She seemed to peel the wax off slower. My «brow design» which is what the supposedly pride themselves on was alright at best. She got the bulk of it but I still had to pluck strays when I got home. My lip wax was fine but as I mentioned, it was a little more painful than Im used to.
It was on the more expensive side and wasn’t really warranted considering she didn’t even apply a soothing gel or anything.
Final Thoughts: if you’re in a pinch and it’s your only option, it’ll do. But otherwise I don’t think I would recommend Facing Thayer for waxing.

So, when you walk in to Facing Thayer, you think you’ve hit the jack pot. It’s gorgeous — great layout, stunning décor, yummy products — but that’s the best thing about it. For reals.
I’ve had a facial here that was pretty good, a mani/​pedi that was less than good, and a few waxes that went terribly wrong.
I’ll start with the facial. It was relaxing, enjoyable, and felt really good, but I don’t think it was worth the cash I plunked down for it — it was WICKED expensive and she really didn’t do and extractions, which is really what I’m paying for!
The mani/​pedi was sort of a mess — streaky polish that chipped after a day of wear, less than stellar color selection. It just wasn’t great.
The waxing… well, I think I was allergic to the wax. BUT — that’s no excuse for leaving stray hairs when that what I went through all that pain to have removed! I was less than enthused, and will never go back for that service.
But I do love thier retail… it’s so luxurious and pretty. If you’re looking for a gift or a treat for yourself, I recommend popping in here… It’s to die.

Great lil shop and salon. Wonderful products. I swear Facing Thayer is the only salon in Providence that actually does a Brazilian — and they do a great job. I’ve gone to both Sherri and Jess (Jess does the brazilians) and they both did a wonderful job. I have thin eyebrows and am always nervous about waxing after a threader sliced through my arc. My brows were left natural and just cleaned up.
Prices are similar to what I’m used to paying in Los Angeles but I guess it may be a little expensive for Providence. In my opinion, waxing services are not something to skimp out on so finding a great esthetician.
Other spa services such as mani/​pedis and facials are also available but I haven’t tried them out yet.

I had initially written Facing Thayer a harsh review because I was so disappointed with my first couple of visits — didn’t feel the aesthetician gave enough consideration to my input and personal requests, and given the profuse accolades from Unilocalers and local mags, I was extra disappointed with the results.
However, I’m pleased to say my upset was quickly rectified after the owner was made aware of my complaints: She went out of her way to understand my dissatisfaction, took steps to address the issues with her staff, and offered to personally handle my next consultation to ensure that I would be a happy camper — that’s a significant effort for just one customer!
So notwithstanding a rough start, and giving consideration to the fact that they use quality products and charge reasonable prices, I would definitely give Facing Thayer another go.

Perfect for a treat to yourself, girl’s day out, or quick pick-​me-​up product splurge!
I opted for a back facial during a bachelorette pre-​party event this weekend and the quality of the service was superior. The perfect treatment in these cold winter days, I left completely relaxed and pampered.
The décor is whimsical, the staff make you feel like old friends. I live in Boston but will absolutely make the trip to Providence for another visit!