Yin Beauty & Art - review

Yin Beauty & Art
22 E. 66th Street, NY NY
between Madison and Fifth Avenues.
Well this is a preview. Called this morning to make an appointment for their Yin/Yang Qi special, $145 for a body and facial treatment, and yes that really is a bargain. I was all excited, this being a spa based on Chinese medicine principles. Made my appointment for Wednesday, at 10:30am. The person who answered the phone sounded authentically Chinese, but really really tired. I hope this is not the owner or the person going to do my treatments. Sure, I guess 10am is a tad early for some, but still... Will update when I get the treatment.....

Real Review:
In my life I've had a fair handful of facials, and I can definitely rate the one at Yin Beauty to be the best I've had.

I made an appointment for the Yin/Yang Qi 2-hour treatment special, but at the last minute, just before going into the treatment room, I asked if we could switch to the slimming/detox treatment. Tracey, my facialist, was very accommodating, and was able to do it since she didn't have a next appointment. Not only did the treatment last an hour and half, but she charged me for the original special price of $165 - what a bargain!

Began with this essential oils scalp massage - something I always poo-pooed as frivolous until I had this one - it was deeply relaxing and I felt it through my whole body. And this was just the beginning.

The Slimming Treatment involved focus on the "problem areas" like the thighs and tummy, and involved a dry brush (felt like a cat's tongue), smothering of this pepper-like lotion that turned and stayed very hot on your skin, wrapped and rewrapped again and stayed that way until the end of the entire treatment. Then my feet were hoisted onto this machine that was to "imitate the motions of a fish swimming" as it basically wiggled my legs side to side, moving the lymph stuff around and out. It was a bit odd, but not terrible, and if you just accepted it and let it do its thing, then it was somewhat relaxing.

The facial was endless. I felt like she kept putting some lotion on my face, then taking it off, about a dozen times. On, then wipe off; on, then wipe off, again and again. I'm sure it was different stuff she was putting on, but I couldn't tell. The extractions were not so bad, though I still have the blotches from it 24 hours later and that I think is a little long for the blotches to still be hanging around.

After I was done, I was offered a rose tea to sip, and given some sample green tea bags to take with me. It was almost like there was no mention of paying, and they were in no hurry for me to leave - a switch from most other spas.

Pros: I felt like a new person when the treatments were done; my aesthtician was superfriendly, caring and accomodating; no pushing of their products; my face is the smoothest it's been since I was maybe 12 months old? Great atmosphere and decor, small and cozy space with not a lot of people about, but very relaxing and down to earth staff.

Cons: she could use a little more experience I think - I had to stop and ask for a tissue so I can spit out some of the face product that got into my mouth and tasted incredibly bitter; my face is still blotchy after the extractions, 24 hours later, and I've never had blotches last this long; treatments were on the high end of the price range, but with the specials they run, it's not so bad on the wallet.

Recommendations: For facials and body treatment, Yes, absolutely! A bit on the pricy side, but they apparently run specials all the time, so check their website before booking.

AND ONE YEAR LATER....
I returned here for another facial/body treatment, feeling so positive for the previous one. And yeah, okay, so it took me another year to return, but I've been busy, so leave me alone.

My review is mixed - I though the place looked a little more run down than the previous year. The beautiful Oriental decor got mixed in with storage space. The seats looked a little run down, and the bathroom was neglected - burnt down candles, empty bottle of fragrance, empty dishes with leftover soap residue. It was sad to see. I had the same esthetician, and felt she was a little more... harsh with her touch, a bit more careless. Again, got facial product in my mouth, as well as in my eye (I wear contact lenses so this is a big concern for me). I got the month's facial/body special but she talked me into getting an additional treatment to salve the redness of the extractions - at the cost of another $50. The 2-hour treatment went to 2.5 hours, and by the end I was stiff and cranky and tired and wanted to just leave. I got the products push when I was getting ready to pay, her even telling me that the products I use just weren't good enough, how terrible my skin is (yes I have problems with it, but did she bother to think it might be laziness on my part?). I was already smarting from the extra $50 fee tagged on, so I refused the products.

On the upside, my skin on both face and body felt amazingly soft for a good week afterwards. My skin rarely looks this good, and I did look more refreshed and even younger than I have in a while.

So, the end result is great, but they left me feeling not so great - and isn't that the whole purpose of spa indulgences, to feel awesome and pampered and comforted?

I heard rumor they might be opening a second location - I would recommend they put the money into keeping up the first location as it sorely needs it.