Dermaesthetica

While I was sitting in the waiting area to get my hot stone massage I was checking out other people’s reviews. I have to admit, I started to get a bit nervous because of how horrible everyone said their experience was. I am here to tell you that they were ALL WRONG! The couple that ran the place were very pleasant and accommodating. Prior to making my appointment I let them know I was 8 weeks pregnant. They had already done their research and knew exactly what to do. When my husband and I got there they remembered I was pregnant and were extremely helpful and accommodating to my needs! The gentleman that actually performed my hot stone massage (of whom they told me prior) was super professional and awesome at what he does!!!
My husband and I left feeling SUPER relaxed and very happy with our experience. My advice to all of you review readers is to give your own opinion of this place! I give it two thumbs up and would gladly go back again!
OH…and I WAS offered water afterwards, thank you very much!!!

Wow. Other reviewers are quite dramatic.
This was a good solid massage, I don’t think hot stone is really my thing, but I would be open to going back to Lev for a myofascial release style massage.
To counter other comments, they were highly professional and friendly. I was offered water afterward. Lev checked in with me on pressure and heat. It was a pleasant experience with no red flags.
I get the feeling that some people on here are just plain xenophobic. They are a nice Russian couple and some people just have a discomfort with foreigners.

I had to post that I received one of THE worst massages I have ever had here. The only one that was as bad as this was done when I was on an island vacation by someone I’m sure was not licensed.
I actually felt worse after the massage. I was shocked to find myself covered in oil at the end, including my hair, yuck, and I left with a headache which lasted for hours.
I am posting this because I know that people will purchase online deals, so that I can warn them to stay away. This Russian guy, Lev, is really weird, and unprofessional. Part of this may be due to cultural/​communication issues, but wow, I would just advise people to take my advice and steer clear.

Worst massage ever. Let me list the reasons why:
The website and the woman on the phone gave no mention of the fact that it would be a man giving the massage, so right off the bat I was taken by surprise.
I’m whisked into the room by this man, and he tells me to disrobe to my level of comfort etc– I had to ask him, «What’s your name?» because he gave no introduction. It’s Lev, by the way.
I tried to get beyond this and relax on the table. He comes in, and can you believe right of the bat starts chatting with me? He keeps chatting, asking me questions, and telling me his stories (which were mostly giving me his opinions of places, types of people in his life), the WHOLE time. Umm, isn’t a massage is supposed to be a RELAXING experience?
Not only was he talking and distracting me from my aim to relax, but he would often pause, remove his hands from wherever he was supposedly massaging, until he finished his sentence, then continue. Really unprofessional.
But wait, there’s more. He would find a spot that was sore on me, jam his finger into that spot– and when I Unilocaled «ouch, that hurts!» he would say, «see, that’s where you have the problem» then proceed to do it again– on the same side then again on the other side of my back/​neck whatever! WTF kind of torture is this?! I know what he was trying to do– to «show me» that he knew something only he could fix so I’d be oh so eager to come back again and again until that pain was gone. But no, I was not fooled in the least. He was just looking to hurt me. Again, NOT relaxing. And NOT professional– any other masseuse would have apologized and asked if I would prefer for them to work on it or go more lightly, etc.
The place has no shower, so afterward I’m covered with oil (even on my scalp!) and have to put my clothes back on and drive home all sticky and gross.
***
This is in response to owner’s comment below:
1. Your website and groupon should be honest and state that the ONLY massage therapist working there is a man.
2. The talking had nothing to do with finding my level of comfort or asking for feedback. It had everything to do with what restaurants he likes, what he felt about different ethnicity/​nationality of people he has met, stories about how he ended up in Portland, etc.
3. interruption was not during hot stone to replace them, it was during hand on skin massage and was for Lev to gesture with his hands while he was telling stories. It was complete interruption of what he was supposed to be doing.
4. The soreness was completely absent before the massage, and only appeared when he literally would seek out spots to hurt me. What I said was completely honest, and surprising. He would find a place, push super hard until I squirmed and said, «ouch» then push AGAIN instead of stopping to apologize/​ask for feedback/​change tactics or any other range of options he could have done. THEN, to my complete shock he proceded to do the EXACT SAME THING on the other side of my back and neck! So yes, I do consider this part torture, not massaging, and not professional. Thus my use of the F letter, not even the word.

When I moved from LA to Portland I searched long and hard for a facialist who had the proper micro-​dermabrasion equipment (diamond) to keep my skin looking it’s best. After a year’s search I found Marina Volod of Dermaesthetica. Not only is her micro-​dermabraison equipment what I was looking for, she has also acquired a wonderful ‘face scraping’ (my word for it) technique that makes the skin clear and smooth. The products she formulates are wonderful too. Highly recommended!

FYI, massage is done by a Russian man, said he did hot stones.
Not against a russian and do usually prefer the power of a man, but, he’s not skilled. Very disappointed and could not wait to get off his table… sorry.