Estrella Apothecary & Spa

I know Nissa has studied for years and continues to do so — learning never stops in order to offer top quality service, information and products. She has heart and recognizes the heart in everyone, whether they walk through the door or not. She also reflects the family support she has.

Savita has been my aesthetician since 2012. I originally sought her as the only practitioner I could find online in the Twin Cities from who I considered receiving sugaring services (good description of sugaring process, benefits, etc. on the spa website and relatively affordable). I got my first brazilian sugaring from her, and many more after that. I have also gotten several facials, and the occasional brow wax.
Due to the nature of my body hair and especially now after regular sugarings, I am typically a very easy client. I have had some sensitive sessions, however, and Savita is very efficient and professional at moving quickly and being responsive to body language and pain signals on those days. She makes the whole process look easy, and assuredly it is not– I’ve tried it myself. I have an advanced genital piercing and we have had no problems working with it so it is not pulled. I am always happy at how thorough she is with the sugaring.
Savita is very accomodating, and fantastic at determining services that suit her clients’ skin care needs. I just had a facial at Estrella including some products from the Laurel organic line — probably the yummiest I have ever smelled, and very effective to boot. She has consistently great product recommendations — and I am saying this as someone typically averse to spa/​salon purchases. The spa had some products discounted to 50% off which was absolutely unexpected as the most I have seen at other spas is in the 20% range.
Estrella is deeply dedicated to using natural, holistic products on clients and stays aware of current product knowledge and education. I am fairly wary of chemicals in skin care products, so I appreciate having a huge selection of products that I can trust. Nissa has taken great care to tailor the beauty and hair care lines sold in the shop. The Estrella space is a welcoming environment with nice touches everywhere (foot warmers during services, cloth hand towels in the bathroom).
Notably, there is a no tipping policy at the spa– something to take into consideration if you are comparing menu prices. It is fantastic because both the practitioners and the clients have the same understanding for the ‘transaction’ aspect of a visit and so the focus can be on clients’ wellness desires. Also there is online booking, which is always a plus for me. Street parking is free, and there’s two dedicated spots in the back.

After deciding to try out a different massage place in Minneapolis when my old massage therapist left an Uptown practice, I came across Estrella and decided to give it a try since it seemed interesting.
I’m so glad I did. The storefront and inside environment is so bright, beautiful, and relaxing. You can see the attention to detail in everything from the outside storefront to the massage room and even the bathroom (lush curtains, settees, hand towels for each bathroom visitor). Each time I’ve gone, both Josh and Nissa have been attentive without being pushy while also sharing some of their knowledge regarding health concerns (in my case, wrist strain and skin issues) and the products they sell (holistic spa-​grade skincare, makeup, body brushes, candles, etc.).
I’ve had massages with Nissa (the owner) a few different times now and really enjoy the hot stones used to loosen muscles and the soft, scent-​free massage table. After each session, I’ve always left feeling rested and relaxed. Not only is the massage itself great, but the pricing is fair and competitive with what you might find at other spas in Minneapolis.
Highly recommended for everyone who wants to take care of themselves and/​or is feeling like a «Treat yo’self» day ;)