Hela Spa

I’ve had deep pore facials from Jennifer since January, and highly recommend her. She has an upbeat demeanor and a light touch. My skin breaks out at a drop of a hat, and she extracts all the blackheads and other dirt to leave me with glowing skin.

I went to Hela for the first time today and had a glycolic peel facial with Jennifer. Ohhhhhh man. It was absolutely wonderful. The waiting area is relaxing and comfortable, the staff attentive and so friendly, and Jennifer was just what I needed today. I wanted to try the peel/​facial but was open to her thoughts and she was so helpful and kind. Plus, the facial itself was incredibly relaxing and covered my neck and shoulders, too. As a mom of three with limited time and plenty ofnstress, this special treat lived up to all I hoped.

Go see Bonnie. She is absolutely amazing and will make you look years younger. Her experience and expertise is not to be believed. I hadn’t had a facial in years and not only did she work her magic to help me fix years of neglect, she offered reasonable and easy solutions for my daily routine. She doesn’t push product on you, but does give her recommendations (which you should take, by the way) for real results. I suffered from adult acne out of the blue, and with her simple skin care routine, haven’t had a breakout in over 2 years. Its a MIRACLE. I have been to spas all over the world and I have never EVER had someone with more skill, more kindness or responsiveness provide this kind of service. She is the definition of professional, she listens and makes your goals for skincare a reality. I can’t say enough good things about her, you will be so glad you went to see her and just as grateful as I am.

I have always loved it here Bonnie and Christy are amazing. I recommend both of them. They are both just wonderful. Christy thanks for making my dad feel so relaxed about getting his IPL. I almost forgot the front desk is so friendly and helpful. You are always greeted with a smile and the candle smells just lovely.

I initially tried Hela based on the rave reviews from Unilocal.All in all, I am so glad I tried this place, and I super recommend Kaitlin for your facial/​skincare needs. How has this girl not been written about here yet?!
I booked an appointment with Kaitlin for the red light treatment. I showed up about ten minutes early and was met with a few standard forms to fill out regarding allergies, skin concerns, etc. The free coffee/​tea during form-​fill out was a nice touch.
Kaitlin met me exactly on time and took me back to the treatment room. The spa is very tucked away on busy M Street, and the treatment rooms are all silent and located in the way back of the building. It was super relaxing just being there with the nice smells, the dim light, and the QUIET.
After a solid examination of my skin, Kaitlin explained the red light therapy treatment to me, and made sure to highlight the fact that it doesn’t usually work as a «one and done» treatment; rather, you need to do it in a series spaced 2 or so weeks apart. I really appreciated how Kaitlin explained this to me, and especially how she explained the certain benefits that I would actually see if I decided to do it. The reason I liked Kaitlin so much is because she was not a salesman trying to push procedures and products on me — she asked me if I would be committed (time wise and financially) to doing the full red light series to see the benefits. Time and financial constraints told me that it wasn’t the most realistic procedure for me, nor would I get the best bang for my buck. It was cool to me that Kaitlin guided me away from something she knew wouldn’t be ideal for me. Huge thumbs up in that department.
Kaitlin said, looking at my skin, that she recommended a glycolic peel followed by a facial with extractions. At first I thought she was trying to get me to spend more than the red light I had initially come in for (inner cynic in me…), but in fact, this duo-​treatment was CHEAPER than the red light therapy! Bless. The world needs more professionals like Kaitlin who actually care about client results and happiness over the $$$.
The peel itself was brief and tingly, as expected. The facial was heavenly (hate to use adjectives like that, but when deserved I will). I’m not a huge fan of extractions, as I find they leave me worse off than I started, so next time I’ll make sure to avoid them (personal preference). Kaitlin gave me thorough follow-​up instructions, a generous SPF moisturizer sample, and her email address in case anything unexpected happened in the following days.
The glycolic peel worked wonders, honestly. I’m going back soon to get another. It definitely improved my skin texture and helped a bit with my dreary winter skin. Hela is definitely pricy, but it’s important to invest in your skin, and Kaitlin is the go-​to IMO.

I got a facial and an eyebrow wax in July — was $ 194 after tax & tip, which is pretty expensive even by Georgetown standards. Facial was okay, but the wax was terrible. I left with what I thought was just normal irritation, but turned out to be a pretty serious skin lift. Fast forward five months, I now have a permanent scar above my eyelid. Nice.
I would not recommend.

I have been getting facials since I was 25… I take them very seriously (i’m now in my late 40s). I have gone to all the best spas, including in New York City where I lived for ten years. I’ve gone to famous dermatologists. None of them come close to Bonnie’s facials at Hela. I had terrible breakouts… often cystic breakouts and no one had ever been able to help me until Bonnie. After a few months of seeing her my face was completely clear. She knows all about the latest options for skin, including what will help you stay looking young. After I started seeing her people started commenting on how amazing my skin looked. What I particularly love about her is that she is careful and not overly aggressive so you don’t have to worry about being harmed by too much glycolic or whatever she is doing. She also tries everything she recommends. I truly can not recommend her enough.
I have also had other services at Hela, including massages and facials from other technicians and have always been thrilled by the services. I recommend this spa to everyone I know.

Bonnie has saved my skin! Finally, I’ve found someone that is definitely an expert. Bonnie is the most knowledgeable esthetician I have been to, plus she provides a relaxing experience and is very professional. She answered all of my questions in great detail… basically Bonnie is amazing! I highly recommend her.

Yesterday I had a facial with Bonnie at Hela. It was fantastic. One of the best facials I have ever had. Her knowledge about skin and advice were much appreciated, as was the pampered glow I left the salon with. I was impressed with Hela in general. It is hard to locate from the street, but once you find it you step into an oasis of calm. The receptionists are friendly and helpful and the waiting area is stocked with refreshments. Great experience all round!

Even more rethinking with respect to Hela. I had scheduled an appointment about six to eight weeks in advance and exchanged email to confirm with the provider that the appointment was ‘on.’ The software for the site is not entirely clear on the confirmation process. The provider confirmed.
The provider next cancelled the day of the appointment. Hela called twice thta morning to let me know so I could reschedule. (Because my time is fungible and of course I would not mind.) The provider never emailed or called directly to smooth the situation over. I had structured my day around this appointment. When anticipating services that will cost several hundred dollars — granted, that is a pittance for the multitudes, although not for me – part of that anticipated cost might reasonably include the idea that the provider will provide the services.
This was not the first time that I had had a late cancellation/​no-​show with Hela. Apparently they neither want nor need my business. Others may have better luck. It is a shame, because they are generally good, although sometimes do as they please and not ask about the order of things, just going along as they wish. But generally good.

Nice place! Kind personal! Facial is good but doesn’t get 5 stars from me, as I am very experienced with this kind of procedures. No doubt the staff knows skin texture and do facials properly but after I noticed unfinished spots. Still wishing them good luck!

This place does not deserve words. There services speak wonders! Made a last minute appointment. Was my first time and it was a wonderful experience. The location is in downtown Georgetown so make time for parking…

Update
I got the Juvederm Voluma filler in my cheeks by Christy and I couldn’t be happier with the results, I have had filler in the past and it hurt way more then this experience did. She used a very strong numbing cream before the filler as well as ice! I have had filler in my nose folds before and while it helped make me look a little bit younger, doing filler in the cheeks helped way more, it really lifted up my whole face! Very pleased with the service and results!

Love this place! I am tough critic and have spent a small fortune on my skin due to my skin sensitivities. I was so pleased to find Kelly Rose after recently moving to DC. In addition to being meticulous and experienced, I loved that the first time I visited her, she recommended a less expensive treatment than the one I had originally come in for (i.e., no up-​selling or pressure to purchase products here). Plus, she put me on a routine that helped my skin look great for my recent wedding! Highly recommend.

I am definitely not a facial novice — on the contrary, facials and pedicures are two of the girly/​upkeep things I indulge in at least quarterly. I began my facial journey in New York City at a small spa that specialized in organic treatments– pumpkin enzyme peels and other fruity/​foody things. After I moved back to DC and was want for a great facialist– I tried the odd facial here and there but was never blown away so I discontinued my search.
Then one day, I was touching my face on an odd Summer Friday and it just felt grimey and downright icky. So I searched around my office on Unilocal for a well-​rated spa and called over. I knew it would be a stretch to get an appointment on a Friday afternoon but they were able to accommodate me no problem!
I walked up to Hela Spa and filled out the usual questionnaire (the one I feel like no one ever reads). Kelly, my facialist, actually took the time to read through each of my responses. Not only that, but she spoke to me about the benefits of changing some habits and provided me with suggestions on how to develop a skin care régime. She gave me a great cleanser but didn’t push it on me. (I’ve been using it every day and it is awesome!)
Kelly was truly a delight and made the experience well worth the cost. Not only that, but talking with her actually made the extractions bearable! (talk about a great facialist) I’ll definitely be back next quarter.

What a great experience! I found this place with a GiltCity voucher, and I had braced myself for the worst– as businesses tend to treat Groupon/​Gilt/​LivingSocial customers a little more brusquely in my experience. Not the case at Hela!
I saw Kelly for a microdermabrasion, glycolic peel, and facial. I’ve always been a bit torn about skincare because I felt like «they» market a bunch of lotions, creams, and toners that have the same active ingredients as the stuff at CVS… but I’m a believer.
First, results– my face looks freaking amazing. I had a bit of stress-​related acne that just disappeared. And while I never had bad skin, my skin looks GREAT now.
Second, Kelly was totally awesome. She explained everything she was going to do before she started. She was super fun to chat with (and I generally dislike chatting!) And lastly, she didn’t push products as most spas are wont to do.
I’m taking a star off because Georgetown/​M St is kind of a pain to get to… but I will definitely be back!

Thank you Amber for my facial today!!! I arrived 30 minutes late (ugh DC traffic) and Amber couldn’t have been sweeter and more understanding about it. I really appreciated that she didn’t push products on me at the end (like a lot of people do) and it was really relaxing. My skin already looks a ton better. And unlike other places where I leave the spa looking busted, my skin is actually quite glow-​y looking. So glad to have found a nice place for pampering and acne treatment ;)
Amber has a busy schedule so book in advance!!!

I have been going to Hela for regular appointments since I moved to DC last summer. I’ve only ever seen Tiffany, but I can say of all the staff that I have interacted with that they are friendly, professional and efficient. Hela is comfortable and very clean, which is usually my number one concern with salons/​spas. Tiffany is great about specifying any prep and follow-​up instructions.
It can sometimes be hard to get an evening weekday appointment, but other than that I highly recommend Hela! I work in Georgetown which makes it super convenient for me, but I would definitely recommend making the trek to M Street even if I wasn’t as close.

Been going here for almost a year now and it’s really great. Consistently high quality.

I have decided to start making an investment in my skin. I found Hela through a referral to Bonnie. Omg was this the best referral ever. Not only was it the most relaxing facial, but Bonnie really addressed all of my needs for my skin. She recommended a ton of anti aging products (which I’ve been using for a month now .) My skin has never looked better. It’s firm and tight with no breakouts. I couldn’t be happier with Bonnie’s professionalism and knowledge. If you are looking for an amazing experience and a regimen for perfect skin, you must check out Bonnie at Hela. You won’t be disappointed.

Hela is a very open, relaxing space dedicated to pure rejuvenation. The customer service was really topnotch. This is a medi-​spa, so the initial consultation form only makes one think she’s in for her yearly visit to the doc… but, trust me, it’s all for the better. There are those daily muscular kinks and pesty skincare issues that we really don’t think about, because we don’t have time to truly focus on ourselves. Some spas are all ‘hype’, but Hela is not one of those. The organic facials are very refreshing. Shara (sp?) did an excellent job, while not butchering my natural brow line. She has a great personality. The masseuse was full of helpful advice, and really ‘worked’ my problem areas without causing me to wince in pain.
I didn’t try their teas, and I am less concerned about the décor. Cleanliness and friendliness are pretty much all that I’d ask for, when visiting any spa. They offer their own products, and don’t really ‘push’ them on you. I also saw some advertisements for pre-​wedding/​couple packages. I liked Hela, and really have no qualms. My only tip for future customers, specifically those of African descent with naturally curly hair, is to be aware that the facial will include an intense head massage, with lots of moisture. This is not a buyer-​be-​ware caution, at all. I just failed to mention that I’d rather not have water in my hair (I had just had it straightened with heat), but the massage felt so good that I, honestly, didn’t want to interrupt her. So, to all naturals out there, you get my drift…
Hela is almost easy to pass up (Georgetown storefront on 2^nd level), but I wouldn’t let the opportunity to visit pass you by… at least, once.

I’ve been to Hela for several peels and facials. I graduated from a vitalize peel to the rejuvenate peel, and those two peels have changed my skin monumentally for the better. I try to wait for their bi-​annual sale on the peels to keep it somewhat affordable!
The Hela staff is knowledgeable, helpful, and professional. After a peel, they’ll often give you their cell numbers so you can call if you experience any scary side effects — customer service and then some! They also sell skinmedica to supplement the processes they do in house. Love Hela. Will go there til I leave DC.

While I appreciate their efforts to use green products and maintain an impressively relaxing environment, I think that overall this place is over-​priced in comparison to the level of service that they provide. I came in for a facial because at the time I was suffering from severe and recurrent acne breakouts. I have gotten facials at several spas in the past, so I had my own expectations as to how a good asthetician would clean my face.
The lady who did my facial suggested that I get tested for allergies and avoid potential allergy-​inducing foods like milk, gluten, etc. While I did appreciate her advice, I was most disappointed in her effort at performing extractions. She only did them on one side of my face and deliberately avoided the other side. I didn’t pay nearly $ 150 just to get a half-a***ed job, pun intended. With such a high price point, I expected them to do more, and so I have gone off looking at other establishments in the city instead.