The Nature Company

The next time I’m thinking of getting a mani/​pedi, massage or hair treatment I WILL NOT think of ‘The Nature Company’
I’m not sure why think they are somehow superior to others b/​c they use all organic products. At least that’s the impression I got. I was told at least 20 times during my 2 hour visit that they were an all vegan/​organic salon. That’s great but who cares if you are organic when your products suck! The «facial» was forgettable. The «massage» was painful. And the mani/​pedis were umm, let’s just say weird. The chick that did my nails was reclusive and barely spoke. It was awkward. On top of that the front desk made it a point to remind us that the girls don’t work for free so we need to tip! Ha! Tip for what? Taking me in b/​c you promised a wonderful deal and didn’t deliver? Please! Won’t ever go back. This is why I never trust living social when it comes to places like this. They rarely work out well.
To the owners: next time you agree to do a Living Social deal please make sure you are capable to accommodate a large group of people as I’m assuming you meant for most of these clients to come back.

Go see Jessica for deep bodywork. she is amazing

I had one of the Living Social deals here. The wording read: «Pay just $ 99 (regularly $ 208) for a 60-​minute massage, 60-​minute facial, deep-​conditioning treatment, blowout, and a mani/​pedi at The Nature Company.»
Awesome deal! Right? Too good to be true? It kind of was.
First was the appointment. I called 6 weeks before it expired and was told I could not do all my treatments in one visit because Living Social had oversold the deal. That’s fine. I booked a facial and massage on the first visit AND the mani/​pedi, blowout on the second visit.
On the first visit, I also paid for a brow and lip wax.
Then were the visits… interesting.
Pros:
— They use all natural vegan products.
— Excellent Swedish Massage. I wish I remembered her name.
— Condition and Blow out by Erin was awesome. She was super nice great at what she did.
— Because they use vegan products, the nail area does not smell like a laboratory that is ready to blow.
— The nail area does not have those pedicure thrones, thus reducing chances of fungus infections.
— The vegan polish they used lasted forever on my toe nails without chipping.
Cons:
— Brow and lip wax left me red for 3 days.
— Facial made me break out starting the next day.
— Mani and Pedi were forgettable. Seemed more like a polish change and my feet were no better after.
Deal breakers:
— I received a facial from the owner who proceeded to complain to me about how Living Social had oversold and nearly put them out of business. She talked and ranted nearly the entire facial.
— When I arrived, the tattooed receptionist was not warm or friendly, but snitty. My appointments had been booked out of order and I was very specific about wanting to do the massage AFTER the facial so as not to undue any relaxation. She said if I wanted to call Living Social and get a refund I could. The owner came out and accommodated me. But after hearing the whole Living Social nightmare in my facial… I understand why they would point straight to a refund (one less customer to lose money on).
— Upon tipping (and I am a generous tipper), I asked the receptionist the regular price of each of the services so I could tip accordingly. It appeared to me that sum of the costs of the services I was purchasing were adding up to more than the «regularly $ 208» by more than $ 100.
When I go to a spa, I do not go there to add stress, but to de-​stress. The overall vibe of the place was stressful, not helpful, and down right rude at times. While I did have 2 specific services that were stellar, the lack of professionalism from the receptionist and owner really ruined the experience for me.
I feel for the Living Social debacle and it nearly driving them out of business. Having said that, the stress that the Living Social deal put on The Nature Company should not have been passed to the clients as this is a way for a client to find out if they want to become a regular customer.
Would I try them again? I have gone 2x and almost did not go back the second time because of the attitude. Not sure I would unless I had a gift certificate. It is too bad. My downtown full service day spa has changed owners and has lost it’s luster, so I was looking for a new spa home.

So I called to make my appointment for the facial/​massage to complete my Living Social deal, and they ended up booking me for over a month out from when I called, so they could fit me in with Sarah and Martha (who is apparently the owner). I had been told to see Sarah for the massage and someone else (whose name I forget) for the facial, but I was told the one girl no longer works there and that Martha does great facials (and especially extractions, which I asked about). Meanwhile, I received an email from someone named Frank who is apparently the co-​owner and marketing director, and based on my original review, he wanted to offer me a complimentary upgrade when I returned for the remainder of my services. I emailed him back to let him know when my appointment was, but I never heard from him again.
Anyway, last Thursday was finally the day of my appointment. I arrived and was told two different women would be taking care of my facial/​massage. I was confused, because I was under the impression that my appointment was with Sarah and Martha. Apparently Sarah no longer works there and Martha was taking a class that day, and no one felt it necessary to call me in advance to let me know and see if I’d like to select someone (s) else. While the girl at the front desk was apologetic about this, I felt uncomfortable saying I wanted to reschedule for Martha, and so I went ahead with the girl they selected, who apparently had been working there for a couple weeks. She was very nice/​apologetic and did a decent enough job, but my face broke out the next day. On to the massage, when asked what kind of pressure I wanted, I said «firm-​ish,» but she didn’t apply even close to firm pressure. I was pretty disappointed overall and have definitely had better massages. Whatever upgrade I was supposed to get from Frank, well, needless to say, there was no mention of that.
Sadly, my original rating stays the same. At this point, they’ve been open for a number of months now, and they’re still extremely meh.

Admist all the negative reviews, I was wary of going here and almost canceled my appointment but I am glad I did not.
I had a Groupon that was expiring in June and they let me schedule an appointment in July and still honored my Groupon.
THUMBS UP!
I arrived for my 6pm appointment as recommended on their website 15 minutes early and the receptionist told me that she was running 15 minutes late.
THUMBS DOWN!
I went and had a yummy Boomerang curry chicken pot pie and root beer on tap next door.
THUMBS UP!
I returned back to Nature Co. and waited until 6:30pm (30 mins late now) for my appointment to start. The receptionist even started chatting in the back for 15 mins with the nail tech.
THUMBS DOWN!
I met the nail tech, Lacey Lacy and she was very apologetic about the tardiness. She was very nice and pleasant .
THUMBS UP!
I loved that the salon had all organic nail colors and products.
THUMBS UP!
Lacy did a very good and thorough job with my spa manicure and my spa pedicure with nice hand, arm, foot and leg massages. The lotions they used also smelled delightful. The weird soaking bowl looked like a large metal mixing bowl which was strange but it still felt nice.
THUMBS UP!
I am not sure if it was worth the regular price of $ 60 but with the Groupon price, it was more than worth it and Lacey was a joy to talk to and have do my nails. I would go back again.
THUMBS UP!

Went here a while back for mani/​pedi. I was thinking that the girl just phoned in my services because I was using a Groupon, but based on other reviewers, it sounds like what I received is status quo.
Shoddy work on my hands (she even left one of my nails uneven and didn’t bother with my cuticles), and no scubbing or massaging on my feet or calves.
If these nice folks are trying to make a go of having a business — they really need to put in a little effort. Maybe they should go to a REAL pedicure place to see what the service should be.

Worst pedi ever — had a groupon for mani/​pedi but only used pedi portion as I have «solar nails» — my feet were in NO better shape when I left. The only reason I’m giving one star is the girl was pretty nice & the line of nail polish they use is awesome: SpaRituals. Needed to get a pedi the next day.

I just had a mani/​pedi here today and really enjoyed it. I don’t get them very often but I do like to indulge a couple of times a year.
The salon atmosphere was nice and calming. Everything seemed clean and fresh. All the staff were very pleasant from my initial call to book my appointment through to the end. Initially, I was only booked for a pedicure but there was a cancellation and so they were able to include more services this time. It was really nice not smelling some of the stronger odors of some (nail) salons.

Terrible. Like some other reviewers, I too had a groupon and needed to use it by a certain date. I called two days in a row and their phone continued to ring without anybody answering it. I then left a note on their website to see if they would get in contact with me. Nothing. When I finially reached somebody, the lady on the phone was extremely rude to me and then when she found out that I had a groupon she said they weren’t taking anymore appointments and that I would have to deal with groupon to get my money back, which I have yet to see.
I’m sure they put out the groupon to develop buisness, but as far as I’m concerned I will never use this salon and I will encourage everybody I know to do the same. Whatever happened to customer service?

I’m so glad I stumbled on The Nature Company through Living Social. I was lucky to be able to to book the massage, facial, medi/​pedi and hair blowout all at once.
The massage was excellent. The masseuse was very skilled and helped relax my target problem areas. She also showed a quick demonstration on the Master’s she is currently pursuing in another massage area.
The facial was very relaxing. The only con to the facial was it ended up exfoliating my piercing, which got a little infected afterwards. If you have a facial piercing, be sure to cover it up with a water proof band aid (more for newer piercings). After my facial, I felt like my face was glowing.
The medi/​pedi was alright. The nail person was very friendly and nice, but the actual service was very basic — just a soak, trim, and paint.
As for the hair blowout — I had mentioned wanting volume, and boy, did I get volume. I had a bit of Texas hair for a little bit, but after it settled down, I loved it.
Side note — I found out that this salon is one of the view that uses natural products, which work just as well as those other hair and nail products.

I went in for a one hour massage yesterday. It was my first visit and I didn’t know what to expect based on other reviews here. But I must say I was very impressed. The girl at the reception desk was very friendly, and I had one of the best massages EVER! Shana talked to me about my problem areas, and really did a good job on focusing on those spots and working out the knots. As a photographer, I carry a lot of heavy equipment, take photos in weird contorted positions, and generally am very hard on my body at work. But I literally felt an inch taller and swear I almost drooled I was so relaxed! Plus, Shana was just so sweet and friendly. I will definitely be back for more!

I had a livingsocial deal for a bunch of services. I’m not even using three of the services because I just don’t want to go back there. The deep conditioning/​blowout was terrible. I left the salon with a frizzy mess on my head that I had to go home and fix with a flat iron.

Gave it a 4 b/​c still have services to get… but I am a FAN! The people don’t get nicer or care more! (When reviewing reviews, please check dates… management has really taken time to listen and improve based on feedback received.)
They have a new receptionist and seem to truly care. I purchased a deal via Living Social and am quite happy! :-))) Massage, facial, mani/​pedi… will be heading back next week for conditioning and blow out.
Each person was incredibly knowledgeable… especially during the mani/​pedi since she is a vegan and the salon is organic. (Organic is a plus for me but not an essential… but the knowledge — — PRICELESS.) Of course, please take into consideration there isn’t much talking during massage or facial so their depth of knowledge couldn’t be ascertained by me.
Oh — — BONUS… the chocolate masque at the end of your facial will transport you to your younger days when mixing chocolate cake mix — — the aroma is intoxicating… loved it and couldn’t help but be incredibly happy.
Thank you!!!

Had a groupon for Spa services to use. When I scheduled the apt the front desk offered that I can split the apt into two days, or do all of my services in one day. I opted for the two days.
So my review is of the massage and facial. I thought both were wonderful. I esp enjoyed the massage, I have had quite a few so im really picky. My therapist Jessica was great, she had a comforting way about her, and explained some of the work she was going to do. Which was helpful, but I would have prefered less explaination. I think that is just personal preference. The massage was fabulous! I will be back.

Can I give them zero stars? They have some of the worst customer service I have ever seen. I love Spas and am willing to splurge on these luxuries but the woman lost my first appointment, cancelled my other appointment, and had overall AWFUL customer service. I suggest going to Milk & Honey or one the other amazing spas with great customer service.
NATURE COMPANY IS DEFINITELY NOT WORTH IT!!!

Was an amazing experience, Christina was awesome!!!

Worst mani/​pedi EVER. I dont’ think the young woman, who mumbled her name and asked my name FOUR TIMES in an hour, had ever HAD a manicure or a pedicure herself. She did no exfoliation at all, just kept telling me that if I’d upgraded to the deluxe, or whatever they call it, she’d be doing lots of other things. All she did was soak my nails, use some horrid sharp tool to gouge my cuticles, and paint my nails — even asked if I really wanted a second coat. That was it. I kept thinking she was going to add some kind of flourish at the end, and was really struggling not to get upset, since the point of going to a spa is to relax. This was not relaxing, but infuriating. I needed another manicure the next day. They wasted an hour of my time. Never going back.

i had the groupon for massage, facial, hair treament/​blow out, and mani/​pedi
my massage review stays at 5 stars. that massage therapist should go work somewhere else. she was great.
i went in for my hair conditioning, blow out and facial. i left pissed.
the facial was horrid. brittany talked to herself (like telling herself what to do next «ok im guna wash my hands» «ok take off the mask» all throughout the facial she said aloud what steps were next, in a way of reminding herself, not just informing me. she offered an exfoliator and she literally said «it will make you red for a long time» and then she offered another exfoliator that wont make you red. obviously i opted for the non red one. she then left the room to get it and didnt even tell me she was leaving. she spent more time at the sink than on my face. she used witch hazel ($ 1.99 at walgreens) and told me this was a great toner from their line. im convinced that the real esthetician didnt show up that day and the front desk girl filled in. by far the worst hour ive spent at a «spa»
or wait, until after that when i got my hair done
the girl who greeted me started talking about products before she even said my name. the entire time she washed my hair was nothing but products selling, even when i would ask a random question just to get off the subject of products, she would just revert back to products. when she was done she asked if i was going to take any products home with me today and i just avoided giving an answer, which pissed her off, so when i sat under the dryer for an ungodly time some other girl who smelled like she still had a cigarette in her hand came and said «im going to dry your hair» cool, um so whats your name? do you know mine at least? are you here cuz the other girl knew i didnt want products? i had to put my purse on the floor, there was no other option. i sat and sweated, and even mentioned how hot it was and all she said was, «i know» and i just counted down the seconds until i was done. later that day when i got out of my car i got a whiff of nice smelling olive shampoo! followed by stale cigarette smoke. bummer.
neither one of these treatments are what you would expect from a NATURE spa. the face products have dimethicone which is not natural, and having a therapist who smells of smoke is not natural. this was the first time ever that i did not tip. i just couldnt wait to run out of the door.
I MUST ADD that i tried twice to contact the owner, or a manager to give my feedback to them rather than post it. that was over 3 weeks ago and i still have yet to hear from anyone.

May did my hair as well, and she is truly great. I am in the process of growing my hair out, so I had a lot of questions pertaining to haircare for my ever lengthening locks. She answered all of them so thoroughly that by the time I left I felt like I had just taken a master class in haircare! The price was very reasonable — $ 45. I also bought the go local card. I really treated myself with a deep condition. I felt a bit like Betty Draper sitting under the big hair dryer. Also, all of the products are vegan and cruelty free! That’s huge. This is my new go to salon.

My experience here was fantastic.
I needed to get the henna stripped out of my hair and recolored red. My stylist returned my phone calls several times to tell me what the process would be and did additional research to see the best way to do it.
(Henna, if not stripped out, can turn green or other colors if it’s dyed over).
The atmosphere is quiet and comfortable — the classical music and waterfalls kind of quiet. I prefer to use my salon time to relax and study rather than to listen to gossip and loud rock music, which has been my experience in other Austin salons.
My stylist, May, was nice and helped to explain each product she was using, but not in a «I’m trying to sell you something» kind of way. She also had neon green hair.
In the end, my hair looks amazing — it’s so soft and the color is brilliant. I spent way less than I would have at other salons (stripping, color and deep conditioning were only $ 84… that included tip!!).
Tips:
— Bring your stylist a vegan treat from Wheatsville or Toy Joy (it is a vegan salon, afterall).
— Use your Go Local card for a substantial discount.