Essential Body Works

I’ve been going to Sofia for full body massage for the past 18 months. Having had several massages at different places, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Sophia works miracles! The first time I saw her, she worked on me for 90 minutes, which was 30 minutes beyond my expectations. She listens to me, and then works on those areas which are extremely tight. Though she’s a petite lady, she has a method that is phenomenal. In addition, she’s very soft spoken and caring, and always looking for ways to improve the experience.
The only reason I give Essential Body Works only 4 stars is because of the appearance of the spa from the outside. Once you walk inside their door, however, you feel relaxed and ready for some special treatment. Sophia deserves 5 stars, though! I always feel wonderful after my massage and look forward to another treatment.
If you are looking for the ultimate pampering in a luxury setting, Essential Body Works may come up a little short. But just a wee bit. I highly recommend Sofia.

I saw Sofia for a massage– she went above and beyond. I paid for 30 minutes and she worked on me for 50, without extra charge!!! The place was a little bit hidden in an office building but had a very lovely atmosphere. I feel great after my experience and will definitely be back.

There’s no other way to say it — Margaret is FANTASTIC! I’ve gone to her 3 times so far and I’m scheduling another appointment today. I’ve used Groupons a couple times but even without, full price is still an excellent rate for the experience. Not only are you provided with massage, but education (if you want it). Margaret has had years of training and continues to pursue higher education because she absolutely loves what she does. The physical massage is exceptional and the energy work and accupressure is wonderful. I always go in a ball of nerves and come out like a wet noodle. It’ so much more than just a massage, it’s an experience. THANK YOU, Margaret!

I was in town visiting a friend and was in need of a massage on my weekend getaway. We were looking for local spas and we found Essential Body Works on Unilocal.It had good reviews and it had a discount offer to boot. I called to see if they could fit me in that day and I was lucky they had an opening.
The place is an office, not really a spa setting, which helps cut down on the cost. My massage therapist was Margaret. She asked me where my most painful spots were and noticed what kind of work I do which helped her understand why there would be discomfort in those areas. The room was brighter than a massage room at a typical spa but my head was face down in a hole with my eyes closed for the majority of the massage so that didn’t bother me. She started by rubbing magnesium oil over my back to help relax the muscles. She used various different techniques including acupressure and glass cupping to help loosen up the muscles. By the time she was done I was nice and limber and relaxed.
She does talk to you during the massage but it’s let you know what could possibly cause your pain and what you can do to correct it. I would definitely go back again.

At first I wasn’t sure about this place, I found it on spa finder And when I called there was an answering service to forward messages. However Margaret called me right back and took the time to find out what type of massage I would like and my pain points. I found out that the reason they have the message forwarding system is because they don’t have a receptionist but this is probably to save on costs that they can pass on to the customers so I am totally fine with that!
Upon arrival I had a little bit of trouble finding the building and parking but Once found I could see exactly where it’s located. I think the easiest parking is to turn onto Podva And park in the lot that is for 811 San Ramon Valley Boulevard.
Margaret came out and greeted me At the building entrance which I thought was really nice. She really went above and beyond To ensure I had a great experience And felt better. She addressed all my pain points and even gave me some extra time even though my appointment was only 30 minutes. Margaret is extremely knowledgeable about the body massage, acupuncture and acupressure therapy. She Tested different acupuncture points on me and made the appropriate corrections that my body needed and educated me on ways I could make adjustments myself.
I feel so much better and the pain in my lower back That I was feeling before I saw Margaret Is so much better. I definitely would love to see her again and would highly recommend her to anyone seeking healing massage or therapy

So this afternoon I had the pleasure of getting the «Total Indulgence Pkg» it was great however the room was bright from the sun coming through the window, you could hear the oncomming traffic from outside, and the best part of it all was the co-worker’s talking among one another about all subjusts PRISON! One of the ladies voices sounded like she has been smoker for ages, & my appointment was for 2 hrs, they had to have a conversation for a least an hr of my session. Awesome that’s really what I want to hear as I’m getting pampered?! My therapist would turn up the music every so often but that didn’t help. So after the session was over & done as I told her about what was odvious to me, and she said «Ya well next time you should let us know that you are sensitive to noise, & I turned the music up» WHAT??? The things I suggested to her should be expected when you go for a massage?

Love love love Angie!!! She’s the best massage therapist I’ve ever been to and I’ve been getting massages from her for years! She extremely knowledgable about the body and how the muscles and tissues all work together. She’s the only massage therapist that has ever gotten all the knots out of my muscles. She cares about how you feel and the areas you need to work on most. Definitely highly recommended!

My mom had Margaret and I had Leslie. It was amazing, both were friendly, professional, and excellent. I have never felt so amazing in my life! I felt relaxed and comfortable and also I got chocolates in the end! I would definitely recommend going here! And it’s really reasonable pricing, and they also offer gift certificates :)

As a person who is always in the gym and competing, I am always in need of a deep massage! I can not express enough how well Genesis Edwards does her Job. I receive therapeutic as well as deep tissue massages. I have been so impressed by her ability to use many different methods in one session to target and heal my sore and tense spots. She has a warm personality and is responsive when I give her feedback during the massage session. I’ve loved getting massages from Genesis and recommend her. I’ve been to her numerous times over the past couple of years and her massages are consistently great. She is worth what you pay.

It is the place to go to if you don’t want the big spa venue. It is cozy and relaxing atmosphere when you walk in. I always get the facial and massage special. Defiantly walk out of there relaxed, fresh, and feeling like I’m walking on clouds.

today was my 3^rd time back because my boyfriend got me another groupon deal for Valentines Day. My massage therapist Margaret and ishe is THE BEST massage therapist I have ever had!!! u heard me right. She has been doing this for over 25 years and I can tell she is not only Exceptional, but LOVES what she does.
She used aroma-​therapy, which most places charges extra. She really listened and focused on my area that needed work. She is a fan of machines, and so am I. During our treatment she used Infrared light for healing, and alpha waves. I have chronic shoulder pains and tenenidis and she used essential oils such as peperment and others i forgot the names, and also used Magnesium to ease my pain. The room is large, nicely decorated, has good energy, and there are heaters so u stay warm. This was the best experience I have ever had and I have high expectations. I now have a new place and therapist I can trust to heal me. If you are considering this place, consider no more and go see Margaret

This place isn’t the prettiest… so you can’t call it a spa because it doesn’t look like one. I came here for a facial by Hanan. She is very nice. You have a private room with a comfortable bed/​table. The music provides a soft ambiance, but being next to a main street, it can get a little loud from the traffic. If you are use to getting facials and having extractions done, Hanan does not do them. She believes that extractions can damage your skin and unnecessary. And of course, if not properly done, your skin can get infected. I on the other hand, would prefer them — to a certain degree. The facial is very relaxing. She gives you a nice massage on your shoulders and arms.
The products used are a hog pog of different lines. I don’t know how I feel about that.
I wouldn’t mind coming back, but I think I’ll keep trying new places until I find one that I love.

I will never go back to this place… unfortunately, I never even went the first time. I purchased a same-​day Groupon and called the number to schedule an appointment. A rude and unprofessional girl took down my number and said someone would call me back. No one ever did. Luckily, Groupon gave me a refund. BIG FAIL!!!

I have been going to Hanan for a few years, I just love her!!! There are no words to describe the feeling I have when I’m in the relaxed atmosphere of the room. It’s quiet, peaceful and Hanan is wonderful!!! Her hands are amazing. I always recommend my friends and family to her. My mom and sister are big fans of hers as well. I would go every week if I could. Thanks Hanan :)

My husband treated me and my best friend to the Indulgence Package for my 30^th birthday. We had Margaret (massage) and Leslie (facial) working on us. Upon arriving, they had us fill out a couple of forms, and then we separated — with me getting the facial first, and my friend getting the massage. Afterward they put us in plush bathrobes and slippers, and directed us out to the waiting area where they had a really yummy light lunch waiting for us. They put up a privacy screen as well (although it didn’t keep out the noise, but the atmosphere was generally pretty quiet). After lunch was over, we separated again to get the other service.
This was my first facial, and Leslie left me wondering why in the heck I waited so long to have one done! It was extremely relaxing and soothing. There was relaxing music playing in the background, and the lighting was mostly kept dim. The few times she needed to turn the lights up, she placed cucumbers over my eyes, and then an eye mask to keep the light out. She did a few extractions which were quick and not nearly as painful as I was expecting (based on what I’ve read about them). It felt like a little prick and that was it. She was very gentle. It has now been a few days since the facial, and my skin is still glowing, I experienced no redness at all (despite having fair skin that flushes easily), and have only had one new pimple emerge (and it’s a puny one).
The massage was also wonderful, and amongst the best I’ve had. Margaret took the time to find out where I have pain and tension (my upper back/​shoulders/​neck), and then focused her massage on those areas. She also tackled all of the other areas too, including legs, arms and head. The bed was heated, which felt really nice to slip into. And she also had soft music playing. During the massage, Margaret was a bit chatty, which I normally don’t like, but I actually didn’t mind this time because she was talking to me about what she was noticing in my body and how different areas affect other parts of the body. I walked out of there not only feeling totally relaxed, but also armed with a lot of good suggestions for how to manage a variety of pains and ailments I’ve been experiencing.
The spa is located inside an office building, and it’s not the chicest spa in the world. However, I found it to be clean, comfortable and perfectly fine. If I needed posh, I would have gone to Burke Williams. Instead, I got a fantastic facial, massage, paraffin hand dip and foot scrub (plus the lunch!) for an even more fantastic price!

I was able to get a same day appointment for a facial at Essential Body Works. I got the Detoxifying Facial and it was fabulous. Leslie is both a licensed aesthetician and massage therapist and during my facial she game me a soothing face, shoulder and arm massage. My skin felt very good and I left the the spa feeling very relaxed. I used the $ 20 off Unilocal coupon and when I paid, Leslie gave me a coupon for $ 15 my next visit. Great customer service!
I am not sure what brand products they used but they all smelled very good. I will definitely be coming back.

I went here because of the good reviews on here, but I would never go back. I went to Genisis, b/​c of her reviews on here, but she didn’t listen to what I told her I wanted. She spent almost the whole time on my legs & arms when I told her I have back problems & lots of stress in my back.
Their spa isn’t a typical spa. It is basically a office turned spa. There is no locker room, sauna, nothing. No one greets you when you arrive & when you walk back you immediately see their make shift kitchen. It was all pretty tacky & I almost left before I started… I should have.

This place is fantastic!!! I had the Total Indulgence Package (for $ 165)which included a parafin hand wax, facial, foot massage/​scrub AND a 60 minute massage. You can’t beat this price. I would recommend Leslie for the facial and Yuki for the massage (this was one of the best deep tissue massages that I’ve ever had). Even though I live in Oakland, I will definately be making the trip back here.

Margaret! What a wonderful, knowledgeable and caring person!
I told her exactly what I needed, just an athlete in training who’s got major aches and pains
She gave such good attention to my entire body and really made me see the benefit in treating my body to massage. I learned a lot and I felt relieved.
It all started make sense, all my stress, lack of sleep and aches needed be kneaded out and it has definitely helped
I recommend Margaret highly, I wish I could go to her all the time, but now I’m moving to North Carolina!
hopefully I can find someone as great as her there :)

What a FABULOUS experience! I had a wonderful facial with Leslie and a terrific massage with Margaret. The atmosphere is very relaxing. I took my sister there yesterday. She feels the same way.