FAQs

East Village Spa
315 East 5th #121, Des Moines, IA 50309
Scheduling: (515) 309-2904 or online!
EVSpaDesk@gmail.com
"Simple comforts for complicated lives"

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FAQs

I've never had a massage...what should I expect?
Our four licensed therapists are highly skilled and with great educations and many combined years of professional experience, they are great at helping you feel comfortable and listening to your specific concerns. For your first visit, your therapist will have you complete a health history form, then discuss what you would like from your session. Sessions can range from short treatments to help with sore or injured spots to longer sessions that allow you zone out and completely relax. We take our cues from you!

Are massages supposed to hurt?
A bit of "good hurt" (no more than 6-7 out of 10 on a pain scale) is okay, but more than that and you will risk bruising and excessive soreness after which is not helpful in addressing your pain. We will ask about the pressure several times throughout the treatment and we expect that our clients will work as partners with us for best results and let us know if anything is uncomfortable. We also want to know if the pressure feels too light. We can adjust it accordingly and we appreciate working with guests who care enough about their session to let us know how we can best help them get great results! Click here for a great article the appropriate amount of pressure and speaking up during your massage session.

What if I can't make my appointment or I'm running late?
We understand that sometimes unavoidable things (like blizzards or medical emergencies) come up, but if you book an appointment, we ask that you to give us appropriate cancellation notice if you can't attend for non-emergency reasons. Because we respect our clients' time, we ask the same of them and require clients to sign our cancellation policy stating that if they no-show an appointment, we have authority to charge them for 50% of the cost of services so that we may reimburse our employees for their time. If you miss an appointment but reschedule and attend the make-up appointment within two weeks, we will waive the no-show fee. We also hold group, package, and holiday (Valentine's, Mother's Day, etc...) appointments with a credit card and reserve the right to change this policy at any time.

If you are late to an appointment, we'll do our best to fit you in and do a full treatment or reschedule your appointment, but please understand that your therapist or technician may need to shorten the treatment so as not to inconvenience other guests.

Will I have to completely undress for a massage?
Only if you are comfortable! Our therapists use soft sheets and blankets to keep you covered except for the areas they are working. We won't expose anything you wouldn't show at a public beach (or your grandma's pool) and we will not work without sheets (so please don't ask!). About half of our clients keep their underwear on, half remove all of their clothing. For people who like low back and glut work, it is advisable to remove your underwear, but if that makes you uncomfortable we'll work around them. The more comfortable you are, the easy it is to help your muscles relax!

What kind of massage should I get?
If you are new to massage, we recommend trying the Wellness Massage treatment. This is a great way to try different techniques in one session, plus you'll enjoy complimentary aromatherapy. If you have questions about our other treatments, one of our therapists would be happy to help make recommendations. To learn about a variety of massage therapy techniques, visit http://www.massagetherapy.com.

What about gratuities?
Tipping is always at the discretion of the guest, though the etiquette in spas is similar to the etiquette for tipping restaurant servers or hairstylists. Here are some general guidelines:

Our employees certainly appreciate gratuities to augment their income. For massage therapists, estheticians and nail care employees who work in a spa 15-20% is customary.

Because Cassie is the spa owner, about half of the clients tip her for massage, half do not. Either way is acceptable etiquette. She'd rather have clients not tip and visit more often and she gives everyone the same care and attention regardless.

Again, tips are never mandatory, but spa employees certainly appreciate them. A gratuity may be added to a check, paid in cash, or put on your credit card before the checkout step is complete.

What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept cash, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover Card. We generally accept checks, but reserve the right to decline checks from new or out-of-town clients.

Should I talk during a treatment or can I just enjoy some quiet time?
Most of our clients choose to rest quietly during a massage or facial, which is great because it makes their massage more effective. Clients are welcome to ask questions and are encouraged to voice any concerns they have during treatments, but therapists and estheticians respect and appreciate clients' need for relaxation. Also, rest assured that your therapist knows how maddening it can be when you want to zone out but an employee is chatty! It drives us crazy too.

You are welcome to visit during a manicure or pedicure, but you are also able to read or work on projects if you prefer. Our nail technician takes her cues from you!

Do you see children or elderly guests at the spa?
Several of our therapists have health care backgrounds and have experience working with a variety of ages. We require that a parent complete a health history form for any guest under age 18 and we encourage a parent to be present in the treatment room with a minor for massage services. Massage and reflexology can be very helpful for all ages from seniors to anxious children, teenagers who are dealing with pain from athletic injuries, and any person young or old coping with life's stressors!

Our nail technician offers "Tiny Tips" manicures and pedicures to children ages 12 and under. Guests aged 13 and over may enjoy the Express or Signature manicure and pedicure options. She has several older clients who enjoy the time to chat as well as be pampered. Facials are a great for everyone, from teens dealing with acne to people who have aging skin that needs a pick-me-up.

Okay...tell me about Bikini and Brazilian Waxing...this sounds scary!
Our experienced estheticians Katie and Lydia perform all of our waxing services. We offer a full range of hair removal from facial waxing (lip, brow, chin, ear, and nose) to body (back, chest, legs, arms, underarms). We only offer bikini and Brazilian waxing services for women. A Bikini Wax entails removing the hair that can be seen out the sides of a bathing suit. Clients may leave their underwear on for this service, but we recommend wearing an older pair (Katie and Lydia won't judge!) For an In-Betweenie Bikini Wax, your esthetician will remove the hair from the sides and also some of the hair from the top of the bikini area. Your service will be faster and more even if you do remove your underwear, but if you absolutely must keep them on, your esthetician can work around them. A Brazilian Wax is the whole shebang, including (optional) the area "between the cheeks." Some people choose to bare all, some prefer to leave a small strip of hair. It is necessary to remove your underwear for this service.

Before a wax, please trim the hair to about 1/4-1/2 inch for easier removal. If hair is too short, we may need to reschedule. Avoid tanning 24 hours before any wax service or using highly abrasive products on the area to be waxed right before. We HIGHLY recommend purchasing and applying "No Scream Cream" 30 minutes prior to your service. It will take about 50-80% of the sting out of waxing...we've tested it and know it really works! A tube will last you several waxes.

We never, ever "double dip" the wooden stick into our wax containers so our wax is sanitary (some places do double dip...and that is just icky so be sure to ask if you go elsewhere!) and our estheticians wear gloves for all waxing services. They will have you complete a health questionnaire and pre-and post-treats the area(s) to be waxed to reduce the possibility of ingrown hairs or inflammation.

You may be asked to move your body into a less-modest position, but rest assured that Katie and Lydia have seen it all will help you feel comfortable...if their friends and co-workers trust their professionalism and discretion, you know you can too! And, we've got waxing clients who are all ages (over 18!), shapes, and sizes so don't feel like you can't get waxed if you aren't 21 and a size zero. We are a spa that caters to all types of bodies.

Will you donate to my charity auction?
Maybe. If the person making the request is a spa client (hint, hint!), we'll do our best to put together a donation. East Village Spa also supports local animal rescue organizations and is happy to help with their fund-raising efforts when possible. Due to the high volume of requests for donations, we regret that we can't contribute to all of the wonderful organizations who ask.

Do you take walk-ins?
We do our best to accommodate same-day and walk-in appointments. It is always recommended to make a reservation or call ahead so we can be prepared and relaxed when you arrive, but if you're in the neighborhood and a spa treatment sounds like a good idea (we think they are ALWAYS a good idea!), please pop in and see if we have availability!

If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to call! (515) 309-2904