Guest Post: Times Are Tough, So Pamper Yourself at Douglas J!

Posted by Hubert | Filed under life, marketing

What? “Pamper” myself during these had economic times? Are you kidding, nobody can afford that these days. YES you can I say, a thousand times yes! I say this with consumer confidence because the Douglas J Aveda Institute in downtown Royal Oak offers quality spa services at splendid prices! Trust me, I know from experience. Not to mention, a great massage is much cheaper than a Hawaiian vacation.

For those that are not familiar, Douglas J is a full service salon and spa that caters to men, women, even kids, and uses all Aveda products.

Let me take a pause as I feel I should probably disclose a very important piece of information to my readers here. My name is Eliza and I am an Aveda Junkie. Yes, I will admit it. For those not familiar with the Aveda brand, let me fill you in a little. Aveda was founded in 1978 and offers a full line of botanically-based hair, skin, body and makeup products. They are now owned by cosmetics giant Estée Lauder and are offered in over 24 countries. Not only do they sell great products, they also have a firm commitment to protecting the Earth through different charity promotions and packaging recycling programs. Check out www.aveda.com for more information about the upcoming Earth Month programs such as raffles and free in-store haircuts.

I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Aveda products as a child (Thanks Mom!), 1987-ish to be exact, and I have been hooked on their products ever since. As a youngster, my habit was cultivated through daily usage of the Clove Shampoo (best scent ever) and trips to get my haircut at Upstares Salon located off of Washington in downtown Royal Oak, which happens to be an Aveda concept salon (Shout out to Ronel Scott, owner and stylist for more than 20+ years!). As a teenager, my Aveda addiction progressed as I discovered the Aveda makeup (Cerise lipstick was the best, discontinued though) and other body products such as the Hand Relief lotion. Like every dumb teenager, I decided that my natural hair color simply would not do, and well, you know how that goes. Luckily, Aveda was there to remedy the self-inflicted damage to my tresses with products such as the Cherry Bark conditioner, which is sadly discontinued as well. I even managed to get other people addicted on the stuff, including an ex-boyfriend who is still probably hooked on the Energizing Body Cleanser to this day!

As an adult, I can no longer control the addiction to Aveda and freely and openly indulge in a full range of Aveda goods and services. My current favorites are the Peony lip tint and Dry Remedy Conditioner. I guess if I am going to be hooked on something, Aveda is not so bad right?!

As you can imagine, I was overjoyed when I learned that Douglas J was coming right to my backdoor in Royal Oak! At first, I was excited simply because I could feed my Aveda habit conveniently on the way home from work. I quickly discovered that Douglas J also offers spa and hair services in conjunction with the Aveda products and the prices are fabulous! Haircuts are only $16 and facials are $42! Why are they so cheap you ask? Douglas J can charge lower prices because their services are performed by students; however, every appointment is overseen by a senior staff member. You may be a little skeptical about this little tidbit of information, but I can attest that the quality is in no way compromised by the lower prices. Also, you are not allowed to tip the students either, so even more money saved! I have had several services at Douglas J including two haircuts, color and highlights, manicures and a recent facial just last week. So far, I have had no problems and the staff is always super friendly and helpful! I even got my fiancé over there several times for a haircut and getting a man to switch barbers is like pulling teeth!

On my most recent trip to Douglas J, I was booked for a 90 minute Elemental facial ($42), along with my Mom, who was booked for an Elemental Nature Manicure ($23). Upon arrival, we were promptly checked in at the front desk and provided with hot tea and coffee. Exactly at 9:00, my name was called by Ekta, a sweet girl from India with a flair for bridal makeup application and a goal to open her own spa in the area one day. I was led up the stairs to a quiet hallway where I was given my room to change into a comfy spa wrap and robe.

photos by Hubert Sawyers III - the subject is NOT the author of this post, but Hubert’s Mom.

Unlike other facials I have had, my facial started off with a foot soak and scrub in a relaxing silver bowl. My treatment continued with a consultation about my skin type and concerns, and product recommendations.

Then my face was cleansed and scrubbed, and treated with two different facial masks, a moisturizer, and an eye gel for dark circles. This may sound pretty standard to anyone that has had a facial before, but it was not a typical facial in my opinion. First of all, it was 90 minutes long; most facials are only 60 minutes. After each face mask was applied, I received a massage! First, you get a foot massage, then a hand massage, and then a head, scalp and shoulder massage with Rosewater formulated for your scent preference. So not only did I leave with glowing skin, but I left feeling extra relaxed from the extra TLC! For only $42, you can’t beat it. I kept raving about Douglas J so much that my fiancé even bought a facial for his dear Mother the next week!

I highly recommend you stop by Douglas J for any of the treatments or services they offer, and the gift certificates make great presents too! Hey, at this point I would rather invest my money in a little TLC than the stock market! So to Douglas J in Royal Oak, I say “Thank You!” Thank you for opening up so close to home and allowing me to continue my addiction in peace and still have money left over for my other vice, shoes (hey, I am female after all).

Tags: Aveda, salon & spa

Permalink | March 11th, 2009

2 Responses to “Guest Post: Times Are Tough, So Pamper Yourself at Douglas J!”

Cindy L Says:
March 12th, 2009 at 10:30 am
I had no idea that all of these services were available at Douglas J … I’d heard a few rumblings of a “spa” there, but not much else. Thanks for filling me in. This sounds absolutely wonderful, and so close to home for me … I’ll be there often!
Nate_LapT Says:
March 13th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
I just had my hair cut the other day.
I was expecting a lot higher price just from the looks of the building. Place is huge.

Nothing Im used to.

I went to the barber on 11/main first but the old guy didnt have a credit terminal and I had no cash on me.
In a plastic generation all businesses should take plastic.
Nothing against the old guy, but I dont think I would have appreciated the scalp and neck massage with my haircut.

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