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International Salon
Rating Details »
Categories: Nail Salons, Hair Removal
Neighborhoods: Rittenhouse Square, Penn Center1714 Sansom St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 563-1141
- Hours:
Tue-Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- By Appointment Only:
- No
24 reviews for International Salon
Emma is a godsend. No-nonsense being the name of the game her economical brazilians are quick, relatively painless (well, quick), ethnically informed, and extremely well priced.
Consider Toppers - $62 minimum for waxing as an "experience." Honestly, I don't want to sit in a cushy well-furnished waiting room with a glass of citrus-infused water for a half hour to "relax" in preparation for someone slathering hot wax all over my crotch. Just DO IT and let me forget about it as soon as possible.
That being the case, Emma is just what the doctor ordered. And notice I say Emma. It's all about Emma. And also the neosporin baby powder anti-itch cream regiment. That too.
This update is for the bikini section. I've been a loyalist to Emma for her flawless execustion on brows, 'stache and beyond for a years now, but this was only my thirs venture into the, uh, nether-realm.
First off, she was incredibly understanding, sweet, and she made me feel amazingly comfortable. And it's hard to be comfortable when you're sprawled, bottom half naked, on a table with your legs to either side. Part fo the comfort came from her knowing exactly what she was doing, part from the pristine cleaniless of the room.
And then, wax, linen...and I waited for the pain, but it wasn't that bad. It wasn't bad at all!!!!!!!!! My god, wow, and thank you! Plus, she tailored the look -- some hair, no hair, landing strip -- to my body type. And for the record, it's been a while, and it's lasted perfectly.
In closing, hands down, this place is not only the best I've ever tried but also the cheapest, if you can believe that!!!!!
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/21/2008
yes, these ladies might not be sugary sweet and oh-so-friendly, but neither was la femme nikita. i… Read more »
Alright, so when I first started coming here I was super excited. Emma was great for my first wax, it lasted a long time, etc. Since then, I've been seeing Natasha and she just doesn't do a good job. The past two times I've been there, I've left with bruising and the wax lasted 2 days. She was breaking the hair at the surface, it looked terrible.
I've given up. $35 is a great price, but not if you have to return once a week for upkeep. I'm now at Rescue Rittenhouse.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/12/2009
I had my first wax ever here, today. And I was SCARED.
Primarily because whomever was in before me… Read more »
Great place to no frills eye brow waxing. As Emma loves to mention, "I the best" and point to the Best of Philadelphia Award on the wall.
Brow waxing will cost about 7 bucks, and you get a free show out of it watching her interact with customers and her mother and daughter. Seriously, it could pass for a sitcom in there. She will not hold your hand or engage in small talk, but who cares! Your eyebrows will look great and will cost next to nothing!
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I once thought it'd be a good idea to wax my armpits. I know, ewwww. But whatever, I have clean armpits, so it's not that bad.
Anyway, years before the discovery of Yelp, I relied on a friend's recommendation and went to International Salon. I couldn't even get all the way through the door when a stern Russian woman with huge black hair grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.
Halo. Vut vuud you like today?
I'm not shy by any means, but I was a little intimidated by her demeanor. It definitely wasn't one of those soothing spa environments with sounds of the rain forest.
Anyway, I agree to follow her to the back room where she instructs me to lay on the bed. I do as I'm told, I take of my shirt (cue the sexy music), and observe her as she piles wax onto a tongue depressor. From the stick to my armpit, the Russian spreads burning hot wax over my sad, little hairs.
I take a deep breath.
Vut are you doing?
Me: I'm getting ready.
Oh! No no no, not ready yet.
She then tears a piece of DUCT TAPE, sticks it over the wax and counts: VUN, TWO, THREE. She tears away. I see white light and then I don't remember much more, except for the fact that I never again stepped foot inside International Salon and never again waxed my armpits.
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I was lured in by great reviews and disappointed both times I went. Maybe it was because I had the daughter not the mother. It was not a great wax and it was at the bottom of the stairs in this vestibule. While I was getting my biz-niz done, the mom came down the stairs and got something out of storage. I mean I get that you are getting a bikini wax but how about you keep the traffic to a minimum.
But I went again, figuring it was a fluke. My second wax was BAD. I mean I had to shave a few days later. I think she was pissed about something personal because she was pretty mean. Then when I went to pay, the grandma tried to shame me into tipping. Um, I received bad service from a rude person who I am pretty sure owns the salon. And you are coercing me to tip? Raise your prices if you want to get more money.
I will not be back.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
I had my first wax a week ago and it wasn't that bad! Emma was quick and very professional as she's also a registered nurse! The results blew me away. I've tried a home waxing kit before because I was scared to get a professional wax and the results weren't even comparable to a professional wax. Just let Emma take care of you. She only takes 10 minutes and you are left with absolutely perfect results. It also hurts waaaaay less.
I'm a believer and I will be back.
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I stopped in a few weeks ago for a bikini wax before I made the trip to OBX for the 4th of July. My friend and I walked in, and took our seats in the semi-crowded waiting area. We waited for about 40 minutes - there were like 5 people ahead of us when we got there, but they also let people who've waited earlier in the day, but have to leave, come back and get in front of the line. The wait didn't really bother me, because I didn't have anything to do for a few hours. Plus, Emma kept us entertained - she's funny! She stopped at the nail station next to me to get something, and I told her that I wanted her to do my wax, as my friend had told me to ask for her. Emma said ok. So fast forward to my turn. I walk in and Emma tells me to lift up my skirt, then to get on the table. *gulp* "Ok," I replied. I made sure to tell her that I only wanted a bikini wax and NOT a Brazilian. Now I'd be lying if I said this wax was completely quick and painless. However, it was as close to quick and painless as you can get when somebody is waxing near your "girly place." The entire thing took her about 10 minutes, and after a frenzy of waxing and ripping, I was all done and as smooth as ever. And it LASTED!
My friend had a slightly different experience. She didn't tell Emma that she just wanted a basic bikini wax - so she got the works. When she came out from the back she looked completely horrified. When I asked what was wrong, she said that she thought she'd just gotten a Brazilian. Between my laughing and patting her back for moral support, she told me that she didn't explain what she wanted beforehand, and that's why she got the works.
I never thought I'd want to frequent a place like this, because I've always said that when you're working down there, you need to speak nothing but "sweetness and love" to me. Emma and her daughter aren't the most friendly, but I wouldn't call them mean either. However, they are completely focused and skilled at their craft. Oh, and their prices are nice, too! I will absolutely go back!
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I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH A DUCT TAPE STORY!!! I have told other waxers about my infamous visit to this salon and NO ONE BELIEVE ME ABOUT THE DUCT TAPE. Once day my sister says "I've hear about this salon and it's not that expensive and it got "Best of Philly" We go there and the people are rude, THE PLACE IS DISGUSTING although it's location is great. I think they paid someone to get them the "Best of Philly" and the other good reviews. THIS LADY IS THE DEVIL INCARNATE. I have a high tolerance for pain and have had many bad experiences and good ones and have been getting brazilians for awhile) but this tops all the bad ones. The Russian lady with short black hair takes me to the basement, which is dirty and looks like a dungeon, and i get onto the table. She slabs on wax and although I consider myself a pro at this I got a little worried, she's like DON'T TENSE UP YOU UNDERSTAND! I was like I'm sorry. She's going fast and I'm making awful facial expressions when she takes out DUCT TAPE!!!! I FREAKED OUT but I didn't say anything because I was FRIGHTENED. Yep you know how it sounds?? it hurts even more. I'm surprised my skin didn't rip off (it might have but I was too scared to look). I felt violated and didn't talk to my sister for the whole entire day after that. If you have like NO hair down there maybe this is the place because that's all I can make out of those who gave this place more then A STAR I'd give it zero if I could). I'd rather pay a little extra for affirmation that I will still have my female parts. If you love to be tortured this is the place to go!
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I love the International Salon. It's a no frills place: wait, wax, pay...which can be intimidating. But, they are excellent at what they do and you can't beat the price!
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Sorry to divulge on my naughty bits but yes, this place is great for a waxing. Quick is very important and so is being precise., so to find a place that is also affordable is too good to be true.
I didn't think the place was dirty or divey. It's just not a glam spa. Seeing repeat customers is always a good sign.
The only downside for me is waiting in the room with the nail polish smell. It hurts my head, but then the pain my crotch feels quickly takes my headache away.
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I have this friend who really likes being confused. If he needed his eyebrows (or anything else) waxed, he'd love this place.
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I went to International Salon around 3pm on a Friday. Parking was alittle tough to find, but not too crazy.
When I got in the salon they told me to take a seat, I was taken to the back within minutes.
I got a Brazilian wax. The price was great at $35! I was there maybe a total of 10minutes (if that!!)
Emma the waxer was very nice to me. However the wax job wasn't the best. She missed a lot of hairs, and took a little of my skin off. OUCH! Also she talked on her cell phone the entire time she waxed me.
I'd say this place isn't terrible, and you can't beat the price, but remember you get what you pay for.
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had my first bikini wax here......& still in therapy. if cheap, quick and dirty is your thing, go for it. not for me though & i am not a prima donna, by any means.
natasha used to do ok with the eyebrows but she wasn't there all the time. Still, it wasn't good enough to tolerate the atmosphere.
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this place is one big moral dilemma for me. i went in yesterday for my second wax (there), so i knew what to expect. only this time i got the daughter. and she was screaming into her phone. the entire. service. fighting with someone about money.
now, i get it. they're not warm and fuzzy nice people. they rip the hair out, do it right, and don't charge a lot to do it. but fighting with someone on the phone, the entire length of the service, without saying ONE WORD to the client directly, ever, not even thank you? i just don't get it. i wouldn't treat any random person i come across during the day the way they treat their paying customers. the rudeness is just so completely unnecessary. i agree with other reviewers- i'm not going there to get my ass kissed (just waxed har), i don't need to be pampered, i wanna be in and out, but come on.
on the flip side- i end up with a great wax (mama does a better job than daughter though, screaming in the phone or not) for a grand total of $40 with tip. (i tipped a full 20% the first time for a total of $42, but the phone thing really irked me. plus they're the owners...) i'm in and out with no appointment. i'm not put through the torture of laying there longer than is absolutely necessary.
so is the trade off worth it? i guess so. someone described a "love/hate relationship" with this place, which i guess is dead on.
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Excellent. SO QUICK. Professional. Thorough. Cheap. No frills. What more can I say? Emma was fantastic. I can easily say a brazilian here is way better than any of the (affordable) salons I've been to in New York. There was no wait, but I think I just got lucky with the timing. I will become a regular here, for sure.
This salon proudly announces that fact that it was named by some magazine the best place to get a Brazilian Bikini Wax in Philadelphia. Yes, the wax is very cheap at only $35. Yes, Emma is a talented waxer. But what they do not tell you is that she is borderline rude.
On my last visit, I came early (10:10am because they open at 10) to avoid any lines. Alas, Emma was not there. I sat to wait and 20 minutes later, she comes meandering in with breakfast. After being notified that I was there for a wax she nods at me and sits down and proceeds to leisurely eat her breakfast. Only after her mother (and co-owner) commented to her in Russian (I assume this is what she said lol) that she should take care of me since I had been waiting, did she send me to the back to prepare.
Then, after she was done and I was getting ready to leave she had the nerve to tell me that I could move faster. Yea. Whatever. I had a few choice words that I would have liked to utter, but I didn't.
That being said, she is quite skilled and if you don't mind being rushed in and the no-frills atmosphere, then definitely visit. I have a love hate relationship with this place. But really, who can resist a $35 wax? I'll give this place four stars just for the value. But the service.... definitely lacking but what can you expect for the price.
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I LOVE this place! You can't beat $35! I moved here from New York and I've been having a tough time finding a salon for a great Brazilian. I've tried Saturn salon, Shanti medical spa, and a number of other smaller nail salons that offer brazilians. They've all given me ingrowns. Yes, Emma is gruff (and maybe even borderline rude), like every Russian lady that has waxed me in NYC, but I also had a great conversation with her. She'll make you put each leg up against a wall so that she can get a better angle so if you're modest and embarrassed, get over it. It's just the way that it is. I got my eyebrows waxed by her and she was kind enough to show me how to fix my eyebrows with powder (they're naturally uneven). It's not a posh, chi-chi salon, but I wouldn't call it dirty either. She had new tissue put down for every customer.
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I prefer dive bars to velvet rope clubs so...maybe that's why I love International Salon? Unbeatable prices for fast & furious services. Thanks to Emma & Natasha I can get top-shelf services on a non-profit salary!
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Walked in on a weekday afternoon to get my eyebrows waxed. One of the two women reading newspapers pointed me at a corner chair by the window. I didn't even take off my coat- she was finished in a minute, I paid my $10+tip and was out the door in less than 8 minutes. Fantastic.
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After finding Rescue Rittenhouse Spa I have no plans to return to International Salon. The price is the same ($30), the service at Rescue is far friendlier, and the place is immaculately clean (compared to the questionable cleanliness of International Salon).
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I love this place!! Cheap ($35) brazilian wax and in and out in 15-20 mins. If you're used to the cushy "hi, hello, how are you today? Would you like some coffee or tea?" b.s., then, sooooo not the place for you. These women, do a great job with a flair of, well, arrogance. And I LOVE that!! Underneath, they are a bunch of softies, especially Emma. She'll even give you recommendations on what to do and NOT to do after your 'special' wax. Did I mention they're cheap AND quick?
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O, Intl Salon is an experience. Don't mistake experience to mean an enjoyable one full of chamagne and bubble baths. Go without expectations and WITH patience. The women who run this place Emma, her mother, and her daughter, Natasha are tough women who run a successful business. They don't need to be nice to you, or practice the "customer is always right" philosophy because their prices (and work) will keep customers coming in regardless. I once teared up, and no, not because the wax was too hot or because the hair was too stubborn to come out, but because Emma is so curt and mentioned that my thighs were big. But just last week, she told me I looked sexy. Hence the no expectations. Now onto the patience. Just find a time to go thats not in the early morning or after work and definitely avoid the weekend i.e. go at like 11 AM on a wednesday (they are closed Sun/Mon). To be honest, I can't say I blame these women for the way they are, I think I'd be pretty fiesty if the majority of my day consisted of pulling hair from people's privates. And kudos to them for not raising their Brazilian wax prizes from $35 for the entire five years I've been going. One final note, they prefer to be cash only but they do accept credit cards on an as needed basis.
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i love this place. no frills and skilled service.
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