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Shobha
Rating Details »
Category: Hair Removal [Edit]
Neighborhood: Midtown East595 Madison Ave
Ste 1403
(between 57th St & 58th St)
New York, NY 10022
(212) 223-2872
- Nearest Transit:
-
5th Ave-60th St (N, R, W)
59th St-Lexington Ave (4, 5, 6, N, R, W)
5th Ave-53rd St (E, V)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
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37 reviews for Shobha
There's a reason why there's so many five star reviews on this place
I was in and out in less than 30 minutes. The staff was very pleasant and they definitely knew what they were doing. I was worried that I would not be able to get an appointment the next day on their online form, but I turned out to be lucky
I LOVE Shobha! My co-worker recommended I go there for threading after I was complaining about eyebrow waxes irritating my skin. Jasmine is just the absolute best! My eyebrows have never looked so perfect. Yes, the threading is MUCH more painful than waxing, but it gets better after each time.
In addition, I just went for my first bikini wax there. They have you wax the first couple of times and then you can switch to the sugaring (which is preferable) They are super-professional and do a GREAT job. The pain level was minimal compared to what I expected and I felt nothing a couple of hours later.
They have great hours, but you typically have to book a bit in advance because their schedule is usually packed.
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I heart my Shobha.
Introduced by the fabulous yelpers, I came to Shobha with the intent of splurging on the sugar waxing. So I got there, with no appointment, and was quickly assigned to Datta. Now, the sugaring service costs more than the regular waxing service. Even so, once I stripped down (which I agree with fellow yelpers that it's a tad awkward when they stay in the room as you strip down), Datta had suggested I start with the regular wax, then eventually move on to the sugaring. I was so surprised that an aesthetician suggested I get a "cheaper" service from them, for the better of me. And she was VERY thorough with explaining the aftercare and the to-do's and don't-s, and not ONCE mentioning that I should purchase one (or even more) of their products. All of the places in the city that I've been to (I've been to $18 waxing places to $80 waxing places, so I think I've seen a good bit), always want to sell me stuff from ingrown hair lotion to lazer hair removal services.
VERY satisfied with the service, I later on tried their eyebrow threading, which was also quite phenomenal.
Although it DOES take a hit on my wallet and I've thought about switching over to places like J'Aime, I must admit that its totally worth it.
Better to make an appointment beforehand though. I realized it was a very RARE occassion that I was seen for the first time without any waiting.
this place is awesome. yes it's painful, but they are pros at minimizing the time it takes to get the job done. and a job well done.
I was introduced to Shobha by my bestie, Mihal F. I later found out that ALL my girlfriends go here for their coochie waxes but were trying to keep the secret to themselves (heffers... still love you though).
Shobha is fantastic. I absolutely adore that when you walk in to their Madison location, you're immediately greeted by their super nice and well groomed receptionists (For real. You can't work at such a lovely place and have funky eyebrows). Within minutes, you're swept up by a staff member and (in my case) brought to a very clean little private room.
Pants off, wax on, and 15 minutes later you're silky smooth.
I always ask for Shanu at Madison. It's like one stop shopping with her: She's so, so sweet - and awesome at what she does. She blows through a Brazilian like slicing through butter (hm, maybe that's awkward to say in relation to coochie waxing, but oh well). She's also phenomenal at threading and always offers a few tips for keeping everything smoother longer.
So if you're looking for a place to get a wax then head to Shobha, I promise you won't be disappointed.
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Well reading through a few of the less than positive reviews all I can really say is if the wax is to hot and you do not speak up and let them know they must blow on it to cool it down then you should be blaming yourself more so than the waxer!
That being said, this is the third place I have tried within the past few months of finding somewhere to give me a brazilian that I am satisfied with. My main issue with the two previous places was they did not remove all of the hair and they were really not *full* brazilians more like *half* brazilians.
So, I apprehensively made an appt with Shanu because I requested a more experienced waxer and I really like their no double dip policy. I liked the fact that they offered sugaring as a pricier option because I heard that was not as painful, it is around $10 more I believe.
Fast forward to my appt day, the location is small and the ceiling has a weird exposed look about it and they play techno indian music which might trip out some people. Yes you have to strip in font of them but the woman is about to go places where nobody usually goes so I couldn't really be to bashful.
Shanu is wonderful not only did the sugaring hurt much less than waxing but she was very thorough and got in everywhere to make it the smoothest wax I have ever gotten. The second time I went I was a bit late for my appt and got another waxer whose name started with an "A" I think, and she did not do as good of a job.
So in closing, Shanu does the job right...sugaring is the way to go if your hair is not to coarse and you dont mind spending almost $70.
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I heard this was the place for eyebrows, so I booked an appointment. The receptionist was helpful and the service was quick.
The woman threading my eyebrows did not have very good breath, and the threading process was WAY more painful then I had experienced at other places. My brows did look VERY nice though.
I found this place using yelp. Very professional, extremely quick and cheap.
My sister and I went here for eyebrow threading. I hadn't done threading before but for us sensitive skin gals we know we can't use wax.
The woman who did my threading was super nice and specific. She followed the line of my eyebrows and gave them a natural look. It hurt a tiny bit but was not the cry-fest I expected.
$20 is a bit expensive if you plan to do it every couple of weeks, but that's not really necessary if you can follow up with your own tweezing. You can probably find cheaper services but it will be less quality...not really worth it I think.
The person who did my eyebrow threading did not do a good job. She asked me if I wanted thin eyebrows and I told her "No. My hair is thin already and i would like you to clean up my brows a bit and trim it." You know what I got instead? Thinned out eyebrows AND a small patch of hair missing from my eyebrows that now requires me to shade in with makeup everyday so nobody notices it! Perhaps it's only this one person who does a horrific job but either way, I really don't want to risk another incident such as this. The only great part of this service was the cheap price.. $20, but then again maybe that's what I get for paying so little.
Heard about Shobha through a friend, so I thought I'd check it out.
Went for a full bikini wax. The space is a bit odd since it's in an office building, and the waxing rooms are fairly small. But, the woman was very nice and quick, and it wasn't too painful. No strays or leftover wax on my skin, so overall I was pleased.
I've heard the Soho location is better though, so I'll try that location out next time.
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I haven't been here in awhile because they raised their prices, but Shobha is where I get waxed when I'm getting it in Manhattan. I like their no double-dipping policy and how they thread you afterwards. As far as how thorough the job is, it really depends on the anesthetician. The best brazilian I ever got was done here but I'm still not sure if it'll ever be repeated, even by the same Shobha anesthetician (I wonder if she's still there).
The only reason why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because they're pretty pricey. I guess it's still decent for Manhattan considering that they do such a nice job, but personally, it's hard to afford. But the place also has lots of other nice touches, such as complimentary tea or water while you wait.
If I had a job, I would be a Shobha regular!
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I went here based on advice from Yelp. My original intent was to make an appt at the Soho location but they were closed on mondays so I had to go to the madison location.
Everything was fine until the waxing itself started.
A little background, if u please-
My first wax experience was in a portugese area and it was very cheap $24 BUT the wax was also soo freaking hot and the lady who did the wax DID NOT speak english so it was impossible trying to express to her that the wax was too hot...felt like my labia was being grilled.
Something that hot should NOT be placed in an area that sensitive.
The consequence of the several painful sessions of hot waxing was goosebump-like skin irritation around the waxed zone that basically lasted until the hair grew back. GROSS and itchy.
I went to Rescue Spa in philly (cause I moved) and it was more pricey $70 BUT it was pleasant and NOT painful and wax was warm...no skin issues at all.
I didn't wanna go back to rescue spa because i was heading to NY and I figured I could find similar places with cheaper price.
Now back to Shobha,
Basically the wax was hot and I had flashback of my days with the portugese waxer..painful. They actually applied cortisone cream after the wax, i guess they know what's to come. What came was the diffuse goosebump things that I get when the wax is too hot. ARGH so annoyed!!!
I know it's the wax because each time I'm waxed with HOT labia grilling wax, within hours my skin gets irritated and starts to act crazy.
So until I find another better place, I guess I'll be going back to rescue spa.
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I used to come here when I first started having my eyebrows threaded. They were good and quick, but a tad bit expensive, and one time the woman took a bit of skin and I had a scab below my eyebrow for a few days. Whatever, I wasn't upset, it happens, but I have since found a cheaper place.
Since then, I have come twice for brazilians. They are fast, professional, clean, and do a fantastic job. And for this, the price is right. I see a few other reviews complain about how the aesthetician stays in the room while you disrobe. It is true, they do stay in the room, but I didn't find it awkward - they usually turn their backs and prepare the table, etc. I would definitely recommend them over another (ahem!) well-known brazalian place on the same street. (See my previous reviews if you're curious.)
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It's my first time getting eyebrow treading in nyc. I chose this place cuz i read good comments on yelp. I gotta say I expected too much.
The place wasn't that nice and private. Treading was painful ( i got it before and believe me, it wasn't this painful) The person who game the service to me has kinda bad breath ewww i could smell her, honestly. You can imagine she had to come very close to me..
I was suppose to get free upper lip treading too (part of september promotion) but no one mentioned that until i was about to pay then the receptionist was like, dont you want to do the lip too? well, she should have said that before so I can get it one time.
I give 2 stars for the manner of staffs there.
I'd heard about this place from my sister who said that it was THE place to go for waxing. I opted for the Madison location instead of going to the "flagship" down in Soho because its closer to me. Getting an appointment was super easy since you can do it all through their website.
The place is inside of a commercial building, which felt kind of odd since once you entire the salon, its has these bright blue, pink, and orange walls, with Indian-inspired decor and blaring Bollywood music.
On to the actual service - I had a similar experience where the woman who waxed me decided to stay in my room while I changed and it was definitely awkward. I mean I know she's going to be in there in a minute anyway, but its not like there's tons of room in there for her to be standing around while I undress. As for the waxing, she was clean and quick which was just what I needed. She didn't really go through the post-wax procedures with me, but I overheard the woman next to me and just followed those. She attempted to push on some of the Shobha-branded products for me to use..but failed.
Overall, I liked the job they did and price, but think I'll try the Soho location next time.
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Since my mother used to own a salon, I have been very spoiled. All of my treatments, from perms (you know you did it in the 80s) to manicures and pedicures to waxing and haircuts, have all been done by my momma or one of her colleagues, whom I absolutely trusted. (and they were all FREE)
Since moving awy from Central Jerz, I was terrified of going to someone else to get waxed. I have heard the horror stories, saw the prices (yikes!) and was just compeltely overwhelmed.
I decided to consult whom else but my fellow yelpers in guidance for choosing a new salon. Thanks to all of you who directed me to Shobha. I'll admit I have not really tried other places (i.e. Glow, Completely Bare..etc.) and you know what? I don't feel like I have to.
My first experience was only slightly painful, but it was quick and pleasant (as pleasant as having all the hair ripped from *there* can be).
Ask for Simma, who is very professional, friendly and QUICK ( I was in and out in under ten minutes...and without a hair in sight)!
Expsensive...a smidge, but def. not the pricest.
Worth it? 100%
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After reading reviews of the various locations, I decided to go to this one. It was super easy to get to coming from the UES. It's been a while since I've had a Brazilian wax done (6 years!) and oh it was painful! But if you're going to have something like that done, Shobha is the place to come. I was greeted by courteous staff and a clean and comfortable environment. The person who worked on me was really nice and did a pretty good job at keeping the conversation going and my mind off the pain of the procedure. But again, it was worth it! I'll definitely be back, and will probably end up purchasing the 6-pack to save a little bit of money.
Very good service here, they definitely know what they're doing.
As some of the previous reviewers mentioned, the wax was a little more awkward than some others I've had, but it was also the least painful ever. The women are quick and super professional and It's a nice environment too.
Their website is the most informative anywhere and you can schedule appointments online, which is cool. In fact, I'd go to their site for care tips & info even if you get waxed somewhere else.
They take credit cards, but don't forget to bring cash for tips!
I wouldn't say I'm a waxing connoisseur (because who wants to be a waxing connoisseur) but I do know my waxing.
Shobha (I'm sorry Glow) is by far, hands down, without a doubt, the best experience I've had. I won't go into details (you're thanking me now, aren't you?) but will say that they do know what they are doing.
And then, there's the threading. It's kind of out of the "No strings attached" NSYNC video (yes, I am going there) -- in that creepy sort of science-lab-gone-wrong kind of way.
But wow, it works.
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I had my first Brazilian yesterday, with Miranda in SoHo (594 Broadway, Suite 403), who was highly recommended and completely lived up to her reputation, seriously, make and appointment with her whenever she's available. I've been waxed many times, and even though this one was Brazilian, it hurt far less and the irritated my skin less than other times I've had it done. I have really sensitive skin but this time it stopped being sore and red by the next morning, and hasn't been itchy. She didn't leave even one hair, and always made sure that I wasn't in too much pain.
Miranda is really nice and funny, and has been waxing forever (she said "oh we all just waxed ourselves in Greece." So I guess she's been waxing since puberty!) She really is supremely skilled.
Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, Shobha is a perfect 5/5. Yeah it's expensive, but relatively standard for an upscale place. I feel pretty okay about paying more when someone is poking around in my crotch. And I don't really get why it's such a big deal to have her in the room when you take off your pants. Seriously, do you know how many vagina's she sees everyday? You're about to have her spread hot wax in your ass crack, does it matter that she knows the color of your panties?
Plus Shobha is really clean, and as much as I think it's unlikely I would catch an infection from getting waxed, they're no double dip policy, and the fact they wear gloves (cute pink ones, of course) are both comforting.
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I was looking to upgrade my full-leg + bikini experience. I've always gone cheap-cheap-cheap. I'm glad to find Shobha. Thank you, my dears.
When she was done, I found barely a trace of wax left on me. Two days later, not a single ingrown. These are vast improvements. It was virtually painless, too. Due, I think, to a different wax and the muslin strips (and ibuprofen). They used cheapo poly dryer-sheet material at the old place. Shobha's supplies are more comfortable.
I like:
. the aesthetician wore gloves.
. she was thorough.
. I was tidy and residue-free when she was finished.
. the facility was clean and neat.
(The best waxer was my first, a dozen or more years ago. The woman would rip off the strip while gently pressing the flesh taut with the non-ripping hand. This makes the skin tight, reduces discomfort and does a thorough removal. She did this all with startling speed! So quick, then it's over. Loved. Little did I know I'd found the Holy Grail first time out.)
The procedure was kinda slow. Though the young esthetician said she had 3 years, she seemed slow-moving and awkward at times, but dang, she didn't miss a spot at all. Another improvement.
I would like the procedure to move along more quickly. It was my first visit but I clocked in at an hour. I was late to my next appt.
I was a bit distressed to find myself very trimmed, sans much announcement... didn't see that coming. Better communications would be good.
They seem to carefully consider the salon environment at Shobha, yet there I was for at least 1/2 hour on my back, facing the glare of the very bright ceiling lights on the rather ugly ceiling that wanted a swab of paint. I think I'll bring my sleeping mask next time.
Aside from these quibbles, I'll return. The results were excellent, and vastly more comfortable than in the past.
I've since returned several times, and recently received a wax from a less-experienced esthetician, which left a lot of residual wax all over my legs. I had to go to a meeting afterward, so when I got home I discovered the mess on my legs under my pants. I think it was an aberration and likely won't be repeated.
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the service was identical to the one in soho, and the only difference was the smaller location. had brazilian and eye brow threading. fast, polite, friendly. 5 star again.
It's a bit expensive for a brazilian-- but I agree with other reviewers that cleanliness is next to godliness when it comes to someone applying hot wax to your vagina and ripping out the hair. They don't double dip. They thoroughly clean the area. Also, they thread any stray hairs.
This is slightly embarrassing, but as someone who has a lot of "lip" and "crack" hair, that is the main reason why I get a Brazilian. And I've had bikini waxes at other places and was disappointed when they just do your triangle and leg hair-- never your lip or crack area. Having a hair free crack cuts down on dingleberries. At Shobha you're never embarassed or uncomfortable. I am a lifer here.
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Well I'll start out saying that I'm definitely not an authority on these sorts of things seeing as how I'm more of a DIY person regarding all my hair-removing needs. However since I've recently scored a well-enough paying job, I decided to splurge and treat myself to a session at Shobha. So, I went on their really organized, informative and plain awesome website and scheduled myself a brazilian.
Personally, I love going into commercial upper east side buildings. I feel important when I ride in gilded elevators, sue me.
Well, when I got to the 14th floor and entered the Shobha abode, I had an instant mood boost. The interior is bright, cheery and generally puts you at ease. Nothing clinical, uptight or pretentious about it.
I signed in, filled out a short first-timer's release form and waited. My esthetician called me rather quickly and I followed her into the little room and closed the door.
She asked me a few questions and was rather pleasant the whole time. I didn't feel awkward at all, even when she stayed in the room while I removed my clothes.
The procedure itself wasn't as painful as I thought it would be and she performed it rather quickly, asking me if I was ok or if the temperature of the wax was alright, etc. often.
Everything was done in a caring and professional manner.
I'm happy with the results and will be adding the fifth star after my next appointment.
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Finally, Yes! I used to go to a girl who was fantastic in doing my eyebrows. She knew exactly what to do and was consistent. Granted my eyebrows are pretty easy to shape as they have a natural arch but she was the only one who could do them well. Others I've been to did a so-so job but since I moved to NY I haven't been able to find anyone who could do what she did...until now. Yesterday I went to Shobha (Madison location) and Shanu did my brows. Wow, wow, wow, I was so excited when I saw the finished product. It was $20 well spent. Normally I'd have to use eyebrow pencil to fill in my brows in order to replicate my natural arch. I even took an eyebrow pencil with me to do just that after the shaping but when I saw what Shanu had done I realized I didn't even need the pencil. My eyebrows were thick and shapely where they were supposed to be. I highly recommend Shobha and especially Shanu. This place rocks! I won't go anywhere else.
On a side note, I wished I'd gone to Shobha a few months back instead of Anastasia Brow salon on 5th avenue. As I'd mentioned my brows are pretty easy to shape but Anastasia Brow salon is a one size fits all type of place. The salon uses stencils to determine the brow shape. Let me just say that perhaps for a small population of people that method works but for most people forget about it. Anyway, I digress...when she was done doing my eyebrows I couldn't recognize them as mine. They were very boxy looking and looked different to how I'd ever had them done and not in a good way. I paid my $35 or whatever it was and got the heck outta there. I'd chosen Anastasia salon over Shobha because I thought Anastasia salon was supposed to be this reputable, blah blah blah and was well known in and out of NY. Um, no, please save yourself the trouble, the $$$ and the frustration and go to Shobha...trust me you won't regret it.
Best Brazilian in NYC!
What can I add to the mass of Shobha adorers? Well, I'll just say that I got NO ingrowns afterwards (re: waxing). Truly amazing. While it is a reasonably priced deal (they are clean, attentive, and effective), I'd still wish for it to be just a tad cheaper, hence the lack of one more star.
I'll definitely be back.
I'll keep this one short:
-reasonably priced
-lovely interior
-good job overall
I'm pretty convinced that they have an employee on these boards b/c the Columbus Circle review isn't a review, it's an ad for when it opens (just this past Tuesday). This makes it hard to give an honest review about who you see there b/c our names are here and they have all sorts of records there (the founder used to work at McKinsey - she must know what's up)
I saw R. -- she's not very friendly but I could sense she was trying to be (at least a little bit). When I was explaining the shape I wanted for my brows, she looked at me like I was speaking a different language. Same with when I thought she might have missed an area for another procedure.
She still did a good job though. I'll go back.
Recently went to Shobha Madison for the first time-- I usually go to the Soho location. As in Soho, everyone here is super-friendly and super-efficient. They do a great job, too-- which might explain why it is so hard to get an appointment! The only reasons I won't give it five stars is because it really is tough to get an appointment, and because it's a little expensive-- but it's worth it!
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got my eyebrows threaded here the other day and it was quick, albeit a bit painful because it was my first time. but she put a rosewater compress on my brow and after about 20 minutes the redness calmed down a lot.
she shaped and trimmed my brows into lovely full arches that accent my bone structure - a first! i took off one star because they made me wait a bit too long and my one eye brow is slightly thinner than the other (nothing my laura mercier eyebrow pencil won't fix) but otherwise it was an absolutely lovely experience.
also, i called that morning and was able to get an appt for that afternoon. hurrah!
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This is the only place I go for a wax. They really really need to open one in Boston now that I've moved and don't make it back as regularly. There is nothing fun about getting hair yanked out of their follicles, but hey, if there was ever something you shouldn't be pinching pennies over, it would be this, right? I've had waxings from HELL before, and in all the times I've gone to Shobha, I've not once had a mildly disappointing experience. Everyone is good, though of course, some are better than others. They don't linger, and you don't have to get up in strange demeaning postures. You just lie there and bear it while they strip away. They won't make strange comments about "daddy like?" (as I once got from a eastern european woman in midtown), or anything else like that. A little chit-chat about the weather or your day if you're the chatty type, but I really like to just get in and out, and they understand that too.
I remember finding it a little strange and uncomfortable how they hold a wet towelette to your nether-regions after a wax, and then go about threading away any stray hairs, but you know, these ladies know what they are doing! The towelette keeps the hurt at bay, and I'm certainly not going to complain about someone getting at all the stray hairs. Anyway, I really like and now miss this place.... Please come to Boston!!
It was the easiest Brazilian wax ever. Juwana was so sweet and kept me calm through it all. Who knew that I'd actually look forward to going back because... honestly... who really wants their hair ripped out in masses?
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I miss Shobha. I really truly do.
When I moved to Manhattan in 2004, I was totally turned off by the ridiculous price of a Brazilian. Everywhere I looked was over $65. And then I found Shobha and I smiled. Spa quality service for semi-decent price when compared with the competition.
The staff is very friendly and good at keeping up with appointments. I also really enjoy the architecture of this place....it is lofty and earthy and they play relaxing music to distract from the inevitable pain of a waxing experience.
Once, they asked me if a girl who was trying to learn how to do Brazilians could observe. I thought it was a little strange but I agreed, in the name of research. In exchange, they gave me a discount for allowing her to observe and always took my requested appointment time.
An added bonus to Shobha is that they offer "sugaring," which is a particular type of wax made from carmelized sugar that doesn't stick to the skin as much and helps decrease hair growth.
A great find in Manhattan. Ask for Dolhma!
This is a great spot for waxing and threading! I have been to the Midtown and Columbus Circle locations and couldn't be happier. The place is clean, the people friendly and the service is quick! I won't be straying to a competitor anytime soon.
i went here on the recommendation of a friend. i hadn't had a brazilian done in a long time. but i have to say i found the experience there really great. they have a 'no double dipping' policy, so it's all hygenic. the service is great. the people are nice. yeah sure it's expensive compared to your nail salon. but to be honest, for that type of deal - i would like a place that has skills & treats you nicely. as far as getting an appointment - i didn't have any issues whatsoever. they also send you a confirmation email the day before. as long as i am in nyc, this is my place of choice for waxing.
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This was my first time to Shobha and I would go back. I am in NY on business and read the reviews on this place. I had a brazilian and it was my first one. Everything was so nice and the results were great. The cold compress at the end was terrific. I would recommend this to anyone. Next time I am in town, I will definitely head back. I felt the price was very reasonable in comparison to other places I have been for similar things.
