I've had professional messages in the past from individual message therapists who own their own business. They have much more talent and drive to help you with your issues than the therapists who have to work under a corporate money-making company such as Massage Envy. Massage Envy all in all was very disappointing for me. I wanted to try it since I no longer lived where I used to get massages and this location was so close to home.
The Pros:
-Front office and waiting was neat and clean.
-The front ladies were helpful and accommodating.
-Message bed face holder was comfortable.
-Barely any wait.
The Cons:
-The introductory price is deceiving. You will need to tip the therapist at least $10 for the one hour, plus they try and upgrade you $10 of essential oils and/or $12 for something for deep tissue heat or something like that. Most individual message therapists include many more oils and lotions without the hidden costs. Before the massage I told myself that even if the massage wasn't great then the cheap price would make up for it. Honestly, especially at the regular rate, its expensive for what you get.
-The 1 hour full body massage was not a full body massage at all. I'm not sure if corporately the therapists are limited to where they can touch on the client's body or because of the 1 hour time constraint - my upper arms, shoulders, hips, knees, thighs, chest and abdomen were not even touched. It made for an unbalanced massage since some of my problem areas are also affected by those areas not massaged.
-If you have never had a massage before or are only wanting a massage to relax or reduce stress then yes, I think you will feel as though you got a pretty good massage from Massage Envy. However, if you suffer from chronic pain and are going to get massage to work out your body's problems, then look elsewhere. The therapist I used to see who is a sole proprietor provided a massage that was many times better than the one at Massage Envy. The Massage Envy massage did relieve some of my muscle tightness, but that was about it. The therapist was clipped and to the point rather than trying to find out what I needed specifically and spending time recommending options. I think mostly because she was following the corporate formula of trying to make the client feel important, but not really achieving that because she was being forced under their rules and time constraints.
-The massage itself was nothing like what I used to receive with my other therapist. Massage Envy's therapist was not fluid with her motions so my body jiggled and moved back and forth, and the pressure was heavy but not effective. She would pull on certain areas before stretching muscles elsewhere which would cause pain and tightening of the muscles that she was supposed to be relaxing. Reminded me of someone knowing the motions, but not having the talent. That could have been this particular therapist, but I doubt it. If they had enough talent they would be working for a higher end spa or own their own business and work under their own rules.
As I said, if you've never had a proper massage before then you might not notice some of the things I did, but I wanted to give the full details for you to make your own informed decision. If you have about $70 to spend to try Massage Envy out and risk throwing that money down the drain, then go and see what you think for yourself. It might work for your needs and you'll be happy. But for $80-$120 an hour you can probably find a much better therapist who will be able to accommodate you better rather than mashing your skin and muscles around. Remember, always look at the reviews and ask around as see what others recommend. I found my original Massage therapist by word of mouth.
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