Skin Bar and Studio — Local services in Chicago

I really wanted to love Skin Bar Studio. As a new medspa, I was hopeful especially since I had a friend helping with their marketing and wanted to support them. To be fair, the staff is incredibly kind, compassionate, and welcoming, which I truly appreciated. However, I felt the management lacked professionalism and clear communication, and unfortunately, that affected my experience significantly.

I had originally reached out via Instagram to inquire about model filler and was communicating with someone who I believe was the manager or owner. I mentioned that since I already have a very full face, I was interested in just chin filler to add balance and structure. Being new to filler, I asked if I could purchase just half a syringe. I was told I’d have to pay for the full syringe even if I didn’t use it all, but that leftover filler could be placed elsewhere if desired. I appreciated the flexibility and mentioned again that I likely wouldn’t need much elsewhere due to how full my face naturally is.

When I arrived, I waited about 30 minutes which I didn’t mind at all and was brought into the room, where I was informed I’d be filmed as a model while receiving facial filler. During the session, I was told that because I sleep on my right side, I’d need some in my right cheek to balance things out. Since they are the professionals, I trusted their judgment especially because I had already mentioned I was okay with using a little bit of leftover filler elsewhere.

However, things started moving quickly and filler was placed in multiple areas of my face. I didn’t want to micromanage or come off as difficult, so I stayed quiet, assuming they understood the look I was going for based on my earlier messages with the manager. When I was handed a mirror at the end, my face looked noticeably fuller than ever, which has always been a major insecurity of mine. The goal was to add subtle definition to my chin to help balance that roundness — not enhance the volume in areas I already struggled with.

At checkout, I was shocked to be told the total was nearly $2,000 when I had originally been quoted $450. I was told that 4 vials of filler were used — something I never would have agreed to, especially as someone with a full face who had only ever had half a syringe in the past. I expressed my concern and was told I could return in a couple of weeks to dissolve it if I wasn’t happy.

When I came back hoping to correct the results, I was then told that I would need to pay out of pocket to dissolve and that any corrections would also be additional cost — which was never communicated initially. I felt incredibly let down.

To make matters worse, I later went to a different medspa for a second opinion and was told that the filler used on me was too soft for chin structure, which likely explains why I didn’t achieve the result I originally came in for.

I don’t write this review out of malice. I genuinely liked the staff and wanted this to be a great experience. But communication, consent, and transparency are essential in aesthetics, and I didn’t feel that was upheld here. I left feeling more insecure than when I walked in, and that’s the opposite of what anyone should experience...

RESPONSE UPDATE: 2 STARS 9/22/25 Thanks for the "clarification," but it was not warranted. A $255 service, plus a 20-percent tip, comes out to a $300 facial. The first-time client rate of -$50 was going to be applied anyway, regardless of your performance. Thank you for clarifying for everyone that you provided ZERO adjustment to remedy such issue, NOTHING at all deducted from my bill at checkout, due to your extreme tardiness. Glad you pointed that out! $50 off my next service is not helpful as I do not plan on returning after that poor showing.

3 STARS 9/21/25 So wanted to love Skin Bar and Studio but leaving disappointed after my BR facial. I arrived early and excited to try this beautiful, new spot. I’ve heard wonderful things about BR products and have an event coming up that I wanted to look snatched for.

After sitting there for ten minutes past my appointment time, I inquired with the front desk to make sure I didn’t mix up the time. I was informed a previous customer had shown up late. My estie during the facial also mentioned that they “squeezed” someone in as well. If you were running behind already, that seems like an odd choice. My facial didn’t start until 15 minutes past the scheduled appointment time. I’d expect that possibly from a cookie-cutter, Clean your Dirty Face spot, NOT for a nearly $300 facial.

While I understand some things may be out of their control, accepting a client “12 minutes” late who proceeded to take “nearly ten minutes getting dressed” simply is not the customer’s responsibility to account for.

BUT what I will say is Chelsea, my esthetician, was a breath of fresh air and did a great job with the facial once it got underway. Unfortunately, the experience was just tainted at that point and felt unorganized.

The owner was sympathetic to a certain degree with my expressed frustration but overall I ended up paying the new client rate with zero remedy by Skin Bar during checkout.

As clients, our time is valuable and with the type of high-paying clientele their services cater to, I simply cannot fathom how they can be successful. Time is money and running that late is...

Updating my review at the request of the owner.

Skin Bar and Studio hosted an injector training that was not affiliated with the Med Spa at all. I attended the unaffiliated training and needed to come back for a two week touch up. I called and told the front desk I was scheduling my two week touch up from the training. They booked me with an in-house provider instead of connecting me with the training provider.

I returned for my touch-up and was surprised that I had a new provider, but thankfully Diana was an absolute angel. Her work was flawless and settled perfectly. She clearly knows what she’s doing.

I wrote a previous review expressing frustration that I attended the outside training and felt the follow up and situation was mismanaged. The owner was quick to call, multiple times, and ask the review be taken down. She did not apologize or pretend to be empathetic towards the situation and solely kept asking the review be taken down. Skin Bar and Studio is who recruited for the event, charged me for the service, provided the follow up, and called regarding the feedback so I believe my feedback is valid enough to warrant...