Aoki Head Spa & Skin — Local services in McKinney

While my first experience at Aoki Head Spa & Scalp Therapy was far from ideal, I’m pleased to share that the owner, Jihee, reached out the very next day after reading my feedback and went above and beyond to ensure that my next visit was truly exceptional. The main issues during my initial appointment were due to understaffing, as one of their team members had a family emergency, and Jihee herself left to support her employee. It’s rare and refreshing to see a business prioritize its employees’ well-being, and this gesture reflects the genuine care Jihee has for her staff.

When I returned for my follow-up, I was greeted by Addie, who completely transformed my experience. She took the time to have a thorough discussion about the Love Me More Package, explaining in detail how each part of the treatment could be customized to my specific hair type. Addie said it best: “While other places may focus on outer beauty, Aoki Head Spa focuses on inner beauty”—something that is so important in today’s world. This level of personalization and focus on well-being was something I hadn’t experienced before.

Throughout the entire appointment, Addie made sure to keep me informed about what she was doing and why. It was reassuring to know exactly what was happening, and it made the process feel more engaging. She was also very attentive to my comfort, frequently checking in to ensure I was at ease—a far cry from my initial experience.

The best part was how thorough Addie was in showing me my scalp both before and after the treatment. She walked me through the areas of concern we had discussed, offering practical advice on how to maintain healthier hair moving forward. Her attentiveness and depth of knowledge made all the difference.

It’s important to note that Aoki Head Spa is a new business, having been open for just three months. However, if the care and dedication from Jihee and her team continue along this positive, uphill trend—prioritizing both quality and the customer experience—I can only see this business thriving in the future. Their commitment to righting wrongs and focusing on care is something that sets them apart. That said, focusing on staff education and ensuring they have a solid foundation of knowledge and awareness would further enhance the overall experience. A bit more training could help avoid the occasional lapses in common sense or knowledge that I experienced during my initial visit, though these were quickly resolved with my second visit with Addie.

For any potential clients reading this review, if you’re looking to invest in your inner health and well-being, Aoki Head Spa is the place to try. They focus not just on beauty, but on overall health, which is something many spas overlook. While my second visit was fantastic, I do have a couple of minor suggestions for improvement. It would be great to see the hairbrushes cleaned more thoroughly between clients—I noticed some hair stuck in one twice now. Another recommendation is to have more size-inclusive bathrobes to ensure comfort for a wider range of clients. Lastly, adding some sort of hanging sheet between the beds would provide more privacy during the massage, especially towards the end.

In the end, what started off as a disappointing experience turned into a wonderful one, thanks to Jihee’s swift action and the excellent service from Addie. Aoki Head Spa truly cares about its clients and its staff, and that kind of dedication makes all the difference. I’m glad I gave them a second chance and look forward to returning...

My friend and I came and we were so excited to try a head spa, of course we've been seeing them all over our social media. That being said you don't really know what to expect until you're actually there.

Our experience was very subpar at best. We got the "focus on me" package and ADDED the $35 charge for them to style our hair afterwards. It started a bit awkward with an "aroma therapy" treatment done in the front lobby in our robes right next to the check in desk. No privacy, they wafted essential oils in our face and had us breathe in and out, then started randomly giving us shoulder/neck massages while we are sitting upright AGAIN in the lobby no privacy, and it lasted maybe 2 minutes when they then ushered us into the big open bay treatment room.

The room is large and they have plenty of tables, there are curtains that are in between each table that could be utilized to give a bit of privacy but those didn't seem to be used. (this open concept did not bother me too much, but just something to note)

They are very thorough with the cleansing of the scalp, I feel like there was not one inch of my head that did not get scrubbed. HOWEVER before they started they had us sitting under a steam machine for about 20 mins (I get the concept of being under the steam to open up our follicles, but 20 MINS?!) The massaging of our head/scalp was ok, I just feel like it was less relaxing and more scrubbing. Then at the end of the service we sat under this waterfall for again about 15-20 mins. MEANING our 1.5 hr service that we paid $160 (not including styling service) was about half just sitting under machines not being pampered in any other way, no hand or foot massage just us sitting under machines..

NOW we're to the styling portion. NO products were used at all, no heat protectant, no leave in conditioner, no styling products of any kind. My technician blow dried my hair with her hands and just messily trying to get the hair dry, no brush was used. She went on to flat iron it which is what I had asked for and she just starts trying to flat iron the top. There were no clips used to try and get the underside of my hair, she was focused on the hair around my face and the top.... it legitimately felt like a child was just play doing my hair. She just kept going over it over and over, no heat protectant nothing, my hair was super frizzy and super puffy! I ended up just having her stop the spa was hot, 74 degrees in there, and with everything that was going on to my hair I was sweating and so over it. DO NOT OFFER AN UPCHARGED STYLING SERVICE IF YOU DONT HAVE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO STYLE!

This spa has so much potential but has major room for improvement. Their price point does not warrant the actual service you get.

EDIT I forgot to say that they used a device to examine your scalp to before/after treatment. I do not believe these get sanitized (might be a one off, idk) but in my experience and what I personally saw myself was my technician used it on me, then another technician and her client came right next to us, and grabbed the machine we had just used and went directly into using it on...

Save your money. They don’t deliver based on the price they charge. I think they’re able to charge as much as they do and get away with it because they’re in a nice area, but I paid for a 90 minute head treatment but didn’t get the full time (unless they count blow drying part of that time, which they shouldn’t cuz I can do that myself). You pay $160+ and don’t get a private room- you even change in the middle of the lounge area right in front of the front door where people walk in just behind some curtains. Then, part of the experience of the massage that was given to me was done on a chair in the front waiting area and lasted literally 5 minutes. I sat there waiting for a bed, but the owner started the massage on me while I was sitting there massaging my head and shoulders which felt amazing but literally lasted a few minutes. I thought it was just a teaser come to find out, that was the whole massage experience. When I got to the actual bed, there was no more massage. She just started scrubbing the crap out of my scalp with a brush. I was afraid I was going to get dandruff which I read about in some of the comments. It wasn’t very relaxing. ALSO! part of your 90 minutes is used up by the doctor analyzing your scalp and buildup, and the owner explaining where they buy their products. I’ve gotten $180 facials before where they analyze your skin before treatment with a doctor- they do NOT count this as part of your time.

Then while I was in bed, the owner asked if I wanted to tack on a 60 min facial for instead of $170, for just $120. I figured sure since I’m here. She handed me over to someone who I could tell did NOT have experience. She didn’t massage my face AT ALL. She literally kept applying creams with a very soft hand like how I would do at home, wiping it off, and then applying more creams. She did this about five times. It didn’t feel good AT ALL. She even got product in my mouth and eye! My eye was burning and when I came out, it was red. She then proceeded to blow dry my hair but only on ONE spot of my scalp. I told her she was burning me so she just lowered the temperature. I told her, no, you have to move the blow dryer around. Isn’t this common sense??

I complained to the owner and doctor/cashier (she played both roles). The owner said sorry and knocked off $50 for the facial. I said no, I am not paying for that facial. I would’ve rather not have done it. The $180 facial I usually get comes with skin analysis, blackhead removals and reduction of milia. It was literally not a facial. It was just a cream and wipe session- and her response was “our spa focuses on just feeling good and keeping it light.” But it didn’t even feel good. I told them I’ll at least pay for the head treatment which was $190 after tip, but after I left, I regretted even paying that. Was NOT worth it. It didn’t feel good, and I worried about my scalp flaking off for the next 5 days. Thank goodness it didn’t, but I honestly didn’t see a...