Silk & Stone Holistic Day Spa — Local services in Portland

Look, I am typically very difficult to disappoint when it comes to customer service. I've been working in the service industry for 17 years, and I don't dish out negative reviews willy nilly. In fact, this is my first one, ever. I want to give these folks two stars, but I'm throwing in an extra one so I don't totally screw their ratings, just in case I am literally the only person who's ever had a bad experience here. I get it - we all have bad days. Here is my experience, and you can judge for yourself how "bad" it truly was.

I arrived to my appointment right on time, not a minute early, not a minute late... I was pretty impressed with myself. I was quickly escorted to a waiting area and given a slip of paper to fill out. I filled this out in under a minute and went up to the front counter to hand it to the person behind the register, who was on the phone. Another person intercepted me, said "you can just hang onto that, she'll be right out." I returned to the waiting area where I sat for 15 minutes without any further interaction from the plethora of staff members fluttering about. I mean, plethora. There were at least 4 (maybe 5) people on the sales floor, and more people who were presumably otherwise engaged in providing services elsewhere.

One girl was filling small containers up from a giant tea bag, and looking either directly at me, or in my direction the entire time I sat waiting. One girl went from the phone, to talking to the girl with the tea, to a counter in the middle of the room. One girl fluttered about the sales floor talking to people who were looking at products on the shelves. And a man walked around intermittently, whose role I was unable to determine. I think there was another woman too, but I can't remember for sure, so let's just go with "at least 4 people" who basically ignored me for 15 minutes. Did I mention I had ALREADY booked an appointment? It's not like I was a walk in.

When my service provider finally emerged, she was very polite and friendly. I don't know if she had anything to do with the sub par service out front. She did a great job on my brows, and they ended up looking as good as I possibly could have hoped for. She did, however, actually draw blood on one of them, apologized profusely, and told me neosporin should help it heal more quickly. So, I got an apology for that portion, but no one acknowledged the fact that my appointment was 15 minutes behind schedule, nor did anyone offer me the tea the other folks are raving about in these reviews. I hope my experience was just a one time fluke, but I won't be returning...

I’ve been patronizing Silk & Stone since they opened. What a Portland treasure. Kaniz’s line of exquisite all-natural hair, beauty and feel-good products grows every year and after getting nosy, I learned that they’re all her personal formulations (and she sources from ethical farmers). Their henna color range - in quality, value, and color accuracy - is bar none. But here’s what you really need to know if you’re a home henna applier - DON’T MAKE A MESS AT HOME. Book an appointment with Sayed for your full henna, touch ups and root jobs. You’ll never mix it up at home again.

It’s the most affordable hair color anywhere on earth (whether you apply home or in salon), and the product ingredients won’t put you at risk for chemical exposure. Sayed’s application skills rival those of any expensive salon in town, hands down - I've tried every fancy salon. Furthermore, Kaniz’s threading wizardy is art in motion. And both of them have the most calming and lovely chairside manners - absolute healers the both of them, though they’d never take any credit for it.

There is also a full menu of beauty services they’ve added over the years. Really unique OPI nail color that I haven’t seen at the quickie-lube mani/pedi joints. They even sell application cones of ready-to-use henna for your parties and other personal uses.

I would tell the whole world about them all the time, but then they’d be all booked up! Steeping into their shop almost feels like you’re being welcomed into their home.

I’m excited to try their cryo fat reduction services later this year. Covid was a little rough around my midsection. 😬

I know I sound like this must be a paid review, but it’s not. After the worst week of my life after the worst year in Portland’s recent life, visiting with them yesterday gave me great calm, and a familiar quality of internal peace with which I leave every time and can be found few other places.

They’re one of the last covid holdouts - if you support small business and want to support a business that supports you unconditionally - they just want you feel as good as you look - Silk & Stone.

The best one-stop spa secret in Portland.

Do yourself a solid, stop by.

Thank you Kaniz & Sayed. You and your oasis are a blessing...

Silk & Stone is the best! My hair is always so silky and smooth after the all natural henna color, and the benefits of smooth, conditioned hair last for at least a month (while hair masks I use at home seem to only keep my long hair smooth for a couple of days). The color of the henna is great....my grey is covered by such a natural shade that my hair looks like it did when I was a teenager. I really love that this business provides an alternative to all the harsh, chemical dyes used at other salons. This is actually good for my hair and also helps because I have scalp psoriasis and doesn't irrirate my scalp. In fact, this session one of the owners applied neem oil to the henna mixture which he explained has Ayurvedic properties known to help with psoriasis. The salon is very serene and relaxing, and was just the place I wanted to be after not leaving my house for 4 months with a new baby at home. This salon would be a great escape for anyone looking for the full day spa experience during their hair color. The owners, a couple originally from Pakistan, are very community oriented and aim to bring cultures together through sharing tradional Pakistani and Indian beauty with a Western flair. I definitely recommend Silk & Stone for hair...