Bloom Essentials

Nicole is the best! I’ve been seeing her for years, and she has always treated me like an old friend.
Height recommended!

I have been here a couple of times and loved the results both times. The nail art they do is so good and very personalized. I’m going on vac to the Caribbean next week so she did a sea turtle and octopus on my big toes and star fish and bubbles on the rest of my toes. Love it! It is a little more pricey than I would usually pay for a pedicure, but it’s so worth it because it’s one of a kind and no one else will have the same as you. The only down side for me was having to sit on a bed instead of a chair. For those of you that have back problems and don’t find it easy to bend your legs while sitting on a bed, this may be a problem for you.

Got the Picasso Pedicure and was super pleased with it!
Minus one star only because they were running late and it felt poorly ventilated.

I had my nails done 2 days ago and my heels feel rough and dry, nothing like they should feel after the amount I paid. Yes the design is beautiful on the nail but there is more to a pedi then paint.
Plus the beds are not really comfortable. Please invest in better pillows or chairs and train staff to give a great pedi not just ok. You charge way to much for that!

They do a great job on the toe nails, however I don’t find they pay enough attention to the foot is self. Also don’t like sitting on the massage bed with pillows, not very comfortable.

Great ambience, friendly staff, comfy beds. Only problem was nail polish didn’t go on well. Kind of lumpy and then they let us leave before it was set at all (no drying lights) and it was ruined right away even though I was very careful. Won’t return for manicure.

Bloom is a lovely little spa in the heart of Kitsilano. I’ve been a pedicure customer for over 3 years now and they consistently deliver good service. Here are some observations:
Good — convenient location in Kits (north of 4^th, near Burrard), clean and hygenic pedi procedures (big stainless bowls used for soaking, files are new and given to the customer at the end of the treatment), good selection of OPI and Essie nail colors, excellent nail art choices, friendly staff
While Bloom would be considered a «day spa», Unilocalers should note that there isn’t a lounge or cushy robes. This is a no-​fuss, cute little spa that delivers well on providing good, average-​priced pedicures ($ 55 for regular pedi, $ 65 for one with nail art). Andrea does a wonderful job and does some amazing freehand nail art and is highly recommended.

Can’t say enought good things about Bloom.
The staff is great and really fun and the art makes me smile.
Nowhere else like it in town

I went here b/​c they had such great reviews and they did not disappoint. Nicole was really fabulous. She made sure my polish was perfect b4 i left.

I’ve been going to Bloom for pedicures for almost 5 years. I’ve always walk out happy. Absolutely love the designs that the ladies put on my toes. The latest treatment I walked out without actually paying attention to what the girl drew and of course it came out amazing as always.
If I have to criticize anything it would be the foot massage. The foot massage is usually quite short with nearly no pressure. So it ends up being more of a glide then a massage. Like many I enjoy a good foot massage. And since the pedicure is a little on the pricey side a «good» massage should be part of the treatment.

What a friendly, calming place! A friendly greeting awaited me as I checked in for my appointment. As soon as I walked in I was impressed. The space is very cute (not pukey cute) with lots of products to peruse as you wait for your appointment. Everything from the requisite nail polishes (OPI, Essie, Scotch among other brands), to bat soaps, lots of lotions, bubble baths, bath bombs, Moroccan Oil hair products, jewelry and marshmallows!
Like most others here I got the Picasso Pedicure. You go into a room, Sit on a bed (I had a couple of intellectual magazines outlining the demise of Katy Perry and Russell Brand’s divorce) and then lie back and put your feet in a metal bowl of warm water. Nicole was great — she was friendly without being fake, and really conscientious. She did such a great job preparing my feet for painting — buffing, filing, cuticle trimming (like .Krysten J said they didn’t go all vigilante with the cuticle scissors), massage, then she grabs your flip flops and slips your feet in them. Sarah McLachlan in the background — I was relaxed and excited to pick my design.
They give you a ring of placards are kind of like paint chips with all the designs you can pick from (you can change the colours if you want as well). I chose the peacock feather one and asked to have the background colour changed, so she came back with a bunch of blues and greens and BAM! I found the colour I wanted. Then she went to work — now I don’t have much of a pinky toenail but she fashioned one for me (hahaha) and I really appreciated it! The art came out beautifully and I left with a spring in my step (not too springy though, I had to walk back to the car without mucking it up). I can’t wait to come back!

I used the Groupon for the Honey Heel Glaze Pedicure and yes, I booked about a month in advance since I know it is going to expire and I suspect there will be a lot of people wanting to get their pedicure done by then (I used my common sense and logic on that one). Hey, booking ahead is worth it for half the price for trying a place out!
Anyways, the reception is not that professional when I got there. Pretty pre-​occupied when I got in. There are no music to relax you in the waiting area. It’s pretty quiet so everything you do could be heard. I was then ushered to the front room. They asked me to sit on what it looks like a massage chair with lots of cushions to relax you (and yes, the room has music). You get to pick a design to be hand-​drawn on your toes. I picked cherry blossoms and I have quite a few compliments.
Overall, the experience was pretty good. It’s a little pricey when it is regular price, so I’m not sure if I can afford going back there again for awhile.

I can affirm with the previous reviewer that Bloom does stunning nail art… stunning, I tell you! It’s the middle of a cold, wet winter, and I can’t stop stripping off my socks at friends’ homes to show them my glorious toes, painted with orange, yellow and white blossoms on a dark, dark brown background. What can I say? I’m bowled over by my toes. I mean, I’ve always been vain about my feet, but this takes it to a whole new level.
However, I would also affirm that while the nail art is without equal, I have had better, much more meticulous pedicures, especially with my regular esthetician. More meticulous with nail trimming and shaping, filing and buffing of the nails and pumice scrubbing of my soles. In fact, there were several instances during the pedicure when I desperately wanted to reach over and really give my feet a thorough wipe with the hot towel, such as after the foot soak and after the glaze application.
I was never quite sure they got all the glaze off after the application of the honey heel glaze. And the foot soak barely lasted 2 minutes, just enough time to get my feet wet. Isn’t the point of a soak to get the skin nice and soft?
So for me, going for the nail art alone would be worth it. I would not pay for the Picasso pedicure again, which is a shame, because I was really ready to be impressed by a pedicure against which all future pedicures will be compared.

I’m in love. With my toes.
A few months ago, i was lucky enough to snag a Groupon for a Picasso Pedicure — man, i think this pedicure was even worth the full cost!
I was hesitant about trying a new spa (I love pedicures at Spa Utopia because you can steam before and enjoy luxuriating in a robe, and all I knew was that it was near my beloved Rocky Mountain Flatbeard.
The spa is nice, but this was the first time I ever had my feet done while on a bed — I gotta say that a chair is usually more comfortable.
But the pedicure? genius. They weren’t evil with the cuticle trimmer, and at no point was there any pain (i have sensitive feet, and other spas have caused me to bleed (not good!). The esthetician was über nice and let me read my trashy gossip magazines while she did my feet.
And the designs you can choose from? AWESOME. I chose cherry blossom, and it’s gorgeous.
Worth every penny.

So after hearing that Bloom Essentials is THE place to get a pedicure in Vancouver, I had to test it out. I had to book 2 weeks in advance in order to get a weekend appointment, so I took it as a good sign! I anxiously waited for my appointment to come and was very very excited for it!
In terms of location and spa atmosphere, Bloom does a good job of creating a calm, serene space where people are able to sit back and relax. The pedicure room we were at featured 2 massage beds (and I call it a bed, because even though half of it was set up like a chair, I’m sure you can put it down and voila, massage bed). Nice warm lighting, no unpleasant nail polish scents, very clean.
The nail esthetician was nice and very talkative (in a good way), but personally I think she was a little sloppy in terms of the actual pedicure. Nails were very quickly trimmed, but they didn’t smooth my nails with one of those pedi blocks (I have very bumpy toenails). The foot soak was just warm, not hot enough, and a little too soapy. There was no salt/​sugar foot scrub. She did exfoliate the bottom of my foot with one of those pumice foot files, but not carefully and not meticulously. After that, she put a hot towel around my feet, and that part was very nice. There was a brief 5 minute massage where she rubbed lotion over my feet, but it wasn’t particularly good, just okay. So pre-​polish, my toes were trimmed neatly, surface was still uneven, and bottom of feet were just slightly less rough than when I first walked in. I give this part of the experience a B-​.
The nail art part was done very well though! I had little cupcakes and hearts drawn on a minty green background, and it was super cute, and well drawn. They even put a little rhinestone as the «cherry» on the cupcake! Very well done and very cute. Like all the previous reviewers, I also spent many days after that admiring my toes and definitely would take whatever chance I had to show them off. Bloom’s nailart deserves a nice solid A.
Would I go back to Bloom Essentials? Yes, but only to get a polish change (I think it’s $ 25 for just nail art). To me, it’s a reasonable splurge if you want cute toes that last. But paying $ 80 for the whole pedicure (tips and tax included) is a waste of money in my opinion. Not because it’s pricey, but because other than the nailart, it simply wasn’t a top notch pedicure.
My search for THE best pedicure continues! My next appointment is at Raintree Day Spa for their Seascape Pedicure and I will keep you folks posted!

This girl supposes her toeses are roses…
I have now had the prettiest toes in a 10 mile radius 4 times now. And each time, thanks to the talented nail artists at Bloom, I can’t stop looking, admiring, and cooing at my toes for a month straight. Yes, they easily last that long. And yes, they really are that pretty. People constantly notice and comment on them too.
I have to admit that the very first time I went (always for the Picasso Pedicure) I was somewhat happy with the paint and art but found that I had to re-​do the pedicure part within days. Since then, however, pretty painted toes with flowers and little sparkles on each toe could not have made a girl happier.
Definitely book ahead. And you can even book a group and bring your own wine and snacks and they will help you get settled in. I am such a BIG BLOOM fan.

I first discovered Bloom back in the days when the 1^st and Cypress neighborhood was still up and coming and they specialized in custom blended aromatherapy products.
Kim, who is one of the founders is a magician with scent and she is at her alchemist best with an array of pure essentials oils spread out in front of her. Nicole, Kim’s sister and cofounder of Bloom can conjure simple beauty and elegance from the most simple design elements and this is apparent in all the cute packaging that makes any of Bloom products such a pleasure to buy for yourself or give as a gift.
Bloom has come a long way since their aromatherapy days and they now have their own bath and skincare line as well as an adorable mom and baby line (
) and all the products are inspired by great scent, good design and the practicality and quality that is a hallmark of everything Bloom.
The Bloom Spa experience is down to earth, friendly and very accessible — both in price and in the fact that everything about Bloom is made to cater to the comfort of the customer in a simple spa environment.
My Bloomin’ Favorites include the best (BEST!!) and longest lasting pedicure in all of Vancouver, Miracle Cream which is a skincare item that everyone needs at their disposal and just about all of the adorable items that Kim and Nicole source from far and wide, often well ahead of the trend and make available to their lucky clientele.
They are often booked for spa services weeks in advance because, really, it’s hard to keep the secret when you find a place as fab as Bloom so don’t wait to book your services until the last minute!

I am more of a tomboy than a girly girl, but I have to admit that I do have my dirty little secrets and Bloom is definitely one of them!!!
Yes — I admit it, I am a total sucker for the ‘Bloomin’ Pedicure’! In my defense though, what girl wouldn’t be a sucker for having flowers painted on her toes. Even if those toes, could think of nothing more pleasurable than splooshing through the mud along a mud flat.
And even more exciting!!! They’ll even paint Lady Bird Beatles on your toes!!! No eye lash batting required.
Enjoy gals!