Zen Salon & Spa

Great place — my go to place for waxing.

Zen made it so easy to set up my complimentary lip wax after my last review, and made me feel welcomed when I came in. Sam did a great job and paid extra attention to make sure I was totally satisfied with the result. She even put concealer on me afterward! I was so impressed with their customer service and Sam’s attention to detail.

i went in yesterday to purchase my facewash. i was not greeted upon entering, but as soon as someone noticed i was going to drop 50 $ plus on facewash, someone was in my face.
i said i did not need help, at which point the employee just stood there giving me her opinions so i couldnt even move. then she proceeded to start talking about my «son» who is actually my daughter. very unpleasant.
when i checked out i requested that my aveda rewards number was entered.
when i stated i was new to town the employee very snobbily and deliberately said well theres nothing… we… can…really…do.
how about you try to get my new info and welcome me to town to get a return customer?
i realize this is very complain-​y but i cant get over how idiotic and snobby this place was. im considering returning my 50 dollar facewash just so they dont receive my business. im sure aveda wouldnt appreciate these ladies either. i cant imagine how terrible a haircut would be from this place. zen– you are not as awesome as you think you are. girls– get over yourselves.
i will not be back!
sincerely– a nice mom trying to find her way in a new town.

If you’re looking for an eyebrow wax that follows the trends and fits your face, Sam is excellent. Follow her advice about not tweezing in between and go regularly. You will not be disappointed.
I got day-​before and day-​of text confirmations. Very helpful.
The only thing I’ll say about Zender’s is that it’s too expensive for what it is. In Chicago, you can get a similar service for less. I have never understood why it’s so pricey here.

I give them 5 stars because of their customer service. They are seriously the nicest and most understanding business that I have ever been to. Their services are expensive but they take good care of you (back rubs and hand massages with your hair appt, calming oils for your wax, etc).
I love these guys!

I had such a bad haircut from Zenders people made fun of the way it looked. Really bad experience

I’ve had a haircut (with Tara) and a manicure (with Hannah) here and love it! Everyone is always so friendly and I always leave pleased with the results.

I was in Iowa City last week, and had a nice surprise finding Zenders, thanks to Unilocal.A little pricey, by my inexperienced SoCal standards, but it was a wonderful treat. Samantha and Hannah provide relaxing, professional and caring service. And the atmosphere provides a great Spa experience. Made my week!

I was feeling nervous about finding a new salon and stylist after using the same wonderful woman in San Francisco for the past 8 years. I decided to go with Zenders since I’ve always used Aveda salons. Next on the task list was selecting the stylist. I went with Erin, who has years of experience and is their resident cutting educator. She is excellent with fine hair. Probably because she has very fine hair herself and knows how to work it! She takes her job very seriously and will talk with you quite a bit before a haircut to ensure she understands your desires for your hair. She gave me a lot of helpful tips, and she gave me a cut that fits in with my life style. Totally worth the 80 minute drive from my home town.
Some additional info: Zenders will let you pop in for a bang trim in between cuts.
Metered parking out front (one hour limit), and a parking garage associated with the building. So, parking is easy and quick.

I used Zender’s for my wedding hair and make-​up and had a great time. Tara did a wonderful job. All of my bridesmaids and both mothers had their hair done as well and everyone was pleased with their experience. Starting with my practice meeting with Tara, I felt very comfortable and excited. Tara was willing to listen to my comments on changes I would like to see for the real day from what we had come up with and she really delivered. On the day of the wedding, all of the staff at Zender’s were really kind and nice to us and the environment was really relaxing. We all came out looking even more beautiful than when we went in and the hair dos and make-​up lasted very well throughout the rest of the day!

I had Tara today for my haircut and she was FANTASTIC! Super nice, super friendly, and she actually gave me what I wanted (which rarely happens)!
I brought in a picture and she was able to easily translate it to me hair. She took my upside-​down triangle mess that was my hair and turned it into something that was easy and just looked right. Plus, she even understood my obscure Martha Stewart reference.
I loved the whole experience (Zender’s is a gorgeous place) and I can’t wait to go back!

I’ve only ever had a wax at Zenders. Sam, the waxer, is fantastic. The receptionist also calls me two days in advance to remind me of my appointments, as opposed to one day. Overall, everyone is very professional and friendly. The waiting area for the rooms for massages and waxing is actually quite large and comfortable, and Sam always gives me some great moisturizing oils.

Zenders has a wonderfully relaxing atmosphere, the minute I step into the waiting area, with its calming color scheme, comfortable couches, and herbal tea, I start to unwind. I’ve had massages, pedicures and manicures as well as facials. The staff is very professional, use a good amount of product (no skimping here!!). My favorite is the facial… it’s wonderfully refreshing and your skin feels fabulous. The pedicure lasts an hour and your feet, often overlooked, are so pampered! You also get a leg massage and the pedicure lasts and lasts; best of all, you don’t have hang nails two weeks later! They know what they are doing there. Other mall salons charge less, but you get much less, believe me. I highly recommend Zenders.

I have never gone to Zender’s for a haircut. I hear they are good. They seem to do the typical blond highlights thing that walks around Iowa City a lot. If that’s your look then go for it.
Don’t, however, go for a massage. They can’t really work your back out.