Blue Turtle Spa

I still have five stars for Blue Turtle Spa and the excellent knowledge and service Andrew provides. While I’m very sad that Andrew will no longer be providing facials, I’m happy to still have access to his well-​curated base of skin care products. He provides detailed reasons why he offers each product as well as great instructions on how to use them. Knowledge is power – thanks for sharing yours, Andrew!

I have struggle with dry and sensitive skin for a long time. A have a lot of acnes. Mirrior was my enemy back then. I decided to go to blue turtle spa and try the facial. 3 days after the facial i can see my face getting clearer. I’m using blue turtle spa home regimen to make my skin stronger and it works really well! It doesn’t cause any redness to my sensitive skin. Now it’s been a month since my first facial and it’s been great! No more breakouts. I just got my 2^nd facial yesterday.

Andrew is incredibly attentive and helpful to all your unique skin needs. His facial experience is calming and cleansing, and Andrew has single handedly made my skin stronger.
since my last facial with him 4 months ago, I have used his gentle cleanser and exfoliate products and I’ve seen great results.
he is amazing and so good at treating skin! he also takes a very scientific approach to his practice which I found very helpful

I must add to my previous review that Andrew’s Sensitive Skin Ageless+Serum is amazing! I have been using it since I wrote my review – It absorbs immediately into your skin (like no other product I’ve tried) and hydrates and nourishes without any feeling of residue or shine (no irritation or clogged pores either) – your complexion just looks and feels freshened and firmer! Highly recommended along with Andrew’s wonderful facials/​treatments!!!

My review is long overdue. I love Andrew so much I had to think for some time to put down into words what you should know about him.
tl;dr: I’ve been seeing Andrew since January 2013. He will transform your skin. Go see him!
You can also read more reviews on his previous location’s page:
Andrew is a scientist, healer, and dedicated skin expert. He is my go-​to for glowing skin.
I have skin that scars easily after acne flare ups. I used to have a bad habit of picking any pimples that I could feel surfacing or had surfaced. Andrew has helped me effectively tame my bad habits and skin. I rarely break out nowadays, and when I do, any pimples disappear within a matter of days (using AloCell Gel!). He has effectively healed parts of my face with hyperpigmentation, sun damage, and dryness… to a point where people wonder if I ever had less-​than-​perfect skin. I cannot thank Andrew enough for restoring my self confidence and freeing me to go outside again without hiding under makeup.
+ Andrew gives excellent advice backed by science, without sugarcoating. He will tell you what your skin needs. My first visit with Andrew was going over all the ingredients in the skincare products I use and their effects on my skin. Knowledge is power, and after each session with Andrew, I feel even more informed about how to take better care of my skin.
+ Andrew prescribes the gentlest yet most effective care for your skin. He recognizes that great skin does not happen overnight and will not prescribe harsh treatments that make it look better in the short-​term. Great skin is a long-​term game and he will work with you to build/​rebuild a foundation for healthy skin.
+ Andrew is extremely detailed. He writes down the details of each visit, how your skin has reacted to particular products, and any skin history or lifestyle changes you tell him. Using this information, he pieces together the most appropriate regimen to help you make progress toward your skin goals.
I am so fortunate to have met Andrew. Thank you so much for transforming my skin! See you soon :)

I had a facial on Saturday and Andrew is fantastic– an incredible experience and I will definitely return.
I strongly recommend Blue Spa to everyone wanting a great facial
The spa salon is located in a building containing a variety of different types of cosmetologists in the Financial District

I went to Blue Turtle in 2013 to be up front, and I have been meaning to write this review since. Better late than never!
Overall: unremarkable facial, and I did not like Andrew’s attitude.
I was very disappointed in Andrew’s bed side manner — he was rude and snobby. For example, after the facial I asked him about skincare recommendations, and he told me that I had to do «lots of reading» and look things up” etc. After asking him to explain and asking for more help, he finally admitted that he has an educational YouTube channel that would be helpful for me to learn about skincare. Why would he hide that? Also, I made the mistake of sharing what I do for a living with him and he judged me for my line of work. No thanks.
Note that at the time I went in April 2013 this was not a spa — it was a room in the back of a hair salon on Columbus St.

I drive over 2 hours each way to have facials with Andrew. I believe my valued time is well spent, as the results from Andrews skin care for the past 6 years are evident in my healthy glow. Thank you Andrew.

Andrew is the best esthetician ever! He is very knowledgeable, experienced, professional and most of all his skills and work produce excellent and real results. His products are effective as his touch and work. Most importantly, Andrew is client centered — he gives special treatments to his clients. He has given me free/​complimentary products to use. His clinic is also very comfortable, a great place to get great facial treatments and also to relax and be renewed. I highly recommend Andrew!

I have been seeing Andrew regularly and using his products for nearly 3 years and the results are outstanding. I have always had oily and difficult to manage skin with random breakouts, particularly during stressful periods at work. That changed when I met Andrew who explained exactly what was going on and how to bring things back into balance.
As a typical guy who had not paid a ton of attention to skin care, I was amazed at how much of a difference one session with Andrew coupled with some knowledge and a balanced routine makes. I would highly recommend Andrew and without reservation. Even if you think your skin is in good shape, you will be pleased you took the time to go.

Best facial I’ve ever had. Andrew really understands skin on a molecular level. I have very sensitive, acne prone skin and I know I’m in good hands whenever I come here.
I now live in LA, but I make sure to get a facial whenever I’m back in the Bay Area because I wouldn’t trust my skin with anyone else. These facials don’t come with all the fluff like a lot of places, which I find are usually things that irritate my skin more than they help. Instead it’s straight forward; just high quality, excellent product and simple procedures. Andrew really knows what he’s doing to get your skin, whatever condition it may be in, as healthy as possible.
This line of products is the best thing I’ve used; they feel more natural. I don’t get itchy, tight, irritated or overly flakey skin. It’s powerful enough to do its job effectively, yet sensitive enough to not irritate my skin. Everything feels very simple and natural, the way it’s supposed to. It’s what your skin needs and nothing it doesn’t! …which is really hard to find.

I have been going to Andrew since he was working out of a beautiful little studio he set up in his home and have followed him to the Financial District, conveniently close to my office. His newest salon on Montgomery is the finest space for his Blue Turtle Spa yet. Even though it is so close to the hustle and bustle of downtown San Francisco, it feels like a million miles away.
Andrew is a true expert at skin care. As an engineer I appreciate his ability to explain in layman terms just what my face needs to be healthy and what products and environmental conditions to avoid. The real magic happens when he performs his amazing treatments, however. When he is done I feel years younger and am glowing for days after. I would recommend Andrew to anyone who wants serious help with their skin.

I am picky. In the past 30 years, I’ve been to many spas and seen many estheticians from 5 stars spas in the the south bay and in san francisco. But no one is as good as Andrew. Andrew is gentle and has no ego even if he has been rated the best!
I just came to see Andrew at his new San Francisco location. It is so awesome!
Clean, spacious and lots of parking. He is amazing!

Ladies, do yourself a favor and book an appointment with Andrew. In all of my years of searching for someone who would understand my sensitive rosacea flaring skin, Andrew is the only one who has known how to treat it.
I feel like I’ve been to every dermatologist and esthetician in the Bay Area so Andrew deserves a gold medal. Everyone else always starts by steaming my skin and Andrew did not; he explained that steaming the skin of someone with rosacea only makes it worse. After I had his facial, it was the first time I left with my skin more calm and no longer red. I now wash with only cold water and only wash my face at night and I use his gentle cleanser. I also am using his relief serum which has calmed my skin down. I am a big fan of his products because guess what… they actually work! I have tried everything to calm my skin and all the other products out there at Sephora (insert every spa and department store here…) are complete garbage. Don’t listen to the hype, they don’t work.
Many thanks to Andrew and his matter of fact style of education for finally making me feel better and look better. He’s a great guy who is on a mission to educate women about what really works for our skin and how to treat it.

I’ve been here three times, and definitely plan on continuing to visit. I really appreciate how honest and knowledgable Andrew is. After my first visit, I completely changed my skin care habits and saw immediate results. Highly recommended!

Andrew does an amazing job!
My skin has always been prone to break outs. I tried so many different products trying to find a cure for my acne. I hated my skin. I hated looking in the mirror. Before, when I would go for treatments I would leave with red, irritated skin that would often break out more. THEN I found Andrew… his treatments and products have made such a difference. After treatments, my skin is calm and looks great. I rarely break out now!
Andrew is very knowledgable and explains why certain products/​ingredients work well or why they irritate your skin. He can review how different ingredients work with each other.
He is also straightforward and honest. He doesn’t try to oversell a slew of products. He provides a few recommendations for simple morning/​nighttime routines.
I feel so lucky to have found Andrew… and you will too!

My skin has always had issues. It’s pretty sensitive so I’m very cautious about what I put on it and I haven’t changed my skin routine in about 2 years. My most annoying issue is that my old acne pits (thanks high school) would always be pigmented pink, making them really noticeable on my fair skin but I couldn’t put any effective products on them because my skin would react badly. That all changed after I saw Andrew at Blue Turtle Spa.
In his North Beach location he has a room in the back of a modern salon. When you first meet him, he has you fill out a card that has you list everything you put on your face (face wash, moisturizer, etc.). While he reviews it, you get to pick out the music that will play during your facial (nice touch!). He then goes over your skin care régime with you, even going as far to explain the biology and anatomy of your skin. I brought my Cetaphil for gentle skin, a face wash I’ve been using since high school, and he pointed out how there is actually sodium laureth sulphate in it, a detergent used in dish washing soap! No wonder my face was always pink!
The facial itself is amazing (I think I fell asleep) and when I walked out of the salon it actually looked like I had make up on. There was no redness that usually comes after you have a facial. His extractions were totally painless and he was willing to explain exactly what he was doing/​putting on your skin if you asked.
While the facial is terrific, it’s really the skin consultation that’s the gift that keeps on giving. The best part was that Andrew does NOT push the products he sells on his website. He just recommends products with certain ingredients in them that are best suited for your skin. After a little research, I decided to go with products on Andrew’s website, mostly because they were priced reasonably with free 2-​day shipping and I really appreciated his services during my facial. He sent me a thank-​you email and the products came right away. A week later, it looks like I have new skin! It’s smooth and soft and there’s absolutely no visible pigmentation or acne scars.
Bottom line: I will forever be recommending the Blue Turtle Spa to all my friends and family. Andrew has a new client he can add to his regular list.

Andrew is super knowledgeable. I struggled with bad skin for years and he was instrumental in teaching me what my skin needed. He’s not pushy with his products which is refreshing. Going to him is like a spa day. A warm comfy robe, a soft bed, dim lighting… I love going. Since finding him 7 years ago, I haven’t gone anywhere else. Thank you, Andrew!

I gave a session with Andrew to my husband for our anniversary. He’d never been to a skin care spa, and we’re not skin-​focused people. But, he completely enjoyed the professional treatment and careful advice. Plus, his skin was notably healthier looking after that one session, and he’s continued to use the skin care products that Andrew recommended.
Andrew is completely non-​trendy, fact-​based, and non-​pushy. His service was much better than the stereotype trendy spa place that I kind of was expecting.
The session was a risky, but surprisingly good, gift!

Honest Andrew is a skin guru! He’ll help guide you thorough your skin régime wrongs and rights, but like anything worth having you have to work for it and research. His website is extensive, but sit down and take some notes before your appointment, or surely after. He’s amazing in the fact that your skin will get better after learning from him. It’s not like when you get your hair done and then you can never recreate the look. You can get your skin to glow too!
Products are inexpensive in comparison to all the crap out there, and they actually work (assuming you buy the right goods for you skin type). Thanks Andrew!!!