Started out as a boring errand. Ended up being the smoothest half hour ever. That’s how it usually goes at Bath’s top-rated laser clinics, tucked in places you’d never think twice about. One cosy studio in Bear Flat has locals swearing by the results. It’s not just because it works, but because the owner remembers your dog’s name and your last holiday.
Combe Down has a discreet gem perched above a bakery, where the scent of cinnamon buns occasionally mixes with the hum of the light machine. Weston folks keep chatting about the spot near Lansdown Road where repeat bookings are as regular as your oat flat white. Basically: consistency, charm, and impressive hygiene standards. Some clinics even offer loyalty stamps, like Pret but for your pits.
Folks searching for beauty and spa deals in Bath swear you don’t need the fanciest address to get elite service. Sometimes it’s the unassuming door beside the florist that hides your skin’s new best friend.
Look, your mates probably won’t suggest this. But they’ll thank you after. Especially when summer hits and you're flexing freshly smooth fuzz-free skin under a t-shirt from the Sunday artisan market. First session can be a tissue-gripping affair, sure. But truthfully, it feels less awkward than your last date. And it's over quicker too.
Expect a pulse of warmth, kind of like a Bath espresso hitting your chest but in flicks. Friendly chat at the start, paper knickers if you're going full Brazilian, and a cooling treatment at the end so your thighs don’t feel like they’ve just been grilled. Staff usually explain things like melanin and follicle cycles without sounding like a GCSE revision tape. That helps.
For first timers, lighter clothes are a win, leave perfumes at home, and throw in a chewing gum for good measure. Some clinics offer tea, others play Adele on loop. Soft socks equal an underrated comfort booster.
Sessions feel faster than a Bath bus whizzing through Oldfield Park. Quick in, quick out, and off you go to lunch. Not without the cooling sample, though. Most add a dab of calm gel, something minty, leaves you wanting to put your whole face in it.
On those unusually sunny days in Bathwick, the rule is simple: no sun on the laser bits. Post treatment skin’s in its sensitive princess era, so treat it accordingly. Skip steam rooms at Thermae. Definitely no dips in the rooftop pool for 48 hours (tempting as it is). And jogging uphill towards The Circus? For the love of collagen, give it a miss.
Instead: cottons over synthetics, aloe gel over fancy creams, SPF 50 like you mean it. One woman claimed Lansdown’s breeze worsened her redness. More likely, she had garlic fries right after. Which (no judgement) is not on the suggested list. Keep things calm and gentle. Avoid strenuous workouts or face-down massages.
Grab a takeaway chai and wander Sydney Gardens instead. Trust us, it’s oddly meditative. And it’s facials next week anyway, right?
The second the device clicks on, it sounds like a printer from 2005. High tech, but not scary. You’ll read about diode systems vs SHR vs IPL at 2am and forget it all by morning. So here’s the core of it: diode lights are great on coarse patches (hello ankles), Alexandrite’s gentle enough for paler tones, and IPL is versatile but comes with mixed results for deeper hues.
Clinics in Widcombe tend to favour lightweight handheld machines. Several near The Circus use bigger salon grade towers that look like they belong in a lab. That doesn’t mean better; just flashier. Ask for their preferred machine. No shame in getting nerdy.
There are whispers of one place in Bathwick with a machine that syncs with your smartphone (yes, really). But honestly, go for the clinic that talks through your options. It’s better than hearing them rave about the gear like a car dealer.
Let’s just say it. Bath doesn’t always get it right. But this? Nailed it. Laser isn’t magic beans, but the right kind can mean months of zero spikes and finer regrowth when it does return. Think dolphin smooth shins for the extent of two seasons. And underarms that stop shredding your shirts.
Areas like the face (PCOS warriors know) may need maintenance now and then, but it’s not drastic. The goal isn’t forever bare. It’s fewer plucks, no rashy reactions, less panic before pool days. Realistically, a solid course means top ups once or twice a year. Like a dentist checkup, but for your legs.
And no, hair doesn’t just "grow back thicker" if you quit halfway. That’s a myth. Like the one about rice crispies curing acne.
Picture this: fairy lights strung above Walcot Street, a bottle of fizz chilling, and a "his and hers laser package" quietly sitting in your inbox with your name (and discount) on it. Spa deals in Bath aren’t just for birthdays now. They’re for "why the hell not" moments, hen dos, "sorry I forgot your birthday" make ups, or mates going on a shared glow up spree before Magaluf (or Cornwall, who’s judging?).
Clinics across Bathwick and Larkhall have caught on. Some now offer duo sessions, laser plus massage combos (yes please), or mini gift boxes loaded with SPF and bath salts. One even offers pre party polish vouchers including a bikini line blast followed by pedicure and a mocktail.
Oh, and there’s a clinic near the Holburne Museum flogging flash sales if you book three sessions straight. Worth the splurge? Absolutely. Feels fancier than it costs.
Didn’t plan it. Didn’t expect it. But this kind of self care hits different when the results stick around. People may whisper that it’s indulgent or unnecessary. But frankly, what isn’t these days? If it buys confidence, mornings back, and legs you don’t have to second guess, then yeah, that’s a win.
The best part? You forget about it once you’re used to it. Like contact lenses or liking kombucha. It just becomes part of your rhythm. The no nick legs, smooth underarms, and cheek fuzz that no longer catches the light during mid Zoom. Tiny joys, really. Worth every scheduled click, every slightly weird patch test, every bottle of post session lotion.
And honestly, being hairless in historic Bath? Bit iconic, actually.
