Lola Soap review: Unethical business practices

Lola Soap Cannery Row / Monterey AKA Lilly Beauty Spa AKA Carmel Spa AKA Ferrer Label Spa (on search, it is Ferrer Labell) is a scam. Locations include San Diego/La Jolla/Temecula, Balboa Island, Newport Beach, Gilbert AZ, Las Vegas, Charleston SC and more in the US and Canada. Lola has an “F” rating on BBB with multiple unanswered complaints. Search “Lola Soap BBB Complaints” to find BBB complaints and negative Yelp Reviews. LOLA stores seem to be in high end/tourist locations. I found that many of these locations have strange phone numbers that ring endlessly. Potential customers would never think retail store scams can occur in these high ticket areas. They lure you in with their cupcake/ice cream shaped soaps and a sample of their cream. My experience happened at LOLA / Lilly Beauty Spa in Cannery Row/Monterey.

My experience with Lola Soap Cannery Row occurred on Sunday 3/26/23 It started with Sales lady #1 trying to sell my friend and me eye cream costing $299-$399. When she applied the cream, the eye bags did disappear right away. However Sales lady #1 said the results last for 5-7 days, and the bottle was a 2 year supply. NOPE, the results were gone in less than 10 hours… just long enough for us to get the product home. Next, we got a “free mini-facial” because of our eye cream purchase. The facial was performed by Sales lady #2 using an infrared device applied over the face. She showed us a random unidentifiable website showing the infrared device priced at $10,000+ but she had a special deal. Despite us asking several times the cost of the device, she said she couldn’t tell us until we were “approved”. Unfortunately, I fell for the con game. She pulled out a tablet and had me fill out the information on her tablet and sign in certain places on the online form. I was “approved” and she revealed the “bargain” price of $7500. I thought Lola was running a credit check, but unknowingly, I was signing to open a CareCredit card. I later discovered the card is for medical expenses…which is also sketchy. I had no idea this was a medical device.

She never printed out a copy of the forms, but said I would get a copy via email, which I never received. Up until this point, sales lady #2 had only used the device on one side of our face and neck. She gave the device to my friend to finish the other side of her face. However, because I decided I would purchase, she opened a brand new box and pulled out a new device. BUT, the new device was NOT the same as one she used for demonstration purposes. She made excuses about how it was actually the same but better. It was a bait and switch. I asked about a warranty, and she said if anything went wrong, Lola would take care of it. At the time, I didn’t know about the “no refund” policy, so it didn’t register that this might be an issue. I asked again about the paperwork, which she said I should be getting it via email. Instead of handing us our receipts, she placed them in our bags. She tried to solicit me to write a review before I left the store. I declined, saying I will write a review once I actually use the products. I’m glad I waited...as my review is now to help anyone who sees this post before going to the LOLA Soap / Lilly Beauty Spa.

That night, we discovered pages of negative reviews for their different stores. Yelp and BBB complaints talk about their high pressure sales tactics, how the products don’t work, and their “No Refund” policy. LOLA Soap has an “F” on the Better Business Bureau site for sketchy business practices and the complaints remain unanswered.

Less than 24 hours after purchase, we went back to the store to get a refund. Sales lady #2 asked for my receipt and showed me where it states “No refunds. Exchanges within 14 days”. I proceeded to argue with her about the shady practices and the fact that she never mentioned the no refund policy.

My friend video recorded finally locating a small “no refund” sign that was HIDDEN BY A PLANT. I demanded a refund, stating that all of the products were unopened except for the infrared device, which Sales Lady #2 herself opened and used on my face. This is part of the ploy, so that the device is now “used”. I told her that my friend and I spent over $700 in eye cream and we would keep those items to be fair to the store. She refused to give a refund and I asked to speak with the owner. She called the owner as we stood there, but did not let me speak to him. She told me to email the owner and that he would contact me regarding the issue. It’s been over a month, and no response from anyone.

I video recorded the fact that I placed the infrared device and 2 creams on the store counter so that the items were out of my possession. I have filed disputes with both CareCredit and my Visa card company to get the charges reversed and have closed the CareCredit account. As of this writing, LOLA is fighting my dispute. I want a refund of both my $7500 from CareCredit/Synchrony Bank and $693.75 charged to my Chase Visa Card for taxes.

LOLA is a scam and they know how to game the system. I want to alert everyone. Please write reviews, send complaints to BBB and CA Dept of Consumer Protection Attorney General Rob Bonta and spread the word.