Spa-Experience

Faceology: A Treatment Less Ordinary

Is your favorite part of a massage the end when the therapist gently caresses the pressure points on your face before finishing with a scrumptious scalp massage? If so, have we got the perfect treatment for you.

At Amrit Davaa Wellness Center (located inside Golden Bridge Yoga), Kristi Marie Jones has created a truly unique treatment called Faceology.

She combines elements of reflexology, Reiki, aromatherapy and a facial, and the end result is oh-so-much-more than the sum of its parts.

Kristi began by massaging her very own handcrafted Narayan Sole Food shea butter into the feet, and then pulled gently on our legs as we took deep breaths, letting the tension and anxiety drift away with each exhale. She used Reiki energy and her gift of intuition to help us identify, work through and release our worries and preoccupations so that we could fully experience and enjoy our treatment. (This was our second visit with Kristi, and much like our first, we found it as effective as a therapy session, but with the bonus of yummy smells and much pampering.)

Of course, this treatment is about nourishing the skin as well as the soul. To that end, Kristi applied an exfoliating scrub to the face, followed by her Narayan Affirmation Serum – a blend of pumpkin seed oil, grapefruit seed extract, aloe, jojoba, and a bunch of other good stuff. (True story: We use this product every night and it makes our skin look and feel fantastic.)

The most crazy-cool part of our session was when Kristi used a crystal to tap the pressure points of the face, thereby releasing built-up tension; it’s amazing how much we carry in our facial muscles. We were positively beaming by the time she was done, and walked out of Golden Bridge on light feet. Forget about Botox – just let Kristi wave your creases (and worries) away with her crystal wand!

Tags: CA Day Spas, California Spas, Massage, Spa Experience, Spa Treatments by Spavelous
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Cracked cuticles, flakey or sensitive skin, severely overworked muscles, the onset of seasonal affective disorder (aptly known as SAD)… these are just a few of the symptoms that tend to beset us as we march inevitably toward winter. But if ’tis the season to tie up loose ends before the new year sneaks up on us, ’tis also the season to get pampered pronto, and prettify yourself in the not-so-flattering darkening months. Here are some pampering mainstays — ranging from holistic to deservedly froufy — that’ll allow you to pack in a few good hours of spaah-induced bliss before, you know, taking care of all your less urgent seasonal duties.

Read on to find the 

Best Day Spa

Best Facial

Best Massage

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Tags: CA Day Spas, California Spas by Spavelous
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Brauhaus: Form Follows Function

A new brow-shaping hot spot has popped up in Pasadena. Brauhaus is located in a sleek mid-century modern space off of one of Old Town’s charming brick alleys. The name “Brauhaus” is more than just a cute play on words; the salon’s work is inspired by the Bauhaus principle of design “form follows function.” In other words, their artists shape eyebrows while maintaining their natural arch. (No Cruella De Vils here.)

To say Brauhaus founder and superstar brow sculptor Zoey Van Jones is a master of her craft is an understatement. We thought we’d just have our eyebrows cleaned up and shaped, but she included a slight tint as well to better match our recently colored hair. She also started with sketches and a detailed explanation of how to get our brows to look their best. Zoey is a proponent of fuller brows (more youthful and natural-looking than the overly arched brows that so many of us seem to fall victim too). She pointed out the areas where we’d been over-plucking for over a decade, and drew a sketch of the boxier shape that we should be aiming for. Finally, she waxed, tweezed and trimmed, finishing up with the application of eye-brightening makeup, some well matched shadow to fill in the areas that still needed to grow in more fully (our “homework”) and some shaping brow gel. We were amazed at how Zoey’s work transformed the whole face, and made a vow to stop butchering our brows at home.

Brauhaus

Pasadena Californa

Tags: Beauty Tip, California Spas, Hair Removal, Spas by Spavelous
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With mini spa treatments galore, sweets to your heart’s content and a swank downtown Los Angeles loft setting, who wouldn’t enjoy being a girl at the Pamper Yourself Fabulous event last week? We were lucky enough to be one of the 100+ attendees at this sold-out spa day, a girls’ day out unlike any other. No sample sales to stress over or wine tastings to get sloppy during, it’s all about rest and relaxation here. For $165 a ticket (10% of the proceeds benefit the charity Step Up Womens Network), we were treated to our choice of three mini spa treatments (each about 15-20 minutes long) from some of the hottest L.A. spas and salons, which most likely charge a pretty penny for their regular services.

Even though there was the downtown hair salon Neihule offering haircuts and styling, a spray-on bronzing by E! reality TV show/tanning salon Sunset Tan and a cold stone facial massage by Cote D’Azur, we opted for the simpler treatments, plus we just got our hair done recently.

Nope, instead we enjoyed a quickie makeover by Artform Studio where the makeup artist showed us the joys of shiny pink lip gloss. We then passed out during a hand and foot massage at El Leon Spa and got polished up with a little eyebrow shaping by Christopher Watt Esthetics.

And, yup, the treatments were a bit short, offering only a taste of what you could get if you paid for the regular service. But this was also a good way to sample something you otherwise would have overlooked for fear of trying something new.

For nosh, there really wasn’t any food per se. Ciudad was touted as providing the eats when really it was only mini gazpacho and chips and dip. We were sooo hungry! And since our stomach was fairly empty save for the yummy Moonpillows dark chocolate cherry mochi and ooh the white chocolate lemon ones, we thought it wise to stay away from the “champagne,” which was actually something called Nuvo pink sparkling vodka.
Because the event only allowed about a hundred women in the Ford Brady Loft, a renovated downtown theatre space now used for events, it was easy to get around and sign up for the treatments, they didn’t run out of snacks and there was plenty of cabana seating to rest between appointments.

And even though that price of admission for a day of indulgence may make the frugal among us cringe, you should know that the goody bag that we got after the event was filled with a bounty of products that probably equaled what we paid to attend. And it’s not the sort of goody bag filled with 80% of things you’d end up trashing, rather this one had the good stuff, like OPI nail polish, Philosophy’s Grace body gel, Hemp hair products and luxurious bath salts.

If you are the type of girl who likes to treat yourself, this is an event you may want to check out next time it rolls into town.

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Tags: CA Day Spas, California Spas, Los Angeles Day Spas, Spas by Spavelous
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Stevenswood Spa Resort Promotes Preeminent Pampering Package

Resort Offers “Emperor’s Choice,” 10 Hours of Bliss Spa Package

As people’s stress levels continue to rise, about everything from gasoline prices and the economy to federal bailouts and home prices, officials of Stevenswood Spa Resort, one of the nation’s leading spa resorts, have come up with a perfect solution — the ultimate spa pampering experience. The “Emperor’s Choice” package at the property’s Indigo Eco|Spa is a 10-hour program of pure luxury that provides guests with a welcome respite from their worries. For $2,008 per couple, (a savings of over $500), the program features a range of relaxation options, including craniosacral therapy and a massage, as well as a five-star dinner complete with 10 courses paired with wines.

“As times progress, life seems to get more and more stressful,” said Connie Sackman, Stevenswood Spa Resort Spa Princess. “As part of our humble efforts to make the world a better place, we’ve decided to do something to help alleviate this problem. The human spirit needs time to rejuvenate and simply relax, leaving the woes of the world outside the door, if only for a little while. The ‘Emperor’s Choice’ allows people to do just that. If, at the end of the spa day, they just happen to come up with a plan for world peace, solve the world’s healthcare troubles, end global warming or find a new source of clean, free energy … well, let’s just say it wouldn’t surprise us.”

The full package includes:

9:00 a.m. Champagne Gourmet Breakfast at Stevenswood
10:00 a.m. Craniosacral Therapy
11:00 p.m. Pacific Sea Detox, Aroma Stone, or Salt Scrub
12:30 p.m. Dermatological Facial
1:30 p.m. Spa Lunch at Stevenswood
2:00 p.m. Scalp Treatment
2:45 p.m. Hand Treatment
3:30 p.m. Paraffin Hand Treatment
3:50 p.m. Citrus Leg Therapy
4:35 p.m. Reflexology
5:05 p.m. Paraffin Foot Treatment
5:25 p.m. Shiatsu Massage, Reiki Massage or Lomi Lomi
6:30 p.m. 5-Star Dinner at Stevenswood, 10 courses paired with Wines

Indigo Eco|Spa, the centerpiece of Stevenswood Spa Resort, is a full-service, 3,500 square-foot well-being facility that features multiple treatment suites, tranquility room, infrared sauna, Canyon-view Jacuzzi tubs and an outdoor ocean terrace. The spa offers a comprehensive menu of body, skin and facial treatments that focus on the guests’ inner tranquility, as well as environmental awareness. Such therapies are centered on organic-based products and resources that are ecologically sensitive, while utilizing the healing elements from the land and sea.

In addition to the luxurious accommodations and lavish spa, Stevenswood Spa Resort indulges guests with renowned culinary offerings. The Restaurant at Stevenswood has been recognized by numerous publications, including the renowned Zagat Survey, as the area’s “Most Romantic Restaurant” and one of Northern California’s best dining destinations. The recently published 2008 Zagat guide honors Stevenswood with the highest overall score for the entire area. The dining room is intimate, with a fireplace and ambient lighting, and furnished with plush armchair seating. An abundance of windows, as well as fresh flowers on the tables, bring the outdoors inside.

Stevenswood Spa Resort is a chic retreat on the Northern California coast. With under-stated elegance, refined architecture, manicured botanical gardens and towering redwood trees, this majestic resort offers an escape from the troubles of everyday life. Situated only two minutes south of the popular village of Mendocino in the tony hamlet of Little River, this AAA Four-Diamond property is hugged by nature preserves and just a few steps to ocean trails. The stylish, yet unpretentious boutique property with designer suites, acclaimed restaurant and award- winning spa features ocean-view decks, flower gardens, mineral-infused, outdoor canyon-rimmed Jacuzzi hot tubs and spectacular scenery to create an oasis of pampering, indulgence and escape

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Tips for Greening Your Spa Experience and Your Life

How Green Are You and Your Spa?

Tags: CA Day Spas, California Spas, Resort Spa, Spa Experience, Spa Resort by Spavelous
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Hyatt Grand Champions Resort, Villas & Spa
Indian Wells, CA 92210

How it rates 

Rating : * * *

New and noteworthy: Renovations in the last two years have included remodeling guest rooms and adding 23 luxury villas and an upscale restaurant, plus the $80 million in improvements to the adjacent municipal golf course made by the city, which include

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Tags: California Spas, Resort Spa, Spa Resort, Spas by Spavelous
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This article is brought to you by Spavelous.com.

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The notion of a quick spa treatment may sound contradictory — after all, doesn’t rushing the experience defeat the purpose? Indeed, a leisurely spa visit is the best kind, but what’s really important is taking time out. When your schedule doesn’t permit the luxury of an entire afternoon — or even a whole hour — the expanding array of express treatments promises rewarding results in 30 minutes or less. [Read more →]

Tags: California Spas, Chicago IL, Florida Resort Spas, Florida Spas, Miami Spas, Oregon Spas, Philadelphia Spa, Spa Treatments, Spas, Spas in DC by Spavelous
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Center for Wellbeing: Come On, Stay Awhile…

Tucked into an upstairs space in the Mayberry-like town of Sierra Madre, the Center for Wellbeing is small on space but big on service, as proprietor Tanya likes to say. We visited during a late spring heat wave, perhaps not the best time for a trip to the arid foothill community. But we felt cool and comfortable as soon as we stepped into the air-conditioned spa studio, and even more so once we’d settled onto the crisp cool sheets of the massage table for our one-hour treatment with [Read more →]

Tags: California Spas, Day Spa, Spas by Spavelous
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Spas get specialized
Whether you’re seeking a healthy adventure or a pampered retreat, we’ve found the perfect spa for you.

We don’t have to tell you: Modern life can stress you out. And we all know what stress can do to our bodies. That’s why so many of us are flocking to spas to chill out. There are more than 32 million regular spa-goers in the United States alone. In 2006, the estimated 14,615 spas generated more than $9 billion in revenues. That’s big business.

And like all good businesses, the spa industry is constantly reinventing itself. Spas are now being marketed as a healthy necessity rather than an indulgence. Thanks to a sagging economy, many spas are also cutting rates and offering hard-to-resist package deals. If you’re overdue for some revitalization, [Read more →]

Tags: Arizona Spas, Beach Spas, California Spas, Day Spa, Destination Spa, Florida Resort Spas, Spas by Spavelous
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