The bewitching spa experts at Willow Stream spas have brewed up their very best facial TREATments this Halloween season. For the month of October and including the weekend of October 31st, participating spas are offering complimentary personalized beauty BOOsting serums (a $45-49 value) and 25% off any bewitching masque when booking a 60 or 90-minute facial experience.

Traditionally a spa treatment and now a fun and essential at-home beauty necessity, masques are a great way to detoxify, deeply cleanse, hydrate and draw impurities from the skin, something a simple daily cleansing just won’t do. “Masques are recommended after cleansing and exfoliating two times per week,” explains Michelle Young, Spa Director of Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Turnberry Isle & Resort. “One of our favorite masques is Kerstin Florian International’s deep black Moor Mud Masque which is great for all skin types,” The purifying, organic black Moor Mud Masque is rich in minerals and trace elements which deeply cleanse as it moisturizes, softens, refines and beautifies dull skin. “Every one of our facials incorporates a masque to revamp skin tone, texture and combat problems,” explains Young.

Another favorite of Willow Stream spa experts is Kerstin Florian International’s Rehydrating Algae Gel Masque which is great for sensitive skin and soothes and calms while offering antioxidant protection against sun-damage. Young loves to mix this masque with KFI’s Rejuvenating Masque with arnica, St. John’s Wart and marine trace elements to soothe redness and irritated skin.

For skin tones that have gone a bit ghastly green, the Ultimate Facial includes the benefits of Kerstin Florian International’s Clarifying Vita-Marine Masque for combination, oily and problematic skin. This masque eliminates impurities, refines texture and brightens the complexion. It is formulated with purifying algae, green clay and sandalwood, and leaves the skin feeling clean and looking healthy.

For skin that crackles from sun exposure, the Willow Stream Golf Facial features the exclusive Willow Stream Sports Masque from B.Kamins, a hydrating pink masque, this is ideal for dry and dehydrated skin which softens and brightens while guarding against further damage by the elements.

A yellow, ghoulish complexion will soak up the benefits of the Therapeutic Brightening Masque from B. Kamins, used in the Beyond Botox Facial which features a unique, hydrating, brightening masque which helps fight the effects of glycation such as a mottled, yellowish complexion, while promoting natural cell turnover to reveal a more youthful glow.

The best part of this promotion is the treats. Each spa guest booking a facial in October will receive one of Willow Stream spa’s Energizing Boost Ampoules. From glycolic treatments to exfoliate and refine skin texture to a masque just to brighten the eyes and lips (using a matrix of marine proteins), Willow Stream spas have a SPActacular assortment of energizing and healthy treatments for the skin.

Resort Spa

Four Brookfield businesses are raising funds and discounting popular beauty services during the month of October as part of a nationwide initiative called Pretty in Pink. They are among 16 facilities in Southeastern Wisconsin that are participating in the effort, and include: ANEW Skin & Wellness (19265 W. Capitol Drive); Metamorphosis Salon & Day Spa (15655 W. North Avenue) and VICI Capilli Salon (Brookfield Square – 95 N. Moorland Road).

The Pretty in Pink campaign, which is held annually in October to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month, benefits Bright Pink in 2009. Bright Pink is the only national non-profit organization with an exclusive focus on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in high risk, young women.

Each one of the more than 100 spas and salons that participate in Pretty in Pink nationwide makes a contribution of $199 to Bright Pink, and provides their services at deeply discounted fees to raise awareness for the charity. During Pretty in Pink, created and implemented by PrettyCity.com, consumers may select from offers of contemporary beauty services for just $31 that include posh pedicures, 60-minute massages, European facials, haircuts and color, eyelash tinting, Brazilian bikini waxing as well as skin-saving microdermabrasion and photo facials.

Consumers may log on to www.prettycity.com/pink to browse participating locations and their $31 services, as well as to make additional donations to support Bright Pink.

Since 2007, the Pretty in Pink campaign has raised $20,000 every year for its charity partners. It began in 2005 with 31 participants that raised $600.

Pretty in Pink expanded into the Milwaukee market in 2007 with two participants, grew to five last year and more than doubled that number this year.

“Milwaukee is a thriving area, far too often overlooked in national campaigns, and we wanted to spotlight this pretty city by expanding the program in Greater Milwaukee,” said PrettyCity.com founder, Carolyn Brundage. “We’re thrilled with the new partners that have joined this project to support Bright Pink fundraising as well as help build buzz for BCA Month by generously and deeply discounting their services.”

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Breast Cancer Awareness, Health

Nova Vita Salon & Spa, based in Old Town Tustin on the corner of Newport Ave and Irvine Blvd in the picturesque Lafayette Plaza, has re-invented the salon and day spa experience by offering quality services and sought after products at recessionista prices. Nestled between a variety of unique shops and fine dining, Nova Vita Salon & Spa offers a tranquil and serene haven for those who are seeking a get-a-way to relax, renew, and rejuvenate the body, mind and soul.

Nova Vita Salon & Spa is a full-service salon and spa offering a wide range of services, catering to a diverse clientele. Salon services include the basic Cuts and Color Services as well as Hair Extensions and Japanese Straightening Services. Also, Nova Vita Salon & Spa has nail technicians that offer some of the most coveted manicures and pedicures in Orange County. The day spa boasts a full service menu offering Signature Facials by Eminence Organics, Waxing Services including Brazilian Bikini Waxing, Eyebrow Shaping, as well as Eyelash and Eyebrow Tinting and Microdermabrasion.

In order to extend the life of each client’s Nova Vita Salon & Spa experience, Nova Vita Salon & Spa stocks some of the most exclusive product lines including Bumble & Bumble, L’oreal Professional, Moroccan Oil, Epicuren and Eminence Organics. Eminence Organic Skin Care is the first and only certified organic skin and body care line from Hungary, which is hypo-allergenic, clinically-tested, and free of parabens and harsh chemicals. Eminence is the go-to product for Twilight star Peter Facinelli, who is a fan of the Cucumber Eye Gel. Also, the Eminence Pear & Poppy Seed Microderm Polisher was featured in this month’s issue of Shape Magazine, while the Blueberry Shimmer Lotion was featured in this month’s Spa Magazine

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California Day Spa, Day Spa

Every single day we make choices—from what to wear to which treatment is best for a particular client. But, can you honestly say that each day you make a concerted effort to choose success?

I was recently in New York attending the 11th International Congress for Salon & Spa Professionals presented by Repêchage for its spa owners and distributors, of which Skin Inc. magazine was a sponsor. For two full days, I existed in a room filled with professionals who, quite clearly, did choose success on a daily basis. And I must admit that it was quite inspiring.

Skin Inc. magazine’s editorial team was bestowed the honor of judging this year’s Repêchage Spa de Beauté Award of the Year contest, and the congress culminated in a gala presentation event at Tavern on the Green in New York City’s Central Park West. Marian Raney, group publisher, delivered an inspiring keynote titled “What a Difference a Year Makes: Innovative Retailing Drives Revenue Recovery.” Then she and I, alongside Lydia Safati, president and CEO of Repêchage and Shiri Sarfati, vice president of sales and marketing for Repêchage, announced this year’s award winners.

* Colonial House Day Spa of North Easton, Massachusetts, was the winner of the Best Skin Care Spa category and will be featured as Skin Inc. magazine’s “Spa Snapshot” for the November 2009 issue.

* Tatewari Spa at Villa Del Palmar Flamingos Beach Resort & Spa of Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico, was the winner of the Best Destination Spa category and will be featured as Skin Inc. magazine’s “Spa Snapshot” for the December 2009 issue.

* Body Sense Day Spa of Hyannis, Massachusetts, was the winner of the Best Day Spa category and will be featured as Skin Inc. magazine’s “Spa Snapshot” for the January 2010 issue.

Lydia also presented two President’s Awards to Oasis Day Spa of South Weymouth, Massachusetts, and Three-13 Salon, Spa and Boutique in Atlanta.

At the culmination of the congress, Lydia stated, “There is no such thing anymore as ‘fake it until you make it.’ You need the skills. It takes tenacity and skill. But you need to trust yourself—you know more than you think you do.”

I’ll close with Lydia’s recommended steps so that you, too, can choose success every day.

1. Ask
2. Believe
3. Receive

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Day Spa, Massachusetts Day Spa, Spa Awards

Le Petite Spa, a new day spa utilizing organic-based products, has recently opened at Dr. Bard J. Levey’s Smile Design Studio at 1 Baltic Place in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. This unique synergy is designed to take wellness one step further by offering clients an enhanced opportunity to look and feel their best.

Le Petite Spa specializes in customized facials, featuring naturally-harvested exotic botanical products, organic source vitamins, minerals, and phyto-nutrients to deliver the most beneficial skin care possible. These products contain no artificial colors or preservatives and are never tested on animals. The spa also offers massage therapy and reflexology, which is acupressure on the feet to encourage a beneficial effect on other parts of the body.

“Dr. Levey and I set out to create a more holistic approach to wellness, and together, we will now be able to offer the best in oral health care, skin care and relaxation modalities,” said Mary Prenon, owner of Le Petite Spa.

Ms. Prenon is a New York State Licensed Esthetician and holds a Certification in Reflexology, For the past three years, she has worked in local spas throughout the area providing facials and body treatments. Most recently, she worked with The Woodhouse Day Spa, a national chain destination spa, in its Hudson Valley location. She is a graduate of the New York School of Esthetics in Tarrytown, NY.

Ms. Prenon is also an accomplished public relations executive and freelance writer, who has been published in national, regional and local media outlets. Throughout her career, she has worked as a newspaper reporter, radio news anchor and reporter, and radio morning show host in the New York metro area. She has received awards from the Associated Press, as well as local community organizations, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Greater Ossining Television (GO-TV). Ms. Prenon holds a B.A. in Journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.

Dr. Levey, a recent winner of Westchester Magazine’s Top Dentist Award, has been providing general and cosmetic dentistry services for almost 20 years. He is one of the most highly-trained cosmetic/restorative dentists for adults in Westchester County. His advanced training includes over 1,000 hours of continuing dental education since graduating from D.D.S. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dr. Levey has designed his office to allow him to treat his patients as individuals, and not like a “dental factory” so common in today’s world of medicine. ”I learned a valuable lesson from my father, who was also a dentist — attached to each tooth is a person, and you are treating the whole person, not just the tooth,” he said. Dr. Levey is also a National Winner of the Best Smile Makeover, Empress Cover Model Competition of 2005.

Day Spa, NY Spas

Only two spas in the Eastern U.S. made it onto Travel + Leisure’s top 10 list of the world’s best destination spas.

Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Mass., was No. 4 on the list and The Lodge At Woodloch in Hawley, Pa., was 10th.

Spas in Arizona, California, Mexico and Texas took the other spots, beginning with Mii amo, A Destination Spa At Enchantment, in Sedona, Ariz., in first place.

Maya Tulum Wellness Retreat&Spa in Mexico was second, followed by Miraval, Arizona Resort&Spa, in Tucson.

Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, Texas, took fifth place, followed by Rancho La Puerta Tecate in Mexico, Canyon Ranch in Tucson, the Golden Door in Escondido, Calif., and The Oaks at Ojai, in California.

The magazine’s “World’s Best” lists are based on results of a questionnaire made available online to Travel + Leisure readers. Respondents are permitted to complete the survey only once, and are screened in an effort to remove responses from travel industry professionals. More than 15,000 readers participated in the 2009 World’s Best Awards survey.

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Destination Spa, Spa

Spas have become so prevalent that it’s hard to imagine a new take on pampering.

But Lydia DiCello has found one. She’s created a spa with an exceptionally personal touch — by offering massage treatments and facials to only four clients a day.

That means customers don’t have to wait in a busy waiting room, and she can attend to each service with a focused, unhurried approach.

“I didn’t like waiting at spas and felt myself getting anxious when I had to,” said DiCello, 31. “I wanted to provide wiggle room between clients, so if an appointment took a bit longer, that was OK. I want to really be able to concentrate on the treatments.”

For DiCello, owning a spa is the result of a journey that led down a few different paths. A graduate of Aurora High School, DiCello got a bachelor of science degree in exercise physiology and anatomy from the University of South Carolina. Then she headed to New York City where she modeled for a year, having signed with the well-known Ford Models.

She moved back to Ohio to get a master’s degree in education from Ursuline College, then worked in medical and pharmaceutical sales.

But after a while, DiCello, who lives with her lawyer husband, Nicholas, in Cleveland’s Little Italy, decided she wanted a different type of career.

She went to beauty school at the Brown-Aveda Institute in Mentor, and something clicked. “I loved doing it, loved the manual labor of it and the holistic approach,” she says. “And it helps people feel good.”

She went on to get her license as an aesthetician, so she could provide facials, massage and waxing services.

In opening her own spa, DiCello said a number of things were important to her — including that it be as “green” as possible, which also meant offering organic products. She picked the Eminence Organics line, with ingredients made from organic vegetable and fruit pulps and extracts.

At Pure Skin, the ambience is cozy but not oppressively so. The rooms — on the second floor of a building in downtown Chagrin Falls — are smartly furnished with attractive re-purposed items. Those include a bistro table and chairs for enjoying a cup of tea, and a roll cart from a now-closed local hospital that holds waxing products. Her mother-in-law donated her taupe and olive-green striped drapes, right off her windows.

If the spa feels homey, it’s partly because DiCello and her father put the place together — they painted the walls, put in the hardwood floors and changed the lighting.

A client feels soothed just by entering. DiCello offers a beverage, like green tea or, on a warm day, some lavender lemonade.

She’ll have her clients soak their feet in a foot bath with bath salts while discussing what might be bothering them physically. Then, it’s time for the treatment — a facial ($65), or maybe an enzyme peel ($95) or a 75-minute relaxation massage ($90).

DiCello also offers a variety of waxing treatments, from brow ($15 and up) to Brazilian ($65 and up).

DiCello, who also does makeup, has become a favorite of local brides and their attendants. The powder room at Pure Spa features a number of the photos she took of her favorite looks.

Joyce Calabrese, designer sales manager at the Beachwood Place Nordstrom, first heard of Pure Skin from a woman who works for her. She’s become a big fan.

“Lydia’s attention to detail and her follow-through are so impressive,” says Calabrese, who lives in Beachwood. “She started in a tough market, and she’s making it because of the caliber of service she offers. Lydia has made it a personal and lovely place.”

Pure Skin & Spa has been open a little over a year, and DiCello says it’s word of mouth that’s filling her appointment book.

“This place is exactly what I wanted it to be,” she says.

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Day Spa, Ohio Day Spas

When About Faces opened its first full-service spa in the Baltimore area in 1973, skin exfoliation, deep tissue massages and other body-pampering indulgences weren’t widely available to most people.

Owner Patrick Brennan said that About Faces operated for years with no competition. But as of late, Baltimore has become home to more and more spas – the latest being Prive, which opened in the new Silo Point upscale condominium development this summer. There’s even a spa, the Quintessential Gentleman in downtown Baltimore, that is just for men.

The spa openings are being driven by a general increase in the interest by both men and women to pay more attention to their bodies, for both cosmetic and health reasons. Brennan said massages are doing particularly well as people look to reduce stress.

Opening a spa during a time when the economy is faltering and people are spending less may seem counterintuitive. But people are still visiting spas, although they are spending less on services – perhaps getting a half-hour massage instead of an hour, according to the International Spa Association. Revenue at spas in the U.S. was $12.8 billion in 2008, the latest figures available from the ISA. That was a 17.8 percent increase from the year before.

Those numbers might not hold up this year, however, as, anecdotally, spa owners report that people have pulled back spending on services, said Lynn McNees, president of the International Spa Association.

“People may be forced to limit the treatments they receive, but they are still going to spas because they realize the importance of dealing with issues like stress now, rather than paying for it down the road,” McNees said in an e-mailed response. “With concerns over the economy, combined with our busy schedules, people are realizing they must take time out to recharge their batteries and are turning to the spa lifestyle as a necessary part of a healthy routine.”

New spas are also opening in upscale condominium developments, such as at the Ritz-Carlton Residences in South Baltimore, that sell themselves as offering amenities right at residents’ fingertips. These developments also tend to have fitness centers, retail and concierge and mail services on site.

The Pearl at the Ritz has a sea theme, with walls painted the color of the ocean, faux waterfalls and large-screen televisions with fish swimming on the screen throughout the property. It offers services such as massages with hot lava stones and the blue grotto, a treatment where couples paint each other’s bodies with mud that detoxifies the skin.

“I think there have always been spas in Baltimore,” said Frances Scheele, director at Pearl. “I think that now there are a core group of properties that are focusing on the full spa experience.”

Jennifer Beck had spent 15 years as a hairdresser in Federal Hill in Baltimore before she and partner Johnna Sychuk opened Prive spa at Silo Point. She said her clients had always talked about wishing there was a place where they could get have all their beauty needs met, not just their hair.

“Here they can have all of the amenities in one space,” Beck said of Prive, which offers everything from massages and pedicures to eyelash extensions. She said the salon hopes to eventually expand to medical spa services.

Brennan questions whether the newer spas can survive off customers from the condominiums. He said he’s not concerned about the new competition hurting his own business because About Faces has been around for so long and has a loyal client base, Brennan said. The company has five locations, including in the Canton Crossing office complex near downtown. He said the stronger spas will last in the long run.

“There’s already consolidation going on in the marketplace in Baltimore,” Brennan said. “The economy is definitely taking out the weaker locations.”

Consumers seem to like the new choices.

Patricia Granata-Eisner, who is executive director for a nonprofit, recently got a facial at Prive. “I like the fact that I can get everything done in one place when I need to,” she said.

Brigitte Rawlings, 41, of Laurel was relaxing on a chaise waiting to get a body scrub and other services at The Pearl recently.

“When you come here, it’s like you’re in a different world,” said Rawlings, who has been to Pearl a few times. “You don’t feel like you’re in they city at all.”

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Day Spa, Maryland Day Spas

From Sea Bright to Cape May, landlords and business owners have spent weeks readying the Jersey Shore for Memorial Day weekend, the summer season’s dress rehearsal.

Public works crews have dragged lifeguard stands and trash receptacles onto the beaches almost around the clock. Long Beach Island has put its traffic lights into full operation for the first time since fall. And bright spring blooms bob in freshly painted flower boxes everywhere.

In Surf City, on Long Beach Island, officials just this week completed a cleanup of unexploded military munitions that began to show up on the beach after a sand-replenishment project two years ago. Nearly 2,000 munitions later, the Army Corps of Engineers swears it has carted off the last of them.

Road crews have been busy, too, with workers wrapping up projects on the Atlantic City Expressway, Garden State Parkway, and other major roads in Atlantic, Cape May, and Ocean Counties.

Last Memorial Day weekend, 882,407 vehicles traveled the expressway, and 7.6 million used the parkway. AAA has predicted a slight decline this year, but with gasoline about $1.50 less a gallon now than it was a year ago and good weather forecast – mostly sunny with passing thunderstorms, highs between 75 and 80 degrees – tourism officials hope to prove the club wrong.

Until this week, most of the Shore’s traffic had been lines of delivery trucks carrying fresh linens, tortilla chips, suntan lotion, and other beach essentials to hotels, motels, restaurants, and shops.
In a rush

It takes a lot of work to get the resorts shipshape for their first big wave of visitors. And no one may be in more of a race than Mike Popdan and his small crew.

“I don’t know of anyone who’s in a rush like we are. We have to be out here from sunup to sundown to get this place together,” said Popdan, general manager of the private Club at Diamond Beach, just south of Wildwood Crest in Lower Township.

“We basically have three weeks to start from scratch to build our entire club,” he said.

Though a group of investors owns the 600-foot-wide beachfront – one of few such arrangements at the Shore – state law prohibits Popdan from placing anything on the property until May 1.

His crew has three weeks to install walkways, two bars, a restaurant, decks, cabanas, restrooms, outdoor showers, a children’s playground, and all of the club’s electrical wiring and plumbing. Each year, it carts in a small forest of palms and other tropical plants to give the place a Caribbean-South Seas feel.

The property, at the end of Raleigh Avenue, got a bad rap a few years ago when it was the Atlantis Beach Club and its then-owner charged tenants of adjacent condominium complexes exorbitant fees to use the beach. The state Supreme Court ruled in 2005 that the property must provide public access at a reasonable rate.

Under new ownership, the Club at Diamond Beach charges $5 for a daily beach tag and $300 for the season. An additional $40 buys membership to the club, which sells alcoholic beverages. Lunch, beach chairs, umbrellas, and other amenities are extra.

“It’s really cool when it all comes together, to see that nothing was here but the sand and ocean, and then there’s this little slice of paradise for people to come, bring their families, and enjoy a beach day,” Popdan said.
Finishing touches

Almost as busy as Popdan’s crew is Robert Duzy’s painting operation. The Core Painting Co., of Marmora, spends each spring primping more than a dozen Cape May businesses, rental properties, and amusements owned by Cape Advisors Inc., a company whose holdings include the venerable Congress Hall hotel.

“We do work all over Cape May County, in Ocean City, Avalon, everywhere. But this time of the year, we do nothing but work in Cape May. Because of weather and other conditions, spring is the only time we can do it here,” Duzy said.

All the recent rain has left his crew working overtime to brush, spray, and dapple the resort’s Victorian treasures. The contractor also has helped put finishing touches on a luxurious spa opening at Congress Hall this weekend.

“You never get it all finished by Memorial Day,” said Denney Mayberry, manager of the Southend Surf Shop on the beachfront in Cape May.

The holiday is the “soft opening” of beach season, which doesn’t really hit its stride until around July Fourth, Mayberry said. “You have to see what you need and get your personnel in order. . . . Memorial Day is a good barometer for all that.”

Michele Gillian, executive director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, hears that from her membership every year, she said.

“They kind of use Memorial Day to feel out how they think the summer might shape up,” Gillian said. “But even with all the work they might still have to do, they all tell me they are very ready to see the visitors come back.

“Even if they don’t have all the painting finished or every single item in yet, after a long, hard winter, they’re definitely ready for the season to start.”

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