Altadena, CA Spa and Massage

Kalologie's expert beauty gurus offer a first-class selection of pampering services, earning the franchise a spot on Elle magazine's 2008 list of Top 10 Beauty Boutiques. The staff exfoliates faces with more than 10 varieties of facials and peels, using the boutique's own line of products custom formulated from medical-grade ingredients free of parabens and sulfates. Therapists also treat clients with massage modalities such as Swedish, shiatsu, and deep-tissue, as well as waxing treatments that use specially formulated hard and soft wax for all areas of the body. Airbrush spray tans round out the menu of services, leaving bodies with a bronze hue similar to that achieved by bathing in a tub of melted-down doorknobs.

Valley Bliss offers a range of massage modalities including deep tissue, Swedish, and circulatory, to catalyze the body's natural healing capacities. In addition to therapeutic bodywork sessions, Valley Bliss services restore skin to a balanced, healthy state, whether through purifying pores with manual cleansing or promoting exfoliation with botanical peels. The studio's experienced beauty pros operate within a space that eliminates distractions and promotes serenity by eschewing decorations and chatty waterfalls in favor of bare, whitewashed walls and hardwood floors.

Founded by Scott J. Fox, DC, and Brian Weiss, PhD, Rest and Relax Bodyworks integrates Western medical science and traditional Eastern medicine. As relaxing music plays, they help bodies regain energy and proper posture through chiropractic alignment and acupuncture, and let go of tension during seven varieties of massage. They also address skin issues with facials, peels, and waxing treatments. Their waiting room abounds with potted plants, dark wood accents, and South East Asian-inspired artwork prints, as well as ornate oriental rugs that catch dropped cell phones without a word of reproach. A hallway leads to treatment rooms aglow with soft light from wall sconces, as a Buddha statue looks on serenely.

Makeup artist Vincent Ford has always found himself drawn to shapes, textures, and colors, from the pale green of a budding spring bloom to the intricate pink argyle of a skyscraper's façade. Ford funnels his aesthetic inspirations into makeup applications customized for weddings and headshots as well as TV and film appearances. A careful application of faux-mink or ethically collected Siberian-mink eyelash extensions dramatically defines peepers; makeup lessons cover a range of topics that includes getting acquainted with the basic tools of the trade, and learning to use airbrush equipment to enhance brides' complexions or pinstripe their foreheads on the big day.

Ford says he has the most fun on the job when applying makeup for print images, which present the challenge of making a 2-D image pop with color and emotion. His beauty blog is a wellspring of everyday tips and celebrity makeup tricks.:m]]

Savvy the Beauty Apothecary manager Parmiss Akhavan deploys more than a decade of experience as a licensed aesthetician to help customers make selections from the shop's array of beauty-boosting serums. The colorful shelves teem with name-brand beauty products, including hair products from Moroccanoil, age-conquering moisturizers from Jan Marini, and mineral makeup from Jane Iredale. Meanwhile, a squadron of trained stylists snip, highlight, and deep-condition unruly manes during hair services, as well as banishing blemishes, irritation, and rebellious freckle picket lines during custom facials.

LA Bliss Spa's staff soothes tired skin and frayed nerves by providing a friendly environment where clients can let go of every concern except their need for pampering. Skilled aestheticians perfect skin with a menu of facials that includes custom exfoliation and pore-cleaning variations. Facials use the Bioelements skincare line to diminish signs of aging such as lines and pigmentation in shades not in compliance with the official human color wheel. To purge the body of stress, massage therapists use Lanikai Bath and Body products, which are imported from Hawaii and nourish frames with a vegan roster of sweet almond and coconut oil. Therapists also utilize the healing properties of heated stones to relieve muscle discomfort and release endorphins back into the wild.