Massage in Ardmore

Ursula's About PHace’s sugaring shaman, Elina Safin, combines an all-natural formula with expert training, efficiently ousting unwanted hair. Unlike the uncomfortable temperature of wax, the sugar-and-lemon-juice concoction gently warms to body heat, sticking to superfluous strands without disturbing the surrounding tissue to calm skin and sate its cravings for crème brûlée. The botanical-boosted sugar paste swiftly removes fuzz from the roots in the direction of growth for a more comfortable hair-removal treatment than waxing. Women can pare down hair on the lip and chin or banish sideburns ($25+), and men can smooth out backs, chests, and shoulders ($45+). After treatment, bristle-busted zones remain sleek and hair-free for up to six weeks.

With more than 30 licensed massage therapists and four area locations, Healing Hands Massage is on call seven days a week to bring relief to gridlocked muscles. Swedish-style therapeutic massages calm tense muscles and overworked minds with light-to-firm pressure and various kneading techniques. Deep pressure massages assuage tight muscles that require extra convincing, and pregnancy massages provide relief to expecting mothers whose joints ache from the added weight of carrying around future grown-ups. Massage therapists also make house calls for customers who’d rather receive bodywork in the comfort of their homes, and haul their massage chairs to offices or conventions to appease the overworked masses.

Massage therapist Melissa Clevenger knows the worth of a good massage. “I know how much I love getting massages,” she says on her website, and she appreciates how important it is “to offer that same gift to others.” In this spirit of healing and generosity, Melissa started her business with mobile chair massages and sofa shiatsu sessions, taking her gift to people wherever they were. Now, Melissa takes clients into her care at her permanent location, where Swedish and deep-tissue table massages pair with soothing music and aromatherapy. Her combination of intuitive strokes and firm pressure helps detoxify muscles and banish tension when clients need it most, even during after-hours weekday or weekend appointments.

Guests to iMassage are greeted by a wall bearing the words "Relax…Renew…Relieve", hinting at the kneading specialists' ultimate goal as they work to alleviate aches with eight different massage modalities. Private treatment rooms glow with amber tones and soft lighting, helping to usher away outside cares as massage therapists melt stress with gentle Swedish massage or hot stones or target harder-to-reach tension with sports or deep-tissue styles. They also offer side-by-side massages for couples or mother-daughter duos, as well as chair massages to soothe busy bodies or those who are routinely sat on.

Master-level certified in Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, massage therapist Daniel Caruso customizes both Swedish and ashiatsu massages to suit individual clients' needs. Each session begins with a deep breath atop a lambskin-covered, heated table, cleansing the mind of stress and catchy TV theme songs as Caruso assesses for any particularly tense or troublesome muscle areas. During Swedish massages, hot stones, music, and aromatherapy help patrons relax as he blends trigger-point therapy with light- to medium-pressured strokes to reduce stress and promote circulation.

Billy Engstrom, the licensed massage therapist behind Philadelphia Massage Studio, knows how the body and its muscles move. Not only has he been a massage therapist for the past 10 years, he's also flexed his own muscles as a wrestler since the age of 6. He puts this experience to work in his private studio, a space where he performs a range of different massages. His bread and butter, however, is custom massage. As each client's body, problem, and symptoms are different, so too is each of Billy's treatments unique.