Face & Skin Care in Belmont

Having begun as a single tanning shop in Greenville during the autumn of 1990, Ultratan has since blossomed into more than 70 locations throughout the Carolinas and Georgia due to its popularity and commitment to quality service. Over the years, the collection of spas has accumulated numerous awards such as Best Tanning Salon from the Daily Gamecock for providing the best equipment in both tanning beds and spray-tan technology. As a member of the International Smart Tan Network, its commitment to safe tans also encompasses a passion for keeping their customers educated about responsible tanning routines and never tanning without a helmet.

To call The Body Shop a mere skin and body care store is to miss half of what makes it special. Late founder Dame Anita Roddick was a pioneer for ethical business practices; upon opening her first store in Brighton, England, in 1976, she developed company values such as "Defend human rights" and "Protect our planet." She somehow balanced principles and profit, partnering in global campaigns with UNICEF, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, and the United Nations, all while expanding her brand into 2,500 locations in 60 international markets. After her death in 2007, then-British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said, “She campaigned for green issues for many years before it became fashionable to do so and inspired millions to the cause by bringing sustainable products to a mass market. . . . She was an inspiration.”

Indeed, the Body Shop exhibits an eco-friendliness that's hard to come by in a company of its size. Its products have been fair-trade since 1987, and its Against Animal Testing movement led to a UK-wide ban of animal testing of cosmetics. The products are made from ingredients harvested from around the world: shea butter from Ghana goes into body scrubs and butters, and Indian artisans craft wooden massagers and tote bags that are screenprinted by hand. But all that isn't to say the company's production practices overshadow its final products. Skincare treatments such as the Blue Corn 3-in-1 deep-cleansing scrub mask often appear in Allure, Marie Claire, and other national publications.

Through the art of cosmetics, Dulcet & Bella Makeup Bar seeks to empower its clients by helping them discover their inner and outer beauty. The professional makeup experts provide one-on-one consultations that help them craft foundations customized to each individual’s skin tone, and plan a dramatic or natural look that brings out their best features and obscures their extra eyes. Makeup arsenals in hand, the crew provides their services for occasions that range from bachelorette and bridal parties to photo shoots, birthdays, and fashion shows.

After discovering and treating a few precancerous skin cells, Aislin Spangler decided UV tanning was not the way to go. So she researched alternative options, and by the time she teamed up with her friends Emily Meeker and Lauren Salinas in 2009 to form Spray Soleil, she was well-versed in the field. Today, the trio runs a mobile spray-tan company and travels to clients' homes or offices anywhere within Charleston and Greensboro to mist them with paraben-free tanning solutions that are made in the United States and never tested on animals. Those solutions include witch-hazel-infused organic tanners along with the original solution, which coats skin with a golden hue while infusing it with nourishing vitamins and antioxidants.

Spray Soleil's stylists and aestheticians travel as well, brushing rouge on cheekbones or dyes into hair during makeup and hair treatments. Completing the mobile spa is Ellen, a licensed massage therapist with seven years of experience. She uses long, languid strokes, hot stones, or targeted pressure during customizable massages to relieve fatigue and chronic aches caused by injury or part-time gigs as a whack-a-mole.

Each facial starts with a complimentary face-mapping. A skilled technician will analyze 14 distinct zones around the face and neck. Within 10 minutes, a complete picture of your face's topography and climate patterns along with a rough indication of north will be hashed out by a thorough derma-cartographer. Use the data to help make the decision of which customized facial is right for you; use the computerized model to see what you would look like if the Treaty of Versailles divvied up your forehead.

The brick stoop and fireplace of Urban.i Salon exude the comfort of a boutique establishment. But the white-leather furniture; dark, coffee-toned floors; and dimly glowing chandeliers recall the modernity of an urban salon. Guests revel in the homey-yet-chic aesthetic as a staff of stylists, aestheticians, and giant walking scissors create stylish new looks via haircuts, highlights, and straightening treatments. These sessions are supported by some of the cosmetic industry's most renowned products, including the Phyto haircare system and Dermalogica's skincare line.