Beauty & Spas in Cave Spring

In some ways, Melanie Dowell is still living out the effects of the car accident she was in when she was 11 years old. When pain from the accident persisted, her parents took her to a holistic health center, where she was able to experience the healing benefits of massage firsthand—thus cementing her faith in bodywork. At Body Harmony Massage Therapy, she gives her clients the same experience; her massages alleviate the pain and tension that result from accidents, sports injuries, or pushing nerds into broom closets. She also performs body treatments that use herbs and flowers to treat skin. For instance, the lavender body treatment combines lavender, cornmeal, and essential oils of ginger and eucalyptus to regenerate cells and relax respiratory tightness, and the Hot Toddy for the Body warms skin with a cornmeal scrub before a massage with orange oil reduces tension.

Certified massage therapist Heather Riddle soothes aching muscles and stressed-out minds during each one of her custom Swedish or deep-tissue massages. Using aromatherapy oils as well as her skilled hands, she works out long-held tension and knots in her clients’ shoulders, necks, and backs.

Tucked in the New River Valley away from the stresses of everyday life, Yellow Sulphur Springs Healing Spa offers an oasis where beleaguered bodies and weary minds can be refreshed and rejuvenated. A licensed team performs an array of healing services, including acupuncture, massage, facials, and private yoga instruction. After treatments, visitors are encouraged to stick around and stroll the grounds, meander along the winding creek, or pause at the pond to recite Shakespearean sonnets to swimming goldfish.

Salon at Studio E's stylists wield Big Sexy Hair products as they cut and color manes in a black-and-white boutique salon peppered with scarlet accents. A large photo of Marilyn Monroe pays homage to old Hollywood glamour as clients declare their style preferences during consultations. Sebastian Laminates Cellophanes gloss glazes hair with lustrous, translucent hues, and deep-conditioning treatments call upon the most appropriate brand to soothe frizz-stricken strands and render them as smooth as Barry White's pet dolphin.

Set in an old Victorian building, The Vintage Spa lives up to its name. The classical theme carries to the interior, which is appointed with wicker furnishings, heavy curtains, and ornate bronze lamps. In this quaint setting, hair and skincare specialists attend to the aesthetic needs of men and women. Stylists spruce up hairdos—cutting, coloring, and foiling heads and their meddling schemes. Aestheticians nourish skin with services including facials and microdermabrasion, and massage therapists relieve both physical and mental ailments.

Massage therapists Thea Vincenti and Toné Dancy believe happiness is integrally related to physical health, and so they have dedicated their lives to fine-tuning their clients' bodies. To this end, each is versed a type of holistic exercise that augments knowledge of anatomy and physiology learned through massage.

Vincenti graduated from Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga in 2004, following up her degree with 200 hours of yoga-teacher training in Ashtanga and Hatha styles. Dancy studied at the Ancestral Mountain Tuina School in Floyd, Virginia, to specialize in bodywork influenced by classical Chinese medicine. This practice works in tandem with his continuous study of qi gong and martial arts, which emphasize self-reflection and directing energy flows, as well as mastering challenging choreography from Beyoncé videos.