Charleston Spa and Massage

Founded in 2007, Sweet 185’s dedication to natural ingredients is apparent in its organic facials, which rely on plant essences, and its holistic massages, which use herbal oils.

Rather than rely on chemical-laden waxes, Sweet 185’s experts hark back to the ancient Egyptian technique of sugaring to banish body hair. They use an un-heated paste made of simply sugar, water, and lemon to remove hair without the uncomfortable heat of waxing.

The spa's oxygen therapy has caught the attention of both the Charleston Mercury and the Moultrie News. Inhaling four to five times the normal amount of oxygen in the air while reclining in the spa's leather zero-gravity chairs can promote healing and heighten memory.

The also handpick gifts and goods that fit their vision of kindness to both your body and to the environment. They stock the Sweet 185 boutique with Angel Rox clothing made with organic cotton and low-impact dyes, Jurlique creams and lotions that are never tested on animals, and Nadina bath towels, made with sustainably grown bamboo rayon.

It's hard to tell who's doing the mothering at The Mom Spa. Certainly the aestheticians play a motherly role, doting on clients during indulgent services such as the Cleopatra wrap, which bathes the body in a blend of milk, honey, and oats to soothe dry, sensitive skin. But that's not to say the clients lack maternal dispositions. The spa has three pregnancy treatments that use massage strokes and hot stones to address the pains that result from carrying and birthing a child, and its Ayurvedic fertility treatments are meant to help women conceive. However, plenty of the services appeal to everyone, from facials that fight the appearance of fine lines and even out skin tone to natural nailcare that beautifies fingers and toes without harsh chemicals or chatty cyborgs.

Within Salon Vantaggio’s sleek confines, replete with blond-colored floors, long mirrors, and vibrant art, Ashley Gardner clips and sculpts 'dos that suit each client’s features and personality. Specializing in color and highlights, she also excels in men’s and kids' cuts.

Elyon Day Spa owner Leah Whatley lends more than a decade of spa experience and training with celebrity makeup artists to her massages, facials, makeup applications, and waxing and sugaring hair-removal services. Whether she's reviving skin with asian herbs during The Green Body Peel, a natural alternative to microdermabrasion treatments, or helping bodies glow with a silky sugar scrub or implanted light bulbs, Whatley strives to give each client a personalized experience.

The Great Escape Spa Therapy has tailored their menu of treatments to promote whole-body rejuvenation and relaxation. Therapists enhance their seven massage techniques with extras including aromatherapy or soaks in a scented bath, while aestheticians blend botanicals and exfoliating chemical peels in their hour-long facials.

As a teenager, Andrew Browder enjoyed playing soccer and wrestling—at least until he began to suffer pain in his knees and feet. He ended up in the office of an orthopedic surgeon, who didn't seem to understand his ailments and couldn't offer a solution. A decade passed before Andrew made his first appointment with a rolfing therapist. Almost immediately, the pain he had been feeling for years began to dissipate and his posture improved.

At his own rolfing practice, Andrew treats patients with the same techniques that did so much for his own health. During sessions, he manipulates the body's connective tissues, gently realigning joints with a focus on the entire body as opposed to the source of symptoms. Patients often visit because of one particular issue, such as an injury or posture thrown askew by a childhood spent sailing the high seas, but Andrew's treatments seek to restore all-around balance.