Beauty & Spas in Columbia

Aquarium maintenance might seem like a strange background for an expert in neuromuscular therapy and deep-tissue massage, but that's exactly how massage therapist Lynne Luckow got her start. She decided to change careers after reading about the health benefits of massage and went on to study anatomy, physiology, and medical massage at Aesthetics University. She opened Healing Hands Therapy Center in 1993 and continued her training with renowned professionals in the field of alternative medicine. Eventually, she grew her practice to the point where she was working 12 hours a day, six days a week, roughly the amount of time it takes to give a full-body massage to a really big whale. Luckow knew it was time to expand: the center is now home to eight highly trained massage therapists, who earned it nominations in CityVoter's Best Massage category in 2011.

In addition to performing massages, Luckow promotes physical and emotional healing with Ayurvedic counseling and meditation. She has further rounded out her team with licensed acupuncturist Brenda Sherman, who holds a Master of Science in acupuncture and oriental medicine.

With 20+ years of experience in the industry, tanning experts at Carolina Tan Factory do more than just offer UV and sunless-tanning services at both Carolina Tan Factory locations. They also work to create a comfortable tanning experience for her clients. Tropical-themed décor and friendly staffers greet guests as they step into either highly sanitized salon. Back in the private tanning room, fresh, fluffy towels await clients’ arrivals before they slip into a Ergoline or Sun Industries UV tanning bed or step into a MysticTan Sunless Booth. UV beds ensure even tans, since the bulbs are regularly replaced after 50% usage, and an array of lotions and bronzers wait on hand to protect skin and help ensure anything from a "just spent the day at the beach" tan to a "just spent three months organic farming on Mars" glow. And to add convenience to each client's experience, Carolina Tan Factory's remain open seven days a week and offer early morning and evening hours.

After a decade spent working in public relations, teaching fitness classes, and playing bass in a rock band, Stacey Suzanne Overstreet longed for a career that would let her impact others on a more personal level. She followed her dream, and opened staceyO studiO - Massage & Esthetics Wellness Spa. Now a licensed massage therapist and aesthetician, and recently returned from advanced wellness training in India, she treats her clients with carefully planned, custom spa services inside her candle-lit studio, nestled in Gold’s Gym.

She sets a soothing tone for personalized massages with soft lighting and music, hot towels, and exotic aromatherapy scents. As she kneads her visitor's muscles with gentle or deep pressure, she may moisturize their skin with Epicuren Discovery oils and lotions, scaring away worries more swiftly than a threateningly brandished tea candle. She also exfoliates dead skin cells and smoothes blemishes using microdermabrasion treatments and PCA chemical peels; and nourishes skin during more than 14 facials that incorporate ingredients such as pumpkin, ginger, volcanic clay, and ground crystals.

Tranquil Moments Day Spa, located inside a renovated house built in the 1930s, harkens back to a simpler time when eyes weren't always glued to cell-phone screens and gas cost only 10 cents a gallon. Visitors disconnect from the stresses of the outside world in Tranquil Moments' laidback environment, where they indulge in an array of treatments geared toward relaxation and beautification. All-natural Aveda products lend their anti-aging properties and sweet-smelling aromas to the spa's soothing facials and personalized massages, whereas rejuvenating body wraps and waxing services make recipients look and feel as new as the day they left the human assembly line. Hardworking digits get their due pampering with a variety of rejuvenating mani-pedis that end with a luxurious coat of polish.

"Massage is my passion," says Nick West, a licensed massage therapist who channeled his interest in physiology and his desire to help people into a worthwhile career. Prior to each session, which takes place in a warm, private room filled with soft music and the purr of a thousand kittens, he chats with clients to get a sense of their emotional, mental, and physical needs. This allows him to custom tailor their treatment, whether incorporating soothing Swedish strokes or targeted deep-tissue kneads to achieve the most effective results. Though happy to assuage general aches, Nick finds the greatest reward in helping those suffering from chronic-pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, and cancer.

Opened since 1987, Sun Your Buns is ahead of the curve when it comes to tanning technology, its benefits, and its potential risks, and it’s devoted to bringing clients up to speed. So, when first-time tanners step into Sun Your Buns, they’re not just directed to a bed and left on their own. Instead, experienced staffers dispel tips for maximizing the benefits of a UV tan—while avoiding the risks—before recommending helpful products, such as lotions by Australian Gold or Designer Skin. Once prepped and ready to go, clients can recline in one of two Klafsun beds or stand in a SunDome booth, each tucked inside a private pink or blue room. For quick fixes, the staff’s certified airbrush technician creates custom, natural-looking tans in seconds with Norvell products.