Beauty & Spas in Concord

In the late 1920s, the Great Depression was rendering most Americans professionally and financially paralyzed. But in a small California kitchen, Merle Nethercutt Norman was putting a plan in motion to formulate her own skincare products and share them with family and friends. She truly believed in her formulas, knowing that by getting them on as many faces as possible, she would develop a following of customers. She was right?within a few years she and her nephew were opening their first studio in Santa Monica, and they eventually unveiled a series of independently operated stores that enabled women to take ownership during a time of gender-based limitations such as men-only restrooms. Today, in approximately 2,000 stores across three countries, the three basic principles of Merle's original vision still apply. Each studio is independently owned and fosters an in-depth knowledge of the company's own line of makeup and skincare products. Just as Merle shared her creations with close friends and sallow mannequins more than 80 years ago, today's aestheticians embody the business's "try before you buy" philosophy. A menu of complimentary studio services?from foundation checks to express facials?allows patrons to sample the lauded brand before committing to the purchase of products or full spa treatments.

Both co-owners of HealthPoint RX help patients decide what to put in their bodies—family nurse practitioner Ginger Dailey by recommending medications and delivering injections of Botox and Juvéderm, and licensed dietician Annsley Ulrich by designing nutrition plans. Together, they run a facility where sclerotherapy vanquishes spider veins and appetite suppressants curb the urge to splice your genes with those of a cake. Perhaps most importantly, their monthly nutritional counseling outfits clients with personalized meal plans, a practice that helps them lose weight without endangering their health.

When you think of a traditional tanning salon, you might imagine rows of tanning beds ready to deliver bronzed skin in 15-minute doses. Premier Tanning Salon is no different?it boasts eight Ergoline beds with four levels, in fact. But what sets Premier apart is that it also specializes in sunless tanning. The salon's Norvell Auto Revolution machine delivers an automated airbrush tan in just three to five minutes, covering skin in a choice of three levels of color. The sun-kissed color lasts up to a week, and it won't rub off on clothes or fluffy white cats in search of petting.

At Enlightened Therapeutic and Prenatal Massage, licensed massage therapist Kristina Casini is certified in pre- and perinatal massages, helping women find relief from discomfort during and right after pregnancies. She also employs Swedish and deep-tissue techniques, and utilizes smooth stones heated in water to further alleviate aches. Special add-ons to her massages include an organic sugar-scrub hand treatment and aromatherapy.

At Touch of Good News, located within Head 2 Toe Salon and Spa, licensed massage therapist Teresa Still helps her patients overcome aches and stress with a range of therapies. Her massage repertoire includes Swedish, hot-stone, and scalp techniques, as well as moisturizing treatments.

The licensed therapists at Carolina Health & Wellness restore balance to their clients' bodies with soothing massages and reiki treatments. They call upon the relaxing strokes of Swedish massage or the firm pressures of deep-tissue massage to loosen up muscles and ease tension.