Country Club Hills, IL Spa and Massage

Despite a long list of beautifying hair services and soothing massages, the most important sense at C'zar Salon-Spa is not sight or touch, but smell. Stemming from natural Aveda products, aromas drift throughout the space, tinting the air with rosemary, peppermint, and lavender scents that evoke pastoral scenes pulled straight out of the organic farms on which many of their ingredients grew. The Stress-Fix line of lotions—whose fragrances help to reduce anxiety—cloaks hands and feet in sage during specialty mani-pedis, and customized blends of essential oils augment Elemental Nature massages and facials.

Plants play a role in even the most detailed procedures at C'zar Salon-Spa. Flowers contribute extracts to the salon's cosmetics, and Nufree hair-removal formulas provide a botanical alternative to wax that's more gentle than tweezing with a venus flytrap. Although they don't incorporate leafy greens, wellness treatments such as acupuncture and cupping strive to round out makeovers by goading the body’s healing processes. For special events, the staff can accommodate groups inside the calming venue or transport their perfumed practices to a specified location.

Five of the staff members at Headlines Salon & Spa have been pampering clients there for more than a decade—one as long as 23 years. Their dedication to relaxation and aesthetics is evident in their services, which range from specialty facials and peels to soothing hot-stone massages and body wraps. They also customize packages that prep brides-to-be for their big days, protecting nails with no-chip manicures, gathering hair into custom updos, and strategically positioning veils to conceal antennae. Wooden fixtures and a distressed-copper sculpture of the sun make the space as warm and welcoming as the people who work there.

Floor-to-ceiling alabaster columns span Serenity Day Spa, an idyllic oasis staffed with certified aestheticians and massage therapists adept at drawing out inborn beauty encumbered by age and pent-up stress. Pastoral murals splash their soft hues against the walls of the spa’s private rooms, where pampering professionals cocoon clients in customizable body wraps and alleviate deep aches with a wide array of massages, from traditional Swedish bodywork to holistic reiki. Personalized skin analyses prelude facials and peels designed to combat the natural effects of aging or getting a bear hug from Father Time, and a comprehensive menu of waxing services ensures that fur-ridden guests can shed superfluous strands from toes to top hats.

Kathleen Fitzgerald is more than familiar with the hectic schedules of modern life; having founded and run A Relaxed You, Inc.'s two locations for nearly two decades, she understands the importance of a peaceful, welcoming space. From her dual relaxation centers, Kathleen's staff doles out soothing hot-stone and prenatal massages, aromatherapy body wraps, and facial treatments that banish dead skin cells from cheeks and voter-registration roles. Skilled techs pamper nails at both locations as clients shift skin tones with airbrush spray tans in Palos Heights or follow the tranquil poses of certified yoga instructors at the Chicago center.

Organic Spa Intelligent Beauty keeps stress, noise, and toxins such as formaldehyde and other inflaming or dehydrating chemicals out of its sanctuary. What’s left is a menu of ultrarelaxing treatments that condition skin with products from organic lines including Éminence and cruelty-free Starflower Essentials. The staff treats acne and reduces sign of aging with facials or exfoliates away dead skin cells from the surface with a Dermafile resurfacing tool. To deliver a safe, sun-kissed glow, tanning technicians coat skin with a fragrance- and paraben-free solution by hand. Using disposable liners, nail technicians preform manicures and pedicures finished with a coat of vegan and cruelty-free polish.

On a mission to help every client experience their own bliss, Salon Rhapsody’s skilled staff works to ease stress and beautify appearances through personalized salon and spa services. Hair stylists remove split ends, smooth out strands with relaxer, or change hues using products from brands such as Schwarzkopf Color. Meanwhile, estheticians use Dermalogica products and custom masques to hydrate skin during facial treatments and give bodies a golden glow during sessions of hand-applied spray tanning. Clients can also bring their bliss home in the form of brand-name and gluten-free beauty products for hair and skin.