Massage in Deer Park

More than 30 years after its inception, Cactus Salon & Spa and its team of continually educated stylists have not lost their edge—they earned the Long Island Press's designation as Best Hair Salon and Best Day Spa in 2012. It's not surprising, then, that the salon has enjoyed such impressive growth over the years, with more than two dozen separate spa and salon locations.

Although hair is still the focus—stylists craft 'dos that reflect everyday ease or fashion-forward thinking—the repertoire has expanded to include everything from nail treatments and massages to permanent cosmetics and laser services. Since the roster is so broad, many clients take advantage of Cactus Club memberships, which give them the flexibility to try multiple services and products by deactivating the force fields between treatment rooms and granting a 33% discount on Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

A wildly successful alternative to traditional day spas—its more than 300 locations blanket 36 states and half a dozen countries—Planet Beach Contempo Spa is a futuristic relaxation station where state-of-the-art machines administer all the spa and tanning services. These friendly automatons sometimes replace familiar treatments, as in the Luminous facial, a light-based service that delivers blemish-busting results similar to those of a conventional facial. But other equipment maps out new spa territory entirely: the Hydro-Derma Fusion chamber moisturizes the whole body with nutrient-rich steam in order to offset the effects of a dry climate or a rear-end collision with a salt truck. Other machines whiten teeth, spray tan skin, and massage muscles. Planet Beach operates on a gym-style membership system, meaning that members purchase packages or pay flat monthly rates. As members spend more time at the spa, they get to know the helpful assistants who are always on hand to demonstrate how to use the equipment without activating its ability to cry.

"Owned by a sweet local woman, the atmosphere created in Ri Jon is a very friendly one," according to the Deer Park-North Babylon Patch. The friendly atmosphere in the salon today is the same one that has been attracting clients—women, men, and children—for more than 40 years. Inside, the salon's plants, warm colors, and pictures of the family humidifier create a homey, inviting ambiance. Affable stylists add to that warm atmosphere as they cut, color, and highlight hairdos and perform makeup applications for women and shaving services for men. The salon also carries an extensive selection of haircare and body-care products including Rusk, Kenra, Moroccanoil, and Paul Mitchell.

Offering a full suite of services, the staff members of Salon D'Artista and Spa beautify and makeover visitors with precision cuts, hair coloring, permanent makeup, and facial waxing. Stylists tame manes within a colorful space marked by rust-colored walls and rows of red chairs, and aestheticians perform a range of shadow-puppet shows and facials with Dermalogica products while tucked away in private, pastel-colored rooms.

Salon Seven is a full-service salon and spa offering up relaxation, custom service, and a staff of stylists and technicians trained in the latest techniques. With a mani-pedi, both proximal and distal nails are delicately shaped, then brush dunked with polish from Essie, OPI, or CND. Massage and reflexology treatments complete the rigorous relaxation process. Salon Seven’s 4,000-square-foot space is decorated in lively colors and has an open, airy feel; after a 90-minute treatment within these relaxing confines, patrons will feel rejuvenated and ready to take on stressful daily tasks, such as hang-gliding over a mountain teeming with sharks.

Dr. Elizabeth Roya Emami and the aestheticians at Natural Beauty Derma Spa provide minimally invasive solutions to dermal imperfections and extra inches. Within this elegant Japanese-inspired med-spa, they use chemical peels, injections, and laser treatments to help their clients achieve smoother skin and a more youthful appearance. Dr. Roya fixes up unsightly scars and performs outpatient liposuction at a nearby accredited ambulatory surgical facility, where she has access to state-of-the-art equipment.