Beauty & Spas in Elmwood Park

The licensed stylists and technicians at Marianne Strokirk Salon, a Chicago beauty haven that has stood for two decades, apply the latest styles and techniques to trendy haircuts. Each stylist must first complete a rigorous apprenticeship and arm wrestle hundreds of ponytails before becoming a full-time staff member. Wielding professional products, beauty gurus handily resculpt hair and nails or remove unwanted fuzz during waxing treatments. Marianne Strokirk, one of the salon's cofounders, has seen her styles featured in local and national publications such as the Chicago Tribune and_Glamour_.

Such is their commitment to beauty, the stylists and aestheticians at Studio Within Salon/Spa seek to extend their rejuvenating services to their biggest client, the Earth, by adopting eco-friendly practices. Along with carrying organic and natural products, the salon continues to expand its green philosophy, which includes supporting local businesses through charity, energy-efficient lighting, and generators fueled by patrons’ discarded tension. The studio’s soothing lobby boasts lavender walls and rustic furniture, and spiral stairs lead down into the lower spa’s umber walls, candles, and dark wood furniture. With recent remodeling, the massage rooms are now more spacious and outfitted with brand new treatment tables.

Anna George Salon and Spa’s spacious studio offers 17 nail stations and 10 expert technicians ready to sweep you across their shining hardwood floors and into one of the luxurious leather pedicure chairs. Pale blue walls make a serene backdrop for framed art depicting scenic skies and other soothing images, while glowing wall sconces cozy up the cool setting. Your regular manicure and pedicure begins with a polish removal and tension-draining soak. The friendly nail experts will clean around the nails, shape your cuticles, and file away jagged edges to get your nails into shape. They’ll oil up your cuticles to nourish the sensitive skin around your nails before indulging your hands and feet in a luxurious massage. Next, you can choose your favorite color from a stock of OPI, Essie, and Creative lacquers to crown your fingers and toes in vibrant, shiny helmets.

Ellehomme Holistic Med Spa soothes clients as soon as they step into its 4,000-square-foot realm, which is overseen by a medical director, registered nurses, and aestheticians. They specialize in cosmetic treatments, from injectables, such as Botox and Juvederm, to laser hair removal and other services that smooth skin and eschew sandpaper.

In one of the massage spa's five treatment rooms, licensed therapists plunder ligaments for stashes of stress, using more than five modalities such as reflexology and deep tissue. Terry-lined waffle robes and cozy spa slippers escort clients to treatments and the relaxation lounge, where they mentally prepare themselves for reentry into a society filled with stress and evil robots.

Nail Fetish's mani-pedis uses many of the salon's own homemade products, as well as 100% pure shea butter, for enhanced extremity elation. During the mani 101 ($20), your fingers' keratin-caps will be snipped, clipped, shaped, and stylized for a comforting feel that's sure to put a smile on the face of your baseball glove. Nail Fetish's signature homemade scrub removes dead skin cells and opens clogged pores, while a hand massage will mellow out your metacarpus and polish will add a Technicolor tint to your fave 10. Nail Fetish's signature pedicure ($35) deals in similar digit doting, with a signature scrub to shake off the expired epidermal cells dulling your feet's bright, shining smiles. Shea butter, extracted from the seed of the African shea tree, particularly helps soothe the sole-soul, and an avocado cream massage brings vitamins A and C to your boot-fillers.