Forest Park, IL Spa and Massage

SpaForever has earned recognition from Chicago-area publications, including Time Out Chicago and Chicago Social , for its array of soothing day-spa services. Hypoallergenic skincare sessions counterbalance facials with resurfacing glycolic acid or a nourishing multivitamin mask, preventing embarrassing, heart-shaped hives. Five modalities of massage range from traditional Swedish strokes to the artful stretches of Thai bodywork. The staff can also evict fuzz from head to feet with wax and its digital cousin, the laser.

Inside SpaForever, a pure-white reception area accented with marine-blue and grass-green accents lead guests toward private treatment rooms. The rooms keep the light level low and conducive to sheep counting. Clients can plug in their mp3 players and relax to their own music rather than pester therapists for an a cappella rendition of "Master of Puppets."

The skilled stylists and aestheticians at Glamour Beauty Salon pamper clients from head to toe with fashion-savvy hair, nail, and depilatory services. Threading experts lasso wayward strands of hair with cotton threads to keep eyebrows in line, and mehndi body artists adorn hands with intricate Indian designs or calligraphic to-do lists. Facials imbue visages with a burst of hydration that leaves pores open and clean, and mani-pedis embellish nails with shining coats of lacquer. The salon’s unassuming Devon Avenue storefront welcomes walk-in customers to indulge impulsively seven days a week.

The staff at Mediterranean Day Spa knows that true beauty comes from this inside, a notion they honor by providing therapeutic services to local military veterans and their families via Operation Oasis. Within the spa’s luxurious confines, both service members and civilians let their eyes drink in the soothing sights of nature-inspired artwork on natural walls before selecting from the spa’s eclectic service menu. Plush, leather pedicure chairs foster an array of invigorating foot treatments while private treatment rooms host massages, wraps, waxing, and body scrubs that reflect the tradition of Turkish hammams.

At The Woodhouse, relaxation begins upon each client's arrival in the spa's dedicated Quiet Room. A fluffy robe drapes around their shoulders, reflexology sandals lightly massage their feet, and mugs of loose-leaf tea warm their lips as they await the start of their services. The spa's product selection reflects a similar attention to detail: employees fill the shelves with natural, organic, and wild-crafted products. They also go the extra mile to include small extras with each session, such as home-care recommendations after facial treatments and foot-cleansing with each massage. The award-winning spa was voted best spa by the readers of the San-Antonio Express-News, and was deemed best spa and best massage by readers of San Antonio Magazine.

Sonia Herbal Beauty Salon owner Sonia Dua spent her formative years in India dreaming about beauty. As she got older, this dream led her to college beauty courses in New Delhi and Bhilai, and later inspired her to open her own salon in India. There, Sonia worked for nearly two decades to beautify clients with unpretentious, time-tested salon techniques.

When she moved to Chicago in 2005, she brought along her many Eastern beauty techniques to complement salon and spa mainstays such as facials, waxing, and mani-pedis. Sonia removes facial hair through the ancient art of threading and decorates skin with intricate, temporary henna tattoos, which are made with plant-based natural dyes rather than chemicals squeezed from Fruit Stripe packaging.

Savon Spa's Parisian theme speaks to its Old-World luxury, whereas its emphasis on organic ingredients in handmade soaps and lotions belies an utterly modern eco-consciousness. The menu is determined to reach beyond standard spa fare by featuring a host of all-natural add-on services, such as vegan nailcare products that don't derive their color from pigmented bugs or pigs born with entirely too much pink. Botanicals are even directly incorporated into the French bamboo massage, in which a therapist applies focused pressure with bamboo sticks and organic oil to dissipate tension. The aestheticians and anesthesiologist on staff use their expertise to laser treatments that deliver natural results.