Beauty & Spas in Gardnerville Ranchos

At Ava Jade Salon & Spa, blue and white accents reminiscent of a frosted cupcake surround clients as they indulge in hair makeovers, skin rejuvenation, and body-coddling treatments. Dermalogica products cleanse pore pastures during custom facials and back treatments, clearing skin of the dirt and oil caked to it after falling asleep in a parking lot without irritants such as lanolin, SD alcohol, mineral oil, and artificial fragrances. In addition, the staff shampoos and styles natural hats with sulfate- and paraben-free products by Unite. After banishing split ends with a precision cut, hair-tamers can add depth to manes with highlights, strengthen locks with deep-conditioning treatments, or disguise patrons from IRS auditors with all-over color.

Cool blue walls stretch toward exposed beams in Element Tanning's lofty ceiling, lending its interior a contemporary, urban feel. Tucked within the welcoming environment, an impressive lineup of UV beds—including standard and standup models—waits to alter epidermal hues. A high-pressure Level 10 Magic 636 darkens pelts with a UVB rate of only 1%, and the Level 4 KBL America 6900 suffuses physiques with aromatherapy, air conditioning, and a mist breeze. UV-free color transformations transpire within Element's automated Mystic tan booth, which provides quick, streak-free bronzing sans attempts at bear-hugging the sun. Open seven days a week, Element keeps the tanning lights aglow until 9 p.m. on weekdays.

Melessa Dunkley, a stylist of nine years, passionately crafts chic, customized looks. Now at the newly renovated Revelations Salon, which opened 14 years ago, she offers haircuts, color, highlights, and styling services. Melessa stays up to date on the latest trends and techniques with continuing education or by intently watching Joan Rivers critique her own reflection. Revelations Salon carries products from Matrix, Redken, and Nichols.

Surrounded by walls painted in plum, olive, and sunflower hues, Avanti Salon's team of beauty specialists refines hair and nails with creative flair and seasoned techniques. As stylists transform heads with haircuts, extensions, and color, nail artists put digits in the spotlight with gentle shaping, vibrant polish, and custom acrylic designs. Specialists also sleeken physiques with waxing services and bypass the need to apply eyeliner or head butt a cosmetics model every morning with applications of permanent makeup.

Aesthetician Marina Ramos was voted Best Facialist in the El Dorado County Readers' Choice awards in Style magazine for 2009 and 2010, and in 2011 was voted Favorite Makeup Artist and earned second place for Favorite Facialist. Her deft touch was first developed at Federico Beauty College, where she persevered to earn her aesthetician's license, in spite of Frankie Avalon's continued insistence that she drop out. Certification in six skincare lines means that she has a battery of techniques from Aveda, Jan Marini, and Bioelements at her disposal, helping her create custom regimens that help skin stay healthy and youthful. Continually educating herself on methods for preserving beauty, she became a certified dermatician for permanent cosmetics to artfully highlight facial features with organic pigment.

Specializing in acrylics and gels, A Touch of Class' resident aesthetician aims to sculpt beautiful nails while bathing clients in an atmosphere of relaxation. Using fingers and toes as canvasses, the beauty expert renders designs that can incorporate glitter, chip-resistant gels, and more swirls of color than a tie-dyed tornado. A dash of stress relief accompanies the aesthetician's makeovers, as hands and feet soak in baths and unwind during soothing massages.