Golden Valley, MN Spa and Massage

A cream-colored spa accented by green sprouts, marble, and stone sets the stage for relaxation at Aqua Lifestyle Nail Salon & Spa, where skilled aestheticians bolster beauty with services for the skin, hair, and nails. Wrinkles and furrows fade into oblivion as the staff tightens skin with Lumière LED facials and turns back the clock on sun damage with the lightening peel’s cocktail of lactic acid and brightening serums. Kneeling at the foot of 1 of 17 plush pedicure chairs, a technician culls overgrowing nails, curbs wayward cuticles, and ousts spent skin with a sea-salt scrub, promoting relaxation and the joyful urge to commute via kickline. Among the salon’s other services, airbrush tanning bronzes bodies without UV exposure and gentle head-to-toe waxing treatments strip away hair with warm wax.

Mimi Smith is one of few Minnesotans who hold international accreditation in skincare. She is also a nationally certified massage therapist, part-time college instructor, and an alumna of an elite Edina spa. Today, at her eponymous beauty center, she applies her skills toward enhancing natural beauty with 100% organic products that save skin from the ravages of age, acne, and wandering pens. She also practices a variety of massage modalities, including ones that use volcanic hot stones or aromatherapy.:m]]

The bodywork experts at Anoka Massage & Pain Therapy believe in the healing power of relaxation and do their best to drive away unhealthy stress with massage therapy and acupuncture. Staffers are trained in a number of Eastern and Western modalities, including shiatsu, tui na, and myofascial release, focusing on pressure points or wadded-up connective tissue. During needling sessions, acupuncturists take aim at tension and a host of other ailments, such as allergies, depression, and ice-cream headaches.

Upon entering The Image Creator Salon & Day Spa, clients are greeted by 17 seasoned stylists, each with at least five years of experience. As they cut and color hair, two certified massage therapists attempt to reduce clients’ anxiety with customized massages. Spa packages combine hair, nail, and body treatments to rejuvenate clients without fairy godmothers. After treatments, visitors can peruse a collection of products from brands such as Matrix Biolage, Crew, and Aveda to maintain their new looks at home.

Debra Johnson of Tiny Apples Massage Therapy soothes tense muscles with modalities such as Swedish, pregnancy, sports, and therapeutic massage. These techniques can ease injured muscles, improve range of motion, and call lazy blood cells to action. During hot-stone massages, Debra uses smooth stones to loosen curmudgeonly knots. She also uses a Japanese technique known as reiki, which targets the body's life force energy through the laying on of hands. She can also enhance these bodywork techniques with aromatherapy and detoxifying foot soaks. The former adds invigorating scents to the session, and the latter expels impurities by putting each sullied foot through a trial by ordeal.

Because spa clients have diverse expectations and desires, Bay Salon & Spa’s personnel begins each service with a professional consultation. This allows stylists to crown male and female clients with just the right choice of hair products from brands such as Moroccanoil and Eufora. To prevent torch-wielding villagers from attacking people who walk around too stiffly, the spa has also founded a massage club, which offers monthly 60- or 90-minute massages at a discounted rate.