Massage in Halifax

It's not the decor or even the selection of Aveda products that earns each of Life SalonSpa's locations the title of Aveda Lifestyle salon and spa. It's how the staff turns every visit into an experience that walks the line between relaxation and beauty. To learn where this line is, they embark on Aveda-led beauty pilgrimages to local and international experts, earning rewards for each new skill they gain. Along the way, they work through eight artistry levels, climbing from New Talents to Elite Masters who speak in proverbs and can soften a person's skin with a single gentle smile. But regardless of their level, all beauty pros learns one thing early on: the benefit of plant-based products.

The staff leads visitors on their own personal beauty pilgrimages, enveloping them in detoxifying steam, massaging couples side by side, or pampering them with a body-treatment package such as the aptly named "Chocolates for Breakfast." An emphasis on personalization and quality products also pervades the salon area. In addition to cutting chic 'dos, the stylists use plant proteins and natural antioxidants to correct issues such as dry and damaged hair.

When Rosanne Balsom started emOcean, it was little more than a murky saltwater pool. Today, that crystal-clear swimming hole is the focal point among myriad spa and health services, ranging from massage and cosmetics to physiotherapy and podiatry. Adjacent to glass-fronted infrared saunas, aromatherapy steam showers reinvigorate the senses with warm mist, revitalizing scents, and the lilting giggles of complimentary fairies. Whether feeding guests or powdering recently exfoliated cheeks, the spa’s team keeps an eye on sustainability, using organic cotton robes, locally sourced Laughing Whale Coffee, and soy-based body scrubs.

Jonathan Neil the Salon houses a team of talented beauticians, all of whom helped to earn the spa honours as a top salon in 2011, according to Faces Magazine. The glow from hanging lights illuminates the salon’s modern space, inside which staff members craft stunning looks with a full spectrum of hair and nail services. As concerned about style as they are about sustainable practices, the salon stocks a range of products that do not contain paraben, sulphate, silicone, or on-fire tires.

Inside Smiles & Beauty Skin Care, a squad of oversized club chairs host guests during teeth-whitening treatments. Ten-minute sessions wipe away coffee, tea, and wine stains on the surface of teeth for a smile up to eight shades brighter. Smiles' aestheticians also perform refreshing facials after a consultation that allows them to analyze a client's skin and swap slow-cooker recipes. After a treatment, the client can browse the spa's extensive line of local and handmade creams, scrubs, and soaps.

The MLD Clinic soothes and detoxifies tissues through the techniques of manual lymphatic drainage. In a 60-minute massage, a trained therapist certified by the Dr. Vodder School applies light and precise hand movements to epidermal terrain, eschewing long strokes, vigorous kneading, and dramatic monologues in an effort to promote the decongesting flow of lymphatic fluid within tissues without increasing blood circulation. The clinic's specialists lavish their soothing touch directly on the skin, not letting even oils, lotions, or mime-constructed invisible walls come between their hands and the client's epidermis. The technique can help the lymphatic system flush away harmful toxins and reduce painful swelling in bodily tissues.

The CAS Spa & Salon combines professional product lines with the efforts of a dedicated team that includes a registered nurse, a registered massage therapist, and a hair stylist with more than 35 years in the field. Its comprehensive menu of services trims and polishes clients from head to toe, with options including haircuts and color, facials, Botox and Juvederm treatments, mani-pedis, and waxing services using both hard and soft formulas. For more permanent hair removal, a registered nurse performs follicle-zapping treatments with a medical-grade laser that produce perpetually smooth results. The CAS elevates its treatments with professional potions, such as hair products from Redken and nail polishes from SpaRitual and Zoya. The facility also infuses epidermises with formulas from its proprietary skincare line, which, like making a baby crawl laps around the backyard, aims to induce a youthful glow.