Hayden, ID Spa and Massage

Licensed and certified massage practitioner Jacquie Cass understands that sometimes it takes a little more than her hands to work out the kinks of an achy body. During her cold-stone-therapy massages, she uses chilled stones plucked out of Bizarro World volcanoes to help remedy the pain of sports injuries, swelling, inflammation, and sinus problems. She also promotes relaxation in clients through their noses with more than 70 therapeutic-grade blends of fragrant essential oils, which she uses alongside Swedish strokes for complete tranquility. Vitality Massage Therapy’s menu of modalities also proves that Cass can ease aches the old-fashioned way, performing Swedish, deep-tissue, and myofascial-release massage techniques to target each client’s specific sore spots.

A wildly successful alternative to traditional day spas—its more than 300 locations blanket 36 states and half a dozen countries—Planet Beach A Contempo Spa is a futuristic relaxation station where state-of-the-art machines administer all the spa and tanning services. These friendly automatons sometimes replace familiar treatments, as in the Luminous facial, a light-based service that delivers blemish-busting results similar to those of a conventional facial. But other equipment maps out new spa territory entirely: the Hydro-Derma Fusion chamber moisturizes the whole body with nutrient-rich steam in order to offset the effects of a dry climate or a rear-end collision with a salt truck. Other machines whiten teeth, spray tan skin, and massage muscles.

Planet Beach operates on a gym-style membership system, meaning that members purchase packages or pay flat monthly rates. As members spend more time at the spa, they get to know the helpful assistants who are always on hand to demonstrate how to use the equipment without activating its ability to cry.

At The Healing Hut, dedicated aesthetician Loni draws on her time at the Euro Institute of Skin Care and Gene Juarez Academy, as well as her interest in diet and alternative healing, to provide a comprehensive menu of holistic spa services. With certifications in reflexology, manual lymphatic drainage, and reiki, Loni can tailor treatments to address a range of woes, including sports injuries, facial tension, or sore hands from vigorous crossword solving. Aesthetic boosts include waxing, facials, and lash extensions, and Loni also combines spa services with healing approaches in treatments such as a reflexology pedicure. Located within Diva’s Hair Studio, the spa’s cream-colored interiors bathe clients in the calm of a cotton-ball factory, and a full coffee bar adds extra spring to the steps of refreshed visitors.

About Face spa director Sherri Mullett brings more than 20 years of esthetics experience to all of her beauty treatments, which range from microdermabrasion and LED light facials to skin needling and permanent makeup. She’s such an expert that she shares her wealth of knowledge through advanced esthetic training courses. These classes cover topics such as skin disorders and conditions, trends in spa technology equipment, and the nutritional content of old lobby magazines.:m]]

Guided by Dr. William Philip Werschler, whose aesthetic expertise earned him a spot as judge for Prevention magazine's 2010 Defy-Your-Age Beauty Awards, the staff at Werschler Aesthetics overhauls outer appearances with advanced med-spa treatments. The Clarisonic skin-cleansing system jump-starts each specialty facial with sonic frequencies that, though inaudible to human ears, work to remove deeply embedded oil and dirt, priming skin to absorb pharmaceutical-grade serums from brands such as iS Clinical and SkinMedica. Techs also wield lasers specialized to tackle different maladies, from spider veins to acne, and they work to smooth faces with injectables such as Botox.

The relaxation lounge calls. It’s a special area at Serenity Spa and Massage where the staff encourages guests to spend time before or after their appointment. Here, clients lounge in a cozy chair in front of a crackling fire. Tea, coffee, or cucumber water wash down scones, while relaxing music washes down content read from a shelf of books. The idea behind the relaxation lounge is to further separate guests’ minds from such outside stress as work problems and the tiny gnome who follows them around all day, cackling in a 6-inch voice.

Of course, the appetizers or desserts aren’t why people frequent their favorite restaurant, and at Serenity Spa and Massage, the main course is as delicious as the soothing relaxation lounge experience. A four-person staff—pooling more than two decades of experience—renders a full slate of services, including massages, facials, and waxing. Specifically, the therapists might perform a deep-heat massage in which warm pads loosen muscles before the practitioner banishes aches and stiffness with relaxing strokes.