Hempstead, NY Spa and Massage

Kyle Walsh has built a career with his hands. He's provided massages for contestants in the Long Beach Quiksilver Pro Surfing Competition and professional boxers. On more average days, however, he uses the power of touch to heal people from all walks of life at Zen Zone Wellness, a quiet massage sanctuary nestled inside Bikram Yoga Long Beach. Basing his treatments in ancient medicine, he eases tension from muscles and restores balance of body and mind through oil-based Swedish massage, aromatherapy herbal massage, and deep-tissue sports massage.

Spa Forever's lounge greets visitors with floor-to-ceiling windows, white walls, and a few plush couches. The aesthetic reinforces an approach to wellness and comfort that is both down-to-earth and elegant, a combination admired by Time Out Chicago and Chicago Social, which praised both the spa’s “unpretentious” atmosphere and its “awesome heated beds.”

Whether administering facials or dealing the death blow to unwanted hair with the Cutera CoolGlide laser, the aestheticians and massage therapists sit down with clients before each appointment to chat about their services, letting each guest know exactly what’s coming down the pike. From there, the pampering practitioners calibrate their services, modifying them for each guest’s needs. For instance, aestheticians fine-tune every step of their signature Forever facial—complete with double cleansing and mask—to correspond to visitors' complexions. They also use hypoallergenic products from AquaDerma and Dermalogica for people with sensitive skin. Alternatively, massage therapists tweak the hydraulic pressure on their robotic fingers to deliver all manner of massage, including Swedish aromatherapy, tandem massages that feature two therapists, and ashiatsu performed with the therapist's bare feet.

By emulating the Caribbean with beachy décor and the pulse of reggae music, Flutter Lash & Beauty Boutique aims to transport clients to an imaginary paradise as it highlights natural beauty with a range of image services. The salon's lash technicians take meticulous care in performing the shop’s namesake service—lash extensions, in which existing lash lines are affixed with individual false eyelashes that, when batted correctly, convey college botany lectures to passing hummingbirds. Meanwhile, eyebrow shaping and threading services help artfully frame newly adorned eyes, and organic facials and makeup applications enhance faces with a vibrant, youthful glow.

Bathed in the gentle glow of subdued, relaxing light, Impressions Day Spa’s talented staff deploys upwards of 20 years of industry experience as they lavish bodies in serenity-inducing services. The spa’s dedication to individualized care is evidenced in the lush private treatment rooms wherein aestheticians tailor treatments such as microdermabrasion and organic airbrush tanning to fit each patron’s skin type and accommodate comfort levels. Bolstering existing beauty remains a spa specialty, but Impressions' team of RMTs also perfects the art of stress erasing through treatments such as Swedish massage, which can help relieve trauma resulting from having a quarter painfully extracted from an ear by a street magician.

With two locations, a dedicated team of professionals, and a full fleet of services, Aura Salon and Spa makes it easy for New Jerseyans to update their head threads, pamper their mugs, and soothe their bodies. Aura's staffers have worked closely with the internationally trained members of Redken 5th Avenue, who shared tips regarding proper salon procedures and which European accents to use when doling out haircuts. New clients enjoy a complimentary consultation that couples them with a fitting stylist or aesthetician for their service, be it a mani-pedi, a waxing, or a bridal updo, complete with champagne mimosas and the traditional prank phone call to the wedding caterer.