Inglewood Spa and Massage

Flickering votive candles cast a peaceful glow over spheres of green roses, ornate Thai sculptures, and river-buffed stones at Sparadise, where massage therapists dispel aches with five signature therapies. Thai massage incorporates rocking, stretching, and acupressure into its soothing regimen, and deep-tissue massage targets sub-muscular knots. Sweet-almond-lemongrass or grapeseed-eucalyptus oil facilitate the Swedish-style moves of the aroma-oil massage, and rocks from the sun's cobblestone streets characterize the hot-stone massage. Herbs, oils, and teas, meanwhile, lace the foot spa's bath with fragrant botanicals.

The massage therapists at Chiang Mai Health Spa knead away stress and pain with a service menu culled from the best techniques of the East and West. Like their teachers before them, the therapists specialize in Thai massage, a modality that combines vigorous massage strokes with guided stretching, and may be upgraded to incorporate warm packets of soothing Thai herbs. Traditional Western techniques include Swedish and deep-tissue massage—which help stimulate lymph flow for greater detoxification—as well as pregnancy massage, which helps ease the tension felt by expectant mothers or over-loaded storks. The spa stays open late seven days a week to accommodate busy schedules.

The staff at Body Lounge Spa cossets skin during rejuvenating facials and body wraps, and redefines nails while patrons recline in cushioned red pedicure thrones. Guests can sip a glass of wine at the beverage bar as they take in the earth-toned décor grounded in deep chocolate and caramel tones. Massage therapists then invite patrons to rooms illuminated with candles, where treatments such as the energizing Thai massage combat stress and render muscles loose enough to bound up an escalator that's going down.

In a second-floor studio on a quaint, tree-lined road, the licensed massage therapists and aestheticians of Radiance of Life Mini Day Spa revive sore bodies and weary spirits. In cozy, private rooms, calming fragrances and sweeping motions ease bodily tension and sensory malaise during aromatherapy massages. Deep-tissue massages liberate painful gridlock from muscles and joints, and acupuncture sessions boost the flow of energy throughout the body. An aesthetician applies blends of vitamins, plant oils, and enzymes to the skin to rekindle the face's glowing complexion. The spa also furnishes a larger room with two beds designated for couples massages or make-believe luge competitions.

Lorine Mikhaeil leads a busy life. A trained nurse and a certified permanent makeup artist, she helms Organic Permanent Makeup (OPM) as well as Zena Day Spa, Derma Blush, and American Permanent Cosmetics Institute. But no matter how busy Lorine gets, she always takes her time with her clients.

At OPM, Lorine uses a semi-permanent organic ink to expertly define brows, lips, eyelids, and even areolas for those affected by breast cancer. This metal-free formulation gives her greater control when she is applying the ink into the upper dermal layer. During these treatments, Lorine uses an advanced power pin and for brows a specialized hairbrush stroke method that she invented herself, which gives the illusion of 3D brow strands. To ensure clients are inked with complementing colors, Lorine refers to the Fitzpatrick skin type chart to make sure brows match their skin tone and auras.

Though OPM's name focuses on one service, the boutique spa's menu is brimming with a range of other aesthetic treatments. Strands stand no chance against OPM's three hair removal systems, which include waxing, threading, and laser hair removal. Alternately, dermal fillers and microdermabrasions keep complexions firm and looking younger than a toddler holding a newborn dolphin.