Ionia, MI Spa and Massage

At just a glance, the boutique might look an antique shop. A wrought-iron chandelier dangles just inside the entrance, its orange lights casting a bronze glow on the tile ceiling. This initial impression is fitting for Cheveux the Spa, where stylists and aestheticians tend to guests at workstations converted from vintage dressers and ornate mirrors. Amid Renaissance-style paintings, they coif hair, slick nails in pretty polish, add lasers to index fingers, massage tension out of bodies, and wax rogue body hair.

Jessica Elkins's eponymous spa is a tribute to her love of plants, nature, and beauty. During her aesthetics training, Jessica worked in the bodycare department of a natural-foods market, assisting clients as they selected lotions, rinses, or cucumbers. She then turned her attention to biochemistry, a field of study that explores the chemical processes in living organisms. By learning how cellular components interact, Jessica broadened her ability to resolve or diminish skin conditions with specific products. At the spa, Jessica works alongside aestheticians who perform custom facials with natural ingredients from Europe or minerals from the mines of Moria. Wax technicians specialize in Brazilian and eyebrow services, and cosmetologists perform makeup applications with mineral pigments.

The beauty experts at Advanced Esthetics draw from more than 50 years of combined experience to deliver a gamut of beautifying services. After a complimentary consultation to determine the best approach for issues such as rosacea, fine lines, or skin laxity, a licensed aesthetician may recommend a rejuvenating, saline-based JetPeel or a noninvasive radio-frequency treatment to enhance both collagen growth and the ability to tune out infomercials. Advanced Esthetics' master skin technicians can also reduce spider veins and lift unwanted hair, and a team of licensed massage therapists eases tension and stress with long, gliding Swedish strokes.

A pharaoh luxuriates in a warm pool while four royal cats doze under fanning palm leaves. It's easy for this pharaoh to forget that the entire scene—including the 12-foot obelisk and Egyptian statuary—is decor. The cats are painted on a wall, and the obelisk, though impressive, is just for fun. The pharaoh, too, is merely a customer enjoying the Egyptian suite at Oasis Hot Tub Gardens.

The Egyptian suite is one of 14 themed hot tubs where couples or larger groups privately soak up temperature-controlled bubbles created by the crawl strokes of the facility's resident Michael Phelps. Other evocative motifs include the baroque English countryside, Polynesian islands, and a fragrant pine woods. Guests are also treated to mood music on the multichannel sound system and can use private showers and changing rooms.

Carly is a Usui reiki master, Nichole is on the road to becoming a naturopathic doctor. Kevin is a hydrogen-ionization specialist, and Lisa completed a 600-hour course in medical massage. But this list merely hints at the breadth of their talents. Together, this quartet of therapists helms 360 Massage and Holistic Care, a haven for feeling good and being well. The menu of services includes massages that cater to each client's unique needs, from athletes to expectant mothers. Beyond massage, the therapists also encourage holistic health with nutrition and herbal consultations, detoxify the body with ionic foot baths, and illuminate poorly lit ears with ear candling.

Within Shear Style's cozy, welcoming atmosphere, owner Kim Wolf leads a team of beauty experts in customizing treatments for hair and nails. Kim draws upon 30 years as a master stylist, specializing in cuts, color services, and feather extensions that can help to break the ice with a new pet parakeet. The family-friendly salon boasts a tropical mural, paintings of palm trees, and a trickling waterfall next to the fireplace, along with a children's play area to keep youngsters occupied.