La Riviera, CA Beauty and Salons

Clinical aesthetician and visual artist Sherry approaches each client's skin as if it were a canvas, painstakingly attending to it until it flourishes with a glowing beauty. Inside ZÁD Salon & Spa, her full-service, ultramodern salon—reminiscent of an art gallery with white walls interrupted by bright flounces of color—she uses her 20 years of international experience and the Dermalogica skincare line to design and customize facials, body wraps, and hair-removal treatments. She’s joined by master hair stylists, a nail technician, and massage therapist, who create masterpieces similar to the artwork adorning the walls or the one-act plays put on by the cleaning crew at night.

River Hair and Nails' technicians sit before rows of glass nail-polish bottles from OPI and Gelish at their polish stations. There, they trim and shape nails and massage hands and feet with hydrating lotion during manicures and pedicures. They cure Shellac and gel polish under a special light, which subsequently clings to finger and toe tips for up to two weeks without the kind of chipping that so often happens when a subwoofer meets an ice cube. The gentle whir of hair dryers mingles with ambient conversations between the stylists on the salon floor and their clients as they discuss new cuts, colors, and hair types. The team also renders additional beauty treatments, including permanent makeup and facial and body waxing services.

Encircled by robin's-egg-blue walls and chic framed mirrors, Sleek Salon’s talented beauty specialists style clients from head-to-toe. Hairstylists banish split ends and dated looks with precision haircuts and face-framing highlights, and they tackle unwanted frizz and curl with Keratin Complex smoothing treatments. Hands and feet march into the safe hands of nail technicians, who pamper paws with relaxing massages, skin-softening paraffin waxes, and bright polishes. Meanwhile in private spa rooms, aestheticians strip away hair or take the itchiness out of wool sweaters with waxing treatments. When they're not catering to the beauty needs of loyal regulars, the Sleek Salon crew hones their craft by prepping models for fashion shows and readying bands for music-video shoots.

A trained and experienced staff of nine helms East Sac MedSpa, doling out skin-resurfacing facial treatments fortified by advanced technology and a dozen types of relaxing massages. As soon as clients walk through the doors, a friendly staff member will offer them a beverage—a soft drink, coffee, wine—and lead them to one of three treatment rooms. Inside, an aesthetician analyzes skin type and condition before prescribing the most appropriate procedure, such as a glycolic peel, microcurrent face-lift, or LED photofacial, to eliminate signs of aging, acne, or biting children. Alternatively, visitors can opt for a relaxing Swedish, deep-tissue, or reflexology massage performed by a certified massage therapist.

Because many of its services produce the best results with repeat treatments, East Sac MedSpa creates an incentive to return by offering visitors the chance to become spa members—a status that includes complimentary chair massages, birthday gifts, and invitations to monthly wine parties.

Named after the colorful bracelets that jangle on the wrists of many Indian women, Ruby’s Bangles gives its patrons an opportunity to partake in ancient Eastern beauty rituals. In the spa, aestheticians use eyebrow threading techniques inspired by Egyptian beauty rituals to remove unwanted hair. Skilled henna artists can transform hands and feet with dramatic plant-ink designs. The store's boutique boasts a wide selection of Indian-inspired jewelry, including bindis, necklaces, bangles, and hip chains for belly dancing or keeping prank-prone jeans from running away.