Las Cruces, NM Spa and Massage

Licensed massage therapist Modesta van den Bogaard sees herself as belonging to a long lineage of healers. “For centuries,” she writes on her website’s blog, “human touch has shown to have emotional and physical healing effects.” She backs up this claim with Swedish and deep-tissue massages that target any number of ailments, from general anxiety to chronic pain in the neck, back, fascia, and dorsal fin. When she isn’t administering one of her two flagship modalities, Modesta loosens tense muscles with hot stones or applies therapeutic pressure to specific points on the feet during reflexology sessions.

The licensed massage therapists at Grace Therapeutic Massage combine medical bodywork techniques with spa treatments to bring about pain relief and deliver spirit-reviving tune-ups. Stress melts like a stick of butter left on the seat of a car during a full-body relaxation or hot-stone massage, while acupressure and reflexology treatments realign and reenergize both body and mind. Advanced practitioners also cater to specific injuries with medical massage, a clinical treatment that uses the guidance of a doctor to stifle pain with advanced-orthopedic techniques. Along the way to relief and relaxation, clients can soak their muscles in the studio's jacuzzi or sweat out toxins in the dry sauna.

Sylvia Delacruz founded Totally Spoiled, a spa tailored to the needs of little princesses, as a way to bring balance to her daughter's busy life. A respite from schoolwork, sports, and tax woes, the spa pampers girls and their moms with pintsize versions of adult spa treatments. Girls, who must be 13 or younger, don bright-pink robes, flip-flops, and headbands to prepare for kid-friendly services such as chocolate facials, mini mani-pedis, or colorful makeup sessions. Gaggles of girls assemble for spa parties and pajama parties, sipping pink lemonade from elegant pink glasses between treatments or adjusting their attitudes by peering through the rose-colored glasses.

Elements Massage Therapy’s licensed massage therapists blend the physical benefits of clinical therapy with the mental comforts of a spa experience as they pamper mind and body with massages, facials, and other relaxing treatments. The soothing aromas of organic oils and lotions fill the air of a private massage room as a therapist gently stretches muscles. Exfoliating facials call upon steamy towels, mud masks, and vitamin E to rejuvenate complexions, and warm paraffin wax courses across hands to soothe weary thumb-war veterans. Therapists encourage feedback during massages and spa treatments and try to alleviate pre-appointment stresses with a convenient online scheduler.

Licensed massage therapist Elizabeth Flores aims to ease excess tension and induce relaxation with skillfully delivered treatments. Elizabeth proffers multiple modalities including Swedish-inspired treatments ideal for those who are new to massage therapy. During deep-tissue sessions, her knuckles dance along backs to help alleviate the chronic pain and strains. And during prenatal sessions, she provides relief for women struggling with joint pain, back strain, and any other issues that stem from driving a human carpool for 9 months.

Inside Hair Detailz by Sandra & Company, a crew of curvy mirrors seems to dance across the walls, flanked by metal leaves swaying to silent music. Vibrant lavender and tangerine hues infuse the salon’s interior, where stylists expertly detach split ends and add desired layers for chic cuts. Aestheticians can complete makeovers with waxing treatments that mow upper-lip lawns, shape brow hedges, and chase Peter Rabbits from hiding places on overgrown legs.