Lauderdale Lakes, FL Beauty and Salons

Dr. Yelena Pakula practiced as a medical doctor in Russia before changing fields and continents more than a decade ago. Now an acupuncturist licensed by the state of Florida, she runs Vita-Health Acupuncture and Wellness Center, a clinic for nonconventional healing and aesthetic medicine. She and her colleagues—including another expatriate physician from Brazil—perform acupuncture and herbal treatments, along with massage therapy and colon hydrotherapy. Their beauty menu includes treatments to laser away body hair, contour the thighs and stomach, and rejuvenate complexions after one too many ghost sightings.

It’s hard to say what’s more impressive: Dora Salazar and Maria Pana’s skincare knowledge, or their collection of passport stamps. The licensed aestheticians and paramedical experts have traveled across Europe, Brazil, and the United States in an effort to hone their craft, and it shows. Dora, for example, draws on her diverse medical background to clear up acne, treat rosacea, and lighten up hyperpigmentation with clinical-grade products. In addition to facials and exfoliating microdermabrasion, the team enhances skin with Perfector treatments that use nanotechnology to boost intercellular communication. This improved communication ramps up cells’ output of collagen and reduces the number of microscopic inboxes clogged with snail mail.

At Salon Euphoria, the styling team is small but strong, including two Aveda Institute graduates and stylists with as much as 24 years of experience. Like sending superheroes undercover at a beauty pageant, the team fills its arsenal with Tigi, Aveda, and Moroccanoil products to help clients leave the salon feeling more confident and happy with their new looks. Stylists, including a master stylist, periodically go through continuing education to ensure that they're always on top of the latest hair trends, and an onsite nail tech creates slick nail landscapes with Essie polish.:m]]

In addition to cutting, styling, and coloring hair, a few of the stylists at Entre Nous Hair Studio can also perform threading, a specialized hair-removal technique that uses twisted cotton threads to shape unkempt eyebrows or remove unwanted hair from upper lips. The salon also offers several spa treatments including massages, waxing services, mani-pedis, and 24k Gold facials—luxurious anti-aging treatments designed to improve lymphatic drainage and the chances of being admitted into King Midas’s exclusive nightclubs.

The varnish artists at Tokyo Nails work in a variety of media, including gel, acrylic, and regular old nail polish. They skillfully trim and shape nails or soften paws with lotions, paraffin dips, or oven mitts full of petroleum jelly. Children are welcome at their salon—they even have a special menu of services for tykes aged 10 and younger.

If it involves the eyes, Iy Kandii Lash Boutique can do it. The spa’s licensed extension specialists enhance natural lashes with professional adhesives and semipermanent extensions in a range of colors. They custom cut each application to create the desired amount of length and volume—whether clients want a natural look or the ability to sail a boat by blinking. Once extensions are in place, they can wax or thread eyebrows into perfectly symmetrical arches or make eyes pop with professionally applied makeup. Aside from dressing up the eyes, they also dole out cleansing and exfoliating facials and travel to parties and special events across town for in-house services.