Leon Valley, TX Spa and Massage

Sunbathe's sugar-based tanning spray ($35 per application) bestows a bronzey sun kiss without the usual neon-orange streaks. Designed to soothe skin as much as gild it, the blend is free of harsh chemicals and includes wild botanical extracts, herbs, and artisanal antioxidants crafted by hand in the French Alps. If you prefer skin as pale as a salt kernel, opt for other beauty-bolstering spa services, such as an express manicure ($25), pedicure ($35), facial ($35+), or eyebrow threading ($18). Sunbathe also offers sugaring ($40 for a bikini), and massage therapy with a licensed therapist ($65 an hour).

A wildly successful alternative to traditional day spas—its more than 300 locations blanket 36 states and half a dozen countries—Planet Beach Contempo Spa is a futuristic relaxation station where state-of-the-art machines administer all of the spa and tanning services. These friendly automatons sometimes replace familiar treatments, as in the Lumiere facial, an infrared light-based service that delivers anti-aging results similar to those of a conventional facial. But other equipment maps out new spa territory entirely: the Slim Capsule stimulates the muscles similarly to that of doing a 3 mile run while receiving a massage, and the Hydro-Derma Fusion chamber moisturizes the whole body with nutrient-rich steam to offset the effects of a dry climate or a rear-end collision with a salt truck. Other treatments include cosmetic teeth whitening, Mystic HD spray tanning, and massages.

Planet Beach operates on a gym-style membership system, meaning that members purchase packages or pay flat monthly rates. As members spend more time at the spa, they get to know the expert spa consultants who are always on hand to help with anti-aging, weight-loss, detoxification, nutritional needs, and demonstrate how to use the equipment without activating its ability to cry.

The attentive team at Nicole Georgios European Day Spa coddles hard-working appendages and weary faces with a menu of aesthetically driven spa services. Visitors to Nicole Georgios's private suite discover manicurists who revive digits worn out from days spent typing, writing, and braiding the hair of neighborhood porcupines. The spa's relaxing massages console aching bodies with calculated kneads, and its exotic facials soothe stress-related smile lines with aromatherapy and a special synergy of essential oils. The calming pulse of zen music and the flicker of glowing candles ease the body and mind, and visitors can satisfy cravings for toothsome tidbits with access to the salon's snack bar and wireless Internet service.

It’s a classic “chicken or the egg” debate. Did the mix of athletes, moms, and businesspeople who frequented Trissage create the need for custom massages? Or did the custom massages attract the diverse mix of clientele? Regardless of the verdict one may come to, the result is the same: bodywork treatments tailored to patients’ distinct needs, whether their pains are chronic and dull or acute and caused by getting hugged by a bear. As members of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals, Trissage’s staffers are versed in deep-tissue, maternity, and Swedish modalities, among others, and they often augment sessions with soft music and hydrating massage oils.

To Shannon Edwards-Moore, a massage isn’t only a relaxing experience—it’s also a chance to leave clients feeling balanced in body, mind, and soul. In addition to calming Swedish massages, which she especially recommends for those new to massage, Shannon targets tension and knots with more intense pressure during deep-tissue sessions. Sports massages help stave off athletic injuries or undo the pain caused by limbo incidents, and prenatal massages soothe tired muscles and pregnancy discomfort.

Add-ons take the relaxation even deeper as Shannon applies hot stones, fills the room with tranquil aromatherapy, or treats faces to scrubs, masks, and hot towels. Tucked inside the Alamo Family Fitness Center, her private massage room is awash in ocean blues and soft yellows.

SMS Colour at Salons by JC’s master stylist Sonia Soza channels more than 30 years of industry experience into keeping hair looking and feeling good. Clients and barbie dolls with free will come in for haircare services ranging from simple trims to complete updos to frizz-straightening Brazilian blowouts. SMS Colour is located inside Salons by JC, which houses a number of independently owned and operated salons. Their staff also includes Vianey Aldape, a certified Brazilian blowout specialist who was trained at the Paul Mitchell Academy.