Metairie Terrace Spa and Massage

From the gas lanterns at the entryway to the antique-style armchairs in the relaxation room, The Woodhouse Day Spa feels like a Victorian parlor that just happens to house more than a dozen massage therapists and a team of talented aestheticians and nail technicians. The 5,200-square-foot space includes four single massage rooms, one couples massage room, and a Vichy shower to facilitate body treatments. In the Woodhouse four-handed massage, one of the spa's signature services, two therapists choreograph customized pressure and 20-finger shadow-puppet chorus lines. A team member can firm and tone facial skin with a proprietary Minkyti massage technique or pamper digits with a soothing hand treatment.

The spa's rich hardwood floors and accents and exposed stone and brick walls create a retreat-like ambiance, as does the relaxation room where guests can read a magazine while listening to a trickling water fountain. The retail area showcases certified natural and organic Naturopathica skincare products and items from the spa's activewear line, which was co-branded with Nike.

The Spa at Windsor Court invites guests to relax during quick appointments or leisurely days spent within its boutique environment. Seeking to create a luxurious experience, the spa offers massages, facials, and other classic spa services, equipping patrons with pillowy robes and comfortable sandals during their visit. Guests receiving treatments can also make use of the facilities, which include a fitness center, outdoor pool, and jacuzzi. Additionally, all treatment rooms are outfitted with inputs for personal audio players such as iPods or enchanted conch shells.

Armed with a full arsenal of Essie and OPI polishes, the nail artists of Magazine Nails & Spa groom and coif nails with services that range from basic mani-pedis to one-hour pampering sessions filled with orange scrubs, hot towels, and skin-softening paraffin dips. Supplementary add-ons such as long-lasting gel polish, nail art, and french tips enrich nails following classic buffing, filing, and cuticle cleanup, and full sets of acrylic overlays grant fingers extra length and cure them of long-held sloth envy. The technicians at Magazine Nails also extend their shaping expertise to waxing services for the face and body, granting smoother skin to both their male and female clientele.

At Milan Hair and Body Salon, the receptionist is the first to greet clients—unless Bo is around. The presence of Bo, the salon's unofficial mascot dog, exemplifies the friendly, relaxed environment maintained by the salon's stylists. The stylists, some of whom have more than 30 years of experience, use Matrix and Rusk products during services that range from conditioning hair to coloring it so it can resemble the client's favorite Mondrian painting. Removed from the salon floor in a private treatment room, aesthetician Diane Ligi employs more than seven years of experience to deliver relaxing spa services accompanied by soothing music and aromatherapy.

The knowledgeable staff at Vanity Skin & Beauty meets with guests for a pretan consultation to determine a suitable shade of bronze––from a delicate sun-kissed gold to a deep caramel patina––based upon individual tastes and skin tone. Pallid bodies and undercover zombies are then cloaked in the custom shade from head to toe in an even, streak-free application. The tanning salon also sells all manner of bodily bronzing agents from trusted brands, such as Fantasy Tan.