Beauty & Spas in Modesto

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 the spa and tanning services. These friendly automatons sometimes replace familiar treatments, as in the Luminous facial, a light-based service that delivers blemish-busting results similar to those of a conventional facial. But other equipment maps out new spa territory entirely: the Hydro-Derma Fusion chamber moisturizes the whole body with nutrient-rich steam in order to offset the effects of a dry climate or a rear-end collision with a salt truck. Other machines whiten teeth, spray tan skin, and massage muscles.

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 helpful assistants who are always on hand to demonstrate how to use the equipment without activating its ability to cry.

Creations Salon owner Lynnell Darby leads a staff of experienced stylists in cutting, coloring, and coiffing tresses with acclaimed salon products that include Paul Mitchell and Pureology. Clients kick back and savor a complimentary beverage as their hair basks in deep hydration alongside skin-flattering color or dimension-boosting highlights before the strand sculpting begins. Unlike the copycat styles and unyielding salad bowls used in a typical salon, Creations' stylists approach each head of tresses as a unique canvas, taking both fashion trends and individual face shape into account to forge a one-of-a-kind style.

The attentive specialists of Bliss Salon & Spa acquaint themselves with each client's unique personality and beauty needs before bolstering exteriors with their slate of customized aesthetic services. Hairstylists wielding Goldwell and TIGI products sculpt coifs with cuts, highlights, and extensions beneath steel-blue walls decked in abstract art. Pedicure clients ascend three granite stairs to settle into creamy white armchairs and dip feet into warm, sudsy water, cleansing and softening them in preparation for a range of foot-centered services. Meanwhile, at manicure stations, techs embellish fingers with acrylic tips, CND Shellac, and OPI polishes. Within a private treatment room, aestheticians brighten faces and physiques with facials, waxing, and spray-tanning services. The tranquil skincare space brims with nature-inspired artwork and strings of miniature light bulbs, which illuminate the leaves of a small tree to give newly liberated monkeys-on-backs a place to call home.

As the vibrant, swirling skirts of belly dancers entrance patrons' eyes, Skewers' chefs slice up lamb, filet mignon, chicken, and salmon for the restaurant’s namesake kebabs. To sate carnivorous cravings, their flavorful meats—which are marinated for 48 to 72 hours in tangy Mediterranean spices and oils—are roasted over the open flame of a stove or a snoring baby dragon. Bartenders craft potent martinis and pour international wines that complement both the punchy flavors of the kebabs and the plumes of sweet, aromatic smoke that dance through the hookah garden. On select nights, the kebab house brims with the catchy beats of live jazz bands, late-night DJs, and brave karaoke performers, and belly dancers take center stage with their sensuous dance moves on Saturday evenings.

A stress-free oasis in the heart of downtown Turlock, Blown Away Salon & Spa offers a relaxing counterpoint to the bustling activity just outside its doors. Though long considered a gem by locals, the all-purpose salon and spa can also claim a few out-of-town fans: as recently as May 2011, Joan Rivers dropped in for a manicure and style before her standup show at the nearby Turlock Community Theatre.

In spite of its growing popularity, Blown Away maintains a serene, low-key atmosphere punctuated only by animated chatter and the clipping of shears. The salon’s styling services range from feather extensions to formaldehyde-free Bio Ionic KeraSmooth treatments, which leave strands sleek and straight for months to come. On the other side of the expansive studio, nail technicians highlight digits with vibrant colors, and aestheticians tend to skin with exfoliating chemical peels. A visit to the spa’s resident massage therapist completes the cycle of relaxation as deep-tissue massages work against the muscle grain with firm pressure, and sports massages break up knots of tension with well-placed fastballs and slap shots.

The color pink dominates Gemz Salon, from the walls and furniture to a glamour girl runway that invites visitors to strut down the catwalk and show off their new looks. The spot's fuchsia interior appeals to both children and adults, as does its menu of prettifying services. Rockstar and glitter toe treatments glamorize feet after aestheticians sprinkle glitter onto a gel base, creating an eye-catching look and reflecting sunlight to scare off wayward cave lizards. Shellac manicures preserve the refined states of fingernails with nail-strengthening shades that remain chip-free for up to two weeks.

In addition to nail care, the staff performs an array of salon services. Gemz Salon's stylists clip hair into chic silhouettes and accessorize strands with feather extensions to make them more appealing to pet parakeets. Organic spray tans leave skin both gilded and firmer as a result of green-tea leaves and coffee-seed extracts, and waxing services rid follicles of unwanted hair.