Mount Kisco, NY Spa and Massage

Salon Shahin owner Shahin Farzam opened his salon with a steadfast pledge to devote time and attention to both clients and the environment. The team of hairdressers uses plant-based Phytologie products, and each stylist brings his or her own unique touch to the styling chair, delivering customized classic and cutting-edge haircuts alongside coloring services that use ammonia-free European products.

The staff also provides skincare services using the Jan Marini system. A slate of facials for men and women, along with nourishing body treatments, renders clients’ skin as smooth as a lounge singer’s request for a raise.

Julianne Steiner readily admits that she can’t turn off her “beauty junkie” tendencies. When she meets someone new, she automatically homes in on their most striking features and brainstorms ways to accentuate them. As an aesthetician and a makeup artist, Julianne begins with skincare in creating her beauty masterpieces. Using the organic Jurlique line, she custom-blends facials, and, with Palomar wand in hand, unleashes waves of pulsed light on blemishes or unwanted hair. Julianne also offers Brazilian waxing, using special wax that's suitable for sensitive skin, as well as chemical peels.

Once she liberates skin from spots and fuzz, Julianne can fully realize her artistic vision with the help of high-quality liners, shadows, and mascara. In addition to applying makeup, she also teaches lessons and helps clients rid their own cosmetic bags of unflattering or outdated products.

Kim Sangiuolo doesn’t just practice massage; she curates it. Her signature fusion massage—the centerpiece of Holistic Healing’s service menu—is a soothing and spirit-reviving treatment designed to assuage muscular discomfort while bolstering the body’s spiritual well-being. Beginning with deep-tissue work, Kim incorporates techniques from other massage types, picking and choosing based on the client's specific needs. This form of therapeutic massage has helped her treat clients with injuries such as tendinitis, muscle strains, and headaches. Kim and the other therapists at Holistic Healing also offer Swedish and deep-tissue massages, which can be useful when trying to relieve work-related stress or recover from a day of helping a friend move his collection of antique cement bags.

The Ridgefield Salon & Spa's owner, Darcey Wulkan, is also a licensed massage therapist and certified aesthetician and has been a local beautifying presence in Fairfield County for more than 17 years. Along with her staff, Darcey provides a suite of aesthetic services ranging from basic to downright indulgent—encompassing everything from classic mani-pedis and full-body waxing to decadent facials built around ingredients such as 24-karat liquid gold, caviar extract, and diamond dust. The newly remodeled spa features two pedicure chairs, complete with shiatsu massage jets, to make it even easier to schedule mani-pedis with the a friend. Massage therapists knead out knots in a private treatment room, where cocoa-colored walls and tranquil black-and-white photos of nature lend a relaxing aura akin to watching Yanni do yoga.

Cindy Barshop may have a familiar face. She gained reality-TV fame as a cast member of The Real Housewives of New York City, but she found success much earlier when the Madison Avenue spa she founded more than 10 years ago grew into a hair-removal brand known throughout the country. Completely Bare’s waxing specialists dab bikini lines with the shop’s proprietary blend of ouch-less wax, which adheres to hair instead of skin to avoid the painful pull that often accompanies a waxing session. The blend is hypoallergenic and does not cause acne, which makes it ideal for depilating sensitive skin and touchy bodily zones. Routine waxing sessions add extra sparkle with the salon’s vajazzling service, which bedecks newly hair-free spots with up to 70 Swarovski crystals arranged into such shapes as hearts, stars, peace signs, and MPAA ratings. The spa specialists also migrate beyond the below-the-belt area to polish the rest of the body with facials, laser hair removal, spray tanning, and teeth whitening.

At Michael Robert Salon & Spa, a team of 10 continually educated stylists and aestheticians boosts beauty with modern hairdos, gentle waxing, rejuvenating facials, and ear piercing. Guests plunk down in cushy chairs for deep-conditioning treatments and hair-coloring services by Redken, Wella, and Clairol, while facials turn to Principessa salves to treat skin woes such as blemishes, fine lines, and acne. Heated blankets and essential oils cosset weary bodies during cellulite wraps that help smooth skin dimples and melt away inches faster than lighting a ruler on fire.