Day Spas in New Territory

Briargrove carries all major brands of soft or rigid contact lenses, including custom designs and lenses for those with specific eye problems; use your Groupon toward a six-month supply, which averages $100. Eyewear has the ability to instantly alter appearance, making you seem smart, polished, professional, and giving you the ability to take on a new identity if your old one keeps getting hassled by mall security guards. At Briargrove, the expert, friendly staff can help advise on the perfect pair or lenses. Take advantage of shopping for the necessity at a discounted rate. Briargrove Eye Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Like a child in a chocolate store, Sarah Ali couldn't choose just one vocation. While earning her master's degree in counseling psychology, she practiced makeup artistry at a cosmetics store and performed portrait photography on the side. She finally decided to attend a makeup academy, and soon opened a wellness and beauty center known as The Transformation Studio. This led her to start her own beauty line, which she dubbed Chamak, a Hindi word that means "glow," which both paid homage to her South Asian roots and celebrated each woman's sparkling personality. As Chamak's product selection expanded, so did Sarah's interests, and she soon decided to incorporate her love of cooking and baking into the mix. After a stint at Ecole Chocolat to earn her chocolatier certification, Chamak Chocolates was born.

Whether in names borrowed from Indian folklore or spices and herbs touted by Ayurvedic medicine, each luscious treat that emerges from Chamak Chocolates' kitchen bears a symbol of South Asian culture. Sarah crafts all of the truffles, bon bons, and chocolate bars in small batches with zero preservatives, and even consults an organic wellness expert to create a line of healing, sugar-free treats designed to mend a host of health problems. True to her roots, the chocolatier also ventures out to create traditional Indian mithai, a sugar- and milk-based dessert customarily eaten for momentous events, such as the birth of a baby or when that baby gets its first callback for a baby-formula ad. For other celebrations, Chamak Chocolate hosts chocolate-making parties, chocolate-centric lunches, and makeup-and-chocolate events.

Tranquil Waters Spa combines the refreshing powers of a day spa with the healing prowess of a wellness center to create a haven of whole body well-being. Specialists keep exteriors shiny and new with aesthetic treatments that range from traditional facials and AHA chemical peels to aromatherapy and bath-salt treatments. Resident therapist Dr. Lew Huff flaunts holistic regimens focused on treating the root cause of ailments and not just their symptoms through painless acupuncture, chiropractic care, hypnotherapy, and nutritional counseling. A multidisciplinary assessment can also help determine the path to wellness as a slew of specialists—such as acupuncturists, structural therapists, and aromatherapists—heal from every angle like a Neosporin hot tub. Meanwhile, the Phoenix Massage Therapy School in Houston unleashes its students inside the spa to learn a range of massage modalities, as its interns—all of whom have completed at least half the hours required to become professional spa experts—bring their newly acquired skills to the treatment table.

Though its facials and body-sculpting treatments happen to be relaxing, the team at My Spa aims to do more than pamper its guests. Technicians first meet with each client to discuss long- and short-term beauty and health goals. They can then recommend a high-tech treatment such as laser lipo or owner Cathy Davis's celebrity signature facial. The three-hour, 10-step facial combats signs of aging for up to three months. This signature service uses technologies including LED light therapy, radiofrequency and ultrasound skin tightening. An oxygen mask promotes elasticity.

In the salon area, master stylist Ilona Klar maintains the spa's results-oriented approach to beauty. The multilingual blond specialist uses her Vidal Sassoon training and experience teaching color at Harrods in London to transform and lighten locks.

My Escape Spa and Tan stays true to its name by inviting guests to escape from the stressors of everyday life and relax within an environment punctuated by tanning and spa services. Patrons can gain bronze tones in UV tanning beds or with UV-free airbrush or spray tans. Other services include body wraps, hydration therapy, and massage beds.

The hospitable staff at Serene Treatment takes a holistic approach to relaxation and health improvement with a repertoire of spa services geared toward smoothing skin, alleviating aches, and slimming down physiques. The seasoned team of therapists and aestheticians ensures a unique visit for each patron by performing custom-tailored body scrubs, massages, and wraps enhanced with unscented sea salts and essential oils. The facility's licensed technicians also reduce unwanted bulges and lumps throughout the body with Lypossage treatments, which skillfully evict stagnant lymphatic fluid without the need to perform surgery or yell threats into the client's bellybutton.