North Tonawanda, NY Spa and Massage

At Elysian Spa and Salon, aestheticians, stylists, and massage therapists entreat their guests to relax through a slate of soothing and beautifying treatments. Bolstered by amenities such as coffee and tea, customers can unwind with refreshing facial treatments, which hydrate and replenish visages. Manicures and pedicures tend to fingers and toes, waxing and sugaring services evict unwanted body hair, and hair services style locks with Paul Mitchell products.

Candy Kids Spa combines things that kids love—including more than 100 types of candy, candy-flavored facial masks, a heaping helping of personalized attention, and fun activities such as karaoke—into one memorable experience. It should come as no surprise that the company's formula is a successful one, since it was, in fact, inspired by a 6-year-old. As she told Elizabeth Carey in a 2010 Buffalo Business First feature, owner Ayanna Williams came up with the concept when her daughter requested her own special treatment after seeing the pampering going on at a traditional spa.

Williams and her daughter decided to retrieve some frosting out of the cabinet and had a good time creating their very own tasty "facial." Williams's daughter told her friends at school about it, and soon Williams started traveling to people's homes for mobile parties. She then bought a storefront on Niagara Falls Boulevard, gutting the building herself and painting the walls in bright rainbow colors. Williams eventually expanded the business to include two more locations in New York state and is in the process of creating franchises elsewhere.

The innovative spa, which has been featured on WKBW Channel 7 News, offers services ranging from candy-colored mani-pedis to a spa factory where kids can make their own lip gloss and candy-scented perfume. They also host parties to celebrate a birthday or a long-awaited truce in a war over which sister gets to sleep on the top bunk.

A Head of Class Salon and Day Spa’s staff unfurl an array of beautifying services amid the creative ambiance of a grand fireplace, built-in bookshelves, and chandeliers. Haircuts and coloring treatments beautify heads, and small vats of honey wax remove unwanted tuffs for a finish as smooth as Dean Martin’s forehead. Spa services include facials, massages, and pedicures administered in a relaxing whirlpool footbath and massage chair. Bridal packages prepare ladies for that special day with updos, manicures, and makeup befit for a jester.

After years of salon experience, Melissa Piscitello and Melanie Speidel found themselves disillusioned with the industry’s often impersonal standards. They decided to combine their know-how into a joint venture—A Place In The Park—where they planned to offer classic salon and spa services with a highly personal touch. The popular salon quickly outgrew its first location, and in 2010 the duo moved into a spacious, stand-alone building with blond hardwood floors and plenty of natural light. The current location shares its space with Luisa Bruzga, a holistic specialist offering hypnosis, reiki, and massage.

The skilled stylists, therapists, and nail techs at Head 2 Toez Salon & Spa mollycoddle clients with a wide range of beautifying services. Swedish- and hot-stone-massage sessions evict tension from bodies, while nearby staffers deftly shape and color coifs. Spa parties top the list of the shop's specialties, with groups of friends or family soaking in a day full of pampering or re-enacting famous high-noon duels with blow dryers inside an earth-toned spa marked by plush chairs and burbling porcelain fountains.

Everything Beauty Spa & Salon's team of aestheticians, hair stylists, nail techs, and massage therapists pampers minds and bodies in a Victorian-inspired spa. While aestheticians cosset façades with Bioelements, Eminence, and Keyano products during the one-hour 24 Karat facial, stylists embellish hair with highlights, all-over color, and feather extensions. Those looking to elongate their ocular awnings can opt for a Flirty lash-extension application, during which a certified technician applies semipermanent, waterproof extensions to existing strands. Nail techs coddle digits with mani-pedis and detoxifying foot soaks, and skilled therapists mollify sinews with hot-stone and Swedish massages. Waiting patrons can cuddle up on a carved wooden loveseat warmed by the fireplace or linger by the waterfall in the reception area and relax to the sound of running water and delighted shouts of bodysurfing goldfish.