Oak Harbor, WA Spa and Massage

In the late 1920s, the Great Depression was rendering most Americans professionally and financially paralyzed. But in a small California kitchen, Merle Nethercutt Norman was putting a plan in motion to formulate her own skincare products and share them with family and friends. She truly believed in her formulas, knowing that by getting them on as many faces as possible, she would develop a following of customers. She was right—within a few years she and her nephew were opening their first studio in Santa Monica, and they eventually unveiled a series of independently operated stores that enabled women to take ownership during a time of gender-based limitations such as men-only restrooms.

Today, in approximately 2,000 stores across three countries, the three basic principles of Merle's original vision still apply. Each studio is independently owned and fosters an in-depth knowledge of the company's own line of makeup and skincare products. Just as Merle shared her creations with close friends and sallow mannequins more than 80 years ago, today's aestheticians embody the business's "try before you buy" philosophy. A menu of complimentary studio services—from foundation checks to express facials—allows patrons to sample the lauded brand before committing to the purchase of products or full spa treatments.

At Safra Day Spa, skilled staff members soothe clients' weary bodies and refresh their facades with full-body massages, facials, and other assorted spa services. Before entering a private room for a body-waxing session, clients perch atop long, comfortable couches and browse reading materials or gaze into crystal-clear mirrors to catch a glimpse of the alternate reality where everything is backward. As dim lamps cast a soft glow on earth-toned walls, manicurists trim and shape digits at well-stocked nail stations, and male clients peruse the roster of specialized men's services.

The only thing Anna Shick loves more than making people feel beautiful on the outside is making them feel the same beauty on the inside. This proclivity for bolstering others’ physical and mental well-being led Anna to open Deco De Mode, which counts celebrities such as Pamela Anderson among its clientele.

Anna's friendly, individualized approach to pampering is evidenced in a host of relaxing services. Within Deco De Mode’s sleek white interiors, an expert technician puts the finishing touches on the 3-D art masterpiece she’s painted onto a patrons’ nails, and an aesthetician applies a set of eyelash extensions one-by-one to natural lashes for a lush look that feels as weightless as a balloon inside the International Space Station.

Lounging inside wooden saunas at InFrared Saunas, men and women work up a healthy sweat, rosy glow, and a sunning-lizard-esque contentment as temperatures climb toward 130 degrees Fahrenheit. The infrared heat is gentle, though, without the stifling feel of a steam room. Each session boosts the circulatory and lymphatic systems to detoxify the body and dispels excess water weight for slimmer figures. The heat can also assuage muscle tension brought on by arthritis, fibromyalgia, or juggling collections of antique anchors.

Captained by three gurus of holistic medicine, the therapists of Healing Hands Chair Massage soothe weary muscles both in-studio or through mobile services. At team headquarters, they instill relaxation through massages embellished by a bed of warm and cold stones that clients lay atop to loosen muscles and purge pesky back plankton. For businesses, therapists deploy via parachute to workplaces or industry events toting massage chairs designed to reduce strain and boost circulation in body parts most commonly affected by work—the back, shoulders, neck, arms, and hands.

At Manscape Spa, skin therapist Douglas Janczyn aims to optimize his clients’ skin, hand, and foot health with results-oriented spa services that range from facials and manscaping to massages. Janczyn prioritizes education during appointments and often sends clients home with male-specific product samples that they can try out on themselves or spread across the walls of their living rooms.