Puyallup, WA Spa and Massage

Housed inside a rustic brick building in downtown Tacoma, a trio of stylists—Mia, Missy, and Amber—sling L'Oréal products as they cut, color, and alter the texture of clients' hair. Meanwhile, in private treatment rooms enveloped in warm earthy tones, massage therapist Abrah calls upon custom techniques and hot stones to break apart stress and assuage muscle pains. The salon's aesthetician, Kylee, also works in the private treatment rooms to pump up lashes with synthetic extensions and strip away surplus fuzz with waxing treatments for the face, full body, and dorsal fin.

If not for a display case brimming with products for hair and skin, one might confuse the welcoming L'Oréal salon for a friend's posh home. The ebullient space boasts comfortable living-room furniture and delicate chandeliers flanked by lilac wall hues and wood trim.

Owner Lizzy Frey and her staff of licensed therapists collectively fuel each relaxing treatment with more than 30 years of experience. They blend a wide range of modalities to tailor services according to physical and mental needs, including medical and sports massage to relieve soreness and Swedish modalities to boost circulation and ease tension throughout the body. Informed by a group healthcare provider on-staff, the team also performs injury massage, migraine-relief treatments, and specialized bodywork for infants, children, and teddy bears that sprained their shoulder in the dryer.

The bodily benefactors at Three Cedars Day Spa protect guests from the harsh outside world with a coterie of calming services for the skin, face, and body. Licensed aestheticians denude unwanted hair with beams of pulsed light or oversee daylong pampering packages that include European facials and a choice of seaweed or mud wraps. Massage practitioners offer a choice of five styles, including their signature massage, which includes steamed and scented towels, deep-tissue strokes, and wafting smells of citrus. Guests warm themselves by a working fireplace clad in an optional robe and slippers before enjoying their choice of facial or waxing services. A kids-free zone, Three Cedars Day Spa politely asks parents to leave little ones at home, lest they disrupt the serenity or get into arguments with the Teddy Ruxpin checking IDs at the door.

Just For You’s streamlined menu is designed to cleanse, smooth, and hydrate the skin. Witness the european facial, which incorporates a deep-cleansing treatment, nourishing mask, and nutrient moisturizer. Combining this facial with Bio-Brasion—a steady stream of crystal particles—multiplies the effectiveness of each, leading to a reduction in fine lines, rough textures, and scar tissue. To put on the finishing touches, cosmetologists apply Jane Iredale mineral makeup, NovaLash eyelash extensions, caramel, and maraschino cherries.

Padded, wingback armchairs grace the rooms of Oslo Salon & Day Spa, adding to the warm, homelike ambiance that welcomes customers. Private treatment areas are bedecked with heavy curtains, gilded framed paintings, and glowing candle sconces, adding a dash of class to each nail service, facial, and couples treatment, such as a tandem massage. On the salon floor, stylists design haircuts for men and women, apply face-framing highlights, and add rich color with ammonia-free L'Oreal Inoa dyes.

The bubblegum-pink exterior of Picasso Salon & Day Spa houses a team of stylists, aestheticians, and licensed massage therapists overseen by Sonia Kim Scheer, a beauty-industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience. Stylists and colorists at different levels of experience—including director, master, senior, and archduke—consult with clients before reshaping their hairdo. Aestheticians also soften skin with Dermalogica products during four types of facials and three types of chemical peels. A sea-salt scrub or European rose mud wrap can help relax bodies as a technician washes off the nourishing ingredients in the spa's Vichy shower.