Beauty & Spas in Ripon

A wildly successful alternative to traditional day spas—its more than 300 locations blanket 36 states and half a dozen countries—Planet Beach Contempo Spa is a futuristic relaxation station where state-of-the-art machines administer all the spa and tanning services. These friendly automatons sometimes replace familiar treatments, as in the Luminous facial, a light-based service that delivers blemish-busting results similar to those of a conventional facial. But other equipment maps out new spa territory entirely: the Hydro-Derma Fusion chamber moisturizes the whole body with nutrient-rich steam in order to offset the effects of a dry climate or a rear-end collision with a salt truck. Other machines whiten teeth, spray tan skin, and massage muscles.

Planet Beach operates on a gym-style membership system, meaning that members purchase packages or pay flat monthly rates. As members spend more time at the spa, they get to know the helpful assistants who are always on hand to demonstrate how to use the equipment without activating its ability to cry.

Creations Salon owner Lynnell Darby leads a staff of experienced stylists in cutting, coloring, and coiffing tresses with acclaimed salon products that include Paul Mitchell and Pureology. Clients kick back and savor a complimentary beverage as their hair basks in deep hydration alongside skin-flattering color or dimension-boosting highlights before the strand sculpting begins. Unlike the copycat styles and unyielding salad bowls used in a typical salon, Creations' stylists approach each head of tresses as a unique canvas, taking both fashion trends and individual face shape into account to forge a one-of-a-kind style.

As the vibrant, swirling skirts of belly dancers entrance patrons' eyes, Skewers' chefs slice up lamb, filet mignon, chicken, and salmon for the restaurant’s namesake kebabs. To sate carnivorous cravings, their flavorful meats—which are marinated for 48 to 72 hours in tangy Mediterranean spices and oils—are roasted over the open flame of a stove or a snoring baby dragon. Bartenders craft potent martinis and pour international wines that complement both the punchy flavors of the kebabs and the plumes of sweet, aromatic smoke that dance through the hookah garden. On select nights, the kebab house brims with the catchy beats of live jazz bands, late-night DJs, and brave karaoke performers, and belly dancers take center stage with their sensuous dance moves on Saturday evenings.

Terry Hunter, SCMT, the owner of Rejuvenation Spa and Wellness Center, caters his massages to the needs to the client in front of him. A diverse roster of 10 massage modalities allows Hunter to pull from a wide range of techniques—the rolling and kneading of Swedish massage helps ease stress from the body, whereas shiatsu massage focuses on pressure points and the body's flow of energy. Rejuvenation also offers ladies' night out packages, combining the therapeutic massages with facials, mani-pedis, and waxing.

The color pink dominates Gemz Salon, from the walls and furniture to a glamour girl runway that invites visitors to strut down the catwalk and show off their new looks. The spot's fuchsia interior appeals to both children and adults, as does its menu of prettifying services. Rockstar and glitter toe treatments glamorize feet after aestheticians sprinkle glitter onto a gel base, creating an eye-catching look and reflecting sunlight to scare off wayward cave lizards. Shellac manicures preserve the refined states of fingernails with nail-strengthening shades that remain chip-free for up to two weeks.

In addition to nail care, the staff performs an array of salon services. Gemz Salon's stylists clip hair into chic silhouettes and accessorize strands with feather extensions to make them more appealing to pet parakeets. Organic spray tans leave skin both gilded and firmer as a result of green-tea leaves and coffee-seed extracts, and waxing services rid follicles of unwanted hair.

The staff at Versailles Salon & Spa pampers and primps guests with haircuts, skincare, mani-pedis, and massage services. On the salon side, the beauty squad fuels its artful approach to glamour with products from Scruples, Pureology, and Joico. Inside the spa's private treatment rooms, therapists perform specialty services, such as raindrop-therapy massage, which coats weary bodies in organic essential oils to ease muscle tension, bolster the immune system, and banish stress to the island of misfit emotions.