Beauty & Spas in Riverhead

Spa Bellezza resides at the intersection of clinical science and soul-based healing. With what they describe as a balance between “high-tech and high-touch,” the spa’s staff of aestheticians and massage therapists strives to promote inner calm even as they scrub away at skin or untie knotted muscles with manual techniques such as deep-tissue massage and myofascial release. It doesn’t hurt that the spa sits at the heart of the North Fork wine trail, far removed from the city’s traffic-filled streets and vengeful King Kongs. While stresses slip away to the sounds of birds chirping and wind rustling through the tree branches outside, the staff mixes together professional products from Touche and Dermalogica—the latter developed by the International Dermal Institute—to aid them in their treatments. Before or after your appointment, lounge beside the crackling fireplace in the spa’s relaxation room, where you can find bowls of complimentary nuts and berries.

A brushed metal sign atop a cabinet of top industry products sets the stage for the experience at Pacific Sun Tanning Company—a contemporary tanning salon rated No. 1 by the readers of Reno News & Reviews for the last five years. The salon's UV specialists undertake Smart Tan's comprehensive certification before bending the sun's radiation to their will, learning the ins and outs of ray exposure, selecting ideal skincare products, and discerning which compliments will coax Helios into sharing his private stash of solar beams. They can also eschew the sun entirely and bestow beachy glows through custom spray-tan services. The popular tanning facilities and the staff's enthusiastic demeanor have expanded into seven locations throughout the Reno, Sparks, and Carson City area.

Antique Balinese fountains, crimson wall hangings, and verdant plants enliven the luxurious confines of Pacific Tan, a go-to bronzing destination for 27 years. Boasting attentive customer service and the vibe of an exotic getaway, the tanning emporium ushers clients into its elegant space for traditional UV tans in state-of-the-art beds, including the Garden of Eden, which customizes a tan for each individual using an optical sensor, and the Shangri-La, a high-pressure bed that delivers a dark tan in minutes. Alternatively, natural-looking, flawless airbrush tans are administered by skilled and certified technicians using a safe, all-natural paraben-free solution.

At Visage Skincare Spa and Cosmetic Laser Center, a highly trained staff cultivates beauty and wellness with relaxation services and anti-aging treatments. As the owner, Julianne Noto also instructs laser hair removal for students throughout Long Island. Part med spa and part day spa, the facility teems with paramedical aestheticians who tighten skin with Thermage treatments and board-certified nurse practitioners who inject FDA-approved wrinkle smoothers such as Botox and Juvéderm. More high-tech than a horse-drawn spaceship, a Visia imaging system guides complexion analyses, measuring sun damage and hyperpigmentation to help technicians build custom skincare plans.

Stony Brook native Michael Gallagher, DC, gives back to the community that nurtured him since childhood with soothing and therapeutic physical treatments. Gallagher's only sustained absence was in the mid 1990s, when he pursued his Doctor of Chiropractic from Life University in Marietta, Georgia. Empowered by a career he chose as an expression of public service, the new doctor immediately returned to Long Island to share his expertise in physical rehabilitation and chiropractic care. Dr. Gallagher opened North Country Health Spa in 2007, deepening his community ties via friendship bracelets lashed to the bedrock while branching out into other holistic therapies and pampering treatments for skin and muscles.

Today, the doctor betters himself with continuing education and has earned a certification in biomechanical injury treatment that complements the treatment and training he does for athletes at Stony Brook University and several other colleges. Dr. Gallagher's two kids keep him invested in the Three Village school district, and his telltale ticker reminds him to give generously to the American Heart Association

Upon entering Spa Exo'tique's 4,600-square-foot relaxation haven, clients head to their gender-appropriate changing facilities, dress themselves in comfortable garments, and unwind with a steamy cup of tea in the Serenity Room. Once ready, they meander into one of the 12 private treatment rooms, where experienced staffers skillfully relieve tension with massages, soften skin with body treatments, and purify pores with facials. Beyond the pampering techniques, the spa uplifts appearances with medical-grade services that range from chemical peels to the laser-powered removal of clients' unwanted fuzz, whether it's hair or simply a floor rug with separation anxiety.