Face & Skin Care in Santa Monica

Monique Powers approaches each makeup-application session with an open mind and?more importantly?open ears. She listens carefully to each client's unique preferences; and for those who don't know what they want, she presents pictures and color palates before determining the first look to try. She has extensive experience working with women of all ages, nationalities, and skin types, readying them for events ranging from weddings to nights out on the town. To further enhance facial features, Monique, who calls herself an ?eyebrow architect,? sculpts and shapes eyebrows for men and women. She adds healthy color to bodies during airbrush-tanning sessions, and she improves skin's health through a spectrum of specialized facials and peels.

Founded by entrepreneur Monica Blanco, Colour Couture revivifies clients with airbrush tans powered by proprietary tanning solutions. These customized products contain 11% DHA and a base of organic aloe-vera gel—as opposed to harmful chemicals—and are never tested on animals. The technicians who apply them all undergo a thorough training program and the Colour Couture certification they receive prepares them to apply even coats out in the field, whether they are bronzing an entire bridal party or just one friendly ghost looking to fit in with the land of the living.

Monica Blanco and her airbrush-tan technicians at Colour Couture create new looks with an in-house formula—a paraben-free, odorless tanning solution made with organic aloe vera gel. Their formula and expertise have earned them mentions in magazines such as Shape, In Touch, and Parents. Blanco has also created a certification program that trains aspiring entrepreneurs to use her products and techniques in businesses of their own.

Established: 2013 Reservations/Appointments: Required Staff Size: 2–10 people Parking: Free street parking with spa guest permit Minimum Age Requirement: 16

Darque Tan's arsenal of beds, booths, and nourishing lotions infuses visiting bodies with sun-kissed color. Along with at least 20 tanning beds, each location brims with tan-savvy staff members—each certified through the International Smart Tan Network—who can work with you to customize a program based on your tanning goals, skin type, and relation to black-and-white movie starlets. Sessions take place in private rooms that line a column-flanked hallway, where five different levels of UV beds give skin the perfect level of tanning. Mystic Tan and VersaSpa sunless-tanning systems imbue clients with a hydrating, natural-looking glow, which can be customized according to skin tone, desired shade, and spirit animal. A full-time cleaning staff keeps each center in pristine conditions by referencing a 50-point inspection system. Most locations have books, televisions, and kids’ play areas to keep children entertained while adults are bronzing.

Mary Alice performs facial services at Saving Faces Skin Care Salon, a day spa tucked away in Marina Del Rey. It’s in this eclectic space, complete with futuristic floor lamps, white furnishings, and chic wallpaper, that she performs services which blend together holistic and science-based treatments. To combat signs of aging, the on-staff aestheticians arm themselves with Dermalogica and AQ Skin Solutions products during ISUN Platinum facials, working to balance moisture levels and reduce irritation. Add-on treatments, such as a pumpkin enzyme peel that stimulates blood flow, can further bring a healthy glow to the face. In addition to performing skin-based services, staffers can be found pampering clients with organic spray tans and lash extensions. They can also wax unwanted body hair, adhering to a strict “no double-dipping sticks” policy.