Face & Skin Care in Santa Monica

The ARCONA Studio opened in 1989; its namesake was a chemist whose interest in holistic skincare was, at the time, a progressive idea. She began developing products made from cosmeceutical-grade ingredients such as enzymes, plant extracts, amino acids, and antioxidants. By cold-processing all her products in small batches, she was able to maintain the natural ingredients’ freshness and create highly active formulations. Because her anti-aging products are designed to speed up the skin’s renewal cycle from 30 days to only seven, she quickly gained a following among LA’s elite. With the philosophy that “skin can and should look beautiful at any age,” the Studio’s aestheticians perform an extensive selection of skincare treatments fueled by professional-grade ARCONA products. Their signature facial contouring treatments were originally developed by Arcona herself, and use lymph drainage and deep facial massage to “exercise” the 55 muscles of the face, giving clients a more toned and tightened appearance. Additional services include peels with organic fruit enzymes and red-carpet radiance treatments with a combination of oxygen spray, LED, and a brightening eye treatment. Like many of the complexions maintained here, the studio itself is flawless. Out front, soft lighting glows in the store, where the brand’s iconic ivory boxes are lined up immaculately on floating shelves. In the waiting area, creamy white chairs sit beside rich brown cabinets; from here, aestheticians guide clients back to private treatment rooms that bloom with the smell of fresh flowers.

Whether they're eradicating acne with a specially formulated combination of sulfur, enzymes, and probiotics or diminishing fine lines and dryness with pumpkin peels, Marina Beauty Bar's aestheticians customize each facial to their clients' specific needs. And to ensure optimal skin rejuvenation, the team uses products from top skincare lines such as Dermalogica, Intraceuticals, and Epicuren, which uses an all-natural enzyme base for its products.

The staff also offers cosmetic services to accent the effects of their skincare treatments. Clients can undergo permanent-makeup treatments that camouflage scars and enhance eyes, lips, and eyebrows, as well as tinting services that spruce up brows and lashes with new hues. Additionally, their waxing treatments remove unwanted hair from eyebrow arches, as well as chests, underarms, and werewolf feet, in under 30 minutes.

With multiple locations across the Los Angeles area, Cop-A-Tan has a tanning option to fit every customer. The salon offers more than a dozen ways to get bronzed. And if that's too many options to choose from, customers can turn to a staff that's been helping people achieve the perfect tan for more than 25 years. These experts work with clients to design the ideal tanning approach, stressing the importance of skincare, vitamins, and safety.

Once you have that bronze glow, you want it to last for as long as possible. So Cop-A-Tan features the Hydro-Fusion RX Hydration Station—it preps skin for either UV or Sunless Spa spray tans through a combination of steam, radiant heat, and oxygenated skincare products. The process results in a a deeper, longer-lasting tan.

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.

Using natural skin-safe products, the aestheticians at Alchemie Spa refresh faces with soothing masks and give nails a striking sheen. A therapeutic hot-stone rubdown causes pent-up stress to evaporate and drift up to join the ozone layer, and the in-house apothecary supplies organic herbs and locally sourced plant essences. Alchemie offers a number of services, including massage, facials, and waxing and sugaring. Alchemie complements its eco-friendly product lineup with a sunny space that blends modern and organic accents such as blond woods, lacquered white countertops, and streamlined geometric furnishings.

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.