Santa Monica, CA Spa and Massage

After receiving her education in England and training in the salons of industry giants such as Georgette Klinger and Frederic Fekkai, Aban Patel decided it was time to create her own beauty legacy. So the Bombay native opened Abanara Skin Esthetics, where she calls upon more than two decades of experience in skincare, massage, and energy work to transform bodies inside and out. During facial treatments, she employs modern anti-aging technology—including ultrasonic waves and micro-currents that diminish fine lines—yet remains true to her holistic philosophy by handcrafting all-natural, plant-based cleansers and lotions, which she uses alongside professional products by brands such as Osmosis and Susan Ciminelli.

Patel also offers reflexology sessions designed to remedy physical ills and chakra clearing to restore energy flow to systems blocked by negative thoughts or swallowed construction horses. The tranquil spa is tucked inside a quaint cobblestone courtyard filled with natural light and potted plants, making it the perfect place for those looking to escape everyday tension or photosynthesize in private.

Just inside the entrance to Happy Hands & Hair hangs a sign that reads, "Relax–Reflect–Renew". And for nearly 50 years, the stylists have upheld this message by maintaining a spa-like studio, a place in which visitors can relax with a complimentary cup of coffee while lounging in plush, chocolate-covered chairs abutted against cool, surf-green walls. Once Happy Hands & Hair's team members feel that guests are adequately at ease, they get to work with nail and hairstyling services, from mani-pedis bolstered with Gelish soak-off gel polishes to housemade exfoliating scrubs that blend brown sugar, olive oil, microscopic loofahs, and lemon.

The stylists and aestheticians at Goddess Salon & Spa beautify their clients with glamorous services such as hair extensions, facials, and aromatherapy pedicures. Wine and champagne flow within the studio, encouraging a convivial atmosphere and keeping Bacchus from chugging the spa's Dermalogica lotions. In private treatment rooms, massage therapists soothe muscle tension and repair injured tissues.

The team at Savvy Salon The Studio aims to furnish clients with both everyday and runway-ready looks, earning the opportunity to style Elite model photo shoots as well as a visit from KCAL 9's California Adventure TV. As stylists pamper tresses with Schwarzkopf, Kérastase, and Bumble and bumble products, the salon's décor pampers the senses with richly hued wall hangings and striking black-and-white photographs. Besides hair services, specialty facials infuse mugs with a youthful glow previously attained only by participating in all-day kick-the-can competitions. Next door, Savvy's beauty studio brims with a dizzying assortment of handpicked products from renowned brands such as Bumble and bumble, L'Oréal Professionnel, Éminence Organic skincare, and bareMinerals cosmetics.

Old, tired, and done: these words are banished from Martha Weinstein's vocabulary. The energetic 87-year-old's career, which includes hosting makeover shows in Buenos Aires, recording a fitness album in the 1950s, and penning skincare encyclopedias in the 1970s, adds evidence to the adage that you are as young as you feel. She brings this belief to Body Allure Day Spa, an intimate beauty haven.

Here, Weinstein and her skilled staffers—who nicknamed her "The Oracle of Brentwood"—employ anti-aging facials and signature skincare services, detoxifying body treatments, and soothing lullabies to foster youthful complexions. But the real rejuvenating secret on the menu is the facial toning treatment, which Weinstein invented herself. This painless, 30-minute service utilizes nanocurrent technology, which works to stimulate cellular activity while strengthening facial muscles and firming sagging skin. Weinstein also created the Stay Young System, which allows her clients to perform the treatment in the privacy of their own homes or carpool lanes.

Each appointment at Mira's begins with a cup of herbal tea and an aromatherapy consultation. As the steamy beverage launches the relaxation process, helpful staff members consult with clients to forge custom aromatherapy oils and creams from organic ingredients and distilled essence of daydream. After that, a complimentary footbath infused with house-made peppermint and eucalyptus eases clients even further into a state of tranquility before their treatment even begins.

This indulgent welcome opens the door to Mira's slate of relaxing services, an amalgam of Eastern- and Western-massage-therapy techniques mingled with aesthetic treatments, all tailored to clients' individual needs. The talented staff battles muscle stress with such modalities as thai massage, reflexology, and myofascial release. These methodologies find their way into Mira's custom skincare services, which each include an upper-body massage along with a hot-stone, cold, stone, or herbal-flower-pouch treatment. Alongside makeup applications and body-waxing services, the facility's detoxifying far-infrared therapy treatments improve circulation, ease joint pain, and burn calories faster than a donut bonfire.