Socastee, SC Spa and Massage

Founded in 2007, Sweet 185’s dedication to natural ingredients is apparent in its organic facials, which rely on plant essences, and its holistic massages, which use herbal oils.

Rather than rely on chemical-laden waxes, Sweet 185’s experts hark back to the ancient Egyptian technique of sugaring to banish body hair. They use an un-heated paste made of simply sugar, water, and lemon to remove hair without the uncomfortable heat of waxing.

The spa's oxygen therapy has caught the attention of both the Charleston Mercury and the Moultrie News. Inhaling four to five times the normal amount of oxygen in the air while reclining in the spa's leather zero-gravity chairs can promote healing and heighten memory.

The also handpick gifts and goods that fit their vision of kindness to both your body and to the environment. They stock the Sweet 185 boutique with Angel Rox clothing made with organic cotton and low-impact dyes, Jurlique creams and lotions that are never tested on animals, and Nadina bath towels, made with sustainably grown bamboo rayon.

It's hard to tell who's doing the mothering at The Mom Spa. Certainly the aestheticians play a motherly role, doting on clients during indulgent services such as the Cleopatra wrap, which bathes the body in a blend of milk, honey, and oats to soothe dry, sensitive skin. But that's not to say the clients lack maternal dispositions. The spa has three pregnancy treatments that use massage strokes and hot stones to address the pains that result from carrying and birthing a child, and its Ayurvedic fertility treatments are meant to help women conceive. However, plenty of the services appeal to everyone, from facials that fight the appearance of fine lines and even out skin tone to natural nailcare that beautifies fingers and toes without harsh chemicals or chatty cyborgs.

Lordis Loft Salon & Spa is an Aveda salon and spa. With the renowned beauty company's organic hair and skincare products in hand, the Lordis staff pampers its guests. On the salon side, stylists render color services such as partial or full foils and single-process applications, in addition to cuts, thermal styling, and feather extensions. On the spa side, trained therapists perform massages, and aestheticians beautify clients with facials. Massages come in modalities such as hot-stone, prenatal, deep-tissue, or the elemental nature massage, each customized with an Aveda aroma. Facials are targeted to address specific concerns, such as acne or wrinkles and fine lines.

Licensed massage therapist Jeffrey Lundergan induces relaxation at Ancient Earth Therapy using ten different types of massage. Sports massage tweaks the traditional Swedish formula to address athletic injury and increase range of motion, stone massage relies on hot river stones to penetrate deep into sore spots, and shiatsu involves the use of fingers, thumbs, and palms to restore the body’s energy meridians.

Elyon Day Spa owner Leah Whatley lends more than a decade of spa experience and training with celebrity makeup artists to her massages, facials, makeup applications, and waxing and sugaring hair-removal services. Whether she's reviving skin with asian herbs during The Green Body Peel, a natural alternative to microdermabrasion treatments, or helping bodies glow with a silky sugar scrub or implanted light bulbs, Whatley strives to give each client a personalized experience.

The massage therapists at Extreme Relaxation knead potent doses of relaxation directly into sore extremities and shoulders with each massage. During the kneading, torsos, biceps, and Frankenstein neck bolts loosen beneath broad, gliding massage strokes. The lighter pressures of Swedish massage segue into deep-tissue techniques as dexterous hands manipulate connective tissues and lower-layer muscles.