Beauty & Spas in Victoria

At Age Less Medi-Spas, certified technicians draw from an armoury of diode lasers, Diathermie RF, and Nd:YAG systems in themed private treatment rooms featuring down-lined beds. Led by Director of Clinical Esthetics and Integrative Medicine Marilia Silva-Brand, skin therapists examine visages. Patrons emerge from their sessions looking excitedly into mirrors to inspect slowly dissipating bald patches after laser hair restoration, newly developed bald patches after laser hair removal, or waistlines shrinking from body-sculpting laser treatments. The spa provides ample free parking for cars, and sunsets on demand for horses to ride off into.

Twist's trained stylists revivify locks and phalanages via a hair- and nail-taming menu of services. Haircuts sculpt silhouettes into new and interesting shapes ($40–$60 for women, $30 and up for men), and simple styling coddles malnourished locks with love and high-quality products ($35 and up). Mimic the pelage colourings of a celebrity doppelganger or celebrity spirit animal with selective highlights ($65 and up) or a full colour ($60 and up). Ragged talons become spellbinding fashion claws with a basic manicure ($30) or full mani-pedi ($80), and unwelcome fuzzies vanish during wax evictions on the upper lip ($8) and eyebrows ($15).

Settled steps away from historic government buildings, unique shopping areas, and access to outdoor adventures, Hotel Grand Pacific places visitors at the center of all Victoria has to offer. Walkers wander past rows of charming boutiques, historic façades, and quaint bookstores on Government and Wharf Streets, or step into an erstwhile neighborhood of saloons and sailors in LoJo, now the home of indie shops, restaurants, and boutiques centralized around Lower Johnson Street. Historic Victorian buildings speckle the city, including a number of museums and Parliament buildings, which are open to the public year-round. The Royal BC Museum transports visitors to British Columbia's earliest days with a host of interactive exhibits, authentic artifacts, and re-created settings that depict both natural and human history.Victoria's temperate climate enables year-round outdoor activities on and off the waterfront. Golfers can swing away on the greens of more than 15 primary courses in the area, and hikers and bikers can pick up the Galloping Goose Regional Trail in the heart of downtown and follow the path nearly 37 miles (60 km) past unfettered beaches, forests, and talking chipmunks. Animal enthusiasts will enjoy an orca whale-watching expedition, as both Victoria and nearby Vancouver Island have ferries that take passengers on regular excursions.

Though most people don’t associate scissors, needles, and popcorn with one another, all three play a big part in Design House Salon’s continuing allure. The salon’s owners, Chantelle Pasychny and Kurtis Brown, blend their passions for hairstyling and acupuncture in a menu of spa services designed to promote well-being from the inside out. Along with their beautifying hair treatments and chi-balancing acupuncture sessions, they nourish bodies with munch-ready popcorn that they purchase from the nearby Kernels Popcorn store.

When they aren’t snacking or counting how many popped kernels fit in a jar of Barbicide, clients can tune in to the wall-mounted television or admire the decor’s minimalistic theme. Nestled inside the historic Hudson Building, the salon goes for an industrial-chic look that incorporates the structure's original concrete pillars and reclaimed pieces of wood.

At Rachael D's Nails, aestheticians beautify bodies and hands with expert waxing, brow tinting, and mani-pedis. Gel and acrylic nail sets cover tips with sculpted designs and colourful, glittery motifs. Manicures and pedicures cleanse and soothe hands and feet.

Groupon Celebrates Women in Business

In honor of Women’s History Month, Groupon is celebrating an inspiring group of women: business leaders whose companies and brands enrich their communities. Thanks to the dedication and ingenuity of these leaders, local communities across the country are stronger and more diverse.

Shop the Women in Business collection.

Chop Shop Hair Company's growing franchise of rock 'n’ roll–themed hair salons outfits customers with hip hairdos at locations across the lower mainland. The salons were the brainchild of best friends and business partners Daniel Hudon and Michael Procter, who in the spring of 2005 established a new breed of haircare centre that boasted decor marked by hot-rod chrome, black leather salon chairs, and 1950s garage accents. At each location, both men and women get glammed out with chic pixie haircuts, beehives, and pompadours at toolbox-style salon stations. A full colour bar splashes new hairstyles with bold hues and transports patrons to a time when letters were still handwritten and each hug was actually a pat-down searching for communist pamphlets.