La Vie de Luxe, Chalfont

Susan Matthews has an unusual background for a salon owner—she acts as a guest host on QVC, writes on a freelance basis, and advocates for child-abuse victims, but isn’t a stylist. Instead, she draws her inspiration from a job she held during her college years as a salon receptionist, and channels this insider knowledge toward running La Vie de Luxe, a spa she founded on her own. She and her staff make sure that the space lives up to its name, which means "luxury life"—they dole out champagne drinks, gourmet snacks, spa water, and deeds to yachts before performing hair or cosmetic services. The spa's nailcare treatments make use of high-end products from OPI, Essie, and Bubalina, and its menu of services includes facials for both men and women.