Beauty & Spas in Costa Mesa

Growing up in sun-drenched Southern California, Bronzed Bunny owner Jeni Nola found herself in a bit of a paradoxical situation. Though she knew she was drawn to the beauty of radiant, sun-tanned skin, she was also wary of the dangers associated with excessive UV exposure. To resolve this tension, Nola turned to spray tanning, which she quickly realized carried its own inherent risks such as the use of harsh chemicals. Determined to find the answer, she then spent months developing Indulge, an organic, paraben-free spray-tanning solution that safely bronzes the skin while also leaving behind invigorating scents of coconut or pomegranate-mango.

Today, Jeni and her team of veteran aestheticians employ this signature formula at Bronzed Bunny, a beautification haven that also offers sugaring sessions. A fitting complement to newly bronzed skin, sugaring sessions target ingrown hairs and lift away strands in the same direction of growth—a technique that leaves the clients less prone to irritation and more prone to receiving gigs as thigh models. Other treatments offered at the boutique spa include skin-purifying facials for both the face and the body.

Started as a single Newport Beach clinic in 1971, Lindora was the brainchild of Dr. Marshall Stamper, who was motivated by the unfortunate loss of his mother due to weight-related complications. Now, more than 40 years later, Lindora's weight-loss programs continue to bestow humanoids with a plethora of personalized nutrition plans and private one-on-one health consultations. At each Lindora location, medically trained teams of health-care professionals guide patients through lab work, health assessments, and exams to discern the most efficient trajectory into better health. Patients receive encouragement to adjust their lifestyle and behavior, and bellies stay buoyed by nutrition support and menu plans that spotlight fresh, balanced meals.

Long-term weight maintenance is the goal of the clinic's medically based programs, which means patients needn't worry about extra pounds boomeranging back into their lives like a persistent pet chinchilla. Check the FAQs page here for more information about Lindora's approach to weight loss.

The tress-sating stylists at Robert Vincent Salon & Spa employ skills learned in trainings from Goldwell and Vidal Sassoon as they snip locks into face-framing styles, shift hair shades, and lengthen manes with extensions. Expertly calibrated coloring transforms coifs with lively reds and rich chestnuts, and 12- to 24-inch hair extensions elongate 'dos to conceal the body's circuit breaker located between the shoulder blades. Lash and brow tinting, keratin hair-smoothing treatments, and hair-removal services round out the salon’s menu to leave clients pampered and beautiful. Robert Vincent Salon & Spa invites patrons to unwind with sips of complimentary wine, and helps them decide between a new bob or pixie cut by demonstrating styles on potted plants.

"Technique is everything," says Tricia Hetherington, licensed esthetician and owner of The Pretty Kitty, a chain of full-service waxing boutiques specializing in bare-all Brazilians. Tricia, who’s been profiled in Luxury Las Vegas and several additional press outlets, personally trains each staff member in her proprietary 10- to 15-minute hair-removal method, which employs high-quality soft wax that’s formulated for delicate flesh and minimizes pain. Her estheticians never double dip into the wax pot, reaching for a fresh stick with every application of the warm substance and leaving only a thin landing strip or functional tarmac in its wake. The Pretty Kitty's menu of services also includes facial and full-body waxing, and though walk-ins are welcome, appointments are recommended.

Barbie Barber Salon offers barbershop services to men and keeps the froufrou to a minimum. Though the Costa Mesa salon is staffed with expert, Pro Vidal Sassoon–trained stylists, its laidback atmosphere is more sports bar than beauty shop. Customers are greeted with complimentary drinks, and while they're getting haircuts and beard trims, a flat-screen TV displays brawny programming such as sports games, poker matches, and soap operas without the soap. Though the business is geared toward a male clientele, women looking for a relaxed, unpretentious salon experience are more than welcome to take advantage of the stylists' services.

Stylist Katie Wang has an appetite for trends. During her 12-year career she has designed the coifs of models for runway and editorial shoots and represented companies such as Wella Professional Color and Sebastian as a top stylist and educator. The smooth, knotted updos and Brazilian blowouts in her portfolio reveal an impressive manual dexterity and a penchant for sleek, Scrunchie-free looks. Wang exhibits her artistry within the elegant KE Salon, where a pop-art sensibility is glammed up with cheeky, crystal chandeliers and antique Asian furniture and art.