Beauty & Spas in Paradise

Kris Proykov of Exotica Skin Care performs a variety of skincare services ranging from facials to chemical peels and microdermabrasion treatments. In addition to offering waxing and body scrubs, Proykov also features Bio Jouvance International products in her store.

To call The Body Shop a mere skin and body care store is to miss half of what makes it special. Late founder Dame Anita Roddick was a pioneer for ethical business practices; upon opening her first store in Brighton, England, in 1976, she developed company values such as "Defend Human Rights" and "Protect The Planet." She somehow balanced principles and profit, partnering in global campaigns with UNICEF, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, and the United Nations, all while ultimately expanding her brand into 2,500 locations in over 60 international markets. After her death in 2007, then-British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said, “She campaigned for green issues for many years before it became fashionable to do so and inspired millions to the cause by bringing sustainable products to a mass market. . . . She was an inspiration.”

Indeed, the Body Shop exhibits an eco-friendliness and social consciousness that's hard to come by in a company of its size. Its products have been fair-trade since 1987, and its Against Animal Testing movement led to an EU-wide ban of animal testing of cosmetics. The products are made from ingredients harvested from around the world: shea butter from Ghana goes into body scrubs and butters, and Indian artisans craft wooden massagers and tote bags that are screenprinted by hand. But all that isn't to say the company's production practices overshadow its final products. Skincare treatments such as the brand’s iconic body butters, facial products, and gift collections often appear in Allure, Marie Claire, Lucky, Seventeen and other national publications.

The beauty specialists at Centennial Hills Salon and Day Spa dedicate their daily beautification efforts to the memory and mission of founder Nancy Jane Shaw. After suffering a debilitating stroke in 1997, Shaw unsuccessfully with her husband for a salon where she could sit comfortably in her wheelchair while having her hair and nails done. Her determined family stepped up to fill Las Vegas's need for an accessible salon and day spa and began construction on the project in 2001. Though Shaw passed away in 2005, her legacy lives on in a place where caring staffers meet the needs of customers regardless of their level of mobility, complete with features such as a wheelchair ramp and an ample spa shower with grab bars.

The natural and organic ingredients and eco-friendly philosophy of the Aveda line proved to match the salon and day spa's vision. In addition to haircuts, deep-conditioning treatments, and extensions, stylists transform hues with 97% naturally derived hair color with sunflower and jojoba oils. The crew also offers custom facials, soothing massages, fragrant mani-pedis, and makeup application for brides-to-be or clowns trying to transition back into civilian life.

Hibiscus Day Spa’s body-treatment menu looks good enough to eat: the pumpkin body soufflé softens skin with enzymes, and the Ultimate Chocolate Indulgence tantalizes the senses with a cocoa scrub and chocolate-butter massage. Though not as epicurean, Hibiscus’s other spa treatments are similarly luxuriant. The dual massage recruits two therapists to work on a client’s muscular tension, and a Caribbean Queen facial slathers skin with an aromatic blend of peptides and hydrators. Specialty treatments for expectant mothers and brides-to-be fill out the selection, as well as teen services; mini facials help instill healthy skincare habits and massages tackle high-school sports injuries and tension from hanging on a flagpole by your underwear.

For maintenance less aesthetic and more energetic, Hibiscus also boasts an onsite health and wellness center. Here, clients can look to traditional Chinese healing therapies such as sliding-scale acupuncture and reiki energy balancing. Custom nutritional counseling helps participants embrace long-term healthful eating habits.

The Salon at Lakeside's floor-to-ceiling windows grant astonishing glimpses of a tree-lined lake as they pour natural light over dark-wood accents and stately blue walls. Standing behind rows of rich leather chairs, a team of stylists chisels away tired tresses to reveal contemporary looks that reflect each client's personal style. As clients savor a complimentary cocktail and surf on the salon's free WiFi, head experts melt tension and liberate brains of irritating pop songs with soothing scalp massages. After they contour manes with precise, fashionable cuts, they slather hair bearers in products by Schwarzkopf Professional, Enjoy Hair Care, and Nioxin.

When stylists aren't ramping up tints with highlights, multidimensional weaves, and all-over color, they straighten out frizz and add sultry waves to listless locks. Brides-to-be can rest easy on their big day, entrusting their façades to The Salon at Lakeside's artisans, who offer complimentary consultations, practice runs, and pre-ceremony sprints. When their transformations are complete, guests can pick up their vehicles from the complimentary valet service (Thursday–Saturday only) or lounge on the salon's relaxing outdoor veranda.

It goes without saying that Ukranian model and actress Oleksandra Nikolayenko-Ruffin knows a thing or two about beauty. But the 2004 Miss Ukraine Universe winner is also the brains behind her self-named spa, a tranquil and luxurious facility that earned a five-diamond rating from The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. Housed inside the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino, the wellness sanctuary pampers guests with a massive menu of services that enhances everything from skin and body to scalp, hair, and nails. Facials are enhanced with hydrating botanical extracts and ingredients such as pumpkin pulp or papaya enzymes, which may cause pores to ask for second helpings. Six Davines Natural Tech hair treatments perform a spectrum of good deeds for scalps and manes, from softening damaged hair with silk proteins to excavating strands sequestered beneath chlorine and hard-water deposits.

Marble tile accents the walls of the spa, where cushy recliners congregate with other upholstered furniture inside separate lounges for men and women. Visitors to the spa typically check in at least 30 minutes early so they may change or cartwheel into a robe and sandals and warm up in the steam room, sauna, or whirlpool.