Massage in Rochester

The mother-daughter team behind Rochester Esthetics Body Spa adheres to the motto, “We don’t have clients…we have friends.” They keep their cozy spa as inviting as possible, taking a warm, personal approach when arranging appointments instead of asking clients to weld scheduling requests into a cold piece of steel. Inside treatment rooms, facials counteract oily complexions and stubborn acne, and massages soothe tense and sore muscles. Clients can also clear away unwanted facial and body hair with waxing services and top off treatments with a pedicure or makeup application.

The much-lauded Studio One Salon offers a plethora of salon and spa services dedicated to de-stressing patrons as well as bettering appearances. Place a face in the care of Studio One Salon for a one-hour basic spa facial that begins with a thorough skin analysis, allowing the aesthetician in charge to tailor a specific treatment for each epidermis. Using Dermalogica products, each visage is cleansed, exfoliated, extracted, masked, hydrated, and, finally, fortified against the everyday onslaught of solar rays and glove-slapping duel challenges. An eyebrow arch eliminates overgrown or out-of-place bristles, tidying up forehead mustaches into two separate, symmetrical features while increasing one’s ability to communicate emotions such as surprise, anger, or “I’ve just been pied by a clown!”

The 60-minute aromatherapy massage from a licensed massage therapist utilizes essential herbal oils designed to invigorate the senses as deft hands stimulate blood flow to muscles crying for help. Or choose a full cut and color, which allows certified technicians to snip and clip at errant hairs to create a haircut that complements facial forms and accentuates fruit hats. A new 'do is paired with a single-process color treatment that revitalizes hues and gussies up grays.

Though her business may be focused on detaching hairs, licensed esthetician Tiffany Taylor offers anything but detached service. Instead, she champions an "anti-spa" approach, cultivating a warmer, more relaxed atmosphere than what's found in many conventional beauty venues. At ME Beauty, she and her staff chat breezily with clients, refer to their treatments by witty names—for example, a chin wax is a "chinchilla"—and wear regular clothing instead of the overly official uniforms or hazmat suits a lot of other spas require.

Although their attitudes may be casual, their dedication to their craft is anything but. They specialize exclusively in waxing for men and women, boasting rigorous training in the art of swift hair-removal. As a result, they can remove unwanted strands from most any body part between the toes and brows, such as the arms, chest, and bikini areas. They utilize a brand of professional wax sold out of Australia, and never double-dip during appointments. For sensitive zones, clients can purchase Dr. Edna's Bare Ease Cream right at the salon to apply to themselves prior to treatments, which can help lessen the treatment's sting.

Jeffrey Remer, owner of Eight Gate, applies 19 years of studying Eastern healing techniques to each of his treatments. After receiving his master's degree from the American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, he studied acupressure, Chinese massage modalities, and zen Shiatsu, then learned constitutional-acupressure-renewal methods from Mary Elizabeth Wakefield at the Chi-Akra Center. He strives to foster health in his clients by working in harmony with Western medicine and in vocal harmony with passing barbershop quartets.

Blow Dry Divas owner Kimberly Williams built her salon to be a fun place to hang out. In addition to a full menu of hair services—which range from cuts to blowouts—the salon throws parties where teens can primp for prom or girlfriends can get together for drinks before a night out. Williams even hosts photo shoots at her onsite boudoir studio, where you can get "pinup" shots and re-create your favorite Sears-catalogue covers.