A spa and salon can provide a mini-retreat for those who want to let go. Many spas in our area now offer treatments that will relax and rejuvenate all of your senses. With massages and facials, hot oil treatments and pedicures, hair consultations and make-up sessions all offered for the sole purpose of pampering, you will leave the spa or salon looking and feeling your best.The spa owners and employees are really focusing on making the spa experience enjoyable for their clients. The No Cell Phones policy is one way they are maintaining the more relaxing atmosphere. “It’s really easy to forget that people are paying us to relax them,” said Jeffrey Kilcoyne, artistic director and owner of Jeffrey Robert Salon & Spa at One Kelly Square in Worcester. “We are really careful to focus on the person partaking of the service.”Full and half day packages are available at most salons. At Paul Conzo Day Spa and Hair Salon on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, clients who indulge in the packages are treated to lunch during their stay. The packages are designed to target the particular goals of the clients. “People are going so quickly nowadays,” said coowner Pat Conzo. “Sometimes it takes them a little while to calm down. We have quiet, soothing music, heated beds and private steam baths, all of which help torelease the tension in the muscles and to circulate the blood.” Many spas are doing anything possible to ensure that their clients have the ultimate calming experience while at their facilities. Jeffrey Kilcoyne explains that there is a dedicated salon area where clients go for relaxing and rejuvenating treatments.

The world outside Jeffrey Robert’s doors is often hectic and stressful. But once you step inside the salon, it’s a whole different experience. “The energy of Kelly Square is so busy,” Kilcoyne said. “It’s quieter, more relaxing in here, and when you walk in you can instantly feel that.”

Salons and spas offer a variety of different services for clients who desire a multi-sensory experience. The power of touch is one of the most beneficial treatments provided to the clients. A variety of different massages are available, including stone therapy, deep tissue massage, reflexology, and shiatsu.

“This is one of the only industries that is licensed to touch people, and the power of touch is amazing,” explained Kilcoyne. “We’re in a hustle bustle world, people have strong boundaries nowadays, and this is one place where they can let go.”

Facials are another service that benefit the client through the power of touch and, frequently, smell. There are many different options available, and clients enjoy being able to choose just the kind of treatment they want. Some facials focus more on relaxation and calming, others focus on treating the facial skin. Many spas customize the facial treatments to the specific client depending on their skin type and what kind of experience they are looking for from it.

Another multi-sensory experience is a body wrap or treatment. These wraps/treatments are often combined with a massage but are also offered on their own. The goal of these treatments is to relax and rejuvenate your mind and body while giving you soft, glowing skin. There are many different “ingredients” available for body treatments. One of the most popular treatments is the seaweed wrap, which is said to tone and improve the elasticity of the skin while leaving your body smooth and silky.

Other kinds of wraps and treatments available include rich clay treatments, shea butter body treatments, body polish, antifatigue leg treatments, and cellulite wraps.

Scent
Aromatherapy is also available at most salons and spas. The scent can come from a candle placed in the room to help a client relax or energize or from a particular treatment that relies on scented products. An herbal wrap is one such product treatment. At Tu Moda European Day Spa on Pleasant Street in Worcester, the herbal wrap begins when your body is wrapped in a fleece sheet soaked in what the spa’s website describes as “…an aromatic infusion of allspice, lavender, calendula petals, clove, eucalyptus, gingerroot and rosemary.”

Jennifer Cratty, front desk coordinator at Tu Moda, said many of their clients come to the spa simply to relax. “It’s a nice break, and it’s such a serene atmosphere,” she explained. “There is relaxing music, water fountains, trees, it looks and feels very natural and European.”

As an Aveda concept salon, Tu Moda focuses on connecting the mind, body, and soul. “It is a multi-sensory experience,” Cratty said. “Our clients walk through the doors and they feel like they are walking into a different world.”

At Paul Conzo, they offer a Nature’s Pedicure which changes depending on the season. In the fall, the spa often uses pumpkin scented products to get you in the spirit. Peppermint scented products are a winter favorite, and Valentine’s Day pedicures are made extra special with a chocolate scented pedicure. For the summer they offer fun scents like kiwi, apricot, and pina colada. Aromatherapy facials and massages are becoming popular, too.

Many spas are beginning to offer aromatherapy services along with their regular spa services like scrubs and manicures. The scents are used to heighten the client’s experience.

“The spa is an oasis,” explained Pat Conzo. “It is such a quiet, relaxing atmosphere, our clients walk around in a robe and slippers, and they can forget about everything while they have other people pamper them.”

Hands and Feet
There are a variety of different hand and nail treatments available that elaborate on the basic manicure. Spas offer a full spectrum of specialized anti-aging manicures, moisturizing manicures, reflexology manicures, and specialized spa manicures. Many spas and salons often offer paraffin wraps as well. The warm paraffin wax serves as a deep moisturizing treatment for your hands.

In the category of pedicures, the possibilities are numerous. Each spa offers its own special spa pedicure, usually including a lower leg massage as well as moisturizing masks and energizing lotions. Some other favorites include a therapeutic pedicure, European pedicure, shea butter pedicure, gentleman’s pedicure, botanical pedicure, and a reflexology pedicure.

The Spa at Nicholas Michaels on West Main Street in Northborough offers several specialty pedicures including the Raw Earth pedicure. According to their website, “This raw earth pedicure is a collection of natural ingredients. The benefits derived from earth-based products that are naturally rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, essential oils are many.”

Hair
There are many different hair trends for the coming seasons. Luckily they are all low maintenance, and with so many to choose from you’re sure to find one that’s right for you. Experienced stylists like Jesse Womand at Styles Salon on Burncoat Street in Worcester help their clients narrow down the choices to a few options that might work best with their overall look and lifestyle.

One of the biggest trends out there now is darker hair. After years of bleaching and highlighting, many men and women are choosing to go brunette. Actresses and models have been leading the anti-blonde trend for a while, and now the change is being embraced by the “real world,” too.

Another color trend is face-framing highlights, which are great for natural blondes and those with light brown hair. The highlights look natural and are a great way to brighten the face. For braver souls really looking to experiment, contrasting color is a great way to get heads turning. Chunks of color, often in geometric shapes, are fun, bold, and look great.

Ease of care is one major consideration driving hair trends. The layered look fits the bill, particularly multi-length locks with some shorter pieces in the front and longer pieces in the back. This style looks great tousled and takes minimal effort to get it looking really hot. And if you’re really into no- fuss dos, think about getting a blunt cut. There’s less hair to deal with and you can put your straightening iron away; the more natural the better for this look.

Aside from your basic haircut and blow dry, salons now offer a number of different hair and scalp treatments. Hair straightening and extensions have been gaining popularity in recent years. Styling for special events is available, as are waves, perms, and relaxing treatments. Deep conditioning treatments are affordable and leave your hair feeling and looking great. Relaxing scalp massages are also available at most salons and can often be added on to another treatment

There are nearly as many different hair coloring methods available as there are hair colors. Some of the services include permanent color, full or partial foils, permanent color touch-ups, highlighting, double process, corrective coloring, virgin coloring, and free form painting, which is gaining popularity because of the natural look it achieves.

The Spa at Nicholas Michaels gives clients a private color room where a specially trained color technician helps create the perfect look.

As you can see, the options are endless. And treating yourself to a new hairstyle can be one of the best ways to feel pampered and revitalized. So come up with some ideas on your own, then head to a trusted stylist to turn your ideas into reality and give you a unique style all your own!

The Face
Make-up application appointments are becoming more common, too, whether as a stand-alone service or as part of a longer day of beauty. Sessions range from basic make-up application and instruction to seasonal suggestions, special occasion make-up, theatrical or photographic techniques, and corrective make-up application.

“We have a brand new make-up line at Paul Conzo,” said Pat Conzo. “Sorme is a professional line, and it’s great, and we’ve been getting rave reviews on it.”

Jeffrey Robert Salon and Spa uses Murad products, specially designed by a doctor to care for your skin and improve its appearance. The renowned product line offers cleansers, treatments, supplements, and moisturizers, all designed to fit your specific skin type. The technicians at the salon can help you find which products are best for you.

Many spas and salons offer complimentary analysis services as well, allowing clients to be sure they are getting what is best for them. At Paul Conzo, they offer complimentary skin analysis, make-up touch up, and hair analysis.
 

Taking It Home
By helping their clients look and feel better, the spas are offering a valuable service not available from many other sources. Not only are they taking great lengths to keepthe environment relaxing and to keep stress-inducers out, but they are also beginning to focus more on helping the client bring this calming energy home with them.

Many of the spa products are available for purchase so that you can prolong the relaxing and rejuvenating experience by pampering yourself in your own home. When you leave the spa you will look and feel calmer and more beautiful, and these products are designed to help keep you that way.

So keep up your harrowing schedule if you must, but every once in a while, do something just for YOU ~ treat yourself to a day at a spa and salon. Your body and spirit deserve it, and they’ll thank you for it!