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Mom–Me Time: Spa Babies

babysugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:00:00 -0700

An afternoon of spa escape is heaven for most moms. Bringing baby along sounds interesting, but not the least bit relaxing. Unless, you're going to the Thermes de Spa in Belgium and its L'Institut Maman-Bébé in Belgium.

The retreat prides itself on offering new mothers and their wee ones (age two to seven–months) a five–day course of postnatal massage treatments and exercises. While the mom focuses on rejuvenating her body and skin, the baby spends some time with caretakers. No indulgence lasts longer than an hour so mommy guilt - be gone! This spa even brings babe in for some of the mum's activities allowing the two to soak up the pleasures together.

To see how much such a package will cost you, read more.

Adding airfare to Belgium to the $1,500 price tag may sound a tad unreasonable. Babies are the hottest mommy companions these days so we hope that other spas will pick up this fabulous service for mommy–baby duos.

Assuming price weren't an issue, would you want to treat yourself and babe to such a vacation?
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Relax Already While Traveling: Airport Spas

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 09:33:00 -0800

Traveling can be such a pain in the neck so next time you're at the airport, stop by one of these airport spa/massage destinations for a quick treatment or even a massage to get that pain out of your neck.

JFK International Airport (NY): The Oasis Day Spa is New York’s first full service airport spa (in JetBlue's Terminal 6). There, you’ll be able to get a manicure, pedicure, and facial treatments.
Baltimore-Washington International Airport: Destination Relaxation -- one is a chair-massage station on Pier B and the other is a full-service store on Pier D that offers table and chair massages, as well as foot and hand rubs.
Chicago's O'Hare International Airport: The Backrub Hub offers neck and back massages in Terminal 3 (by the American and Delta gates). It's a little weird because you're out in the open, but good if you're not embarrassed easily.
Denver International Airport: A Massage Inc. where you can get a haircut or massage (chair or table) at the location on Concourse B. The other is in the Main Terminal.

There's a few more, so read more

Detroit International Airport (Edward McNamara Terminal): OraOxygen Spa along with traditional manicures and pedicures this travel spa has a 15-minute session that enhances stamina, eliminates fatigue, minimizes toxic build-up and intensifies mental alertness.
JFK International, Pittsburgh International, Philadelphia International and San Francisco International Airports: The XpresSpa where the name says it all has up to three attendants work on you to get an express treatment (pretty much standard spa services) with express results.
Seattle-Tacoma International, Nashville International and Newark Liberty International Airports: The Massage Bar offers 15-30 minutes of seated massage or ten minutes of foot reflexology.

Don't need to relax but you would like to workout, then check out Airport Gyms for Your Travels.

San Francisco Spas

DearSugar — Tue, 16 May 2006 04:55:05 -0700

Dear Sugar
I noticed on your sister website (POPSUGAR) that you are from the SF Bay Area, I was wondering if you had any suggestions concerning great day spas, that won't break the bank. I'm a struggling student and can't really afford to splurge, but I would appreciate any recommendations to affordable places where I could get facial or massage treatments. Spa Searcher in San Fran

Dear Spa Searcher in San Fran
After conferring with POPSUGAR, here are some ideas: Check out the top spas in the city. Bliss in the W Hotel, The Nob Hill Spa, International Orange and Spa Vitale. I've also heard that the amazing Remede line of skincare has opened Remede Spa in the St. Regis Hotel. It doesn't sound buget to me, but I am sure it's the place to get a facial! As for budget spas, there's Relax Now which is slightly cheaper for all of the same perks as the more expensive spas. You can read about each of the spas here and here. Relax and Enjoy!

Should Spas Lower Their Prices?

BellaSugarUK — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 02:00:00 -0700

Once upon a time, spas used to be a therapeutic haven for the tired, stressed, (sure OK) and spoiled, but they were simple ways to indulge the mind and body in a little relaxation.

However, over the past decade or so, they have become a playground for those only who can afford extravagance. Long gone are the days of a reasonably priced manicure, pedicure or even a shoulder massage. Now it's all bout pomp, atmosphere and over the top treatments like live flesh eating fish as a form of exfoliation or 24-carat gold facials.

I for one would love to see price-points at spas go back to a more affordable level so that treating yourself, even during a credit crunch, isn't something that will put you into debt. What are your thoughts on the price levels of spa treatments in this economy?

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Little Black Book: Hotel de Russie

BellaSugarUK — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:00:00 -0800

Walking into the Wellness Zone at the Hotel de Russie in Rome, Italy, I was overcome with with the feeling of luxurious calm. The serene spa (you won't be able to talk on your mobile phone here) hosts treatment rooms, a comfortable reception area and an over-sized jacuzzi with built-in lounge chairs for the optimal 'chilaxing' experience.

They use and sell four different brands in the spa, namely Carita (a prestigious skincare line from Paris), Dècleor, Skinceuticals and their specialty treatments feature products from a coffee based lined called Body Coffee Brand.

Their signature treatment, a Body Coffee Exfoliation Experience, uses the energy from the caffeine in the coffee beans to awaken your senses, relax your muscles, exfoliate your skin (from the grinds mixed with sea salt) and stimulate your circulation. Did I mention that it finishes with a galam butter and aloe vera massage? The treatment lasts for 50 minutes and costs €110.

As you may expect, pampering yourself in the Wellness Zone, like most high-end spas isn't cheap. Prices range from €25 for a pedicure to €410 for a full day of Wellness Zone pampering, but boy was it worth it to have the chance to unwind after a long day of sight-seeing and eating pasta!

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Would You Get a $75 Facial From Dove?

BellaSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:00:42 -0700

Dove, a longtime drugstore favorite, is now joining the upscale beauty ranks by opening the first North American Dove Spa in Canada in a few weeks. (They're already open in England). Continuing on with its "Real Beauty" campaign, the company plans to open upward of 50 locations within the next five years.

The spas will feature Dove Spa Professional products, and offer customizable services including facials ($75 to $110), a variety of body treatments ($50 to $130), mani/pedis ($30 to $65), and waxing ($15 to $85). But will it fly, especially when another spa chain offers high-end products for about half the price?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for pampering oneself. But I'm having a hard time grasping why so many companies are going upscale in these rough economic times. ($35 foundation at Target, anyone?) If you're going to shell out $30 for a manicure, why not just go to Bliss, where for $5 less you get brownies, cheese, and the fancy feeling of being at Bliss? Dove would really have to create an astounding spa for me to pay that much for a variation on a drugstore brand. Do you think this is a smart plan? Are you feeling the love for Dove?

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Should Children Be Going to Spas?

BellaSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 05:52:07 -0700

I'm fascinated by this story about parents who take their kids to day spas for massages, manicures and facials. “I got a massage and I loved it! It’s sooooo relaxing,” one 11-year-old girl said of her first spa experience, which she had at age 9. Do you think it's appropriate for third-graders and fourth-graders to have spa treatments?

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Lil Tip: Hospitals Offer Postpartum Spas

LilSugar — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:00:00 -0800

I'd like to make an appointment for one healthy (and quick) delivery, a massage and facial please. The hours and days following childbirth are not necessarily a woman's most glamorous. You may have experienced the miracle of childbirth, but it has left you exhausted, sore and with dry skin.

In a trend that I can get behind, a number of hospital maternity wards are now offering spa services for new moms. Some hospitals, like Peoria, Illinois' Proctor Hospital offer the services through another department in the hospital, while others bring in outside spa companies, like Minneapolis' Go Home Gorgeous, which has therapists on call to arrive after delivery. With spa packages that include treatments for feet, shoulders, backs and necks, it is certainly worth looking into the availability of such services at your hospital.

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Expectant Mamas Can Get Waxed, Too

BellaSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:00:59 -0700

If I were carrying a baby Bella inside me, I'd like to think that I'd have some pressing issues on my mind: Lamaze classes, proper nutrition, getting the nursery ready, that sort of thing. Pubic grooming doesn't make the list. (It's not like I'd be able to see anything below my bump, anyway.) But if you want to test your pain threshold before the birth, you could always go in for a bikini wax. Completely Bare spas have introduced a prenatal wax for pregnant women.

Developed with the help of a physician and esthetician, the service aims to make hair removal more comfortable for the bun-in-the-oven set. Since pregnant women frequently have sensitive skin and reduced maneuverability, the treatment incorporates special pillows, different positions, and a nipple cream to soothe freshly waxed skin. For women who love to be bare, it's a smart idea. But I have a feeling that if I were incubating Bella Jr., I'd probably rather splurge on a nice foot massage than deforestation.

Source: Flickr User daquellamanera

Spa Treatments Get More Affordable at Exhale's Wellbar

BellaSugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0700

I'm doing a little dance right now because Exhale, the luxe spa that has everything from Core Fusion exercise classes to acupuncture and brow tweezing, is adding another quirky set of services - and they're cheap, my friends, (relatively) cheap. From this month on, all their spas will have a Wellbar kiosk that offers shorter, less expensive takes on some of their full-length services, which means $20 for a zit-zapping mini-facial that includes a round of blue light therapy, or $40 for an aromatherapy scalp and hand massage, which is incredi-cheap given how much spa massages usually cost. It sounds perfect for days when I'm stressed in the morning and just need a half hour of pampering.