GROOMED L.A.

Argyle Spa at the Sunset Tower hotel. Old world Hollywood elegance meets up to the minute services. WOWZA!

Who knew the Sunset Tower's ARGYLE SPA was such a cool spot?!  (Not to mention the hotel! Seriously old world Hollywood glam. I am taking my hubby there on our next date night for cocktails on the roof.) 

The spa is actually the home of the Brazilian Blowout and they do everything here from full on med-spa services to Acupuncture to hair, to mani-pedi's, waxing, tanning, and the list goes on!

But what really made me ecstatic was that when you book a massage, along with it, you get an INSANE private session in their fabulous marble Turkish Hammam - literally the most amazing sensual experience I've had in...well...forever. Honestly, you just have to try it to believe it. Press a button and a waterfall runs over your body while you relax in a steam filled room, with water - everywhere. 

My therapist, Arianna, was fantastic. This was not your run of the mill homogenized hotel massage (the spa is not owned by the hotel, but a real spa's spa) but rather a deep and in-tuned session by a very educated and aware therapist. 

After the session, given in a glorious suite (and I mean classy, crisp stunning) you are offered more time to chill and take a bath in their humunggousss tub that fills up with so much water, it's like being in your own pool (compared to my apt tub, that is).  They wont rush you, so take your time and soak it up! 

This makes an amazing gift, if you're in need of a cool prezzie for someone, or even better, why not treat yourself to an end-of-summer detox/get ready-for-fall spa day? You're worth it!

For $120, why not make a day out of it?

 

MASSAGES

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ARGYLE CUSTOM MASSAGE

At the Argyle, we understand that every person has specific needs and preferences when it comes to receiving massage therapy. Thus, we offer this purely customized massage treatment personalized and tailored just for you. 

Our therapists will take a few minutes to discuss your previous experiences and explore the vast possibilities available to you in order to ensure every minute of your massage is poignant and specific to your needs and desires. Among the leaders in the industry of professional massage therapy, our therapists are adept in a multiple of styles and hand techniques. 
50, 80, 110 minutes - $120/$170/$230

ARGYLE AMBASSADOR MASSAGE

The Argyle Signature Massage is powerfully therapeutic and deeply relaxing. This treatment was masterfully devised to blend the most effective aspects of Swedish, Sports, Deep Tissue and Shiatsu Technique. Throughout the treatment, heated towels, eye pillows, hot pads and warm stones are incorporated. Including reflexology and scalp massage this treatment has it all. Enjoy the offerings of a multitude of massage styles and treatments with this, our most luxurious and indulgent massage. Perfect for the first timer or the seasoned spa veteran. 
80 minutes - $180

FOUR HANDED MASSAGE

Our massage four-hands is the perfect blend of choreographed flow and focus on specific areas. Incorporating both mirrored and individual massage movements, two expert massage therapists combine their prowess and energy to create a bodywork experience unlike any other available. The result is a totally balanced massage that will render you speechless. 
50 minutes - $240 

PRE & POST NATAL MASSAGE

Please inquire about our Pre and Post-Natal Massages.

MASSAGE ENHANCEMENTS

Buddha Nose Therapeutic Balms, $25.00
Hot Stones, $40.00
Salt Scrub, $40.00
Sugar Scrub, $40.00
Seaweed Detox Crystal Bath, $40.00
Milk Bath, $40.00
Additional Suite Time, 20 minutes $40.00

HAMMAM & BATHS

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HAMMAN

Tucked away in our spa, resides a rarity in the western world: A true Turkish bath, referred to as Hammam. A Turkish Hammam is a low steam-heated room which exfoliates and detoxes the body while the mind relaxes. Our Hammam is loved by all who have experienced it, and has become a 'must have experience' for all our jet setter clients while visiting LA. The warmth of the Hammam opens your pores and allows for your body to relax and detoxify - the perfect way to start your spa treatments. 

Upon entering our Hammam, we supply you with our beloved Argyle Signature Sugar Scrub, cool towels and drinking water to rehydrate. This is the best way to start any of your spa treatments so you receive the deepest and full lasting results of the therapy, and leave the Argyle in a completely blissful, rejuvenated state. Your Hammam time is private and only for your personal use. 25 minutes
Single Person Hammam: $25.00, Couples Hammam: $40.00 


ARGYLE SIGNATURE BATHS
 
After your spa treatment, include one of our Signature Baths to your experience to further detoxify, relax, and refresh your body, mind, and spirit. Salt baths enjoyed immediately after a massage can increase your detoxification by over 60 percent.  

MILK BATH
 
Indulge in one of natures greatest beauty treatments, just like Cleopatra. Milk baths are full of Lactic Acid, a naturally occurring alpha hydroxy acid found in milk, which has an exfoliating effect on the skin - cleansing it down to it's deepest layers. Our Milk Bath is further enriched in almond oil and a soft vanilla scent. Leaving your skin clean, soft and irresistibly silky smooth. 20 minutes, $40.00 

SEAWEED DETOX CRYSTAL BATH

The ocean is the source of all life, and has powerful therapeutic effects on the mind, body, and spirit. OSEA’s Seaweed Detox Crystal Bath harnesses the healing power of the sea, to restore balance. Rich in sea trace minerals and exotic salts from around the world, this bath helps with detoxification, water retention, AND softens your skin to perfection. Bathe in the Sea of Life. 20 minutes, $40.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.argylela.com/

8358 W Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90069-1516 (310) 623-9000 Open Tue 9am-7pm; Wed-Sat 9am-9pm; Sun 10am-7pm Bus: Sunset / Kings

 

Directions - Is this accurate?

 

Bigger is Better at Le Posh Spa l Salon l Lounge

 

There's a new spa in town.  I'd like to call this doozey, a MEGA SPA.

LE POSH SPA SALON LOUNGE

(dj included)

This place is massive.  And beautiful.  And massive.  Did I say that?  A one-stop-urban escape-shop right on Sunset blvd.

They've got it all going on.  And when I say all I mean: a 5 star service on mani/pedis (kids too!)/wax/massage, body therapy/extensive menu of exclusive high-end body treatments, facials, peels/men's grooming/hair cuts, color, treatments/boutique and YOGA CLASSES!

To make things as luxurious as possible, pull right up to the complimentary valet parking and toast your day off with a free glass champagne upon check in.   And there's a private VIP-treatment suite for those days when you have to cut loose from the paparazzi that's been hanging on your tail all day.  One room is called the Vichy room, sporting an overhead 14-head shower with Hydrotherapy jets that can be custom blended with aromatherapy oils to rain on you during your body treatment to improve circulation and amp up your mind/body relaxation experience. 

The treatment rooms are exquisite.  The spa design is Zen minimal/modern opulence/luxe (DJ booth included), all orange, white and wood with Birch tree-theme running throughout.

I tried the Le Posh Signature Seaweed Birch Wrap ($140) - a dry brush exfoliation followed by a seaweed birch infused wrap, warm blanket wrap and beyond divine deep massage top off.  The spa uses the  state of the art Biologique Recherche product line in all their treatments and I was drenched in their body moisturizer from head to toe afterwards.  My therapist was incredible. Strong, knowledgeable and right on point.

 

Check out their services here 

Get yogified with their Yoga Schedule here

 

Le Posh Spa Salon Lounge

7551 W Sunset Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90046

323-851-5558

 

IN BOX! This came to my IN BOX this week. The 12 Most Expensive Spa Treatments in the world.

A woman named Celina Jacobson of the website Masters in Health sent me this juicy little piece of info this week.  Think I'll send it to you guys to salivate over for yourself.

You might think it’s a pretty good day when you have the time and extra cash for a manicure or blow out.  But for some, experiencing the best treatments that the world’s spas have to offer is just a regular part of their jet-setting lifestyle.  From herb-infused massages to diamond dust facials to scalp treatments and beyond, here are 12 of the most expensive — and luxurious — spa treatments in the world, for optimum health and happiness.

1. Aroma-Listic Day Spa pedicure: At this Agoura Hills, CA spa, you can get a very special pedicure — that costs over $200. The justification? Your feet will be slathered in awhite chocolate strawberry truffle mixture as part of the treatment.
2. UMO gold facial: UMO America’s famous facial uses 24-karat gold. Supposedly gold has great hydration benefits and adds nutrients to your skin, which better be worth the $400+ price tag.
3. Evian bath: Dubbed the world’s most expensive bath, SoBe’s Hotel Victor offers guests of its penthouse suite the opportunity to lounge in a tub filled with 1,000 liters of pure Evian water, fuchsia, and orange Gerber daisies. Serena Williams was the first to try out the $5,000 bath, which is given in a 350-gallon infinity tub. You can also snack on smoked salmon lollipops, foie gras and chocolate as you bathe.
4. Royal Treatment: At Shanghai’s Bund Five Spa Oasis, getting The Royal Treatment is serious business. You’ll first soak in a bath of rose petals and oils, then get an Italian red wine body scrub, four-hands massage, lavender body wrap, and a 90-minute Pramol facial. At 3,000 Chinese Yuan, that equals around $451 U.S.
5. Grand Luxe Facial: Spa Radiance is a premier spa in San Francisco that’s famous for its $750 facial. You’ll get a diamond peel, a caviar mask, protein drops for your hands, an omega-6 treatment for your eyes, and LED light therapy to clear up rosacea, red spots, black heads and wrinkles, plus a hand and foot massage.
6. Elysian Cleanse: Humbly called "a classic spa treatment" by the downtown Chicago Elysian Hotel, this cleanse will cost you over $300. What’s included? Water therapy, a customized marine massage, and "calming cocoon to exfoliate and renew the skin," which we’ve heard refers to a seaweed gel wrap.
7. 5 Indulgences: This pricey treatment is actually listed as a special promotion, so we wonder if the 55,555 JPY price tag — that’s roughly $665 U.S. — is sometimes higher? Offered at Tokyo’s Spa at Mandarin Oriental, the treatment was created in honor of the spa’s 5-year anniversary. Included are a foot ritual, Oriental Essence Body Treatment, customized aromatherapy facial, and a seasonal fruit platter if you get hungry.
8. Caviar conditioner: For the rich and famous, like Catherine Zeta-Jones, spending around $400 for a shampoo treatment at her South Kensington spa (U.S. price adjusted according to the 2007 exchange rate) is worth it. Zeta-Jones’ spa flew in from Iran the Beluga caviar, which supposedly makes hair color and texture richer and creamier. Also part of the treatment is a truffle-based shampoo.
9. Microablation and Triphasic Combination Facial: At the Cornelia Day Spa in New York City, celebrities like Kate Moss and Gwyneth Paltrow get the premium treatment: a microablation and triphasic combination facial. Using electromagnetism to stimulate collagen and heat and vibration to sculpt your face, this treatment is almost like getting plastic surgery. In that case, the $500 cost is a steal.
10. Good Luck Ritual: The Spa at Encore Wynn Las Vegas boasts that its most popular service is something called the Good Luck Ritual, an 80-minute treatment that uses Feng Shui principles to harmonize the body. You’ll start with a 50-minute custom massage with Thai herbs and oils, and then move on to a wild lime botanical scalp treatment. A hand and foot scrub rounds out your $250 treatment.
11. Talise Rediscover: The Madinat Jumeirah Resort in Dubai guides its clients to "a path to a greater quality of existence," and with treatments tailored towards correcting everything from jet lag to cellulite, they’re well-equipped to turn you into a better version of yourself. The Talise Rediscover is a $720 full body treatment involving a bath, sugar body polish, clay and herbal scalp massage, private steam session, and a marine facial treatment.
12. Creme de la Mer Ultimate Experience: The La Mer skincare line is a favorite of ladies who lunch all over the world, but at the Urban Retreat at Harrods in London, you can get the Ultimate Experience. For 200 pounds — $320 U.S. — you’ll get 135 minutes of body treatments, a facial, steaming sessions, massages, feet treatments, and more, using the best of the brand’s products, including sea quartz, diamond dust, and the Miracle Broth, "the priceless extract that is coveted around the world," according to the Creme de la Mer website.

 

QUEEN BEE WAXING SALON AND SPA IN CULVER CITY - THE HIVE OF THE BEST WAXING EVER

Why has it taken me so long to get my hairy legs (and every other part that grows hair on it) to QUEEN BEE?

It's not like I haven't heard from every single person, "Are you kidding me?  You haven't written about Queen Bee?!  What are you nuts?"  While the answer to that is questionable, let's just say getting a Brazilian Wax with a baby in tow is a little...uh...tricky...

That was until I got a nanny.  (Whoo hoo!)

I (finally!) walked into Queen Bee recently and it was a girlie paradise.  A fragrant wave of the most divine candles escorted me in to this adorable bungalow home where I was met with the most beautiful eye candy ever:  rows of fantabulous nail polishes, cute-as-hell little make-up kits, all sorts of exciting skin care creams, lip glosses, oh! and candy, cookies and all sorts of coffee treats too.  Then the glorious, warm staff greeted me and introduced me to wickedly brilliant (I say wicked because she's British. Isn't that a Brit term for brilliant ?) owner and master of the wax, Jodi Shays.  The woman is the shit.  Period the end.  She knows her way around a Brazilian like...well, I don't know the punch line to that, but you get the point.  She's been doing this for YEARS and is known to coif the muff of many a celeb (Fergie for one).  She's fast, ouch-free, uses the best wax in town and will make you laugh your ass off while ripping your hair off.  Before you know it, you've got the most perfect cooch ever, nary an in-grown or red spot in sight.

The spa also has a delightful selection of spa services, facials, fab spray tanning (never tried, but I've been told) and they host amazing events for their loyal and I mean LOYAL, devoted clients, like Botox and filler parties with Dr. Mark Yousseff.

The whole place is so warm, welcoming and professional it makes me want to move to Culver City. 

 

QUEEN BEE

Address 
10182½ Culver Blvd 
Culver City, CA 90232 

Phone 
(310) 204-2236 
Skype Name: QueenBeeWaxing  


Email 
To Make An Appointment: use our online form 
For Appointment Questions: appointments@queenbeewaxing.com 
For Waxing Questions: jodi@queenbeewaxing.com 
While we can answer quick email questions about waxing, other detailed requests should be made over the phone. 

 

EL LEON SPA

I have been dying to try the EL LEON SPA  for a Long time.  Sandi, my lash guru's  studio is in the courtyard behind it and every time I go there I take a peek in, as well a deep breath as it smells amazing from all the exotic oils, and I remind myself to book a massage.   They had a great little set up at a Golden Globes gifting suite at the SLS Hotel where I sampled the phenomenal hands of one of their massage therapists and viola- I booked an appointment that day.  

So happy I did!  First of all the place is really unique - design wise.  Not your typical antiseptic, cool modern day spa. It's an open loft-like space and the decor is Thai inspired and Moroccan flavored, all warm and dark woodsy and well...mystical.  You feel like you're stepping into another universe altogether.  It's so fully successful in being exotic at every turn, even the bathrooms are aligned with the aesthetic, I was immediately transported to another world, one that was filled with the wafting essential oils and a bunch of furniture I wish I had in my house.   The massage 'rooms' are very much like in a Thai massage house, large futons on the floor with giant flowing curtains to section off the different treatment areas.   My therapist Angela was phenomenal - just perfect.  Even though I'm pregnant and she knew exactly how to work on me, I told her not to be afraid to dig into my legs and glutes and neck, etc.  And she did so beautifully. And deeply!  I highly recommend El Leon when you need a true escape and you're looking for something less predictable than the average spa escape.  When you crave something more special - this is the place. Great for a pre-Valentines Day dinner. I'm thinking a gift certificate from here is a PERFECT gift. It's also a very romantic couples massage place.  And the spa menu is exotic too.  Yes, they have facials, even waxing and divine hot bath soak things going on (love, love the bathrooms) and the facial area is just as cool, warm, dark and relaxing.  I'm definitely going to go back and try one.  And next time I'm going to hang out for a while after my treatment and just chill with their offerings of tea, fruit and dried dates in my robe and pretend I'm somewhere far far away...

It's no wonder it's received rave reviews in ALLURE, IN STYLE, LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE, YOGI TIMES AND DAILY CANDY.

Check out their services and pictures and press here: 

EL LEON WEBSITE

8217 Beverly Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90048-4530 (323) 782-9582

   

MURAD INCLUSIVE HEALTH SPA - AN OASIS!!

All I can say is, WOW, WHO KNEW?!!  There's a mecca people and it's simply a straight shot down LA Cienega and a quick hop on the 405 South.

And BOOM, there you are at the MURAD INCLUSIVE HEALTH SPA.

First of all the place is absolutely GORGEOUS, the treatment rooms and tables are divine. And oh, those blankets!  Why is it that some spas have such better bedding than any 5 star hotel?  Seriously, forget sending me home with products, just give me that comforter!

Their TREATMENT MENU  is delectable and the prices are very fair. And you really get your $$$ worth. The estheticians are top notch and of course Dr. Murad trained and approved.  And the products are Murad, so enough said in that department.  

I had the IP5 FACIAL, one of their signature facials, 75 minutes of pure bliss performed by the amazing SANDY JENKINS, an esthetcian for 14 years and it showed.  She was incredibly skilled and knowledgeable not to mention she gave a wicked massage of my shoulders, neck, arms and hands which were dipped in a delightful warm paraffin treatment and toasted up with heated mittens.  One of those situations where you're totally depressed when it ends. Make sure you get there early so you can enjoy the lovely changing room and poke around the shop which is stocked with lots of Murad and non-Murad goodies.   

The treatments I'm already thinking about for after baby is born are the ONESEN TREATMENTS -

A unique combination of clay mud masks - Deep-Sea Algae, Sedona and French Red, Dead Sea, and Chamomile - are liberally massaged onto the body. A blanket envelops you as the nutrients and antioxidants work on the skin to detoxify, hydrate and heal. Upon removal of the clays, soak away stress in a serene Japanese Onsen Tub. Your restoration is complete with a Murad Signature Massage.

I was sent home with some products I can't wait to implement into my routine: 

RENEWING CLEANSING CREAM

INTENSIVE RESURFACING PEEL WITH DURIAN CELL REFORM

   

INTENSIVE WRINKLE REDUCER

 ESSENTIAL C NIGHT MOISTURE

 PERFECTING DAY CREAM

HERE'S THE GREAT FACIAL I GOT.  ASK FOR SANDY!!  

IP⁵ Illuminating Peel

The most powerful spa treatment on our menu offers the benefits of Murad's most advanced anti-aging ingredients. IP5 Illuminating Peel features five high performance exfoliators and brighteners to rapidly resurface your skin while vital cell stimulating Immuno-Skin ComplexT helps "vaccinate" skin against age-related degradation. Includes an instant eye-lift rich in Hyaluronic microspheres that super-hydrate skin and plump deep wrinkles. This concentrated formula is proven to increase skin firmness by up to 75% in just 15 minutes! Skin will be enriched with natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatories blended with superior humectants in the Cooling Recovery Mask to hydrate, rebalance and protect aging skin. This exclusive professional treatment smoothes away lines and wrinkles, while renewing skin clarity, brightness and youthfulness.

65-minute: $175
50-minute: $140

I also hear they give an AMAZING pregnancy massage which I'm running to.  Any chance to get back to this delicious oasis!

2141 Rosecrans Ave
First Floor Courtyard

El Segundo, CA 90245

(888) 687-2352

www.muradspa.com

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Hours:

Mon. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Tue-Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Sat-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.