Wanderlista

With thousands of day spas in New York, it’s hard to make a decision on where to get something very basic: the facial. You have super high-end gorgeous spots that feel like an oasis in the city, and some super common, inexpensive joints that just get the job done. Question is: who do you trust your face with? What I’ve found is that it’s rarely the spa that I fall in love with, but actually the aesthetician.

I had been going to La Peau day spa on Lafayette for authentic Chinese foot massage for many years, and finally bought their membership over a year ago which enables me to countless facials throughout the year for an amazing price (go in and chat with them to customize your membership package rate; trust me, it’s a fantastic deal). Fanny is my aesthetician there and I’m quite obsessed with her. She has an amazing disposition (quite funny, too), and I always leave super fresh-faced, and don’t even think about applying a stitch of make-up. La Peau is a bit more posh that a typical Chinatown Spa (well, it’s in SoHo) and features 3,000 square feet with 15 private rooms. The staff is lovely and attentive. The treatment room area can get quite busy, but it’s relaxing enough to get the job done. Fanny includes a thorough facial cleansing, her signature facial massage, steam and extractions as needed, and a choice of masks [some carry an add-on price, but the collagen is so worth it!] – she will pluck your brows for you too. There are loads of other add-ons, such as a Diamond Peel, LED light therapy, and loads of fab others. It’s a great way to try new facial treatments without a huge commitment. I usually book an hour foot massage ($29) to indulge a bit while I’m getting my face tended to…this is serious Chinese reflexology, so be prepared. Call La Peau and become one of Fannys regulars. 

I met Allison Tray, the owner of Tres Belle via email through a women’s network and, given her stellar reputation for amazing facials [her spa has one “best of” almost everything], I booked a treatment. Now, anyone that knows me knows that I’ve been to Brooklyn twice: once with a friend to visit IKEA (we took car service) and another time when my senior director at AMPR Erika dragged me to some new dining hotspot in Williamsburg. So this was trip # 3 and I’m not embarrassed about admitting that at all; I’m an island girl at heart. 

I cabbed it over to BK’s version of Bond Street and walked into Tres Belle. I was super-impressed that they offer totally vegan treatments if you wish. They use a few lines, but for those Allison was there to meet me and I was whisked into the treatment room. Yoshie, her aesthetician began the treatment. Yoshie’s hands are magic! She was extensively trained in Japan in the art of facial massage for lifting. She continued her education here in the U.S. and has built an extremely loyal following, including many local celebs. The treatment was long and lovely and relaxing. She finished with Skinceuticals Hydrating Gel B5 for my eyes and SkinCeuticals Emollience on my face. I left here fresh, lifted and with a surprising new product, Thayer’s, alcohol-free Rose witch hazel. Love this as a toner!

Lisa Vela is the wax queen. Hands-down, period. End of discussion. I could write nothing else and this fabulous gorgeous girl should be booked up for a lifetime, but it wasn’t until I had one of her facials that I feel even more in love, and now consider her a facial queen as well. 

First of all, this luxe Korean skincare line’s spa in SoHo is somewhere I long to go, even if it’s for a routine eyebrow wax. Once you step off of bustling, touristy Spring Street, you’re catapulted to serene, sublime spa-land. The three treatment rooms here are all round (so I like to call Lisa’s room her “spa womb”). It’s just something about the round space really relaxes me. I will go weekly just for brow touch-ups because I am so in love with this room (and Lisa!). On my last visit, I went in before a big long-haul trip (I think I was heading to Shanghai), and Lisa said, “Have a facial today!” I had the time (and hadn’t had one with her before), so committed to the next 90 minutes of total bliss. Well, I feel asleep. This girl’s hands are beyond and the Amore Pacific products really produce. From antioxidant-rich green tea and Korean ginseng to nutrient-rich bamboo sap, they have amazing hydrating capabilities. The result? Super amazing skin, again, not an ounce of make-up needed. #ilovelisa