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Local Luxury: Top Luxury Day Spas in San Francisco, CA

Filed under: Spas

San Francisco has always done things its own way. Whether it was entertainment or politics, San Francisco always puts its own spin on things. The luxury day spas in San Francisco are no different. San Francisco's best luxury day spas are found off the beaten path and not in the ritzy hotels as one would expect.

International Orange Spa
Address: 2044 Fillmore Street, 2nd Floor (Pacific Heights)
Phone: 415-563-5000
Website: www.internationalorange.com
Hours: Monday thru Friday 11-9; Saturday and Sunday 9-7

Established by three Bay Area women, International Orange adds a twist to the archetypal spa. Customers can attend yoga classes before and after massages, facials and other treatments. The trendy spa offers ingenious services, such as rhythmic sequence of acupressure and holistic face lifts. The beautiful decor of milky white walls and cherry wood floors provides a serene ambiance that reinforces International Orange's therapeutic approach.

Kabuki Springs & Spa
Address: 1750 Geary Boulevard (Japantown)
Phone: 415-922-6000
Website: www.kabukisprings.com
Hours: Open Daily From 10am to 9:45pm

Located in San Francisco's vibrant Japantown, this Japanese paradise releases your inner empress through exotic rice exfoliations and massages. Along with a beautiful Japanese communal bath, customers can enjoy private candlelit baths while sipping on tea. Kabuki's focus is on nurturing harmony within the soul and relaxation through water and touch therapy.

Tags: bodywraps, dayspa, facials, local luxury, luxury, manicure, massages, pedicure, salon, sanfrancisco, spas

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What Your Stylist Won't Tell You

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Services, Spas

Is your hair stylist being completely honest with you? Chances are she's not, as no matter how close the two of you are there are certain things he or she is probably thinking but wouldn't dare say out loud. Here are a few of the most common.

"I can't work miracles. I can give you that celebrity's haircut but I can't give you her face."
"This is a business so although we might be friends please call if you're running late. It's just basic respect."
"Don't ask me to 'squeeze you in' when I'm already booked. It would mean rushing through or taking time away from others and that's bad for my business and hardly fair to other clients."
"I'm a good listener, not a therapist. I know about hair, not relationship problems and mental disorders."
"Your hair changes with your hormones so if you're pregnant or menopausal it might not hold curls the way it used to or become brittle and limp. Don't blame me, just see a doctor."
"You're lucky children's haircuts don't cost more than yours, and they definitely shouldn't cost less. Kids don't sit still, they kick, and they scream. It isn't easy."
"A dollar doesn't buy anything anymore so you should tip at least $3, more if you have long hair or got a special treatment."
"A trim is never "just" a trim because it takes both my expertise and my time. Would you let your neighbor do it? Or one of your friends even? No? I didn't think so."

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Tags: beauty, beauty-pedia, hair stylist, salon, stylist

Percy & Reed's Breakfast Blow-Dry Club

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Services

Percy & Reed's Breakfast Club is for those days when you really want to start the day off right with a luxurious salon blow dry and a tasty hot breakfast served up together in one convenient, time saving, and utterly pampering package. All you need is an advance appointment and an internet connection so you can place your breakfast order right through their handy dandy online menu. Choices include everything from a simple butter croissant to a smoked salmon and cheese bagel to old-fashioned porridge. Percy & Reed is a small 12-chair salon located in the heart of London's West End and prices for the Breakfast Club start at £25+.

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Relax at the Radisson Blu Resort in Tunisia

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Pack your bags for Tunisia! A new Radisson Blu Resort & Thalasso has opened in Monastir. It's the second Radisson Blu in Tunisia and boasts 280 rooms on beachfront property -- facing the Gulf of Hammamet in the Mediterranean Sea. The resort has 264 guestrooms, 14 junior suites and two senior suites, all equipped with high-speed access (no fee!) and a private balcony or terrace overlooking the pool and sea.

Of course, it's nice to have a comfortable room, but when you really want to unwind, you're looking for the spa. The Radisson Blu in Monastir has a 150,000-square foot facility in the Royal Elyssa Spa Cinq Mondes & Thalasso, with a 48,000-square foot Thal'ion Thalasso center that specializes in restorative treatments using seawater. The spa facilities are set to open early next year and will also have a fitness club and salon. The saunas, hammams and treatment rooms are great, but you'll want to get to the top floor, where you'll find 20 spa suites, many of which will boast private Jacuzzis.

Gallery: Radisson Blu Resort & Thalasso, Monastir, Tunisia

Tags: africa, africa travel, AfricaTravel, hotels, islamic art, IslamicArt, mediterranean, mosque, mosques, north africa, NorthAfrica, resort, resorts, salon, salons, spa, treatment, treatments, tunisia

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Ensuring a Safe Manicure and Pedicure

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Services, Cosmetics and Fragrance

Millions of women (and a few men) visit nail salons regularly to have their nails done. Unfortunately, occasionally the result of having manicures or pedicures is developing nail fungus or bacterial infections that can not only look bad, but also may also feel even worse. A few simple steps before your next salon service can significantly lower your risk of developing a painful nail infection or fungus, or worse, a more serious disease.

Check out the salon for cleanliness and safety precautions. Don't be afraid to ask for a quick tour if you are considering a new salon, or asking the owner or manager of your current salon what steps they take to ensure safety. And take a look around. Does the salon look clean and sanitary? Is the trash container properly bagged and covered? Is the floor clean? Are the manicure tables kept neat and tidy? Is there good light? Look at the disinfectant containers and make sure that they are clear, clean, and free of debris.

Next, check the station where your service will take place. Ask if all instruments are cleaned and disinfected (even better: autoclaved) after each use, and if you need proof, have the technician show you the cleaning area or solution. Does he or she use fresh, clean instruments on each client? Make sure all files, buffers, and anything else that touches you is freshly clean before you allow the technician to begin. Also, the technician should wash his or her hands before and after each client, or wear fresh gloves. Clean towels should be used for every client.

Avoid having your cuticles cut. Cuticles serve a purpose -- they protect the nail bed from allowing infection to enter. If you like how your nails look with them pushed back, ask for cuticle softener, rather than cuticle scissors. After the cuticles are softened, the technician can wipe away, or gently scrape away, the excess with a fresh orangewood stick.

Pedicures can be a bit riskier because of the hot water and tub. Make sure the tub is thoroughly drained, cleaned, and disinfected between clients. The steps where clients typically step with bare feet also should be cleaned and disinfected between clients.

One way to avoid many of these concerns is to buy your own manicure or pedicure kit and bring it with you. Make sure you clean and disinfect your kit after each use, even if you are the only one using it. You also can bring your own nail polish, base coat, and top coat. Remove your old nail polish at home, or bring nail polish remover with you.

The salon and technician should both be licensed by their state governing board, usually the board of cosmetology. The licenses should be clearly displayed.

If sanitary precautions are not being taken at your salon, politely but firmly tell the owner what needs to change and what you expect. Contact your state cosmetology board if you develop a nail infection, fungus, or other condition as a result of visiting a salon, or if you see unsanitary practices.

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