6 L.A. Beauty Destinations for a Game-Changing Transformation
Originally posted: January 4, 2016, Vogue
By: Rachel Marlowe
This weekend, awards season kicks off in Los Angeles with the Golden Globes, taking the already high Hollywood beauty stakes to levels of scrutiny that will challenge even the most accomplished screen siren: Limbs must be toned, skin glowing, makeup artfully applied, and hair flashbulb-ready at all times. Fortunately, a fresh crop of West Coast spas and salons promises to have you covered-whether you’re walking the red carpet or simply devoted to starting off the New Year looking (and feeling) great. Here are six up-and-coming gurus, treatments, and destinations we’ll be booking in the days and months ahead.
1. THE SUPER-FACIALIST: Shani Darden
Darden is the go-to skin pro for perennially camera-ready types like Chrissy Teigen, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and Jessica Alba, who flock to her discreet West Hollywood bungalow for customized facials. The secret to Darden’s no-need-for-makeup results lies in her peels and much-Instagrammed Korean LED light mask, which emits red light to stimulate collagen production, blue light to reduce inflammation, and a third near-infrared light to promote circulation. Don’t leave without her new eponymous four-step skincare line (out this month), including a reformulated version of her cult Retinol Reform serum.
Custom facial, $300; shanidarden.com
2. THE LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE STUDIO: Akin L.A.
What’s the beauty secret that can take you from an overnight flight to a photo call in a matter of minutes? Anna Zahn’s full-body Endermologie treatments, which stimulate the lymphatic system to instantly boost circulation, reduce fluid retention, tone the skin, brighten the whites of the eyes, and impart a supernatural glow. In particularly high demand this time of year, her facial sessions target inflammation and puffiness around the eyes and jaw, and sculpt the natural contours of the face. “It erases the effects of any long nights . . . or even weeks,” says Zahn.
Body and Face Treatment, $195; akinla.com
3. THE BODY ALIGNMENT PRO: Lauren Roxburgh
Forgo the ubiquitous juice cleanse and book a session with body alignment specialist Roxburgh, who can instantly create a longer and leaner silhouette by expertly-although it must be said, not painlessly-manipulating fascia (the connective tissue that wraps around muscle) where it has become dense and tight. “Good posture gives you an elegant neck and slim waist,” says Roxburgh of the lengthening benefits of loosening up chronically stiff areas. “And properly aligned shoulders make your collarbone look more prominent and your arms more sculpted.”
Sessions from $495; laurenroxburgh.com
4. THE NEXT-LEVEL HAIRCUT: Mare Salon
Stylists Mara Roszak and Alex Polillo and colorist Denis De Souza have a collective client roster that reads like a best actress nominee list-think: Alicia Vikander, Carey Mulligan, Felicity Jones, Kate Mara, and Emma Stone-so an appointment with this power trio is a hot ticket for any aspiring starlet prepping for the red carpet. They’re known collectively for their effortless yet polished cuts and super-subtle take on sun-kissed highlights, and their new salon, opening just in time for the Academy Awards next month, is housed in a chic bungalow on the Beverly Hills-West Hollywood border, complete with a magical garden and killer coffee bar.
Cuts from $200, color from $250; maresalon.com
5. THE DETOX MASSAGE: Tomoko Spa
Forget dinner and a movie-A-list couples do date night in one of the four private treatment suites of this under-the-radar Beverly Hills spa. The Japanese Couples Experience kicks off with a traditional Ashiyu foot soak, followed by a purifying Ofuro bath in a cypress tub and an 80-minute signature massage that combines Swedish and Japanese techniques. Afterward, couples can throw on kimonos and linger over green tea, mochi cakes, and sushi from the local cult eatery, Sugarfish. “It’s like going to Japan for the night,” says owner Tomoko Kurono-albeit minus the jet lag.
The Japanese Experience, $830; tomokospa.com
6. THE HOUSE-CALL MANICURE: Jaunt Beauty Co.
This mobile nail lounge service, housed in a vintage 1974 Brazilian VW Kombi bus, embodies California surf culture with its beachy aesthetic, but the services have a distinctly French flair. That’s because Ashlie Johnson, Chanel‘s official celebrity manicurist, is behind the wheel of this operation, which was inspired by the on-set appointments she executed in each client’s trailer. Johnson, who works with actresses such as Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington, and Emilia Clarke, offers a full range of manicures and pedicures at the location of one’s choice. Her current favorite shade? Chanel’s Terrana, a metallic plum that she promises will work with any dress, anywhere.
Email info@jauntbeautyco.com for services and pricing; jauntbeautyco.com
For the original story, please visit Vogue.