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"Los Angeles Body Treatments\\nOcean Rose Body Wrap, $130\\\\.\\n\\n8440 W. Sunset Blvd.\\n\\n310-273-3350\\n\\n\\n\\nWe used to think \\\"flower power\\\" was little more than tie-dye and peace signs. This rose wrap made us think again. Pulverized olive pits and rose petals first rid us of bumps and flakes, priming our skin for the rose body cream and snug linen wrap. As our therapist stroked our soles, we wondered, Is it too late to become a flower child?\\nOne hour, $80 and up.\\n\\nBy appointment\\n\\n323-493-5500\\n\\n\\n\\nRol\u00F3n never puts clients\u2014including high-powered entertainment execs\u2014through the same paces twice. He mixes spinning, weight training, and boxing with beach runs.\\nBath only, $40; treatments, $95 and up.\\n\\n1422 2nd St., ground level, Santa Monica\\n\\n310-899-6222\\n\\n\\n\\nThe design of this brand-new spa is based on the Roman Baths\u2014two levels for swimming; six giant jacuzzis; a steam room; a sauna; rooms for facials, massage, and wet treatments; two caf\u00E9s; a conference room; and an atrium. It's made for group relaxation, so bring friends.\\nPhilip B. ScrubWrap, $250\\\\.\\n\\n8358 Sunset Blvd.\\n\\n310-623-9000\\n\\n\\n\\nWe're hardly shrinking violets, but in terms of stripping down in front of men, we're bashful. So when we heard that \\\"Lee\\\" would be our therapist, we gave a silent prayer that he was a she. No such luck. But after prepping our bath and administering a \\\"ScrubWrap\\\" and foot and scalp massage, we marveled at our glistening skin and how maybe, we aren't so shy after all.\\nBody Scrub, 40 minutes, $35; spa entrance fee for nonmembers, $20\\\\.\\n\\n3680 Wilshire Blvd.\\n\\n213-387-0111\\n\\n\\n\\nWe consider ourselves body-treatment veterans, but we have to admit a twinge of shyness when our therapist, Miss Kim, brought us to a room with not one but three tables\u2014two of which were already occupied by other women in various stages of scrub. We lay under a towel as Miss Kim alternately rubbed our skin with a rough sponge and doused us with hot water. She spoke limited English, so communication consisted of emphatic gestures\u2014as we rolled off the table with newly soft skin, we gave her two enthusiastic thumbs up.\\nMihaela Corcoz\\n\\nBikini wax, $25 and up.\\n\\n230 South Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills\\n\\n310-360-6300\\n\\n\\n\\nThe giggly Mihaela Corcoz won't disclose her celebrity clients, but she will give you one of the best bikini waxes in town. Her more natural-looking shape is \\\"clean all the way, but more feminine. I was looking at old paintings in Italy, and I said to myself, 'That's how it's supposed to look!'\\\" she says with a laugh.\\nClass, $16; private hour-long session, $65 to $75\\\\.\\n\\n8599 Santa Monica Blvd.\\n\\n310-659-2211\\n\\n\\n\\nSpinning instructor Janet Fitzgerald recently opened this fitness studio for those who want to work out in a serene, totally ungymlike Japanese setting, complete with waterfalls and bamboo ceilings. See high-powered movie-studio execs work on their yoga poses with Tom Morely, spin with Fitzgerald, or train one-on-one with John Terlingo.\\nMassage, $80 per hour.\\n\\n323-850-5489\\n\\n\\n\\nMany a tense jet-setter has called Parks from the air to schedule a deep-tissue massage for right after landing at LAX. Parks spent her first seven years working on patients in a physical-therapy clinic, so she's no stranger to bad backs. \\\"I give a meat-and-potatoes massage,\\\" she says humbly of her home visits\u2014and it's one that many athletes and showbiz people are hungry for.\\n$60\\n\\n204 Bicknell Ave.\\n\\n310-450-3075\\n\\n\\n\\nMocha-colored skin lasts for ten days. The chocolate-bar parting gift is just as sweet.\\nBronzing\\n\\n$55\\\\.\\n\\n204 Bicknell Ave.\\n\\n310-450-3075\\n\\n\\n\\nPlenty of women say they're chocolate addicts. After our experience at Chocolate Sun, we are, too. Determined to avoid the dreaded \\\"O\\\" word (orange), owner Susie Hatton developed a universally flattering tanning formula, one laced with aloe, grape-seed oil, and antioxidants. Clients can also add a fragrant essential oil to the spray. Nice, but we care more about the results. The bronze made our teeth look whiter, our eyes bluer, and even our muscles more defined. Hatton guarantees, \\\"This is the only chocolate that can make you feel thinner.\\\"\\nMagic Tan, $25\\\\.\\n\\n443 1/2 S. Robertson Blvd.\\n\\n310-858-0031\\n\\n\\n\\nMost tanning salons exude a Club Med vibe. So this hair salon filled with real, lush plants is a welcome reprieve. We stepped into the booth, where two dozen spray nozzles misted us for 30 seconds. And when we emerged, we had a French Riviera\u2013worthy glow\u2014so we booked a Brigitte Bardot blowout.\\nCarolyn\\n\\n$150 and up.\\n\\n74 N. Fair Oak Ave.\\n\\n626-396-3030\\n\\n\\n\\nHer hands rely on instinct rather than routine.\\nWaxing\\n\\nBikini wax, $25\\\\.\\n\\n14562 Ventura Blvd.\\n\\n818-906-8225\\n\\n\\n\\nHer many styles of bikini wax are all \\\"as brief and painless as possible,\\\" says Good Day Live's Jillian Barberie.\\nBrazilian wax, $45\\\\.\\n\\n449 N. Canon Dr.\\n\\n310-278-7565\\n\\n\\n\\nOur lingerie drawer is overflowing with luxurious underthings, but it had been way too long since they saw the light of day (or night). To bust out of this rut, we sought Perey, a veteran waxer (and former midwife) with the hallmark efficiency of her midcentury Russian upbringing. She painted on wax the color of ballpark mustard, then removed it so fast that any pain was truly fleeting. Her handiwork was a sight to behold: a narrow landing strip yielding to velvet-soft skin and total bareness just where we wanted it. The result: Our favorite silk undies have returned to heavy rotation.\\nFaith Valentine\\n\\nBikini wax, $30\\\\.\\n\\n22467 Pacific Coast Highway\\n\\n310-456-6405\\n\\n\\n\\nWhen a reliable friend promised that Valentine's bikini wax was almost pleasant, we found ourselves standing pants-less in her seaside Malibu cottage. Valentine dusted powder on our bikini line before every single rip, and applied an herbal lotion afterward \\\"to soothe redness.\\\" While it still hurt considerably, Valentine's mother-hen manner took out some of the sting. And instead of our usual raw post-wax skin, we were so surprisingly swimsuit ready that we considered taking a dip before heading back down the coast.\\n$90\\\\.\\n\\n440 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills\\n\\n310-777-8700\\n\\n\\n\\nWe'd heard good things about those newfangled self-tanning booths, but we prefer a little pampering with our bottled bronzer. From the first step of Fekkai's Le Soleil du Midi treatment\u2014a shea-butter body scrub on a heated table\u2014we felt utterly spoiled. Aesthetician Catherine Weiss rubbed us with body cream (concentrating on drier areas like our elbows, which can grab color unevenly), smoothed on shea-butter\u2013scented self-tanner, and let it dry before moving on. We didn't want to move on, warmed by both the table and the hands-on attention. But the real payoff came six hours later when, without a trace of odor, our limbs turned a rich caramel that lasted for seven full days.\\nBack facial, $50\\\\.\\n\\n420 Broadway, Santa Monica CA\\n\\n310-451-5155\\n\\n\\n\\nLack of \\\"bacne\\\" in the movies is not the work of airbrushing alone. The back facial at Fred Segal provides some fairly famous actresses with deep cleaning in hard-to-reach places.\\nKristen Lee Rawson\\n\\nOne hour, $125\\\\.\\n\\n420 Broadway\\n\\n310-451-5155\\n\\n\\n\\nStrong enough for a man (Michael Douglas) but gentle enough for a woman (Lili Taylor), Rawson uses what she calls \\\"good old-fashioned elbow grease.\\\" We call it scented Carita lotion and a buffet of massage styles. Starting with craniosacral therapy at the base of the skull, she used Swedish strokes on our arms, sports massage on our legs, and reflexology on our feet. When she finished with our right side, it felt inches longer than our left, which was still crabbed and tense. \\\"The muscle tissue speaks to me,\\\" she says. \\\"And I speak to it.\\\" New Agey, but ours got the message.\\nMassage, $100 and up.\\n\\n1819 Ocean Ave.\\n\\n310-451-8711\\n\\n\\n\\nThe Aromatherapy Massage is even more decadent when served up in-room or poolside, or tucked under a cabana. Locals can bring the pampering home with the spa's at-your-door Mobile Services.\\nOne hour, $100 and up.\\n\\n310-393-9497\\n\\n\\n\\nWhen a trusted friend gave us the number of her \\\"intuitive masseuse\\\" who makes house calls, we dialed faster than we could say \\\"Shiatsu.\\\" A long run had aggravated our sciatic nerve, and we wanted to test Snyder's claim that she can sense a client's sore spots as early as the night before a session. To our surprise, she zeroed in on our lower back\u2014without a word from us. \\\"When you get the Chi flowing in the trigger area, you'll experience relief in related areas,\\\" she explained as she stimulated a pressure point in our hip to release tension from our neck and shoulders. Interesting philosophy, but it was Snyder's firm hands and Swedish, Shiatsu, and reflexology techniques that convinced us. When the hour was up, we could almost feel the Chi flowing.\\nSelf-tanning, $50 and up\\n\\n9867 S. Santa Monica Blvd.\\n\\n310-553-6500\\n\\nThe last time we received an airbrush tan, the awkward poses it involved reminded us of a sober game of naked Twister. This time, our technician made it easier with more modest positions, a warmer room, and speed (we were done in under ten minutes). From a menu of shades we chose a colorless solution that darkens after about eight hours. We only wish the result was as remarkable as the service; after a full day, we could hardly see a difference. Next time, we'll choose a deeper color.\\nSuk W. Hahm\\n\\nFifty-five-minute massage, $75\\n\\n8474 W. Third St.\\n\\n323-966-4141\\n\\n\\n\\nWhile the mini-mall location doesn't make for the most glamorous spa experience, that hasn't stopped actresses Julia Roberts and Pen\u00E9lope Cruz from seeking Hahm's healing touch. \\\"People come before big auditions to improve their energy,\\\" he says. Blind since the age of 12, Hahm has practiced the art of Shiatsu for 26 years. Though we consider ourselves jaded veterans of massage, his combination of Shiatsu and reflexology relieved our overwrought muscles and relaxed our stressed psyche. We left with renewed energy\u2014and a second massage appointment.\\nDaneen\\n\\nMassage, $150 and up.\\n\\n7953 Hollywood Blvd., Westwood, CA\\n\\n323-969-8135\\n\\n\\n\\nOffers top-notch kneading for Hollywood's A-list.\\nSelf-tanning, $75\\n\\n224 N. Rodeo Dr.\\n\\n310-278-7646\\n\\nWe're committed to healthy skin, so baking on the beach or on a UV bed is out. Instead, we've made the spray-tanning booth a regular part of our beauty program. But this was our first experience with a tanning technician. She sized up our fair complexion and told us she wanted to spray our legs and abdomen with a darker hue\u2014to create a slimming effect. While artificial body contouring sounded a little too body-building competition for us, we decided to give it a shot. From the chest up our tan developed beautifully, possibly the best we've had, but after a few days, the color on our lower body had become mottled. We'll surely return for the personal attention, but next time we'll go with our gut and stick with a lighter, evenly applied tan.\\nAlison McLea\\n\\nSeventy-five-minute massage, $100\\n\\n310-376-7010\\n\\n\\n\\nSo we expected a little L.A. attitude to accompany our massage. Our soft-spoken masseuse, McLea, welcomed us warmly and asked about problem areas, particularly those that crop up when we're stressed. She combined deep-tissue work and stretching that left us nothing short of enraptured. In a Zenlike haze, we stumbled happily to the dressing room to rinse off the herb-scented oils. And the only attitude we noticed was ours: tremendously improved.\\nAyurvedic Rejuvenation Treatment, $225\\\\.\\n\\n25154 Mulholland Hwy.\\n\\n310-430-8979\\n\\n\\n\\nA bout of insomnia left us cranky, but Kishan Shah insisted he would curb our bitchiness. (OK, so he technically said he would \\\"restore our sense of balance.\\\" Same thing.) After rubbing an organic hot oil onto our skin, Shah plunged into two hours of \\\"marma point therapy\\\" (that's acupressure on 108 points of the body\u2014but it's so relaxing, we lost count after 30). After a face mask and scalp massage, Shah performed a medicated oil ritual called a Shirodhara, to \\\"improve memory, reduce stress, and improve sleep.\\\" We didn't exactly feel smarter\u2014but our skin glistened, our tension was obliterated, and the only thing we lost sleep over was having to wait a month to see Shah again.\\nAirbrush tan, $225\\\\.\\n\\n877-687-8267\\n\\n\\n\\nIt's hard to resist a man bearing flowers. And there was Jimmy Snyder, ringing our doorbell with one hand, clutching an enormous tropical blossom with the other. He also assured us he could turn our Casper-white cast into caramel-colored skin (like famous client Eva Longoria's). After setting up his mobile spa in our teeny bathroom (he came with tarps, ladders, and cases full of airbrushing supplies), Snyder promptly got to work. After nearly an hour of spraying and etching around the abs, we looked every bit the sculpted beach babe. Our tawny skin even gave off a faint whiff of sweet coconut. The flower may have made a great first impression, but the tan sealed the deal.\\nSelf-tanning, $55; $110 and up at home\\n\\n7373 Beverly Blvd.\\n\\n323-931-4442\\n\\nNeat freaks might sneer at the idea of having tanning done at home, but for us, the idea of getting bronzed without leaving our apartment was primo. Enter Juliette Pernes, who works out of Ona Spa in Beverly Hills (for $55) and also travels with her SunFX solution\u2014touted to be free of alcohol and perfumes. As we stood in our shower, she misted us from face to feet, then wiped our hands and nails with one of our own body lotions to prevent staining. (Still, our soles turned a bit dark.) But our skin did feel instantly dewy, and by day's end, we had the perfect California glow.\\nJenny Ferrera\\n\\nWaxing, $35 and up.\\n\\n1230 Montana Ave.\\n\\n310-899-1923\\n\\n\\n\\nAlways stripless and nearly painless.\\n$155 and up.\\n\\n2151 Ave. of the Stars\\n\\n310-552-0425\\n\\n\\n\\nNo more shuffling from room to room. Every treatment (we recommend the Perfect Peace, a minifacial, massage, and Vichy shower treat) is perfectly executed in a private villa, replete with Infinity soaking tubs and terrace.\\nKimberly Watlet\\n\\nBrazilian wax, $35\\\\.\\n\\n8428 Melrose Pl.\\n\\n323-655-7546\\n\\n\\n\\nAt this opulent spa, the 14-foot ceilings are swathed in silk drapes and the aestheticians speak in hushed tones. Watlet prepped us with a moisturizer enriched with hyaluronic acid and silicone, \\\"to prevent wax from sticking to the skin.\\\" We barely had time to flinch when the azulene wax came off. And we left feeling as soft as the satin quilted tables.\\nLandon Ryan\\n\\nBora Bora Scrub, $105\\\\.\\n\\n656 N. Robertson Blvd.\\n\\n310-657-9188\\n\\n\\n\\nIn most body treatments, the service gets top billing, not the aesthetician. But at the hands of Landon Ryan, the Bora Bora Scrub could have been renamed the Boise, Idaho Scrub, and we'd be the first in line. The strapping therapist smoothed warm brown sugar mixed with sandalwood and mandarin oils over our limbs, stomach, and back\u2014all the while explaining why he likes to use long, connecting strokes. \\\"I was trained with a blindfold, which forced me to see with my hands,\\\" he said. \\\"My hands follow your contours and the body feels more fluid.\\\" (Not to mention weak-kneed from lust.) After an hour of sweet torture, we were almost relieved to cool ourselves down under the Vichy cascade. We emerged with baby-soft skin and a schoolgirl crush.\\nKrista Gardner\\n\\nOne-hour Tree of Mauritius Massage, $95\\n\\n331 N. Larchmont Blvd.\\n\\n323-466-1028\\n\\n\\n\\nA fake tree from a Hollywood movie set stood dead center in our room at La Petite Retreat Day Spa\u2014but more on that later... We'd booked the spa's Tree of Mauritius Massage, a deep-tissue rub favored by Brooke Shields, because prissy strokes don't do a thing for our knot-riddled shoulders. Masseuse Gardner, one of the spa's four therapists, attacked our tight neck with \\\"cross fiber\\\" moves against the grain of the muscle. She then worked her way down our back with intense acupressure. When we accepted Gardner's offer of an optional \\\"foot Shiatsu,\\\" she climbed onto our massage table. Leaning on the plastic branches of the fake tree for balance, she walked along our back. Gardner only weighed about 100 pounds, but when she leapt off, our shoulders felt far, far lighter.\\nBrazilian bikini wax, $45\\\\.\\n\\n(by appointment only)\\n\\n818-981-6064\\n\\n\\n\\nBaywatch girls fight for space in Addario's appointment book. Her secret appears to be speed and an imported azulene wax, which she claims is so gentle, it can be used on very sensitive skin.\\nNinety minutes, $150\\\\.\\n\\nBy appointment\\n\\n310-829-9414\\n\\n\\n\\nBregman \\\"can intuitively find and work out that one knot,\\\" says L.A. yoga instructor Seane Corn.\\nConsultation, $195\\\\.\\n\\n1157 South Robertson Blvd.\\n\\n310-858-8886\\n\\n\\n\\nWith over 15 years in business, this feng shui\u2013designed health center is the old guard of new age. Their approach is gentle and holistic, with treatments ranging from homeopathy to nutritional counseling to the neuro-emotional technique that fans say clears emotional issues that may be stuck in the body.\\nLulur Body Treatment\\n\\n$145\\n\\n642 1-2 North Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood, CA\\n\\n310-659-4100\\n\\n\\n\\nA Buddha sits at the door of this tiny day spa, which takes its name from a beauty ceremony for Indonesian brides-to-be. Our aesthetician, Maria Thomas, rubbed away dead skin with a grainy tumeric-and-rice mixture and removed the yellow stain with full-fat yogurt. After soaping us with jasmine oil, she began a deep, 35-minute massage using jasmine-frangipani lotion. Stripped of our itchy winter skin, we left with a body so smooth it gleamed. Too bad the only aisle we'd be walking down that night was at the supermarket.\\nIntensive Hydrating Body Drench, $165\\\\.\\n\\n642\u00BD N. Robertson Blvd.\\n\\n 310-659-4100\\n\\n\\n\\nMango-butter exfoliation, a Vichy shower, and grape-seed-oil massage indulge thirsty skin and achy joints.\\nCraig Ingutti\\n\\n$95 and up.\\n\\n11461 Sunset Blvd.\\n\\n310-691-7550\\n\\n\\n\\nHollywood may be hung up on looks, but Luxe wants to get in touch with what's inside\u2014namely, our sorely neglected muscles. We were led down a dark and narrow hallway to an even darker and smaller room\u2014and that's when Luxe began to live up to its cushy name. For two hours, we were rubbed, stretched, and pummeled using Thai, Swedish, deep tissue, and sports massage. Ingutti stroked each limb and, with a warm towel cradling our neck, finished us off with a head, scalp, and earlobe massage. Yes, inner beauty is really all that matters.\\nBrazilian wax, $35\\\\.\\n\\n9399 Wilshire Blvd.\\n\\n310-858-7217\\n\\n\\n\\nWhen we confessed it had been three months since our last Brazilian, Banen assured us that she's \\\"seen it all.\\\" The 20-year vet turned up the lite FM and got to work, tugging off sections of wax while masterfully holding down our skin. We'd rate it as one of the most comfortable waxes ever, and her prices are painless. \\\"Women shouldn't have to go broke to feel good,\\\" she said. \\\"I help women feel more free.\\\" With that we sat up, glanced down, and felt (and looked) liberated.\\nNinety minutes, $145\\\\.\\n\\nBy appointment\\n\\n877-6-SHAMAN\\n\\n\\n\\nPlotkin uses aromatherapy massage, stretching, and Rolfing on clients like Pamela Anderson.\\nSea Salt Super Scrub\\n\\n$115\\n\\n2141 Rosencrans Ave.\\n\\n310-726-0470\\n\\n\\n\\nMurad Spa's decor is disappointingly corporate, but that hasn't stopped A-list actresses like Calista Flockhart from booking appointments. Aesthetician Peg Mitchell smoothed on sesame oil before buffing us vigorously with a Dead Sea-salt paste. The Vichy shower, which allows you to rinse off as you lie down, felt like bathing beneath a tropical waterfall. By the time Mitchell finished glossing our skin with lotion, the Murad offices looked to us like an exclusive resort in Costa Rica.\\nGroup class, $20\\\\.\\n\\n8242 West 3rd St.\\n\\n323-653-1981\\n\\n\\n\\nActresses like The Matrix's Carrie-Anne Moss come for the panoramic view of Los Angeles and, of course, the powerhouse workout.\\nBrazilian Bikini Wax, $65\\n\\n330 N. LaPeer Dr.\\n\\n310-276-2722\\n\\n\\n\\nHaving put off the appointment for as long as possible, we booked a session with Nance Mitchell, waxer to the rich and fabulous. Her upscale clients love her for her up-front, uninhibited style, which she displayed to us when she skipped the delicate euphemisms and went straight to the P-word when asking us what we wanted (a Brazilian). Before we knew it, we were on all fours. When our own salty expletives slipped out after a particularly tough rip, Mitchell wasn't fazed in the least, keeping us calm throughout what's normally an embarrassing experience. Nothing fancy, just a job well done.\\n5-Step Body Treatment, 75 minutes, $120\\\\.\\n\\n8622A W. Sunset Blvd.\\n\\n310-854-7700\\n\\n\\n\\nWhen Charlize Theron and Ren\u00E9e Zellweger crave pampering but can't spend all day at the spa, they come to Ole Henriksen for the 5-Step Body Treatment, \\\"a little of everything in an hour and 15 minutes,\\\" according to aesthetician Jodi Barmash. Our session began with hand and foot reflexology, followed by a shoulder-and-scalp massage. After a thorough mineral scrub, Barmash smoothed a creamy body mask from our neck to our toes and left us dozing in a cocoon of Mylar. We emerged with glowing skin...and a much more mellow attitude toward the traffic on Sunset.\\nOleg Bouimer\\n\\n$140 and up for house calls.\\n\\n310-592-6144\\n\\n\\n\\nModels melt under his hands.\\nOleg Bouimer\\n\\n$240 and up.\\n\\n7326 Sausalito Ave.\\n\\n310-592-6144\\n\\n\\n\\nHis Swedish is sweet release.\\nBronzing\\n\\n$55\\\\.\\n\\n7373 Beverly Blvd.\\n\\n323-931-4442\\n\\n\\n\\nWe thought we might be seeing things when we entered this Balinese-style spa. After being escorted past stone Buddha carvings and miniature lily ponds, we were led to a sterile shower stall, one with a long plastic hose snaking out of the tiles. The technician plugged a canister of SunFX bronzing solution into the tube and directed the spray over our entire body, even artfully contouring our hips and thighs with extra bronzer. Our skin felt instantly dewy, and we looked at least ten pounds thinner. Now that's one optical illusion we can happily get behind.\\nWaxing, $10 and up; facials, $60 to $100\\\\.\\n\\n11640 San Vicente Blvd.\\n\\n310-207-2443\\n\\n\\n\\nA local favorite, this three-year-old skin-and-body-care salon attracts actors and models for its honey waxing and reasonably priced glycolic facials using Oloff, Thalgo, and Murad products.\\nSouth Seas Thalasso Hydrotherapy Bath, $55\\\\.\\n\\n21500 Pacific Coast Hwy.\\n\\n714-845-4772\\n\\n\\n\\nHydrotherapy spa services always struck us as a scam: Lead the client to a glorified bath, switch on a bunch of jets, and call it a body treatment. But at this 20,000-square-foot spa, the staff believes in nature (using only purified seawater from the Pacific) and nurture (waiting on you hand and foot). After playing Goldilocks with the three jet buttons along the bubbling oval tub, we nibbled on juicy strawberries and fresh orange slices. To sweeten the pot, our attendant mixed and matched decantered bath oils (grapefruit, lavender, ocean rain, and vanilla orange) and let us steep in peace. In less than 15 minutes, our muscles eased and our body tingled. Using a Hindu brass bell, we summoned the attendant, who helped us to our feet and enrobed us in a Creamsicle-scented body lotion. Finally, a treatment worth its weight in water.\\nSelf-tanning, $39; second visit is free.\\n\\n9431 Little Santa Monica Blvd.\\n\\n310-276-8855\\n\\n\\n\\nFor years, we clung to our spray-tan virginity for fear that it would look garish against our light eyes and hair. We finally gave in when we heard that naturally fair-skinned beauties like Mandy Moore were regulars here. But before we could bronze, we had to endure a battery of drill-sergeant instructions from the receptionist: Apply nail barrier cream; place cotton in ears; close eyes but don't scrunch up face. (\\\"The first time is always the hardest,\\\" chimed in another client.) We were then led to a private shower where 40 spray heads misted us with MagicTan bronzing solution in under a minute. As we basked in the golden afterglow, our only regret was that we hadn't done it sooner.\\nDaniela Perez\\n\\nBrazilian Wax, $55\\n\\n9431 Little Santa Monica Blvd.\\n\\n310-276-8855\\n\\n\\n\\nWe're generally a bit wary of unconventional waxing techniques. But we trusted Brazilian-born Perez\u2014who, instead of wax, uses honey that she cooks into a thick glue. The honey, she explained, adheres only to the hair, rather than the skin, reducing the pain. We were sold. We've never experienced such a comfortable, quick hair removal\u2014we were finished in 20 minutes. Sweet!\\nBikini wax, $35 and up.\\n\\n414 Camden Dr.\\n\\n310-278-8333\\n\\n\\n\\nWith bathing-suit season looming and our bikini line rivaling King Kong's hairiness, we took the advice of a pool-ready friend and booked an appointment with Rimma. After 40 years in the business, 17 at MichaelJohn alone, her genuine cheerfulness was impressive, as was the fact that she refrained from issuing the standard scolding when she saw we'd gone to war with an ingrown. She finished with a brush of seaweed oil to calm any postwax inflammation, and sent us off to go swimsuit shopping, way more sexy than savage.\\nRobert Scott\\n\\n$120 and up per hour.\\n\\n323-656-5975\\n\\n\\n\\nKneads Monet Mazur and Alicia Silverstone.\\nHerbology Body Retexturizing, $150\\\\.\\n\\n300 N. Crescent Heights Blvd.\\n\\n 323-658-7546\\n\\n\\n\\nWe prefer our spa experiences like our sense of humor: on the dry side. Mercifully, this treatment demanded no showers between unguents. Instead, the therapist layered and removed each element\u2014citrus massage oil, Chinese herbs, and citrus-and-ginger-scented lotion. At the end, we slid into our clothes, our skin perfectly buffed and our blowout intact.\\nMichelle Caravello\\n\\nSelf-tanning, $190\\\\.\\n\\n17401 Ventura Blvd.\\n\\n818-995-3888\\n\\n\\n\\nWe'd heard of three-hour spa packages before, but one treatment spread out over three days surely sets some kind of record. Skin Spa's self-tanner application requires the patience of a perfectionist and the free time of a kept woman. Aesthetician Caravello began the initial session by buffing dry patches with a scrub and wrapping our moisturized body in a blanket. After a waterfall shower, we stood while Caravello sprayed us with Phytomer's Self Tanner. The next afternoon, we were in and out in 30 minutes for another misting of tanner. And on the third day, Caravello evened out our color with a tinted tanning cream by Phytomer. She sent us on our way with results that lasted so long (ten days), we could almost justify the time\u2014and money\u2014spent.\\n$200\\\\.\\n\\n17401 Ventura Blvd.\\n\\n818-995-3888\\n\\n\\n\\nThe Spa Soleil Treatment asks a lot (for one, you've got to show up three days in a row). The first session was a blur of exfoliation, thermal wrap, and self-tanner. The next day we lounged under the \\\"Niagara,\\\" a tunnel of water that turns muscles to mush, before another round with the tanning spray. And on day three, we graduated to a tinted self-tanner. Apparently, the treatment that asks a lot also delivers a lot: Our well-basted bronze lasted a month.\\nSoraya Farkhondeh\\n\\nBrazilian wax, $45\\\\.\\n\\n142 S. Linden Dr.\\n\\n310-273-3350\\n\\n\\n\\nWe know plenty of people who work from home, but Farkhondeh is the first waxer. Since we're used to the salon setting, we felt a little apprehensive about entering her apartment in Beverly Hills, but Farkhondeh's reputation (and photos of clients including Daryl Hannah and Brittany Murphy) is richly deserved. She prides herself on thoroughness, so it wasn't the speediest bikini wax ever, but her lemon-and-sugar-based wax (concocted in her own kitchen) delivered a flawless finish that lasted for weeks. Who says you can't go home again? We certainly will.\\nLymphatic Drainage Body Therapy, $135\\\\.\\n\\n415 N. Crescent Dr.\\n\\n310-276-8018\\n\\n\\n\\nWhen we booked the Lymphatic Drainage Body treatment, we knew it was official: We're gluttons for punishment. The owner touted it as an alternative to liposuction, saying it would eliminate toxins and tighten flab. The treatment came in two parts: something they called \\\"Vacuomobilization,\\\" to suction the surface of the thighs and smooth out the skin, and \\\"Pressotherapy,\\\" to tone. While the Vacuomobilization just plain sucked (imagine being pinched repeatedly by big rubber suction cups), the Pressotherapy was surprisingly invigorating: Warm boots tightened around our legs (like a blood-pressure cuff on the arm), and we immediately felt our circulation buzzing. We didn't lose inches (that takes up to five sessions), but our legs looked firmer.\\nClay Wrap, $155\\\\.\\n\\n30801 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach\\n\\n949-715-6873\\n\\n\\n\\nDown-to-earth nourishment with Himalayan clay.\\nSerenity Bath, 30 minutes, $40\\\\.\\n\\nThe Century Plaza Hotel Spa\\n\\n2025 Avenue of the Stars\\n\\n310-551-3251\\n\\n\\n\\nThis sprawling day spa may well be the swankiest in Los Angeles, with Japanese soaking pools where you might catch a glimpse of Jessica Alba or Tori Spelling. Our therapist, Tasha Lee, scoured our body with a scratchy scarf called a goshi-goshi before guiding us into a tub bubbling with powdered seaweed. Lee returned to pat us dry without rinsing, \\\"because the seaweed is detoxifying,\\\" she said. While we can't testify to feeling less toxic, our skin was smoother (though the odor was a little low tide).\\nLisa Miyawaki\\n\\nTraditional Floor Shiatsu Massage, $95\\\\.\\n\\n10220 Constellation Blvd.\\n\\n310-556-2256\\n\\n\\n\\nWith an aching lower back and a curiosity about Shiatsu, we sought out Miyawaki's skillful hands (and feet). She gave us the deepest massage we have ever received. The futon spread across the floor cushioned us as she walked the tightness from our back. Then she used her hands to stretch and rotate our arms and legs and finished with a neck-and-head massage that left us floating. By the time we headed for the sauna, we felt like we'd finished a satisfying workout\u2014and our back pain was a distant memory.\\nCarolyn Garza\\n\\n$110\\\\.\\n\\n1835 Sepulveda Blvd.\\n\\n310-477-8327\\n\\n\\n\\nThis swanky club's Thai Yoga Massage is a hell of a workout. Garza began by stretching our limbs into poses like the modified bow (\\\"Grasp my wrists,\\\" she ordered). Her nimble hands provided traction even through our clothes, as she kneaded our quadriceps, flexed our hamstrings, and \\\"cleaned our scapula\\\" by seeking out the knots in our shoulders and then acupressuring them away. We felt so limber, we didn't need to crash a yoga class\u2014just the whirlpool.\\nTri-Crystal Microdermabrasion Body Scrub and Massage, $160\\\\.\\n\\n9601 Wilshire Blvd.\\n\\n310-888-8150\\n\\n\\n\\nGlowing skin; grateful muscles.\\nYoga Booty Ballet Class, $13\\\\.\\n\\n8250 W. 3rd St.\\n\\n323-782-0741\\n\\n\\n\\nActress Tori Spelling and singer Nikka Costa are among the ranks of beautiful people who tone their backsides at Yoga Booty Ballet, a combination of barre work and power yoga. TV host Cassondra Todd says it's given her the lean muscles of a dancer without requiring a single pirouette.\\nThe Carita Body Treatment, $180\\n\\n1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave.\\n\\nPasadena, CA\\n\\n626-585-6438\\n\\n\\n\\nThis Pasadena spa is located in a carriage house, with a separate exit from the grand hotel. (\\\"In case you feel a little dazed post-treatment and want to bypass the main hotel lobby,\\\" the receptionist explained.) We didn't give it that much thought and simply headed to the treatment room, where our limbs, back, and d\u00E9colletage were rubbed with a black paste chock-full of crushed sunflower seeds and thyme, clove, and lemon oils. Our aesthetician's lightning-quick strokes warmed our skin, and the tapenade crumbled (along with our dead-skin cells) into a powder that fell to the floor. After a quick rinse, we were massaged with Carita's rose-oil moisturizer. Our skin looked impossibly dewy, but the sleep-inducing head massage left our hair tangled and our eyes glazed with bliss. It was then that we took the receptionist up on her tip.\\nZsuzsa Milan\\n\\nTahitian Milk Bath and Massage, $120\\\\.\\n\\n449 N. Canon Dr.\\n\\n310-278-7565\\n\\n\\n\\nOur strong, silent massage therapist seemed type-cast. She poured white cream into a tub and rubbed the kinks out of our neck and shoulders while underwater jets melted the knots from below. Afterward, we lay on a heated massage table as her thumbs acupressured away the soreness from a yoga class. Milan may have looked familiar, but this delightful treatment truly broke the mold.\\nSelf-tanning, $90\\\\.\\n\\n23945 Calabasas Rd.\\n\\n818-225-2000\\n\\n\\n\\nThe owners of this spa met on a Thursday and found the perfect space for it on a Thursday as well. \\\"Fate,\\\" the chirpy receptionist told us. We're too cynical to believe that, so we booked our bronzing treatment for a Friday. Our iciness melted away once we stepped inside this haven, designed in gold and buttery cream. After being massaged and exfoliated with a polish, we were buffed and mitted for an even coating and slathered for more than 40 minutes with St. Tropez Auto Bronzant, so the bottled color would \\\"bond\\\" to us. Our lily-white skin took on the tawny look of the salon's interior\u2014and lasted until, yep, you guessed it, the next Thursday.\\nAwapuhi White Ginger Escape\\n\\n$130\\n\\n1301 Manhattan Ave., Hermosa Beach\\n\\n310-318-3511\\n\\n\\n\\nA trip to the tropics wasn't in the budget, but a body treatment was. After exfoliating us with a dry brush, massage therapist Stephany Robbins rubbed in Hawaiian ginger shea butter, covered us in large, flat leaves, then rolled us onto a flotation bed (a cocoon of water-filled plastic cells). Robbins reappeared to slather our face with an aloe-and-cucumber mask and massage our feet. We left refreshed\u2014at a fraction of the cost of a real Hawaiian escape.\\nLehua Honey-Drenched Steam Wrap, $115\\\\.\\n\\n1301 Manhattan Ave., Hermosa Beach\\n\\n310-318-3511\\n\\n\\n\\nA honey-and-coconut cocoon and scalp massage.\\n$25\\\\.\\n\\n8242 W. 3rd St., West Hollywood\\n\\n323-651-4540\\n\\n\\n\\nSince installing a Mystic Tan booth in his salon, Greg Rand says his waiting room has been crowded with tawny-limbed celebrities such as Tara Reid and Christina Aguilera. When we booked our appointment, Rand gave us a list of strict guidelines to follow: Exfoliate; don't use any body products containing oil; wear loose clothing; be prepared not to shower for four to six hours. We stepped naked into the stall, and less than a minute later, emerged coated in a bronze guide color that looked a bit dirty. But when we arrived at work the next day, our honey hue was natural enough to prompt a suspicious \\\"Where did you go this weekend?\\\" from a coworker.\\n$30\\\\.\\n\\n1388 Westwood Blvd., Westwood, CA\\n\\n310-475-1424\\n\\n\\n\\nTo our minds, the biggest problem with self-tanning is the \\\"self\\\" part\u2014we invariably end up with streaks in hard-to-reach spots. The Fantasy Tan, in which an aesthetician applies a sunless tanning solution with an airbrush machine, is ideal for concealing tan lines or for damage control on self-tan streaks. We stood totally naked in front of aesthetician and owner Layla Fayyad while she covered our hands, elbows, and feet with hydrating cream to prevent them from turning orange. She sprayed every inch of our skin with tanner, following with a hair-dryer to set the solution. The next day, our morning shower revealed a beautiful Bermuda gold\u2014more realistic than the slightly orange results we'd recently had with a self-tanning mist booth. But just three days (and many stained towels) later, the vacation was, regrettably, over.\\nKim Huynh\\n\\nBrazilian Wax, $50\\n\\n7924 Melrose Ave.\\n\\n323-951-9616\\n\\n\\n\\nOver time, we've gotten all too used to nondescript salons and run-of-the-mill waxers. So we were surprised by both this spa's modern decor and by Huynh, who could have been our trendy little sister. After a quick chat, she determined that our caution called for a \\\"light Brazilian.\\\" Huynh quickly alternated between creamy wax and baby powder with a final touch of light oil to remove any remaining stickiness. Fifteen minutes later, our bikini line was perfectly even and only slightly sore.\\nLarisa\\n\\nBikini waxing, $25 and up.\\n\\n421 N. Rodeo Dr.\\n\\n310-271-6813\\n\\n\\n\\nSo gentle, even pampered Hollywood wives can grin and bare it.\\nMarla Apt\\n\\nClass, $16\\\\.\\n\\n124 S. La Brea Ave.\\n\\n323-964-5222\\n\\n\\n\\nMarla Apt teaches yoga on a wisteria-draped garden patio to actresses and musicians. \\\"Everyone loves her,\\\" says Arianne Phillips, a devotee who has been Madonna's fashion stylist."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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