<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Philadelphia: Body Treatments\\nSelf-tanning Treatment, $50\\n\\n210 W. Rittenhouse Sq.\\n\\n215-735-6404\\n\\n\\n\\nPity the traditional self-tanning session. The old slough-and-slather has been muscled out of most spa menus by the trendy airbrush. But at this elegant space, it's a shade above anything offered in a fume-spouting booth. Our aesthetician began with a dry-brush exfoliation before applying Aveda Sun Source evenly from forehead to feet. Her touch was so fluid, it felt like a full-fledged massage. We fell into a slumber and awoke to smooth, golden bronzed skin. We don't see ourselves breaking with this tradition anytime soon.\\nMichael Adler\\n\\nMassage, $80 and up\\n\\n210 W. Rittenhouse Sq.\\n\\n215-735-6404\\n\\n\\n\\nWhen Adler lost his sight, he gained something quite powerful: healing hands. As we sunk into a heated massage bed, he wedged his palms beneath our back. \\\"Just close your eyes and enjoy the music,\\\" he said. Then the real symphony began as he tuned our shoulders, arms, and legs. His fingers quickly and deftly found the heart of each knot-pressing, lingering, and instinctively leaning his body into all of our sorest spots. The man doesn't give up easily, spending 15 minutes alone on one particularly tenacious knot. But to experience his gifts, you'll have to be a little patient, too. Adler is booked two months in advance.\\nHeather Rice\\n\\nIntegrative Swedish Massage, $70\\n\\n1204 Frankford Ave.\\n\\n215-882-3724\\n\\nThis wellness center is home to Philly's most stunning yoga studio, a sprawling, sun-drenched space with two fireplaces and a floor-to-ceiling waterfall. So we weren't prepared for (or pleased by) the look of our treatment room, which seemed to double as a storage unit. But all was forgiven once we closed our eyes and Rice began the Swedish massage. She placed hot towels on our back, feet, and neck and used long strokes to gently unfurl our knots. She finished with a blissful scalp massage that lulled us into a state of semiconsciousness. When we came to, we realized Rice had added an extra ten minutes to our session\u2014at no extra cost. That gesture, plus the reasonable bill, made up for the lackluster surroundings.\\nHalf-leg Wax, $35\\n\\n1611 Walnut St.\\n\\n215-569-9599\\n\\n\\n\\nBody Restoration's white-on-glass sign is so discreet, it took a moment for us to find it. Once we did, we were immediately whisked into a treatment room. \\\"It's too lovely outside to be cooped up in here,\\\" our aesthetician declared. \\\"I'll get you in and out in no time.\\\" She spread a cream wax, applied strips (the spa uses a stripless wax for the bikini), and removed them with such agility that we barely flinched. A mere five minutes later, she was massaging our defuzzed skin with an apricot-kernel oil \\\"to calm inflammation.\\\" Not that we needed it. Our legs were soft to the touch and without a stitch of hair. This spa may be hard to find, but it will be awfully easy to return to.\\n815 S. 4th St.\\n\\n610-570-7132\\n\\nThis spray-tan-only salon is crisp, minimal, and smartly organized, with spacious and well-ventilated tanning rooms.\\n\\n\\n\\nSPRAY TAN\\n\\n__Adrienne Ritchie__: Owner Ritchie helps visitors select their color from a menu of shades, then sprays them with two coats of an express-tanning formula and instructs them to shower before bed. There's nothing extraordinary about the service\u2014except the streak-free, sun-kissed bronze results. Spray tan, $60.\\n35 S. 18th St.\\n\\n215-561-1250\\n\\nThis pristine, plain waxing studio with six treatment rooms is built for volume and speed.\\n\\n\\n\\nWAXING\\n\\n__Jenny Le__: Le s conversation is friendly, but her wax is all business. She uses a hard blue formula to remove every hair (quickly pressing the area with her palm to reduce the pain) in just over ten minutes and finishes with a calming serum. Her regulars return again and again for the fast, impeccable wax that leaves them smooth and ingrown-free for weeks. Brazilian wax, $47; 50 percent off first visit.\\nCustom Airbrush Tan, $39 and up\\n\\n1120 Walnut St.\\n\\n484-278-1389\\n\\nWhen we heard this Los Angeles chain had opened an outpost in town, we rushed to book an appointment. But before we could get a West Coast glow, we had to head south\u2014down a litter-strewn stairwell into a basement-level salon. We soon warmed to the place, however, when our technician wisely recommended just a touch of color for our superfair skin. She airbrushed us front and back and assured us the quick-\\u00addrying formula would set within three hours. True to her prediction, our pretty hint of color stayed put and didn't even stain our sheets that night.\\n__Ashley Piotrowski__\\n\\nBusy Bee Spray Tan, $60\\n\\n406 S. 20th St.\\n\\n267-928-4393\\n\\n__The place:__ A girlie girl's dream, with candy-colored walls, shabby-chic furniture, and a tiny dog running around in hair bows and a sweater.\\n\\n__The technique:__ We chose the Busy Bee Tan, a formula that allows you to shower just one hour after it's applied.\\n\\n__Bottom line:__ Piotrowski's quick-drying formula left no tacky residue and evolved into the prettiest glow we'd ever seen.\\nBrazilian Wax, $72\\n\\n262 S. 16th St.\\n\\n215-545-3344\\n\\n\\n\\nAfter leading us down rose petal\u2014strewn stairs and a mini Zen garden, our waxer prepped us with Dr. Hauschka's body powder and zipped off our peripheral bikini zone. But there was a slight kink when she waxed the nether regions. \\\"I like to work on hair that's at least an inch; your quarter-inch growth is hard to wax properly.\\\" She finished the job, but like a modestly endowed lover, she came up an inch short of perfection.\\nBikini Wax, $38\\n\\n262 S. 16th St.\\n\\n 215-545-3344\\n\\n\\n\\nIn this \\\"green\\\" spa, Swanson pointed out the eco-friendly decor\u2014nontoxic paint, cork flooring, and low-voltage lightbulbs\u2014as she applied bright lavender wax and efficiently ripped away strip after strip. Call us self-centered, but knowing we weren't hurting the planet did nothing to offset our physical discomfort. We walked out more red than green\u2014but satisfied. After all, that's the nature of a bikini wax.\\nWax, $35\\n\\n265 S. 19th St.\\n\\n215-875-8343\\n\\nThe gentle French wax removes unwanted hair tout de suite.\\nPamela Alemhoca\\n\\nBrazilian wax, $60\\n\\n265 S. 19th St.\\n\\n215-875-8343\\n\\n\\n\\nThis salon only offers blowouts and waxing, hence the bizarre name. We booked a Brazilian wax and felt a little nervous despite the tranquil, lavender-scented treatment room. We needn't have worried. Instead of ripping everything off with a few forceful yanks, Alemhoca applied dollops of wax and worked on one small section at a time. Her fastidiousness minimized the sting, and we soon became comfortable. Alemhoca won't set any speed records (we were on the table for 30 minutes), but she is a rare waxer who takes the \\\"pain\\\" out of painstaking.\\nSunless-tanning, $110,\\n\\n8439 Germantown Ave.\\n\\n215-247-6020\\n\\n\\n\\nWhen we want to relax, we usually book a massage\u2014not a faux-tanning session\u2014but we actually dozed off during this treatment. First came a soothing jojoba, safflower, and sea-algae scrub, followed by a quick rinse and an application of SkinCeuticals Sans Soleil Self Tanner (which contains color-enhancing erythrulose). Our aesthetician smoothed on liberal amounts while kneading our most knotted muscles. But the bronze that developed was a dream come true\\nMud and Honey Wrap, $150\\n\\n261 Old York Rd.\\n\\n215-576-7000\\n\\n\\n\\nIf the afterlife is anything like this spa, then we'll happily cross over when the time comes. Our therapist gently scoured our skin with a sweet honey scrub, then sponged the sticky stuff from head to toe before cocooning us in a purifying mud wrap and thermal blanket. Following the overhead Vichy shower, however, we were left a tad too long in the shallow tub\u2014with some large, sopping towels\u2014and we caught a chill. Afterward, our skin was baby soft, but the blue lips were a bit too otherworldly.\\nEdith Gondek\\n\\nBrazilian wax, $40\\n\\n 1426 Walnut St.\\n\\n 215-545-5055\\n\\n\\n\\nWe delay our wax appointments for as long as possible\u2014and have the razor-stubbled bikini line to prove it. But Gondek didn't lecture us, even when she noted that we had gone to war with an ingrown. Instead, she made sure we knew her plan before she yanked a single strip, then got to work. She removed hair from north to south and moved nimbly around the table instead of making us perform awkward leg contortions. One glance at her smooth handiwork and we swore we'd never go back to the blade.\\nJudy Moon\\n\\nMassage, $80 and up\\n\\n604 S. Washington Sq.\\n\\n267-671-0861\\n\\n\\n\\nBrutal exercise classes had left our legs looking shapely but feeling seriously sore. To relieve them, Moon alternated firm, sweeping strokes from our hips to our ankles with targeted deep-tissue massage, reserving the most pressure for our stiff calves (which, admittedly, made us wince). She then let up a bit, smoothing lavender-and-sandalwood oil over our entire body. We felt a tad tender right afterward, but by the next day our sore spots were a distant memory.\\nAlison Dibrino\\n\\n60-minute Marma Point Massage, $90\\n\\n728 S. 4th St.\\n\\n215-922-3235\\n\\n\\n\\nOne look at Dibrino, and our heart sank. How could such a tiny woman tackle our knots? But she made quick work of our skepticism\u2014and stress. Combining Ayurveda, Thai, and Shiatsu techniques, she dislodged every last kink. By the session's end, we had forgotten our initial impression and left with a lasting one\u2014it was the most effective massage we've ever had.\\nMassage, $90 for 60 minutes\\n\\n750 Fitzwater St.\\n\\n215-525-0330\\n\\n__The feel:__ Bare wood furniture and lots of plants give the place a Scandinavian vibe.\\n\\n__The method:__ A true deep-tissue massage that on occasion was a little uncomfortable.\\n\\n__Don't miss:__ Picking your music and essential oil. (We chose Radiohead and rosemary.)\\n\\n__Bottom line:__ At times we were wincing in pain, but this massage dislodged a knot that had kept us from looking over our shoulder.\\nMelissa Luther\\n\\nBikini wax, $40 and up\\n\\n55 N. 3rd St.\\n\\n215-922-6656\\n\\nWe don't like to rush things\u2014unless, of course, that thing isa bikini wax. But Lutherkicked off our appointmentwith a long consultation. Thescent of her strawberry waxfilled our treatment room, andshe spent 25 minutes scrupulouslyeliminating every hair,first with the fruity stuff, thenwith tweezers. Luther may notset any speed records, but hermeticulous handiworkconvincedus that sometimes, itpays to stop and smell the...hot wax.\\nBikini Wax, $30\\n\\n255 S. 17th St.\\n\\n215-772-2766\\n\\n\\n\\nWe don't like to rush things, unless, of course, that thing is a bikini wax. Our waxer subscribes to the same policy, though her pleasant manner and casual conversation didn't quite prepare us for her high-speed approach. She asked us to lie down on a massage table, and had us lift our leg to the side \\\"like a ballerina.\\\" She applied a warm beeswax with essential oils, which, she explained, would calm our skin and prevent irritation. We needed it. After a few forceful yanks that were hard to endure gracefully, we were clean and out the door in less than five minutes.\\nMichelle Irizarry\\n\\nMassage, $115 for 80 minutes\\n\\n255 S. 17th St.\\n\\n 215-772-2766\\n\\n\\n\\nWhen we heard that Philadelphia Eagles players flock to Irizarry for her deep-tissue massage, we hoped she would be able to tackle our most obstinate knots. We explained that we work out regularly and bodly requested the same level of pressure that she reserves for athletes. Irizarry used her elbows to dislodge every kink and applied generous amounts of Bio-Freeze pain reliever to the areas that she had pummeled. We left feeling a little tender, but our muscles were NFL (Never Felt Looser) material.\\nRichel D'Ambra\\n\\nMassage, $125\\n\\n10 Avenue of the Arts\\n\\n215-523-8035\\n\\nEssential oils and Swedish strokes turn skin to velvet and muscles to mush.\\n__Kristen Whiting__\\n\\nBrazilian wax, $55\\n\\n1418 S. 13th St.\\n\\n484-278-3829\\n\\n__The place:__ A hole-in-the-wall with worn-down rugs, a TV blaring, and a black curtain separating the waxing space from the front desk.\\n\\n__Technique:__ Whiting advertises that she uses only pricey, premium hard wax, but for our Brazilian, she reserved the fancy stuff for our sensitive spots and resorted to painful strips for the rest. She also (inexplicably) steamed our bikini area for about five minutes.\\n\\n__Distraction tactics:__ Whiting chatted cheerfully, but we couldn't stop thinking about that bizarre bikini facial.\\n\\n__Bottom Line:__ We can forgive lackluster conditions\u2014just not dismal ones. And the number of strays Whiting left behind added insult to injury.\\nAmber Bucci\\n\\nBronzing, $45 and up\\n\\n224 S. Broad St.\\n\\n215-985-4142\\n\\nHer warm mist produces an even warmer glow.\\nSusie Celek\\n\\nSpray Tan, $40 and up\\n\\n126 S. 19th St.\\n\\n267-639-3924\\n\\nThe fact that achieving a beachy glow requires an icy blast of tanning solution is one of life's little ironies. But this bright new spot has a system for banishing goose bumps. \\\"There's no chance of getting chilled with this,\\\" said co-owner Celek of her spa's new airbrushing machine, which delivers a stream of heat through its nozzle. She was right\u2014we didn't even flinch when she began spraying, but the too-dark results certainly gave us a jolt. Luckily, a shower removed the excess and left our skin looking far less toasted.\\nTotal Tranquility Massage, $150 and up\\n\\n1 Logan Sq.\\n\\n215-963-1500\\n\\nWhere to get centered in Center City.\\n75-minute Weekday Reset, $150\\n\\n1 Logan Square\\n\\n215-963-1500\\n\\nYou know those women who can't get pampered without feeling a teeny bit guilty? That would be us\u2014especially when booking a package that's only available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Playing hooky from work, we ducked into this spa and whispered a request for a mini massage and a scalp treatment. The flurry of long, deep strokes and hypnotic temple rubbing put us in a limpid stupor, while the reasonable price tag left us regret-free.\\nDelia Amendolia\\n\\nPhiladelphia Freedom Massage, eighty minutes, $175\\n\\nOne Logan Square\\n\\n215-963-1500\\n\\n\\n\\nAmendolia spent so much time seeking words of encouragement (\\\"Is this touch pleasing to you?\\\" \\\"Do you like the music I've chosen?\\\") that we half-expected her to ask if her polyester pants made her look fat. We gently reassured her at every stage of our Philadelphia Freedom Massage, and it paid off. She adroitly kneaded the aches from our stiff shoulder blades down to the soles of our feet. When she wrapped hot towels steeped in lavender and rosemary around our torso and legs, the stress in our spine lifted away. At session's end, we nearly slid off the massage table. Amendolia looked prepared to ask if we enjoyed it, but one glance at our stupid grin and she just smiled.\\nBody Detox Wrap, $100\\n\\n32 N. 3rd St.\\n\\n215-829-9769\\n\\n\\n\\nBack-to-back cocktail parties had left us in need of some detox, so we headed to Terme Di Aroma for 90 minutes of rejuvenation. We were given a gentle, full-body exfoliation with a soft brush, then were massaged with a nutrient-rich cream. Next, our therapist wrapped us in warm linens saturated in a blend of algae, sea salt, and eucalyptus oil while she performed the kindest hydrating mini facial we've ever experienced. When it was all said and done, we felt hydrated, relaxed, and ready to fall off the wagon all over again.\\nAudrey Pernell\\n\\n*BEAUTY BARGAIN\\n\\nAromatherapy massage, $80\\n\\n32 N. 3rd St.\\n\\n 215-829-9769\\n\\n\\n\\nBecause the only thing tighter than our muscles is our purse strings, we asked Pernell for a massage that would loosen us up without breaking the bank. She slicked her palms with a lavender-and-bergamot cream and applied light acupressure to our hands and feet. She then gently probed the tender spots around our neck and moved on to our tense shoulders and back. By the time we hopped off the table, we felt like a million bucks\u2014but we shelled out less than a hundred.\\nKevin Starbard\\n\\nShiatsu and Thai Massage, $80\\n\\n32 N. 3rd St.\\n\\n 215-829-9769\\n\\n\\n\\nCelebrities travel from New York City and Los Angeles for Starbard's Shiatsu and Thai massage.\\nBronzing, $40 and up\\n\\n124 S. 16th St.\\n\\n215-545-5010\\n\\nFaultless tans in 15 minutes.\\nSaniyyah Krolikowski\\n\\nBikini wax, $30 and up\\n\\n718 Chestnut St.\\n\\n215-238-9922\\n\\n\\n\\nEntering this three-story salon and spa, we thought we'd died and gone to beauty heaven. Krolikowski was calm and quiet, which helped ease our jitters. She didn't spread the wax on any area more than once, and she finished with a cooling serum. This meant that our extra-sensitive skin fared better than usual\u2014though it still turned pink for a few hours.\\nSea-Mud Wrap, 50 minutes, $90\\n\\n117 S. 19th St.\\n\\n215-496-9966\\n\\n\\n\\nWe expected nothing short of greatness from the tony Toppers Spa, where a glass-enclosed roof deck looked more like a Caribbean resort than downtown Philly. The treatment had a promising start when our aesthetician, Nina, slathered us with mud and seaweed meant to hydrate our skin. We drifted off for 20 minutes. But our peace was shattered when we were told to trudge in a robe across the cold deck (which also happened to be the spa's reception area) to a shower stall. The mud wrap may have made our skin softer, but we'd feel warmer about Toppers if the experience itself hadn't been so drafty."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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