Chill Out LA: Spa, Beauty and Wellness Guide

Raksa Sala

Rock Your Chakras at Raksa

I’ve been reading a lot about the recently opened Raksa Sala in Culver City, so I was excited at the opportunity to check it out for myself.  The wellness studio and café offers a variety of movement classes, including yoga, tai chi and qigong, in its lovely light-filled movement studio. Upstairs, guests can enjoy a diverse array of wellness services ranging from the expected (massage, facials, acupuncture, Reiki) to the intriguing (past life regression, hypnosis, shamanic healing) in the studio’s cheerful chakra-themed treatment rooms. After a healing treatment or movement class, visitors can linger at the on-site macrobiotic café and juice bar, which serves quinoa, kale and beet salads, roasted veggie sandwiches and other nutrient-packed delicacies.

My prenatal massage with Fernando was a treat indeed. Boasting over 10 years of experience in the healing arts, Fernando navigated the various kinks and knots aggravated by my swollen belly with gentle precision.  My delightfully relaxing one-hour session left me questioning why I didn’t treat myself to this type of TLC more regularly. I’ll definitely be visiting Raksa again to try out a class or a more adventurous treatment.

Tikkun Holistic Spa

 Tikkun Repairs (and Rocks) Our World

"Tikkun" is a Hebrew word that means "repairing the world." Santa Monica's Tikkun Holistic Spa is aptly named, repairing the world one lucky client at a time. 

According to Reiki master Niki Schwartz, who co-founded Tikkun with her orthopedic surgeon husband Charles, Tikkun is "a real healing center…beyond the fluffy robes and big comfy chairs." A tour of Tikkun's facilities - including the detoxifying yellow clay room, Himalayan salt room, hot jade room, cooling ice room, couples' suite (complete with dual massage tables, shower, Jacuzzi and heated onyx chamber) and the Balinese reflexology foot path - confirms Niki's assertion.

I was fortunate enough to receive one of Tikkun's signature Traditional Korean Body Scrub and Oil Massage treatment. This is very much like the body scrubs you can get in Koreatown, only the setting is much more private and luxurious. First, to prepare my skin for the scrub, I soaked in Tikkun's warm yet refreshing green tea Jacuzzi. Then I was escorted to a wet room, where my therapist scrubbed me thoroughly from head to toe, periodically dousing me with warm water to rinse away the dead skin. She washed and conditioned my hair, massaged my entire body, and finished up with a cucumber face mask. After a stroll down the reflexology footpath and a change of clothes, I stumbled onto 4th street feeling clean, silky smooth and, sure enough, repaired.

One Healing

 Beyond Swedish with Jill Heinrich

When I entered One Healing's airy studio and met owner Jill Heinrich, I quickly become aware of the great passion she brings to her work, which is not simply massage, but healing.

Jill says if you're looking for Swedish massage, you've come to the wrong place. One Healing is all about deep, healing massage.  And when I say deep, I mean ridding your tissues of toxic emotions kind of deep. In fact, psychotherapists often refer Jill to clients who have hit a wall in terms of talk therapy. Jill works out the emotions that are still locked into their tissues, such as those resulting from post-traumatic stress and body image disorders. But I can assure you her techniques also work for regular stressed-out people.

When I laid down on her table, she let me know I was in a safe place and whatever emotional release I might have was absolutely OK and acceptable. Her soothing voice guided me through deep breathing and assisted stretches. She was cautious and gentle, yet firm, as she focused her attention on the upper body, where she found the most tension. She also worked my pressure points, specifically a doozy behind the ears. Afterward, she described in detail the way my tissue reacted to her touch, and lamented not having more time for the treatment.

Special Offer: Jill Heinrich is offering Chill Out LA readers 25 percent off their first treatment.

The Spa at Beverly Wilshire

The Difference is in the Details

Most spas are tranquil, relaxing environments, so it’s those pretty little details that push certain places up to the level of truly luxurious. When I checked in at The Spa at the Beverly Wilshire, I was greeted with a hospitable smile, a shot of fresh mango juice, and a warm towel. I filled out a medical form, and was immediately escorted to the changing area by my own personal locker room attendant. She pointed out all the amenities: steam room, showers, robe, slippers and a cute travel bag that was filled with personal care goodies, mine to keep. After I’d changed, massage therapist Sanam led me down a hallway elegantly lined with orchids and votive candles to the treatment room for my foot and calf massage and facial.

Sanam's voice, touch and manner were the very definition of “gentle.” She asked if I approved of the music, and then proceeded with a foot and calf massage and salt scrub, (all traces removed with a hot towel). I then spent some time relaxing in the Tranquility Lounge, a dim room with comfy chaise lounges and a little sideboard offering infused water and light appetizers, where I happily nodded off. 

Before I knew it, aesthetician Arlene was quietly waking me for a fully customized facial. She cleansed and then exfoliated the skin using granulated coral and sea shells and a soft rotating brush. Next came extractions, a calming masque and a scalp moisturizing treatment, followed by a divine back, neck, shoulder, scalp and Calendula oil face massage. After the facial, I wondered if anyone would notice if I moved permanently into the Tranquility Lounge, considered it seriously for a moment, and then reluctantly headed for home.

Special Offer: Mention Chill Out LA and receive a 50 percent discount on a second treatment with the purchase of any 60-minute service. 

Cote d'Azur Spa

Old School Healing

Cote d'Azur Spa is located inside a distinguished old brick building in Old Town Pasadena. High ceilings, hardwood floors and floor-to-ceiling windows create a comfortably luxurious environment that encourages guests to linger. I was offered tea upon arrival and enjoyed a tour of the spacious facility before being led to the treatment room – one of the biggest I've seen. (Needless to say, Cote d'Azur can easily accommodate couples' treatments.) 

I was there for an Indigo massage with spa owner Carolyn. The treatment lasted over an hour and was undeniably intense – Carolyn explained how she uses healing techniques learned from the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. During a typical Maori healing session, clients are encouraged to release tension and past emotional traumas by crying, yelling, and other such carrying on. Carolyn thankfully tones the treatment down considerably, combining elements from the Maori with other healing modalities such as deep tissue massage, aromatherapy and energy work to clear traumas and help restore the body's energetic circulation. I'm happy to say I was relieved of aches and pains with a minimum of emotional outbursts.