Beautiful Skin and Brownies, to Boot!

Bliss Spa in the W Hotel Westwood is a girly refuge with a sleek sensibility. After finding our way through the hotel lobby and checking in to the spa, we were led through spotlessly clean halls to the dressing room, where we changed into the robe and slippers provided in our personal locker. Choosing to forego the steam showers, we proceeded directly to the stylishly mod women's lounge, where we were delighted to find two kinds of brownies. After liberally sampling both the chocolate and butterscotch varieties, we were greeted by esthetician Kathryn, who would administer the Triple Oxygen Treatment.

One of Bliss Spa's signature touches is its music selection. Rather than the typical new-age-y nature sounds and chanting, we were pleased to hear jazz and bossa nova standards from the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Astrud Gilberto playing in our treatment room, creating a refreshingly upbeat vibe. Our facial began with the application of a tingly fruit enzyme to exfoliate the skin, and a scalp massage to take the mind off the mildly uncomfortable sensation. Next came the application of an oxygen cream covered with plastic and hot towels to kill bacteria and loosen the pores in preparation for extractions. We were treated to an arm massage while the cream soaked in. Then came the inevitable extractions, and boy, were they thorough! Kathryn covered every inch of the face, leaving not a bit of muck behind. Another application of oxygen cream followed, banishing more bacteria.

With the extractions taken care of, it was smooth sailing for the rest of the treatment. We were especially fond of Decleor's insanely rich and luscious Baum Angelique, which Kathryn used for the face massage - the scent was nothing short of marvelous. The piece de resistance of the Triple Oxygen Treatment is the vitamin-enriched oxygen spray. This cooling mist is painstakingly airbrushed over the entire face, generating a vividly refreshing sensation. Among the purported benefits of the oxygen treatment are hydration and metabolizing of skin cells, causing the skin to appear more youthful. It must've done something because we couldn't help but utter "wow" a few times when examining our skin in the mirror after the treatment.

Review originally published 9/14/2006.