Comfort and Cocooning

Piel Skin Care is located at the end of a plain hallway on the second floor of an office building on Beverly Dr. But on the other side of the door lies a bright and cheerful spa studio, where soothing music plays and tea and sweet snacks await in the sleek lobby. We were welcomed by spa owner Elena, who showed us around the smartly laid out space and introduced us to massage therapist Gabriela. Piel includes two airy treatment rooms, a mani/pedi area and a small boutique selling Jane Iredale makeup and various bath and body supplies. Sitting and chatting with Elena, we felt as if we were visiting a friend's stylish yet welcoming apartment.

We had been looking forward to our Siddha Body Detox, a comprehensive treatment that takes place under a heat lamp and incorporates gentle exfoliation, intense moisturizing, massage and a purifying wrap. The purpose of the treatment is to detoxify the body, as well as restore energy if you're feeling devitalized. Gabriela began with dry body brushing to remove dead skin cells and encourage circulation. Then came a unique application of sandalwood oil all over the body using an herb-filled muslin pouch, followed by an intensely soothing Swedish massage. Gabriela has an amazing touch, and she addressed areas of tension with gentle effectiveness. The melting sensation brought on by the heat and the bodywork was intensified when she wrapped us up to allow the oils to sink into the skin for ten minutes or so, and treated us to a gentle face and scalp massage. After removing the wrapping, Gabriela used hot wet towels to remove excess oil from the skin so that we could get dressed, which we did reluctantly after such a pampering treatment.

Review originally published 8/10/2006.