Ascend the Stairway to Skin Care Heaven

During a skin-punishing dry weather spell in early December, we visited Stairway to Heaven Spa for an anti-aging facial with Shirley Weddle. Stairway to Heaven shares a lovely space with Upstairs Salon on a quiet tree-lined street in Pasadena. Shirley was one of the very first aestheticians we reviewed for Chill Out LA almost two years ago, and after visiting many other spas and skin care specialists, we were happy to discover that she's still one of the best.

Shirley combines results-oriented treatments using the latest in skin care technology with good old-fashioned pampering. She strives to make every client feel comfortable and relaxed, and is more than happy to explain the science behind her treatments. What impressed us most is the amount of time Shirley devotes to continuing education to stay on top of skin care advancements, and the intensive research she puts into selecting her product lines – she primarily uses Dermalogica, Skinceuticals and PCA Advanced Skin Care.

At the end of our deluxe facial, which included bonus goodies like a hand moisturizing treatment, foot massage, and neck, shoulder and scalp massage, our skin was positively glowing. In fact, we were actually hit on by a nice guy at King Taco, where we stopped for lunch afterward - no small feat with greasy hair and no makeup! We credit Shirley and her skillful handiwork.

Review originally published 1/12/2006.