Any celeb worth their weight at an Academy Award knows that their camera-ready close-ups are only as good as the pampering, buffing, preening, and blasting treatments they receive to fade those tiny crow’s feet and firm up the butt. And where do celebrities go to maintain their flawless beauty? To the more exclusive spas, of course, where they are happy to spend big bucks in pursuit of cutting-edge beauty treatments.
According to Forbes Traveler, famed beauty expert Ole Henriksen treats stars like Charlize Theron, Prince, Cher, and Renee Zellweger at his Ole Henriksen Face/Body Spa on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. His spa treatment menu reads like an exquisite dessert/cocktail menu: African Red Tea Body Cocktail, Cucumber Honey Milk Face/Total Body, and Salt Butter Mango Scrub. The spa’s 8-step anti-gravity complexion treatment is recommended for those in need of firming, wrinkle reduction, and remodeling. In other words, it’s a must for anyone within 10 feet of a movie camera.
And all that camerawork, makeup, hot lights, and travel can wreak havoc on A-list skin. Celebrities like Paris Felicity Huffman and Jessica Alba head to Kate Somerville Skin Health Experts in Los Angeles when they’re battling breakouts. One of the first of its kind, this nutrition center and medi-spa is named after its owner, who set up shop in a bungalow along Melrose Place. Somerville’s $250 DermalQuench facial pumps oxygen, essential mineral vitamins and hydraluronic serum into the skin using hyperbaric pressure.
In San Francisco, Spa Radiance presents its glamorous gold mineral wrap, in which a shimmering gold serum is used to create soft, supple skin. Celebrities like Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Ashley Judd love to be pampered here. Sharon Stone reportedly spent $750 on the Spa Radiance Grand Luxe treatment, a combination of all the facials available at this beauty retreat.
Miami Beach is decadent, but what could be more decadent than the Evian Experience at Hotel Victor’s Spa V? For $5,000, guests can experience a treatment that includes a soak in an infinity hydrotherapy tub filled with Evian water, followed by two hours of spa services and a chef-prepared meal with a chilled bottle of Krug Cuvee champagne. It certainly wasn’t too forgiving for tennis pro Serena Williams, who took part in this South Beach hotspot. Other A-list guests to the spa include Shaquille O’Neil and Gabrielle Union.
Under the care of Sonya Dakar, considered Hollywood’s “Fairy Skin Mother,” no skin is too pale. Consider the flawless glow of Gwyneth Paltrow or Drew Barrymore, both of whom have long benefited from this Beverly Hills facialist. Her Beauty Boot Camp produces flawless results by addressing issues of diet, lifestyle, and skin care regimens. At the chic Sonya Dakar Skin Clinic, celebrities are also pampered with LED light therapy, diamond peels and oxygen treatments.
Private cars line the streets outside Sava Spa, owned by celebrity esthetician Joanna Czech, who hosts the likes of Uma Thurman, Kate Winslet and Christy Turlington at her Manhattan spa. Celebrities flock to her services for amazing eyebrow shaping and facial services. Czech’s fabulous $350 Ultimate Facial includes two hours of pampering, while the Ren Facial is an English treatment that clients can enjoy in the United States.
If Jennifer Lopez raves about the Spa at Las Ventanas al Paraíso in Los Cobos, Mexico, surely it’s good enough for just about everyone. The Mexican resort offers its guests spiritual solace through its Holistic Crystal Light Healing massage. Or for the true star treatment, guests can indulge in a spa treatment to suit their whims, along with private butlers in luxurious spa suites.
Finally, Parrot Cay, site of the wedding of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, is also home to COMO Shambhala, a private retreat for those seeking to rejuvenate through spa treatments, yoga, and meditation. Yoga teachers from all over the world gather in this tranquil haven for retreats. The spa’s favorite spot is the yoga pavilion overlooking the island’s wetlands.