The Sherif Zaki Salon and The Oasis Spa
photograph by Luigi Ciuffetelli www.luigic.com
A comedian once said that it is better to look good than to feel good. No longer. Thanks to Delaware’s many day spas and salons, you can do both.
Day spas cater to area residents who want to recharge, renew and relax in soothing environments. From baby boomers to Generation Xers, spa-goers realize a state of well-being fosters beauty. Salon services, meanwhile, put an attractive finish on the package.
With so many establishments in the area, salons and day spas have created signature services and specialties to distinguish themselves. Here’s a smattering.(Prices and services are subject to change.)
hello, pumpkin: facials
Putting your best face forward has never been easier, thanks to these salons and spas.
With more than 10 facials to choose from, The Sherif Zaki Salon and The Oasis Spa (Two Greenville Crossing, 4001 Kennett Pike, Suite 232, Greenville, 652-4902 ) has something for every skin type. The Pumpkin Refresher Facial ($95) delivers the natural exfoliating benefits of pumpkin extracts, which include vitamin A and beta carotene. The Pharaoh Four-Layer Facial includes a seaweed treatment, two facial massages, an aqua-green seaweed masque and a mineral-rich thermal mask ($95). “People need hydration after being in the sun all summer long,” says co-owner Emon Zaki.
You are never too young to get exfoliated. Just Skin (282A N. Rehoboth Blvd., Milford, 424-0806) features the Teenie Weenie Facial ($30). “We have kids who have acne or who’ve never had a facial before,” says owner Lisa Skuby. The adult menu includes the Signature Maple Facial ($50) using B. Kamins Chemist products with a moisture-locking Bio-Maple compound.
There is no long facial menu at the newly expanded Salon 828 (828 N. Union St., Wilmington, 622-8288) in Little Italy. “The aesthetician looks at your skin and suggests what would be best for it,” says owner Holly Grist. Prices for the custom facials range from $85 to $150, depending on the treatments you agree upon. Before your facial, enjoy the relaxation lounge, with its plush leather chairs. All spa services are located on the second floor. The salon occupies the first floor.
Oceanova (17 Atlantic Ave., Suite 1, Ocean View, 537-2313) is all about skin. Half-hour “mini” facials include deep cleansing, exfoliation, steaming and masqueing ($60). Microdermabrasion and LED light therapy are available separately and combined ($75 to $150), as are half-hour oxygen facials with ultra moisturizers and super-concentrated vitamins ($75).
To prepare the face for treatments, Michael Christopher Salon and Day Spa (2006 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington, 658-0844) has introduced Clarisonic Service, which provides a deep exfoliation that lets products penetrate more effectively. So if you’re getting a glycolic facial, you’ll need a less-powerful glycolic formula. The price is built in to certain facials – and you can buy the machine to use at home.
A facial for your back? Bet on it at Dagmar’s Reason (3826 Kennett Pike, Greenville, 777-4700), where aestheticians use facial-quality products to give your neglected back a healthy glow for $100. If you’re prone to acne, this is the treatment for you.
Essence of Skin Day Spa
photograph by Luigi Ciuffetelli www.luigic.com
getting deep: massage
Once considered part of a subculture, massage has gone beyond mainstream. Consequently, many salons have developed distinct niches.
Trilogy Salon and Day Spa (1200 Old Capital Trail, Newark, 292-3511) offers a massage for sinus-sufferers ($30) and to relieve carpal tunnel pain ($30). The salon also offers myofascial release ($65), a technique to stretch the fascia and release the painful bonds between the fascia, muscles and bones.
Moms and babies can feel the power of touch at Jalpurnia Catrice Day Spa (1203 N. Lincoln St., Suite 1, Wilmington, 655-7700). Moms-to-be benefit from prenatal massage ($80), and new moms can learn to give babies a massage. (Call for prices.) Catrice has developed a private skincare line that includes products beneficial to pregnant women. “It’s all-natural,” she says. “The color and fragrance is all from the ingredients. And to lose unwanted weight, moms can get a wrap that promises to help them drop inches.
Hot stone or deep tissue? You needn’t choose at Essence of Skin Day Spa (874C Walker Road, Dover, 736-5757). The spa offers a massage sampler, a half hour of deep tissue and a half hour of stone massage ($90).
There is always enough time for a massage at Day Spa by Tanya (2500 W. Fourth St., Wilmington, 622-8112). The salon offers 30-minute massages ($50), 60-minute massages ($75) and 90-minute massages ($95). Buy a series of 60-minute massages and get a reduced rate. “The half-hour massage is usually someone who comes in with a specific problem in an area,” explains owner Tanya L. Tuggle. The 90-minute massage is for someone who thinks an hour is too short, she says. They might want a full-body massage with an emphasis on a certain area.
Currie Hair, Skin and Nails
photograph by Luigi Ciuffetelli www.luigic.com
caviar and chocolate cake: hand and foot care
Woe to the woman who hits the beach sans toenail polish. Well- groomed feet and hands are a must. Try these places for size:
Currie Hair, Skin and Nails (585 Wilmington-West Chester Pike, Glen Mills, Pa., 610-558-4247), which also has locations in Kennett Square and in AstraZeneca’s headquarters in Wilmington, offers more than five specialty pedicures that delight the senses. Consider the scrumptious Chocolate Cake Pedicure ($60), which features a cookies-and-cream bath and a chocolate cake scrub. Or soak in a soothing bath of lavender-scented water strewn with rose petals. The Vital Leg Pedicure ($80) features invigorating lotions made with mint juice. “It helps with circulation and it cools the skin,” says Julie Hoey, assistant general manager.
La Spa des Anges (Suites 30 and 31A, Trolley Square, Wilmington, 655-9005) treats hands the way it does faces – with loving care and a touch of class. The Youth-Renew Caviar Hand Treatment ($55) combines caviar, Retinol, marine collagen and vitamins to fight aging. Pervonia’s lightening line can fade imperfections ($55). One foot-calf treatment includes seaweed to hydrate. Another includes an application of Moroccan rassoul mud to reduce fluid retention ($50 each).
The French look is free with any manicure at Chez Nicole Hair and Nail Salon (1901 W. 11th St., Suite B, Wilmington, 654-8888). “We never charge for a French manicure,” says Madelyn Maglin who, with Nicole Testa, owns the salon. “No matter what kind of manicure they get, if they want a French, no charge.” For a long-lasting French, opt for gel nails – thin, natural-looking enhancements ($52 for a full set). “When they’re done, they’re done,” Maglin says. “It’s a permanent French.”
Some customers squirm at the thought of pedicure whirlpools and salon utensils, even if the tools are properly sanitized. But they long for the massage and foot soaks that are part of pedicures. The Upper Cut (49 S. DuPont Hwy., Dover, 736-1661) has a solution: the Caribbean Foot Soak. For $30, you can wriggle your tootsies in a refreshing bath before massage therapist Jo Franklin works the kinks out. “Who doesn’t want their feet rubbed?” says Cheryl Boucette, the manager. There’s no scraping, clipping or filing. And you can get the treatment while your hair color is processing – “which is awesome,” Boucette says.
Hot stone massages are all the rage. At J.K. Tangles (151E E. Lebanon Road, Route 10 Plaza, Dover, 698-1006), you can receive the hot stone treatment on your hands and feet as part of a manicure or pedicure ($35 and $49). The heat feels fabulous on the feet, says Kelly Blaeuer, who owns the salon with Jesse Allen – “especially after you’ve been standing all day.”
seaweed and spice: body treatments
Pampering doesn’t stop at the neck. Avanti Salon and Day Spa (2128 Silverside Road, Wilmington, 477-1173) offers an invigorating Peppermint Sea Twist Wrap ($100), which works to firm, tone and detoxify. (It also helps fight cellulite.) The Tuscan Citrus and Herb Body Polish ($75) will leave you buff and fragrant. No matter the treatment, the salon promises a peaceful experience; children are discouraged. For many adults, that is a treatment in itself.
Low-carb wrap sandwiches help you cut calories. But at DK Day Spa (310 Lantana Square, Hockessin, 234-6966), the Oleaslim Wrap fights fat in a different fashion. Created to spur weight loss and discourage cellulite, the wrap includes aromatherapy oils by Nelly de Vuyst. The Hockessin salon recommends two treatments per week for a total of 10 treatments. ($110 each.)
“You won’t find what we do anywhere else in the area,” says Victoria DeSilver, owner of Avenue Apothecary and Spa (110A Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 227-5649). Take the JAMU Asian Spa Rituals, which are based on Balinese rituals performed on women before their wedding. The Javanese Lulur Ritual ($265) begins with a skin scrub with the ancient secret “lulur recipe” that contains turmeric, rice, jasmine and frangipani flowers. The treatment also includes aromatic compresses, a cooling yogurt wrap and a full body massage.
the doctor is in: medi spas
It was only a matter of time before savvy area operators decided to marry salon services to medical procedures. Now clients can choose from several one-stop shops.
Nouveau Medispa (774 Christiana Road, Suite 101, Newark, 623-4030 ) offers the gamut, thanks to its affiliation with Advanced Plastic Surgery Center. Spa services include intense pulsed light to zap imperfections such as brown spots and small veins; Botox ($200 to $600); Thermage, a noninvasive treatment that seeks to stimulate collagen; fillers such as Restylane (one syringe is $450, two syringes is $750); and sclerotherapy ($300). There are also traditional spa treatments, such as massage and facials.
Salon Pasca and Via Medical Day Spa (512 Greenhill Ave., Wilmington, 428-1388) offer the best of both worlds. First, let Salon Pasca co-owner Natasha Latina work wonders with a Japanese hair-straightening treatment or extensions. Prices generally start at $400 and $350 respectively. Then zip into Via Medical Day Spa to smooth facial wrinkles with Radiesse ($750 per syringe). Dr. Jeffrey Kerner administers all Botox, lip augmentation and wrinkle fillers. The spa also offers photo-facial rejuvenation to zap sun spots and capillaries ($200 to $350 per session) and Yag laser treatments for broken capillaries in the legs ($350 and up).
At Attitudes Medical Spa (808 Seabury Ave., Milford, 422-3356), “All procedures are medical-grade procedures,” says Cheryl O’Connor, the administrative director. The spa is next door to the office of surgeon Dr. David J. Cloney, the spa’s medical director. Procedures include Botox, chemical peels, acne treatments, sclerotherapy and mesotherapy ($260 to $625) to fight cellulite.
Salon Fur and Lotus Day Spa (70 Rehoboth Ave., Suite 206, Rehoboth Beach, 226-1031) recently expanded to include such services as laser hair removal, laser rejuvenation and fillers – all supervised by a doctor. Call for prices.
H²Ohhh: water treatments
Some say a spa is not a spa without water elements. If that’s the case, these spas have it covered.
Perry Anthony Design Group Salon and Day Spa(5331 Limestone Road, Wilmington, 239-6161) recently installed a multi-function shower with multiple jets, which customers may use after facials or massages. The shower also helps expedite body wrap treatments. Instead of using towels to wipe off unguents, aestheticians help customers into the shower. When it comes to wraps, try the Seaweed Body Wrap, which involves the application of freeze-dried seaweed from France ($68). “It’s great for detoxifying the skin, especially in areas like the thighs and waist, which normally don’t perspire and hold waste,” says spa director Melissa Yarrusso. “We see a discoloration in the seaweed in those areas, so we know it’s working.”
Customers at all three Bad Hair Day locations (17314 N. Village Main Blvd., The Villages of Five Points, Lewes, 644-HAIR; 45 Lake Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 226-1407; Boardwalk and Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, 227-SAND) along the coast can take a complimentary eucalyptus steam shower after skin and body treatments.
At Essence of Skin Day Spa (874C Walker Road, Dover, 736-5757) take time out in a private hot tub surrounded by candles ($30). Options include a milk or eucalyptus bath. “It’s 20 minutes of peace and quiet,” says owner Teresa Smith. Or luxuriate in a steam canopy, a device that hovers over your body while you’re reclining ($30).
Salon Fur and Lotus Day Spa
photograph by Luigi Ciuffetelli www.luigic.com
other fringe benefits
Like fashion, hairstyles and hair-care treatments are ever changing, giving new meaning to the term cutting edge. Top salons stay on top of the trends.
Castaldi’s Salon & Day Spa (328 Kennett Pike, Chadds Ford, Pa., 610-388-0670) is known for its mastery of color. The salon specializes in Balayage, a French highlighting technique that involves strategic placement of lowlights. It offers a natural look that is easier to maintain than foils.
Turning 25 years young, Boire’s Hair Design & Day Spa (27 Terrace Road, Rehoboth Beach, 227-3861) remains popular for cuts and color, especially when Eileen King is at the chair. But the salon also creates custom hair pieces. Pick synthetic or natural hair, then color. The piece is fitted to your specs.
Owner Lucy Antonini of Capelli Design (3003 Concord Pike, Wilmington, 478-0961) has more than 25 years of experience and travels to Europe regularly to check out the trends. “There’s a lot of razor-cutting over there,” she says. “They do it on all types of hair.” In Italy, she learned to do it on thick, curly hair that’s first straightened. Cuts range from $35 to $45.
Pagavé (1601 Concord Pike, Suite 35, Wilmington, 765-0134) may be a newcomer, but it’s already making waves. Though color is a primary offering, the salon’s “texture” offerings are also popular. For straightening, try the Japanese Thermal Reconditioning ($700 and up for hair that’s never been straightened.) “It’s permanent until the hair grows out,” says co-owner Paul G. Van Liew. Frizzcure ($100 and up) de-fuzzes your do.
For shiny, straight locks au naturel, try the Brazilian Keratin Treatment at Michael Christopher Salon and Day Spa (2006 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington, 658-0844). Keratin is a natural substance that makes up 88 percent of human hair. The result is smooth, shiny – and straight – locks within two hours. Price is based on an initial consultation.
When your color doesn’t turn out as expected, head to Rape of the Locke (700 Barksdale Road, Newark, 368-5370), which specializes in corrective color. Take the 40-something customer who entered with purple hair and platinum streaks. “She was beautiful in a couple of hours,” says owner Susan Annone.
Haircuts are poetry in motion at Salon Fur and Lotus Day Spa (70 Rehoboth Ave., Suite 206, Rehoboth Beach, 226-1031). Co-owner Thom Perry, an international “platform artist” with Sexy Hair Concepts, specializes in “structure-in-motion” cutting. “It blends tai chi into cutting,” he says. “We cut and move at the same time, so the hair is moving instead of traditional cutting when you hold the hair still.” Haircuts are $50 to $75, depending on the stylist.
If you bat your lashes and barely feel a flutter, you might need the latest in false eyelashes. Lords and Ladies (1066 Forrest Ave., Dover, 736-6999) offers semi-permanent eyelashes that can last up to a month ($30), says owner Kathy Lord. The salon also applies traditional false lashes ($20).
Though many salons offer Japanese straightening, Salon by Domenic (130 Lantana Drive, Hockessin, 239-8282) uses the Yuko System ($500 and up). “The hair is in such incredible shape when you’re finished,” says manager Diane Frasso. “It’s a silky-soft consistency. It’s incredible.” The salon also carries Yuko System/Phi-ten hair-care products.
You color your hair, so why not tint your lashes and brows? Spa by the Sea (19266 Coastal Hwy., Unit 18, Rehoboth Beach, 227-8640) is seeing an increase in customers seeking eye-framing color ($20 for either brows or lashes). “It’s great for people with really blond eyelashes,” says spa coordinator Opal McAdams. Customers get touchups every four to six weeks.
Hair extensions are one of the hottest trends in salon services. But they can be pricey and take hours to do. The Sherif Zaki Salon and The Oasis Spa (Two Greenville Crossing, 4001 Kennett Pike, Suite 232, Greenville, 652-4902 ) features a “Doublehair” panel system by Balmain of Parisian. One Doublehair, consisting of three layers of hair, has as much hair as 18 extensions. Says co-owner Emon Zaki, “You can put in a full head of extensions in less than two hours for under $800.”
Looking for great color? Owner Kerri Marioni of Salon 926 (4723 Conord Pike Village, Suite 5, Wilmington, 426-9926) is looking for you. Proof of her talents? Just look at the soothing scheme of the salon.
pour some sugar on me:hair removal
Unwanted mustache? Hairy back? There are many hair-removal procedures to choose from.
Aestheticians at Made Ya Look! Salon and Day Spa (3304 Highway One, Rehoboth Beach, 226-1400) look to the past for their hair-removal technique. Sugaring involves applying a slightly warmed sugar paste that tends to stick to hair, not skin, which decreases irritation. “It can lead to permanent hair removal,” says aesthetician Carolyn Tash. “And it works better when hair is short.” Cost ranges from $15 to $80.
The motto at Fabrizio Salon & Spa (1604 W. 16th St., Wilmington, 656-8660) is that “you can’t unwant something that’s not there,” says co-owner Angela Galieti. “We are very thorough and serious when it comes to unwanted hair” – one reason it’s tops for waxing.
Via Medical Day Spa (512 Greenhill Ave., Wilmington, 428-1388) can whisk away hairs with laser treatments. The lip area is $100 per treatment, but if you buy a package of four, you get the fifth treatment free. Hair grows at different rates, so you’ll need several sessions.
A Touch of Class II (Newark, 410-392-5814) is famous for its Brazilian waxes, which require a certain, well, finesse. If you’ve never gone to “South America,” salon owner Anna Carolina Alvarez can ease the traveling pain.
the new mainstream: alternative treatments
Along with traditional hair and skincare services, several salons have embraced cutting-edge treatments. They may sound trendy, but some are based on philosophies that are hundreds of years old.
Avenue Apothecary and Spa (110A Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 227-5649) features the Pleasure of the Senses treatment to harmonize the body’s seven chakra points (energy centers). Treatment includes a hand, foot and back massage, as well as a facial. Semiprecious stones purportedly exert positive healing energy. The session ends with “polarity stretching” to promote balance.
Bad Hair Day? (17314 N. Village Main Blvd., The Villages of Five Points, Lewes, 644-HAIR) offers reiki, a Japanese form of alternative healing. Practitioners place their hands above the body or put their hands on the body to impart energy. The cost is $45 for 30 minutes and $80 for 60 minutes. The salon also features Thai massage, which is performed fully clothed on a mat. “The joke is that it’s a lazy person’s yoga,” says Kim Dixon, the marketing manager.
Maureen’s Hair Salon and Day Spa (4813 Limestone Road, Wilmington, 234-7800) may be 40 years old this year, but the Pike Creek salon keeps up with the times. Ear candling, for instance, is one of the hottest new spa treatments. The ancient practice involves inserting a wax cone into the ear, then lighting it. The smoke and heat reportedly draw out wax buildup and impurities and open the ear canal and sinuses ($50 for an hour).
Customers at Elayne James Salon & Spa (462 W. Main St., Middletown, 376-5290) can cure what ails them with aromatherapy. “It’s about using scents from essential oils to treat certain ailments,” explains owner Jessica Galoff. You can inhale in a relaxing environment ($45), or incorporate them into one of the massage offerings.
Posh
photograph by Luigi Ciuffetelli www.luigic.com
a little kiss: make-up
Putting your best face forward has never been easier, thanks to these area establishments.
You can toss away your eyebrow pencils, eyeliners and lip liners after visiting Elayne James Salon & Spa (462 W. Main St., Middletown, 376-5290). The salon offers permanent makeup. (You will need periodic touchups.) Prices range from $350 for brows and lip liner to $400 for upper and lower lids, though most customers elect for either the lower or upper lids, says owner Jessica Galoff. You can also get a “wash” of full lip color. Elayne James’ traditional makeup, meanwhile, is mostly mineral-based.
Makeup is a main attraction at Posh (1033 N. Lincoln St., Wilmington, 655-7000), thanks to owner Christa Diossi Rich’s own line, Diossi. When customers pair it with the French skincare line Yon-Ka, also available at Posh, they get a winning combination.
Paula Miller, the new owner of Beauty at the Beach Salon and Day Spa (Route 1 and West Way Drive, The Marketplace at Sea Colony, Bethany Beach, 539-7252), is taking an all-natural approach to makeup with the Bare Escentuals mineral makeup line.
yo, casanova:men’s services
Ladies aren’t the only ones who can enjoy an hour or two of leisure. Men are increasingly seeing the benefits of a little pampering.
Although Hello Gorgeous! Hair Salon (256A Camden Wyoming Ave., Camden, 698-5400) caters to women, children and men, the guys seem especially fond of the salon. It’s easy to see why. “They’re crazy about the name,” says owner Donna Stevens. “When they walk in the door, we call out, ‘Hello, gorgeous!'”
Off the Top (2900 Concord Pike, Brandywine Square, Wilmington, 478-909) proves that men-only salons don’t need a barber’s pole or the smell of stale cigar smoke to be masculine. This well-appointed shop offers cuts and color in a friendly but upscale environment. Owner Sally Russo-Pollard knows her stuff. She’s been cutting men’s hair for more than 25 years.
Ocean Retreat Day Spa & Hair Studio (210 Savannah Road, Lewes, 645-6868 ) has a package just for men. Caalled Mr. Casanova, it includes a haircut, salt scrub, facial and reflexology ($210). “Guys have always been into massage, but now they’re venturing into the appearance part of it,” says manager Jay Belanger.
At Oceanova (17 Atlantic Ave., Suite 1, Ocean View, 537-2313), a one-hour European facial is tweaked to soothe skin chafed by shaving and sun damage. The hourlong process is worth every penny of $80.
At Dagmar’s Reason (3826 Kennett Pike, Greenville, 777-4700), add arms, chest back and sideburns to the list of waxable body parts. Prices range from $20 to $75.
Surf’s up, dude, at the new Bad Hair Day? location in the Atlantic Sands Hotel (Boardwalk and Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, 227-SAND). A total Aveda concept salon, it features the new Aveda men’s line that debuted in summer. Get a treatment, then go wow the beach bunnies.
all in one: beauty packages
One treatment is rarely enough. Though most salons offer day-of-beauty packages, these establishments stand out.
The Bellmoor Inn Spa Gardens & Conference Center (6 Christian St., Rehoboth Beach, 227-5800 or 1-800-425-2355 ) boasts the most deluxe accommodations at the beach. Add a spa treatment, and you’ve got a match made on the massage table. Packages range from $159 midweek to $439 midweek (plus room, tax and service charges). The Spa Sampler ($459) includes two 50-minute Swedish massages, the Sea Garden Marine Algae Wrap, one Smooth as a Baby’s Bottom facial, one manicure and one pedicure. All that and a country breakfast, too!
Who wouldn’t want to spend a day in heaven? Among Cielo Salon & Spa’s (600 Delaware Ave., Wilmington, 575-0400) celestial packages is A Day in the Clouds, which features a hot-stone or deep-tissue massage, a facial, manicure and pedicure with paraffin, blow-dry and style, makeup application and a spa lunch ($348). Considered the premier spot for retreat packages, the downtown Wilmington salon will also customize a menu just for you.
Banish the thought of a boring baby shower or girls’ night out. Maureen’s Hair Salon & Day Spa (4813 Limestone Road, Wilmington, 234-7800 ) in Pike Creek hosts spa parties for up to 16 people. Pick your services from the regular menu. Friday and Monday nights are favorites, says salon owner Maureen Freebery. The salon sets the tone. You bring the beverages.
massage chairs, yoga and wi-fi: salon perks
To exceed expectations, salons go above and beyond by offering everything from bagels to baubles.
Currie Hair, Skin and Nails’ (585 Wilmington-West Chester Pike, Glen Mills, Pa., 610-558-4247) move to more spacious digs in the Glen Eagle Shopping Center allowed the salon to expand its retail offerings to 1,000 square feet. From Redken hair products to Thymes skin care to OPI, Carrello Boutique & Apothecary can meet all your beauty needs. Join the guest rewards program to earn points toward salon services with every purchase.
Shoppers at Ulta Full Service Salon (4803 Concord Pike, Concord Mall, Suite 910, Wilmington, 479-9917) near Concord Mall will hit the cosmetic mother lode. Perfume, cotton balls, makeup, hair products, hair driers – it’s all present and accounted for.
Michael Christopher Salon and Day Spa (2006 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington, 658-0844) has gone high tech. There are computers in the lobby, and you can get wireless Internet service. While your hair color is processing, head to the Chemical Theatre, a communal stainless steel table with built-in computer stations.
George Marcus Salon (3629 Silverside Road, Wilmington, 475-7530) specializes in hair, but owner-stylist George Marcus apparently knows a thing or two about accessories. The convivial salon offers one of the best handbag selections around. “They’re fun handbags at good prices,” Marcus says. With prices between $30 and $85, we’re not arguing.
“If you haven’t been in to see our pedicure chairs, shame on you,” says Timothy Credle, salon manager at Bling Salon & Spa (17644 Coastal Hwy., Lewes, 644-2580) in Mariner Plaza. “Those chairs cost more than my car. They are amazing.” Not only are they comfortable, but they give you a massage, too. Special shampoo bowls from Italy – which articulate up, down and back and forth – ease the neck tension you may experience with other bowls. “They are beautifully crafted, and it cradles your neck beautifully.”
Located in a renovated Victorian home, Ocean Retreat Day Spa & Hair Studio (210 Savannah Road, Lewes, 645-6868) offers customers an al fresco manicure on the spacious porch. Manicures are $20 and up.
The Cielo Perks Card at Cielo Salon & Spa (600 Delaware Ave., Wilmington, 575-0400) costs just $12 a year and gives you 12 percent off services on Wednesdays. Customers also get a discount on special occasion hair and makeup, and they receive special promotion notifications via e-mail. The salon is awaiting a permit for a planned yoga studio. There is a café on site with healthy salads, which is a plus if you’re on your lunch hour. Those pressed for time should consider purchasing multiple services performed at once in the salon’s private Gold Room. “Our most popular is the Cielo signature manicure-pedicure and a hair services – all at the same time while having lunch,” says owner Loren Thomas. “Customers are still relaxing but still saving time.” There is no fee for the room, but you need to book two or more services.
