Beauty Black Book

Songbird Society
6458 E. Mockingbird Lane
214-361-2070
Price: $85 and up
Living-room-style touches—a weathered reception table and rustic wooden armoires that house supplies—are warm and inviting. And the service is equally unpretentious: Owner and colorist J.T. Osgood takes her time to handpaint hair, using several shades that she custom-blends for each visitor.

L'Acqua Spa Lounge
8060 Park Lane, Suite B112
214-365-8060
Price: $12-$60
Before ridding your body of stubble, help yourself to the mini fridge stocked with complimentary beverages. The pros here use a soft, creamy, honey-based wax that helps lessen redness.

Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon and Spa
1077 Boston Post Rd.
203-655-2736
Price: $255
The Ultimate Arden Facial is ridiculously indulgent, with 80 minutes of treatments. It begins with the newly added organic flower peel microdermabrasion, in which a device vacuums off dead skin cells and exfoliates with ground lavender. That’s followed by a cleansing, extraction, two types of hydrating masks, and a face massage. Go ahead and make plans for later in the day, because your visit culminates in a light makeup application.

Cindy DiMaggio at Salon Boutique
8335 Westchester Drive Suite 201, Room 21
972-523-9921
Price: $23
With 20 years in the brow business, DiMaggio has developed a dedicated following (fans fly in from all over the U.S.), which can make scoring an appointment difficult. But trust us, she’s worth the wait. With an impressive knack for symmetry and detail, she waxes brows into neat, natural shapes while dispensing invaluable advice (like how to warm up the tip of your brow pencil before filling patchy areas).

Spa Habitat
3699 McKinney Avenue, No. 304
214-522-9989
Price: $70 and up
At this organic oasis, wind energy is the primary power source, and a tree is planted for every service performed. As if that weren’t enough to make you feel good, aestheticians also pamper skin by massaging the face and neck with a gentle alpha–hydroxy peel derived from bilberry, lemon, orange, and raw sugar extracts.

Salon Pompeo
5330 E. Mockingbird Lane Suite 190
214-203-3333
Price: $60 and up
At this swanky salon, expert colorist Cole Mandrell can transform dark hair into a believable (read: not brassy) shade of blond, thanks to a signature technique of weaving in subtle streaks with gradual variations in tone.

Salon Lucien
8411 Preston Road, Suite 102
214-369-2500
Price: $70 and up
Veteran stylist Martin Lopez specializes in timeless, elegant coifs. From the doting (Coffee? Champagne?) to the discounted Kerastase conditioning treatment, every client is treated like royalty.

Polished
2208 Dallas Parkway, Suite 325A
(Plano, Texas)
972-378-9149
Price: $25 and up
As if the aromatic soaks, cuticle grooming, and hot-rock treatments weren't enough of a draw, the footbaths here are coated with high-tech silver nonospheres to nix any bacteria. Clients are treated to custom-made eco-friendly nail lacquer too.

Bella Vita Rejuvenation Center
6170 Sherry Lane
214-373-4233
Price: $50
Master bronzer Magdalena Mata relies on Australian favorite SunFX formula to achieve a surfer-girl effect. She's known for being super-precise and speedy with her gun. A head-to-toe treatment (including spots that are hard to reach) takes just 15 minutes and dries instantly.

Bliss Spa at the W Dallas Victory Hotel
2440 Victory Park Lane
877-862-5477
Price: $15—$145
The South is famous for its hospitality, and the aestheticians at W's Bliss Spa are no exception. Their relaxing manner and witty banter are so distracting—and low-temperature azulene wax so gentle—that even newbies can make it through a Brazilian with little sting and minimal embarrassment.

Centre Salon
7300 E. Hampden Avenue
303-773-3441
Price: $20
Containing pure flower and plant essences, the wax at this Aveda concept salon is so painless, you'll want to toss your tweezers.

Vital Spa at Pura Vida
2955 E. First Avenue
303-321-7872
Price: $85 and up
Denver’s beauty secret? Lots of fresh air–and customized facials at this luxe retreat, where aestheticians go beyond the basic deep cleanse and tone: The vitamin C serum delivers instant brightness; an intense lymphatic massage de–puffs tired eyes.

Matthew Morris Salon
277 Broadway, Suite D
303-715-4673
Price: $50 and up
After wowing judges on Season 3 of Bravo’s hairstyle smackdown, Shear Genius, Matthew Morris began winning praise back home for his versatile layered bobs and sex-kitten styling. With his self-assured yet calm demeanor, this reality TV star pays attention to your needs, not the camera’s.

Salon Denver
1744 Platte Street
303-458-9823
Price: $65 and up
Whether they’re creating the palest blond, the deepest brown, or the most vibrant red, staffers at this conveniently located salon are masters at giving their clients an of-the-moment version of their most flattering hue.

The Look Beauty Boutique Salon
75 S. Madison Street, No. 101
303-322-4902
Price: $140
A former artist for Chanel and Dior, owner Gina Comminello uses minimal makeup for maximum effect. She adjusts her palette depending on the specific lighting for occasions (candlelit parties versus outdoor weddings) to guarantee picture-perfect results.

Tootsies the Nail Shoppe
1021 S. Gaylord Street
720-570-0971
Price: $7 and up
The Spa Manicure or Pedicure here is worth the splurge, as it includes a sugar scrub, a heated aromatherapy neck wrap, and a massage. Go for polish in the signature teal of the spa’s décor.

The Spa at the Oxford Club
1616 17th Street, No. 100
303-628-5435
Price: $75
Knowing that streaks are the kiss of death, the pros at Oxford spend a lot of time scrubbing down clients with a custom blend of Dermalogica Hydro-Active mineral salts, sea salts, and sweet almond oil to ensure a smooth application of St. Tropez Bronzing mousse.

Waxing the City
1664 Market Street
303-592-2929
Price: $7—$73
Hair removal is somewhat brutal by nature. Fortunately, the "cerologists" (i.e., wax experts) here take a tender approach to defuzzing, adjusting the formula depending on the client's pain tolerance. For example, they'll use stripless hard wax for the sensitive bikini area and traditional strips for the legs and arms.

Todd's Room
239 Pierce Street
(Birmingham, Mich.)
248-594-0003
Price: $25 and up
Dubbed the Michaelangelo of brows by admirers, Todd assesses a client's bone structure and personality to determine whether a simple curve or dramatic arch is right for her. Then he carefully yet swiftly tweezes in small sections to achieve a shape that is truly masterful.

Om Spa
22070 Michigan Avenue
(Dearborn, Mich.)
313-565-9686
Price: $90 and up
Taking an East-meets-West approach, the pros at Om balance troubled skin with their popular rose and lavender moisture–restoring mask. It’s followed by a soothing massage that uses oil infused with hand-milled leaves from the neem tree (called the “pharmacy tree” in India for its hydrating and firming benefits). Sounds truly om-mazing, doesn’t it? Trust us, it is.

Ken Paves Salon
43210 Hayes Road
(Clinton Township, Mich.)
586-416-8600
Price: $65 and up
The celebrity stylist (and Jessica Simpson sidekick) brings a little Hollywood glamour to his hometown of Detroit. Paves trained his colorists to create sparkling blond (à la Jessica) and rich brunet (à la her sister, Ashlee) shades, which look especially good against the salon’s backdrop of vintage chandeliers.

Flip
251 W. Nine Mile
248-544-1400
Price: $70 and up
By working with your hair's natural texture, not against it, staffers at this cozy salon create fuss-free styles that air-dry to perfection.

Spa Julianna
444 S. Main Street
(Plymouth, Mich.)
734-455-4445
Price: $200
The Holiday in St. Tropez tan might be a splurge, but the total-body glow is pretty fabulous. The treatment starts with a luxurious vitamin-laced scrub and moisturizing mineral wrap to help the forumla penetrate; then you're massaged with a bronzing cream that lasts for well over a week. And it's still cheaper than a plane ticket.

Carol Lewis Day Spa
386 E. Maple Road
(Birmingham, Mich.)
248-642-1570
Price: $20—$75
Lewis's swift and efficient strokes eliminate fuzz without leaving skin red—or clients with tears in their eyes. And her friendly bedside manner (calmly instructing clients to take a deep breath before each rip) is just enough to distract them from what's going on below the waist.

Anastasia Boutique
8687 N. Central Expressway (in Nordstrom North Park)
214-231-3900
Price: $30
This tiny treatment room is nestled among the busy counters of the Nordstrom cosmetics department, but navigating your way there is well worth the effort. Aesthetician Jai Lenoir talks as she works, filling clients in on the secrets of her mentor, Anastasia Soare. Our fave tip: The quickest way to accentuate your arch is to lengthen the tail.

Renee Rouleau Skin Care Spa
1722 Routh Street, Suite 113
214-735-4364
Price: $125—$675
Master facialist Rouleau really knows how to get under your skin—in a good way. Her unique blend of antibacterial potions has been known to work magic on even the most troubled complexions. The Bio Visage facial uses low-level electric current and two plumping serums to firm and tighten instantly. Clear-skinned beauties Ali Landry, Lisa Rinna, and Eva Amurri are all Rouleau devotees.

Ceron Salon
Neiman Marcus Downtown
1618 Main Street, 6th Floor
7214-573-2626
Price: $100 and up
Mexican-born, French-schooled Ceron is a master at taming coarse curls so that they behave in Dallas’s humidity. His ability to craft gravity-defying party updos keeps his salon packed with locals.

Frederic Fekkai Salon
47 Highland Park Village, Suite 207
214-219-3600
Price: $125 and up
Locals flock to Fekkai’s airy salon for sophisticated yet simple glamour (think sexy cuts, bouncy blowouts, and glossy color).

Pamela Massi
Laura Mercier counter Neiman Marcus Northpark
214-363-8311, ext. 2100
With film, runway and magazine experience, Massi is the perfect mentor. "I want each client to be her own makeup artist," she says, stressing the importance of primer, concealer and foundation. "A great canvas creates the biggest impact," she says. "The rest is easy."

Zaspa at Hotel Zaza
2332 Leonard Street
214-550-9492
Price: $75
Filled with lush flowers and the scent of lemongrass and vanilla ginger, this Balinese-inspired sanctuary isn't your average mani-pedi joint. Upon arrival guests are escorted to the locker room, where they can slip on a plush robe and bamboo slippers before buffing and painting.

Skinfinity Aesthetics
8335 Westchester Drive
214-454-5505
Price: $18—$70
Owner Mary Vidal-Gray prides herself on understanding skin sensitivity and hair-growth patterns; she wields wax with virtually no sting. And her after-care lotions, spiked with lavender and green tea, are almost as soothing as her Texas accent.

Berenices
3500 E. 12th Avenue
303-399-9156
Price: $27
To see the work of Sara DeLuca, tune in to the evening news: Local anchors were some of the first to discover her gentle touch. She uses tweezers to remove one hair at a time so that arches are precisely molded to flatter your bone structure and facial expressions.

Click Salon
231 Milwaukee Street
303-399-9469
Price: $50—$150
Shear Genius finalist Charlie Price runs this unassuming but highly trafficked spot. Many of his stylists, who regularly work the photo-shoot and New York Fashion Week circuits, are whizzes at creating truly modern, cutting-edge styles.

Waxing the City
1664 Market Street
303-592-2929
Price: $15—$55
Dedicated to hair removal, this salon has won dozens of awards for affordable, friendly service that takes the anxiety out of waxing. Plus, the no-tipping policy is an added incentive for a monthly visit.

Carol Lewis Day Spa
386 E. Maple Road (Birmingham, Mich.)
248-642-1570
Price: $20
Owner Carol Lewis specializes in dealing with sensitive types—clients with redness-prone skin. After shaping with a hard wax that contains the anti-inflammatory azulene, she smooths on chamomile essential oil to maintain the calm.

Immerse Spa at the MGM Grand
1777 Third Street
313-465-1656
Price: $30—$320
Thanks to signature treatments from Sonya Dakar—the Los Angeles aesthetician known for adding potent natural ingredients to tackle acne, dehydration and sun spots—a visit to this skin-care haven guarantees a glowing complexion.

Barberella Hair Studio
3301 Edwin Street
(Hamtramck, Mich.)
313-871-0700
Price: $50
Don’t be fooled by the retro décor: Owner (and sole stylist) Sandra Kramer Shaw’s cuts are anything but old-fashioned. She snips precise bobs and streamlined layers that are flattering on every face shape.

Figo Salon
265 N. Old Woodward Avenue
(Birmingham, Mich.)
248-723-7990
Price: $66 and up
The color experts at this hip salon don’t want to see clients coming around too often. That’s why they pride themselves on applying rich hues that stay vibrant past the two-month mark. For damage control, their dyes contain the lowest levels of ammonia on the market.

Spa Julianna
444 S. Main Street (Plymouth, Mich.)
734-455-4445
Price: $55—$110
As if the classic manicures and pedicures weren't decadent enough (all include a thorough sea salt exfoliation and 5-minute massage), the team also offers a signature Night and Day pedicure—80 minutes of pampering in a private suite.