Beauty Black Book

Barnes & Galasso
8000 Sunset Blvd., Suite 45
310-913-4342
Price: $80 and up
Makeup artist Scott Barnes (who has given Jennifer Lopez her signature glow) and hairstylist Frank Galasso (who works with Kim Kardashian) have joined forces to offer their red-carpet-worthy services in an intimate suite. If you book a date with Galasso, we recommend you give him full rein. For our tester, he chose a super- sexy head of “old-school Cindy Crawford” highlights that made the splurge worth every cent.

C the Salon
12050 Ventura Blvd., C101
818-763-4005
Price: $64 and up
Stylist Claudio Lazo is such a master of technique, he even invented one of his own: His “melt” highlighting process combines prepping hair with teasing, then applying micro-highlights for perfectly seamless color. His vision, though, is mostly focused on your overall look, helping to transform tired blond or boring brunet hair into a more gorgeous version of itself.

Kristoff Ball Salon
8621 Wilshire Blvd., Suite J
424-777-0978
Price: $280
Ball’s knack for creating iconic looks for stars like Gwen Stefani no doubt has his Beverly Hills neighbors speed-dialing for an appointment. Despite the star power surrounding him, the space is totally chill (Ball even designed some of the rustic furniture). While the multitalented stylist is into cutting long, easygoing styles, he also knows his way around curls. He snipped, shaped, and straightened our tester’s ringlets with ease.

Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa
345 N. Canon Dr.
310-598-6780
Price: $160 and up
The newest U.S. salon in this Italian maestro’s global empire is at once modern (think black tables and sleek leather chairs) and opulent (plush velvet curtains). Here, lead stylist Christian Serafini does an artistic dance around each client that goes something like this: He continually moves up, down, and around to assess the cut from different angles, 
 working his fingers through dry strands to watch how they naturally move and fall as he snips away with scissors and a comb. The result of this mesmerizing technique? An array of flattering layers.

Woodley & Bunny Apothecary
8318½ W. Third St.
323-951-9906
Price: $20
At this beauty apothecary, which stocks cosmetics and skin care from cult brands like Ellis Faas and Arcona, a brow job comes with a mini makeover. Pros use wax or tweezers—your choice—and take a light-handed approach so brows appear natural. Then they retouch makeup (our tester received tinted moisturizer, concealer, and gloss), so clients leave ready for cocktails at the Chateau Marmont.

The Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie
701 Stone Canyon Rd.
310-909-1681
Price: $248 for Pure Gold Radiance facial
The menu at the expansive new La Prairie spa offers extravagant, once-in-a lifetime experiences—like a $1,000 White Caviar Illuminating facial, for example. Looking for something a tad less expensive? Our tester loved the 90-minute Pure Gold Radiance facial, which features the brand’s Cellular Radiance Concentrate Pure Gold, a collagen-boosting serum with flecks of 24kt gold to instantly brighten skin. After a firming mask with chamomile and blue algae, plus two separate applications of the serum, our reporter left with an ultra-hydrated, multimillion-dollar complexion.

Mars the Salon Los Angeles
606 Westmount Dr.
310-652-0930
Price: $24
Private rooms are appointed with a custom-made leather chair and an HDTV with headphones. Relax while a pro creates awesome nail art—from colorful reverse French manicures to crystal-and pearl-studded accents. Not feeling bold? They can whip up solid shades of gel polish with custom pigments to match your favorite dress.

Queen Bee Salon & Spa
2530-A San Vicente Blvd.
310-570-2282
Price: $6 and up
British owner Jodi Shays scoured thrift stores for eclectic antiques, like jeweled chandeliers, to fill this homey salon. But if the décor doesn’t charm you, Shays will—thanks to her bubbly personality and the baked goods she’s been known to make for guests. Also sweet are the (almost) ouch-free services you’ll find here. The secret: a creamy Italian wax the aestheticians swear by (less sticky than other brands we’ve encountered, it isn’t as rough on skin when yanked off). Pros even take the time to tweeze random strays to ensure a smooth finish.

Stark Waxing Studio
12324 Ventura Blvd.
818-505-3665
Price: $8 and up
White walls and steel accents create a cool, minimalist vibe, but when it comes to waxing, the pros here are as gentle as possible—good news for squeamish types. The skilled aestheticians make quick work (20 minutes, tops) of partial Brazilians, but not without compassion: One offered our newbie reporter a “test rip” to make sure she could stand the sting, then talked her through the rest of the session. Nice!

The Spa at the Four Seasons Resort Maui
3900 Wailea Alanui Dr.
808-874-2925
Price: $276 for Couples Instructional massage
The Couples Instructional massage at this five-star hotel is not just relaxing—it’s educational. A therapist leads twosomes to a hut on a bluff overlooking Wailea Beach. As one guest rests on the table, the pro demonstrates Swedish massage techniques (long, flowing strokes and moderate kneading) so the other can give it a try. After 55 minutes, the pair switch places, with each one getting to experience the touch of a trained professional and the guided hands of their partner. Adding to the sensual experience: herbal oils and fragrant botanicals to transport you to a serene place.

Remède Spa at The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort & Residences
9703 Collins Ave.
305-993-0600
Price: $144 for 60-minute Remède customized massage
When temperatures spike, chill out at this cool, marble-lined spa. Before her customized massage, our reporter selected one of three scented oils (soothing rose-lavender, zesty citrus, and herba¬ceous pine) and requested a firm touch to relieve shoulders and back—and that’s what the pro delivered. Try a pampering body wrap or polish, and enjoy the ahh-inspiring scalp rub and little amenities like La Fresh cleansing towelettes in the dressing room.

Lapis, the Spa at Fontainebleau
4441 Collins Ave.
866-750-4772
Price: $112 for Cleopatra’s massage
History’s most iconic beauty queen inspired a treat at this impressive beachside spa. Cleopatra’s massage is a modern take on the Egyptian’s rumored skin-care ritual: a milk bath. Walk through the facilities (which include pools and a hammam-style bathhouse), then go for a 20-minute soak in milky, skin- softening water. The 30--minute massage, in a room with stunning Atlantic views, is a royal finish.

Spa e
630 Lincoln Rd.
305-534-3223
Price: $148 for Biolight Miracle facial
Grab your friends and make it a group spa day at this airy salon where the treatment chairs form a semicircle. Once you’re settled in, aestheticians need just under an hour to get skin glowing, thanks to a new secret weapon: the Biolight Miracle facial. After a cleanse, a creamy Glyco-Sea Peel infused with glycolic acid is applied with a brush to exfoliate and make skin baby soft in five minutes. Toner (with anti-inflammatory licorice extract), serum (containing peptides that help decrease melanin production and discoloration), and a finishing mask (full of seaweed extracts) work fast to leave your complexion radiant. Talk about afterglow: Our reporter, who left with free samples of the products from her session, noticed that her face looked brighter the next day.

Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars Palace
3570 Las Vegas Blvd.
866-782-0655
Price: $160 for Coffeeberry Yoga facial
Far from the bustling casino floor, you’ll find this oasis of calm, decorated with earthy elements of wood, stone, and water. Arrive a half hour before your appointment to submerge yourself in the mineral pool or relax in the herbal steam room. Then treat yourself to a Coffeeberry Yoga facial, which includes a special Priori exfoliating mask that has enzymes to brighten skin. (This powerful treatment can only be found in spas, but there’s an additional solution you can purchase, above). Before leaving, ask your aesthetician to brush on a bit of mineral powder so you’ll be ready to head straight to dinner on the Strip.