Spa Week is almost here

Everyone that reads this blog knows that I'm more than slightly obsessed with Spa Week. I mean, for only one week you can get spa treatments for $50 that on any other day could be upwards from $100. This week Spa Week is from April 11-17th, but all you need to do to reserve your $50 treatment is go to SpaWeek.com and choose from hundreds of places offering treatments.I know that trying to filter through a list of spas that is THAT LONG can be a tad overwhelming or annoying, so I've taken the liberty of spoiling myself and going to some of the spas pre-Spa-Week so that I can... ahem..."research" them for you. Here are some of my suggestions:

Jurlique

477 Madison Avenue

How to get there: 6 train to 51st and Lex

$50 treatments: 60 min signature, skin revitalizing, or skin brightening facial

My recommend: Normally I would recommend the 60 min signature facial because it's beyond relaxing. I don't generally get facials because I don't like the idea of someone abusing your face, but Jurlique's facials are all about the relaxation. Essential oils are being burned in the background, the room is dark, the facial is gentle, and all of a sudden you're close to falling asleep, unlike other spas that have leaving with a red face that looks like someone tried to rip your skin off. I think it's partially the ambiance, but another part is the natural ingredients that go in to Jurlique products.

Anyhoo, besides the signature facial, which I'd recommend for all skin tones, I've recently discovered Jurlique's Skin Brightening line, and I would definitely recommend the 60 min Skin Brightening facial to anyone who deals with dark spots, sun damage, or uneven skin tone of any kind. I've been using their Skin Brightening Day Cream for about a month now and I can't believe the difference. It only takes away the sun damage, rather than just trying to bleach the freckles off your face like some other products. My skin tone is so even now, I almost feel embarrassed for what it looked like before! It's one of those things that I didn't know I needed until I started using it, and now I'm never looking back.

What to take home with you after your treatment: Jurlique Essential Oil in Calming Blend ($22) because I promise that you will want to bottle the scent of the store to take home with you, and Purely White Skin Brightening Essence ($58) to help counteract the sun damage that, like me, you probably didn't know you had.

The Back Room Hand and Foot Spat at Carol's Daughter

24 west 125th st

How to get there: 1, 2, 3 or 4, 5, 6 to 125th st

$50 treatments: Blood Orange Ritual mani and pedi with Pedi Peel and 10 min hand or foot massage, or Sweet Almond Treatment mani and pedi with Pedi Peel and complimentary gift.

My recommend: Sweet Almond Treatment mani and pedi. Again, almost fell asleep in the chair. Give yourself some time for this one so you can relax, because this is not some ghetto nail joint on the corner where they have you in and out in a 1/2 hour (how DO they do that anyways?). This is one you'll want to sit and enjoy the all-natural products that they put on you, which naturally slough off all the dead skin cells that are so common on city-treading feet. Sip on a mimosa while your feet are delighting in the Almond Cookie Sea Salt Scrub, or take in the cute decor while limbs are being slathered in a nourishing oil and wrapped in hot towels to let all the goodness soak in. It really is a treat for tired tootsies like mine. And you get to take home a complimentary gift! What's better than that? I don't know if I should ruin the surprise for you and tell you what it is... I don't think I will. But know that it is a full-size product that

smells delicious and lets you recreate the spa experience in the comfort of your apartment. Not that you'll need to use it for a few days, because your hands and feet will be so soft when you leave that you'll wonder if they actually belong on your body.

What to take home with you after your treatment: If you're a psycho spa person like me, I'd say you should buy the Almond Cookie Spa Experience Set ($67) that has 4 amazing products to try to recreate your mani/pedi at home. But if you can only take home one product (besides your gift that is included in your treatment), I'd go with the Almond Cookie Sea Salt Scrub ($24). Like all Carol's Daughter products, the scrub has no parabens, mineral oil, or petroleum, so it's safe to use on the most sensitive of skin. Plus it's packed with nourishing sweet almond, jojoba, and avocado oils.

I really hope you get an opportunity to look at some of the Spa Week treatments that are available. You can get anything you need to get prepped for spring, whether it's a mani/pedi, facial, delicious massage, or a bikini wax, it's all there on the Spa Week website!

Enjoy.