Veronica Skin & Body Care Center


WHERE: RAKSA

What you’ll find: Owner Apinya Pokachaiyapat has created a tranquil oasis in the heart of Culver City, combining traditional spa services (massages, Ayurvedic facials) with more out-of-the-ordinary offerings, such as acupuncture and tarot readings. Complete your experience with a yoga or Tai Chi class and a nutritious vegan or macrobiotic meal at the in-house café.

Don’t miss: Astrologer Victoria Bazeley, who provides insightful birth-chart readings and explains how they can be applied to your everyday life

Visit: 10846 Washington Blvd., Culver City

WHERE: VERONICA SKIN & BODY CARE CENTER

What you’ll find: Devoted followers—including Daryl Hannah, Courteney Cox and Suzanne Somers—flock to skincare-expert Veronica Barton Schwartz’s beauty haven (PICTURED ABOVE) in Malibu for her famous facials and laser treatments. Tai Chi, Qigong and yoga classes are also available at the center’s private studio as part of Barton Schwartz’s philosophy that great skin can be achieved by taking care of the body and soul, too.

Don’t miss: Veronica’s Special Occasion Facial Treatment, which combines microdermabrasion, a glycolic peel and anti-aging photo modulation to stimulate collagen and tighten and hydrate your skin until it literally glows

Visit: 24955 Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste. B101, Malibu

WHERE: SPA RELAKEN AT THE MIYAKO HYBRID HOTEL

What you’ll find: The short jaunt to Torrance is worth feeling like you’re on an exotic vacation when you enter this Japanese retreat. Guests walk barefoot on imported bamboo flooring as the soothing sounds of flowing water and birds bring a sense of calm to the space. Treatments run the gamut from facials and aromatherapy to the Japanese art of Reiki.

Don’t miss: The detoxifying gabanyoku (bedrock bath) treatment, which involves lying on stone beds imported from the mountains of Kyushu in a heated steam room—the body rapidly warms up through infrared rays and negative ions emitted by the rocks and detoxifies through perspiration.

Visit: 21381 S. Western Ave., Torrance