A specialty spa pedicure is one of my favorite spring rituals. I always look forward to that first pedicure of the year when I can leave the spa in flip-flops and not freeze. Since I enjoy full-body hot stone massages so much, I visited Deborah’s Hair Loft & Day Spa in Huntington Village to try my very first hot stone pedicure, one of the few offering this new trend in treatments.
Deborah Kiley purchased what was The Emerald Door last September and has been slowly making changes ever since. She for one, is switching over to all-organic products, such as Spa Technologies, because “Organic oils and natural products are designed for wellness and lifting the spirits.”
I entered the cozy second-floor establishment and settled into an extremely comfortable massaging chair with a wide variety of options. I love dual-purpose furniture and took full advantage. Deborah began the one-hour treatment with the usual soaking, cleaning the cuticles, filing nails and tending to calluses. She followed with an all-natural, musk-scented sugar scrub massage from my knees to my toes. A scrub is always one of my favorite parts of a spa pedicure and I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Once I was exfoliated and rinsed, Deborah applied organic laminaria oil—a seaweed treatment with essential oils of ylang ylang, geranium, bergamot and lavender—also from my knees down to my toes, and to the hot lava stones. She placed one stone under my feet and used the hot stones to massage each leg and foot, including each individual toe. This is when I turned off the massage chair, closed my eyes and relaxed. The sensation of the hot, oiled stones on my tired muscles was heavenly and healing. At one point, my pinky toe cramped and Deborah quickly found the exact spot to rub, relaxing it back to normal.
“Hot stones are helpful for those who suffer from arthritis, depression, anxiety…or anyone who wants a deeper, more luxurious massage treatment during a pedicure,” she said. “The stones release toxins and knots and promote wellness by drawing out tension.”
Deborah gently wiped away the oil with warm, damp towels and massaged Spa Technologies Anti-Fluid Gel into my calves and feet. This cooling, tingly analgesic helps eliminate fluids and relieves sore muscles and swelling. It was a nice, stimulating topper to all that relaxation before the polish was applied.
Deborah brings the wisdom and skill of 22 years as an aesthetician to her work. The proof was in my lifted spirits as well as my feet, which were happily rejuvenated (not to mention sporting a fun cobalt blue nail polish).
It is not easy to find spas that offer a hot stone pedicure, but Frasada Salon & Day Spa in Oceanside also provides this amazing treatment. According to Frasada Vice President Gabby Franzino, the heat therapy is one of the primary benefits of hot stone pedicures. “The heated stones combined with the massage technique will get deeper into the muscle and aid in relieving the pressure and aches in your feet and lower leg. This treatment is ideal for anyone looking for a deeper level of relaxation. It is especially beneficial for those who spend a large amount of time on their feet.”
Frasada also performs pedicures in a massaging chair away from the busy salon in the second floor spa area. “This is a very relaxing atmosphere that allows our guests to achieve an even deeper level of relaxation while they enjoy their one-hour pedicure.”
A hot stone pedicure is by far one of the most stress-relieving pedicures you can choose, and it’s now my favorite way to begin the season of open shoes and sandals.