American Spa Announces Professional’s Choice Awards

Celebrating its sixth anniversary, American Spa’s Professional’s Choice Awards acknowledge the best of the best names and faces in the industry. We would like to share this year’s results of our readers’ votes, which reveal the favored spas, brands, equipment, properties, and professionals from 2010.

The winners in each category are as follows:

Favorite Romantic Spa: The Spa at Las Ventanas Al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort (Los Cabos, Mexico)

Favorite Destination Spa: Rancho La Puerta (Tecate, Mexico)

Favorite Spa Treatment Menu: The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Orlando Grande Lakes (FL)

Favorite Resort Spa: Spa Gaucin at St. Regis Monarch Beach (Dana Point, CA)

Favorite Health & Fitness Spa: Miraval Arizona (Tucson, AZ)

Favorite New U.S. Spa: The Spa at Terranea (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA)

Favorite Day Spa: Oasis Day Spa (Multiple Locations)

Favorite Medical Spa: Murad Inclusive Health Spa (El Segundo, CA)

Favorite Multiple Location Spa: The Ritz-Carlton Spas

Favorite New International Spa: Mamounia Spa at La Mamounia (Marrakech, Morocco)

Favorite Spa Cuisine: Canyon Ranch (Multiple Locations)

Favorite Cruise Spa: Ship Shape Day Spa and Fitness Center (aboard Royal Caribbean)

Favorite Selection of Retail Offerings at a Spa: Bliss (Multiple Locations)

Favorite Spa Consultant: Sylvia Sepielli (Sedona, AZ)

Most Influential Spa Leader: Deborah Szekeley from Rancho La Puerta

Favorite Spa Uniforms Manufacturer: Spa Uniforms Collection by Noel Asmar

Favorite Laser and Light Equipment Manufacturer: Candela Corporation

Favorite Treatment Table Manufacturer: Living Earth Crafts

Favorite Aesthetic Equipment Manufacturer: Silhouet-Tone

Favorite Distributor: Universal Companies

Favorite Hydrotherapy Equipment Manufacturer: HydroCo

Favorite Company for Manufacturer Support: Living Earth Crafts

Favorite Company for Product Education: Éminence Organic Skin Care

Favorite Spa Sandal Manufacturer: Sensi

Favorite Spa Robe Manufacturer: Chadsworth & Haig

Favorite Spa Software: Millennium by Harms Software Inc.

Favorite Sensitive Skin Line: Pevonia Botanica

Favorite Men’s Line: Bioelements

Favorite Eyelash Extensions Line: NovaLash

Favorite Sunless Tanning Line: SunFX

Favorite Skincare Line: Éminence Organic Skin Care

Favorite Cosmetics Brand: Jane Iredale

Favorite Ayurvedic Line: Aveda

Favorite Anti-Cellulite Treatment: Ionithermie

Favorite Haircare Line: Pureology

Favorite Suncare Line: Dermalogica

Favorite All-Natural Line: Éminence Organic Skin Care

Favorite Anti-Aging Line: Pevonia Botanica

Favorite Nailcare Line: OPI

Favorite Acne Line: Sonya Dakar

Favorite Waxing Line: GiGi

Favorite Lightening Line: Bioelements

Favorite Eyelash Conditioner: RevitaLash

Favorite Aromatherapy Line: Aromatherapy Associates

Favorite Bodycare Line: Biotone

Feel free to share your thoughts below and help us congratulate the estimable winners and finalists.

Waxing Poetic at Boom Boom Brow Bar

At the risk of sounding like a braggart, I can honestly say that I have an extremely high threshold for pain. This comes in especially handy every 4-6 weeks when I get my eyebrows waxed. But although I don’t feel a thing during the process, I often leave the spa with blotches and a bit of swelling above my eyes, which not exactly attractive.  To ensure this doesn’t happen to her clients, Malynda Vigliotti, owner of Boom Boom Brow Bar in New York City, follows these rules:

• Wax should never be kept at a hot temperature, just warm. The eye area is the thinnest skin on the body and should be treated gently. If burning does occur, the area should be treated with Neosporin and kept moist so it doesn’t scab.

• Always find out if clients are on any medications before the service. Do not wax them if they are on Accutane, any Retin A derivative, Benzoyle Peroxide, or any over-the-counter acne product, because their skin will be too sensitive.

• Post-waxing, make sure to keep the area clean by using non-stinging antiseptic wipes and then something antibiotic like Neosporin. The hair follicle has just been removed, leaving it open for dirt and bacteria.