The Best Places to Get Pampered in New York

June 18, 2021

a morning at blushington I The Best Places to Get Pampered in New York | meghan donovan

After nearly nine in New York you could say I’ve done my due diligence on finding the best spots to get primped + pampered. I’ve had the pleasure of also frequenting certain spots for various press events but today I’m sharing my holy grail spots of where I can always rely on to be left looking and feeling my best. Whether you’re looking for skin care, makeup application, massages – I’ve got you covered with this guide.

The Best Places To Get Pampered In New York

There’s no shortage of places in New York City to get pampered – but not all are created equal. Here I am sharing the best of the best that you can rely on when it comes to getting pampered while in NYC.

Without further delay, here are my favorites…

Makeup & Brows:

Blushington:

Blushington brought the easy appointment aspect of beauty to makeup with their boutiques that offer a variety of makeup applications (they have a beautiful lookbook on-hand that’ll help you pick out exactly what you’re looking for), eyelash extensions and even waxing and brow services.

Shen Beauty:

Shen is a beautiful store to shop at but they also do services and are renowned for their bra experts who shape, microblade, tweeze, tint and laminate your brows into perfection. Their facials are also great if you’re looking for some skin care TLC.

Atelier Beaute Chanel:

This beauty store in Soho is a Chanel playground where you can try + test out any of their skincare and makeup products. It is such fun and such a great way to experience the brand in a unique setting that’s not intimidating like department store counters.

BaubleBar Crystal Crawlers | The Best Places to Get Pampered in New YorkFacials:

Mario Badescu:

I’ve written about my experience with Mario Badescu many times before. But when my skin needs a proper re-boot every three months, this is where I head. The extractions are by far the most valuable part of this experience but I really love how clinical the approach is to skincare. The facials aren’t fancy or relaxing rather they get down to business. I’m also a massive fan of their excellent, affordable product line that they use exclusively at the salon. I have a lot at home to maintain my skin in between treatments.

Naturopathica:

Get ready for a facial (or a variety of other spa services) in a very zen space with Naturopathica’s award-winning plant based skincare and body care. Their spa in Chelsea is a relaxing hidden gem and their Chill Facial is a thorough and bespoke experience that’ll have your skin glowing afterwards.

Joanna Vargas:

On the facial flip side, when I want my skin to get really glow-y and look radiant, I head to Joanna Vargas. Her power peel was possibly one of my favorite treatments I’ve ever had (this photo was taken immediately following it) and you can bet I’ll book another one of those before my next big event. Her famed Triple Crown Facial also leaves skin feeling plump, hydrated and super, super soft.

Caudalie:

Caudalie is one of my favorite French brands and their spas bring their product line to life in a way that is highly customized to what your skin needs at the time of the facial. I love how knowledgeable their estheticians are and how gentle yet effective the line is. Better yet? Their products are clean!

Hair:

DreamDry:

If I’m in need of a blowout I always call on DreamDry. They have the ability of always giving me the beach waves I want and if the time is right you can even sip on champagne while getting said blowout. There are multiple locations around the city where you can book an appointment.

Eva Scrivo:

I get my hair cut and colored at this Flatiron salon where I followed my colorist and stylist over from Warren Tricomi when their nearby location closed. I see Francesca for my color and Nick for my cut – they are my dream team and I’ve been a client of theirs for over six years.

Massage:

Ohm Spa:

This is my favorite spot to get a massage. I had found it on Yelp thanks to all the rave reviews and it was very deserving. I’ve liked nearly every masseuse I’ve seen here and always look forward to the massages that are more body work than relaxing. (If I’m paying for a massage I want it to really get at the spots I’m feeling stress and aches.) Due to a landlord issue they had to move to a smaller space in 2018 but the masseuses are mostly the same.

Shibui Spa:

This is luxury on another level so it is definitely for special occasions. But their luxurious spa space is utterly divine. In the basement of The Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca, they boast gorgeous treatment rooms along with an indoor pool and steam rooms. You can spend up to 4 hours there in addition to your treatment. And trust me when I say unplugging here will bring you to another level of bliss. Choose from a wide selection of treatment options – everything from hot stone massages and traditional Swedish massages to custom/bespoke massages – this is my favorite spa experience in New York City.

Great Jones:

If you want to treat yourself to a spa day, head to Great Jones. In addition to the full service treatments you can also enjoy their plunge pools – there’s a hot tub like pool and a cooler pool.  They offer a full array of spa treatments from body wraps to body scrubs to facials and deep tissues massages.

There’s also plenty of seating so bring a good book for before or after your treatment. I would recommend avoiding weekends as the place gets far too crowded for my liking. It’s a very beloved day spa in the heart of the city. And you can easily head to shop in Soho once you’ve been fully blissed out.

The Well:

A beautiful haven nestled into the Flatiron district – The Well has and does it all pretty much. I love the variety of treatments they offer, the amenities including a sauna and a steam room and even a cafe and full retail assortment, too. Highly recommend the Lymphatic Drainage and Dry Brushing treatment here!

where to get nails done in new yorkNails:

Hortus Nailworks:

I’m rather loyal to Hortus because I’m of the belief they give the best gel manicure in the city. I’ve spoken about how they last for three weeks before, but it’s also just a lovely spot in the city to unwind, drink tea and chat with the delightful owner Jane.

Wellness:

Common Point Acupuncture:

I see Liz at this small Tribeca studio and she’s had wonderful affects on my anxiety and chronic headaches for which I’ve been seeing her. The prices are affordable, the space clean and welcoming. And I love the little extras that Liz offers like light bodywork and the application of soothing arnica.

. . .

New Yorkers, any good spots I missed and should try out soon?

 

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[Bekka Palmer Photography]

comments +

  1. Have you tried Heyday for facials?! 30 minutes and you’re in and out!

  2. Ash Diamond says:

    Have you tried the facials at HeyDay yet? I absolutely adore Chrissy and their facials!

  3. Rose says:

    Bookmarking this!! Great recommendations 🙂

  4. Merritt Beck says:

    I just planned an upcoming trip to New York so I will definitely be jotting down these recommendations so I can try them all while I am there!
    xx, Merritt
    The Style Scribe

  5. I had no idea Benefit did brows!

  6. GF says:

    Meghan–any chance you’ve tried any of the treatments at the LUSH Spa? Are they worth it? curious to hear your feedback, if you’ve been!

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