5 Fabulous Holistic L.A. Spa Retreats

Work and life challenges, smog and healthy eating lapses all take a toll on our bodies. While a week in nature would be the ultimate remedy, a few hours at a spa can be remarkably restorative. A visit to one of these five LA-area holistic spas will leave you feeling relaxed, renewed and ready for anything.

We Care Spa, Desert Hot Springs

By Katie Sandberg
We Care Spa is an oasis of green cradled in a desert valley, the lofty vision of Mt. San Jacinto rising behind. Wending pathways lead past guest villas, manicured desert flora, a sauna, hot tub, cozy seating and art installations to the heart of the spa ecosystem—the Southwest-inspired pool and central hub that was once the family home of founder Susana Belen.

The spa specializes in multi-day to multi-week holistic detoxifications from the pressures and poisons of modern life, whereas I had just a day, so I wasted no time. First off, I joined a walking meditation and yoga class led by Patricia. We wandered a labyrinth-like path in the desert, creosote-scented wind awakening our skin, before transitioning to gentle hatha yoga. Juice fasting and colonics are central to the We Care philosophy, and how refreshing it felt after movement to choose from hot teas, chilled juices and mint-infused water.

Thai massage master Andres then led me to a garden gazebo. Pushing, stretching and melding with his healer’s hands, Andre gave me the best massage of my life; pressures, tensions and energy blocks fell away, my heart cracked open. More water and juice, and massage therapist Shari handed me herbal tea before bringing me to her peaceful room to soak up a system recovery wrap and neck-and-foot massage while laying on an amethyst-filled, infrared heating pad. Shari had me take a shower and made me an almond milk smoothie to drink before I joined founder Susana’s class on detoxification. As the daughter of a scientist, I was heartened to hear how collaborations with researchers have proven the physical and mental health benefits of juice fasting, colonics, massage and yoga.

Finally it was time for the colonic hydrotherapy I had been half dreading, having never experienced it before. But certified practitioner Denae had 18 years of experience; we laughed, I learned and the process was never uncomfortable. After it was over I felt deeply cleansed.

I drove away from We Care feeling back to myself, in the present and ready for whatever my job, toddler or husband might present next. “The people who come here are on a spiritual journey,” Andres had said. “They don’t just get their body cleansed, they get their soul cleansed.”

True that.

18000 Long Canyon Rd., Desert Hot Springs, 92241, 800.888.2523

Tikkun Holistic Spa, Santa Monica

By Lynn Lobban

Tikkun Holistic Spa’s name is derived from a Hebrew phrase—tikkun olam, to repair the world. Their goal? “To heal our guests on the spiritual, emotional, and physical level.” It’s a worthy aspiration and tall order, but in this challenging and often frightening world, every healed drop of a person counts and hopefully ripples out.

I was careful, when I arrived, to lag behind two women new to the small yet inviting, spotless spa to see if the staff would be as friendly to them as to this reviewer. They were. They couldn’t have been more attentive or friendly. Healing starts with kindness, after all.

Tikkun’s services are many: Restoration by means of therapeutic massage, from accupressure to sports. Relaxation through familiar methods, such as reflexology; and surprising ones, such as the Bamboo Massage. Renewal by wet treatments such as scrubs, body wraps and exotic facials. A pleased client waxed eloquent (no pun intended) about the Korean Body Scrub and her now baby-like skin. Tikkun healing is where west most definitely meets east.

I admit to some skepticism when Pair Biomagnetic Therapy with intuitive healer Mariana Ito was suggested, but from the moment I met Mariana, I felt in empathic hands. A native of Chile, she quickly picked up the leftover sadness in my body. I didn’t understand the placement of the positive and negative magnets used to put me more back in balance and harmonize my pH, but when I left, I did feel more “repaired.”

But I save the most fun for last. When the Tikkun signature hormone-balancing V-Steam was suggested, I was curious, stimulated and needlessly scared. Think Sex and the City friends sitting in a pretty outhouse (if alone, you are given privacy). This ancient Korean ritual purports to “soothe while strengthening the nervous system, aid in restarting regular menstrual cycles, and help fight infections and correct digestive disorders.” A veritable panacea, it also is said to enhance reproductive health and promote detox, soothe hemorrhoids and reduce lactic acid. All I can say is it felt good and has been the best conversation piece in years.

1460 4^th St., Santa Monica 90401, 310.319.1111

Angel City Healing Day Spa, Van Nuys

By Abigail Lewis

Angel City’s website describes it as “a magical place in the heart of the City of Angels where heaven meets earth.” Having experienced a treatment there, I would have to concur.

As I approached the address in a residential area of Van Nuys, I wondered if I was on the right street. Indeed I was; the spa is tucked away behind proprietor Kirsten Olson’s residence. A serene Buddha and Olson herself welcomed me, then she led me past enormous bowls of sparkling green plant life and a fountain spilling into a koi pond, through her verdant backyard and into the cool stillness of a Saltillo-tiled studio. African masks and angel paintings adorn the walls, there’s an ancient Chinese ceremonial bed and a display of facial products (she likes Sanitas, made with biogenic ingredients and no preservatives), and maybe two dozen glass and brass “singing bowls” scattered about, which Olsen uses in her healing work.

I went for a facial, but Olson is so much an authentic healer that what could have been just an extraordinary beauty and cleansing treatment became a whole-body experience. She first opened my pores with ozone steam, then proceeded to gently cleanse my skin, extract stubborn pore blockage (ouch!), and apply a healing mask of glycolic acid and enzymes that she assured me would, with regular application, gradually fade sun damage without being harsh on my face or turning me into a hermit for weeks of recovery. While the mask worked its alchemy, Olson worked hers, using reflexology on my feet and shifting my energy with Reiki and Cranial Sacral Therapy, all of which put me into a delicious twilight space. When the 90 minutes were over, I felt thoroughly relaxed and refreshed. And my face? Downright dewy, which for my skin in this dry climate is only slightly short of a miracle.

Olson has kept her prices blissfully affordable to encourage clients to take regular self-care, so whether you go for a facial or body treatment, two-hour Pearly Gates or the Ascension three-hour healing package, that precious time of heaven on earth won’t crash your budget.

14749 Valerio St.,  Van Nuys 91405, 818.430.7373

Le Petite Retreat, Larchmont Village

[Update 8/17/16: This spa is now named the Larchmont Sanctuary Spa]

By Jen Jones Donatelli

To use the word “oversensitive” to describe my skin would be a severe understatement, so I’m forever on the lookout for a natural spa treatment that can soothe dermatological distress. Enter Larchmont’s Le Petite Retreat, which became all organic when Tina Figueroa assumed ownership in March.

“I cleaned out anything that had preservatives, parabens, sulfites or fragrance,” Figueroa told me. In their place? The local, organic Enessa line, sourced with Fair Trade ingredients, and essential oils custom blended in-house with the help of a local aromatherapist.

“Spas focus a lot on just beauty, and I think it’s important to address lifestyle and preventative health as well,” said Figueroa. “I want to invoke the mind, body and senses so that you’re carried away—not just by a relaxing beauty treatment, but by a treatment that heals you from the inside out.”

My two holistic treatments began with a Vitamin C Superfruit Facial, which calls on an arsenal of organic products including a refreshing peel-off mask specific to my skin type and serums incorporating golden jojoba oil and aloe vera. Aesthetician Selina Messmer began with much-needed exfoliation for my perennial dryness—explaining that tingling was normal due to a potent mix of seaweed and sea salt—followed by a targeted lymphatic-drainage head massage designed to “activate circulation and alleviate skin irritation.”

Next, the detoxifying Body Illuminating Treatment began with a vigorous yet curiously relaxing full-body scrub utilizing Dead Sea salts. After removing the residue with heated towels, Messmer used a soft brush to apply a nutritive moisturizing mask made of Hungarian Moor mud. While I lay burrito-style in parchment paper and a warming blanket to let the mask work its magic, she gave me first a rosemary oil head massage, then a ginger oil foot massage.

Illumination complete, my skin now soft and refreshed, I felt truly invigorated. The treatment had certainly fulfilled Figueroa’s vision of “energizing and providing renewal.”

And I wasn’t the only one getting prettified; the cozy cottage was in the midst of its own makeover to a bright orange exterior. “Asian temples are almost always an orange or saffron color—I want Le Petite Retreat to look like a Tibetan temple,” explained Figueroa, adding that the building had been blessed by Tibetan monks when it first opened in 2001. “The bright color attracts you, but once inside, you feel serene and in harmony.” I’ll vouch for that.

331 N Larchmont Blvd, LA 90004, 323.466.1028

The Healing Rose, Encino

By Elyse Glickman

After nearly a decade in Woodland Hills, the Healing Rose Holistic Skin Care Center, founded by sisters Irina Segal and Galya Krigel, took root in a cozy courtyard mall in Encino last November. Reflecting their approach to skin care and wellness, the new space is bathed in soft peach and vanilla hues that glow in the warm light of Himalayan salt lamps. Vibrant color accents pop in paintings created by their mother, Zena.

Tidy blonde wood cabinets showcase Dr. Hauschka and Weleda products in an ambience so quiet you could hear a proverbial pin drop. The stillness is largely due to the absence of computers and other high tech items they believe might interfere with their homeopathic preparations.

Although a menu of spa services is offered, the sisters’ “hands-on” approach is a literal one. Aesthetician Segal and hygiological nutritionist Krigel work together to create a personalized protocol based on Krigel’s assessment of each client’s current health, skin condition and nutritional needs. Segal describes the process as a gateway to a more self-preserving kind of lifestyle.

“The heart of what we do is lymph work—lymphatic stimulation,” Segal explains. “To get maximum benefit in continued improvement to the skin, we advise clients to come for regular treatments, according to a rhythm that suits their lifestyle and finances.”

My sublimely relaxing session of multiple silk brush strokes and applications of cleansers and masques was also an education in maintaining and improving my skin. Despite my good health, my skin was alarmingly dry, and Segal recommended several skincare products plus more iron and flax in my diet. I was surprised when she explained that, “Some age spots can be treated from the inside out, because 80 percent of the time it is not the sun causing discoloration but the functioning of the liver.”

While the sisters count A-list celebrities and medical professionals among their loyal clients, they also offer a reduced-cost seasonal clinic for those with lower income. They believe that with the right skincare products and diet, anyone can maintain a youthful look without such drastic solutions as chemical peels and surgery.

15928 Ventura Blvd., #118, Encino 91436, 818.990.0363