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Sedona New Day Spa
Spa treatments are delicious ways to pamper yourself, but as most women know, an hour of peace to put your feet up and flip through the latest issue of Vogue is absolutely priceless. That’s the awesome thing about Sedona New Day Spa: You get to do both.
Fifteen years ago, when every salon that offered waxing services started calling themselves “day spas,” the term became diluted. Sedona New Day Spa has redefined the concept of a day spa by offering amenities that some resort spas don’t even offer, like a warm neck wrap that smells like sugar cookies or personal-care bags filled with shower cap, disposable underwear and comb. The waiting room is cozy and soothing with a flickering electronic fireplace and a spread of organic goodies such as almonds, dried fruit, biscotti, crackers, cookies and tea.
“I believe in the concept of holding a space,” says Andrea Bordelon, spa director. “As soon as you walk through our doors, you feel like you are being heard, taken care of and pampered. That’s the reason why people come to a spa in the first place.”
New Day Spa offers facials, chemical-free nail services, massages and body treatments (no hair services). I indulged in one of the spa’s signature treatments, the True Sedona Clay Treatment, which incorporates clay harvested from Red Rock Country and mixed with avocado oil. First, your body is dry-brushed in the vichy room to get rid of dead skin cells. Then you are covered with the creamy clay, which is the most luxurious consistency you can imagine – it feels like soft butter. Your body is cocooned in towels so that the clay can work its detoxifying magic. After being unwrapped, you are showered with a six-head shower wand while still lying on the table. If you think that sounds like heaven, you’re right. The sensation of the water falling on your skin coupled with the sound of water on tile (it reminded me of a gentle rainstorm) lulls you into a state of utter relaxation. (Insider’s tip: Try to request Chaya Mueller, one of the creators of the True Sedona Clay Treatment, as your therapist. She’s one of the best in town.)
Once you’re showered, you dry off and transition into a treatment room where you receive a massage featuring New Day Spa’s Desert Dew Lotion, which was exclusively formulated for the spa by local company Body Bliss. Ninety minutes later, you are detoxified, moisturized, squeaky clean and relaxed to the point of feeling like a bowl of Jell-O. It’s no wonder Andrea and her attentive staff recommend a little “me time” before jumping in your car and rushing back to reality.
“We suggest you stay after your treatment and not rush into life,” says Andrea. “Sit in the sauna, take a shower, have a snack or relax in the lounge. Let the treatment settle.”
So I took Andrea’s advice and melted into a chaise lounge in the private women’s relaxation room. Wearing a robe and slippers and with a blanket, a glass of cucumber water, a plate of goodies and a stack of magazines, I had the room to myself for nearly an hour. Everything was quiet and still, and this felt like the ultimate pampering.
Sedona New Day Spa, 1449 SR 89A in West Sedona. Call 928-282-7502
Skin Care by Katherine
Most of us view facials differently than we view massages, though both are popular spa modalities. Sure, we want to relax during a facial and forget about life for a while, but when it’s finished, we want results. We want to look in the mirror and notice a difference, and we prefer if that difference lasts for more then a few hours. That’s where Skin Care by Katherine comes into the picture. Katherine Doerner began her career as a part-time makeup artist in Santa Barbara, Calif., while also working as a contract flight attendant. At the makeup counter, she watched an aesthetician give a facial for the first time and knew that was what she wanted to do. She enrolled in the Lu Ross Academy in Ventura, Calif., and received her aesthetician’s certificate and license in 1990. She began practicing full time in 1996 and relocated to Sedona in 2003. Last year, she moved her business from her home studio to the Raymond Rodriguez Salon in West Sedona.
Katherine’s newest – and perhaps most effective – treatment is the Non-Surgical Facelift ($85). The 60-minute treatment (a series of eight is recommended) incorporates Dermacycling technology, a combination of a microcurrent and LED light that addresses a myriad of skin issues including wrinkles, acne, rosacea, hyperpigmentation and sagging skin. The sensation of the Dermacycling wand against the face and décolletage is subtle – sometimes it pulsates, sometimes it tingles, but most of the time, it just feels like a nurturing massage for your face.
“It’s a workout for your facial muscles,” says Katherine. “After we turn 50, we stop producing collagen. This machine stimulates collagen production and offers a lift. But anyone can benefit from it, not just those who are over 50. It actually stimulates your pores all the way down to the hair follicle.”
The treatment also includes microdermabrasion or an enzyme peel as well as cleansing, extractions and moisturizing with high-end serums and creams. Even in our excessively dry climate, my skin was left dewy and glowing for days – and that was after only one treatment. “You’ll start to notice a big difference after the fourth session,” says Katherine.
Now, for the ultimate pampering experience, book a Four-Hands Facial ($150) with Katherine and her identical-twin sister, Karen Parker. Karen has been an aesthetician for four years, and she resides in Santa Cruz, Calif. Every eight weeks or so, Karen travels to Sedona and the sisters work side by side in Katherine’s studio. The 90-plus-minute facial includes a non-acidic facial infusion, non-invasive ultrasonic waves, and foot and hand massages. It’s like a Hawaiian lomi-lomi massage for the face. The twins will offer Four-Hands Facials April 5-7 and again this summer. The treatment is so popular that at press time, they were almost completely booked in April.
“It’s a great way to pamper yourself,” says Katherine. “Not only is the end result effective – we’re using two to three machines and you’re glowing when you leave – but with four hands working on you at the same time, it feels very relaxing. When we started doing this, Karen and I had no verbal communication of how to do it – it just sort of happened, and it just flowed. It’s so much fun for us and for our clients.”
Skin Care by Katherine, 2155 Shelby Drive at the Raymond Rodriguez Salon in West Sedona. Call 928-301-3260
