Best Facial 2019 | The Spa at the Miami Beach Edition | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Miami | Miami New Times
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In the hands of a skilled aesthetician, a good facial can go beyond cleansing and perking up tired skin — it can also work wonders to lift your sagging spirit. The Spa at the Miami Beach Edition offers a luxurious, oasis-like environment with nourishing facial options including express facials such as the Damage Control, with an oxygen blast to repair sun-damaged skin ($125); the C+Collagen treatment, to restore elasticity and even skin tone ($145); and the Royal Facial, combining gold and diamonds ($285) to ensure a glowing complexion. After your treatment, relax and nap on a custom-designed daybed surrounded by drapery and vintage Moroccan rugs in the candle-lit Relaxation Lounge to enhance your new, youthful glow. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

South Beach Body Waxing Co.

Miami's year-round warm temperatures are a blessing, but they also require detailed grooming. Miamians want bare legs for shorts and miniskirts, stubble-free armpits for tank tops, and, of course, baby-smooth bikini areas for those high-cut, booty-baring swimsuits. There are many hair removal options out there, but for many, waxing is still the best way to go. It's way more affordable than laser treatments, and hair grows back more slowly and softly than it does after shaving. South Beach Body Waxing Co. has groomed locals' and tourists' body hair for 21 years. Prices are below average, and the licensed staff uses a combination of hard and soft beeswax that is gentle on the skin, reducing inflammation and discomfort. Eyebrow shaping at the Washington Avenue spot will set you back only $20, nose grooming costs $10 to $13, and a full bikini wax runs $44. Combo specials are also available, such as the ladies' Brazilian bikini, buttocks strip, and underarms combo for $50 and the men's back, shoulders, chest, and stomach combo for $92. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6: 30 p.m. Saturday.

Skeptics will call you crazy. "Why go to a tanning salon when the sun is free?" "Tanning? Who goes tanning anymore?" "Don't you know tanning is bad for you?" Seriously, who asked them for their opinion anyway? Yes, you could just throw on some oil and lie in your backyard (New Times' lawyers would like us to remind you to use proper sunscreen to protect against harmful UV rays), but that can take time you don't have, and besides, the weather can be unpredictable. Instead, head to Tan-Go, located in the quaint suburb of Miami Springs, right off the Circle and next door to the Cozy Corner. The facilities aren't fancy, but they're clean and well-equipped. Sessions start at $13 for beds and $14 for stand-up tanning; however, monthly ($55) and weekly ($25) packages are also available. And if UV light isn't your thing, spray and airbrush treatments start at $35 and $45, respectively. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.

The Confidante Miami Beach

Most massages leave your skin polished, pummeled, and hydrated, but the majority of them don't address the deeper issues that build bodily tension daily. To get at those root causes, the Spa at the Confidante has created the customized Crystal Massage Journey: a multisensory experience harnessing the power of crystal energy to instill spiritual and emotional relief. The treatment begins with the selection of a healing crystal — a clear gem to bring clarity for big decisions; rose quartz for self-care, trust, and clear communication in romantic relationships; or amethyst to activate intuition, creativity, and sobriety. A rejuvenating massage follows. Then a gentle body rolling is performed using the Crystal Sphere — a small mystic massage tool that invigorates the body physically and energetically. The experience also includes a hydrating crystal elixir ceremony using Bulgarian rosewater for detoxification, healthy digestion, and increased energy. The ritual costs $145 for 50 minutes for one person or $285 for couples — a bargain if you consider its long-term benefits. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Readers' choice: The Standard Spa, Miami Beach

JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa

Miami is a stunningly gorgeous city, but the summer heat and rush-hour traffic are enough to stress out any local. A few hours at the 25,000-square-foot Âme Spa in Aventura can melt away the tension of even the most stressful workweeks. The massive spa offers more than 50 unique treatments, including flotation therapy ($85), collagen-infusion therapy ($149), and a range of facials ($149 to $229). Some massages, such as the Thai muscle recovery ($259), are sometimes performed on high-tech spa tables such as the Libra and incorporate chromatherapy and hydrotherapy. Before indulging in those options, guests can unwind in a muscle therapy steam room, breathe deeply in a Himalayan salt suite, and let go of all of their troubles in the Swiss shower, with varying water temperatures and pressures. If you want to prolong your pampering, check out Âme's Center for Integrative Medicine & Holistic Rejuvenation, which offers health services based on a mix of Eastern techniques and European traditions such as acupuncture ($80), auriculotherapy ($75), and a Paleo 14-day cleanse program ($195). Hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Readers' choice: The Spa at Auberge Beach

Nicholas Olivera

"What do you want to know about my business? I'll sell it to you," Unicorn Dry Cleaners owner Gina Duran jokes. She's quick and friendly in conversation, and those traits inform the way she runs her business. Offering same-day dry-cleaning service Tuesday through Friday, Unicorn Dry Cleaning places emphasis on quality at a breakneck pace. As her husband puts it, Duran speaks "three and a half languages" — English, Spanish, French, and Greek — so she's able to talk shop with almost anyone who needs a shirt ($3.99 to $6.99) or suit ($14.99) cleaned and pressed in time for that big job interview. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Jessica Lipscomb

It's Saturday morning, and you know what that means: gym, tan, laundry. Head to the laundromat where the cast of Jersey Shore goes to wash their swimsuits and clubwear when they're in town. Wash Club South Beach gained notoriety after Snooki, the Situation, and the rest of the gang were filmed there during early seasons of the MTV reality show. But if that's not enough of an endorsement, there are plenty of other reasons to make this your go-to laundromat. Wash Club, which is open from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily, offers a self-serve coin laundry as well as an extremely reasonably priced wash-and-fold service (the $15 minimum includes 15 pounds of laundry, with each additional pound costing $1). And there's no need to lug your laundry across town: the laundromat offers pickup service. Plus, there's free parking out back so you can load up your car and get everything washed in one trip. How's that for a productive weekend?

For more than two decades, Fashions by Eunice has attracted customers looking to refashion or repair their garments. At her beachfront, 550-square-foot shop, owner Eunice Reis and her team of four versatile seamstresses churn out custom-made outfits, tailor wedding dresses, reline jackets, and take up hems for customers that travel from as far as Kendall and Fort Lauderdale for an ideal fit. Clothing repair accounts for most of the shop's services, with zipper replacement ranging from $15 to $22, hem adjustments costing $13 to $22, and alterations starting at $12. The staff, fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, can also craft or mend home decor items such as sheets, duvet covers, and curtains. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Vintage Vault

Vintage Vault deals in antiques, but this charming Oakland Park store has a way of making everything feel fresh. Inside the bright and spacious store awaits a treasure trove of expertly curated curiosities, all of them beautifully arranged. Atop a midcentury-modern sideboard might be a gold-encrusted typewriter, a floral perfume bottle, or a cigarette machine. A few feet away, an old leather gymnastics beam might double as a bench, or a pair of wooden waterskis may lean against a brightly painted wall. There are vintage neon signs and gas pumps, Moroccan rugs, pastel-colored scales, and old-fashioned bug sprayers. It's evident everything was chosen with a skilled eye and placed with care. Just wandering amid it all is a treat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Give Good Works / India Amos

With its pink-and-purple-striped exterior and bumping music, Give Good Works boasts some serious curb appeal. Step inside and find a thrifter's dream, with everything from vintage threads to funky furniture to local art. In fact, you never really know what you'll find at Give Good Works. Case in point: The deck of cards showing George Bush's face plastered onto pinup posters. But this place isn't just about the joy of the hunt. A portion of sales go toward Miamians in need. So you can feel good about picking up those (truly amazing) Bush playing cards. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

Readers' choice: Miami Twice

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Best Of Miami®