Day spas: pampering without time commitment

There is no doubt about it; We live in a hectic society that shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. To relieve some of the stress associated with always being on the go, many people have turned to spas to help banish the cares of the world. But what if you don’t have thousands of dollars and a whole week to devote to becoming one with yourself and nature? The answer could be as simple as day spas.

Day spas are a relatively new phenomenon. In the early ’80s, there were only a handful of day spas spread across the United States. In those days, if you wanted a luxury spa, you had to foot the bill and commit to time. As you can imagine, this severely limited the spa’s client base to the privileged.

Today, there are thousands of day spas and you can find one in almost every community. Day spas differ from their luxury spa counterparts in that clients have the option of visiting for a full day, a half day, or just an hour or two. There are no overnight stays or one-week package commitments. At a day spa, you can get premium services like those found at traditional spas, but for much less time and money.

So what kind of services can you get at a day spa? Pretty much everything from facials, massages, body wraps, sunless tanning, pedicures, manicures, electrolysis, hair services, makeup applications, hair coloring, lunch…you name it.

Here’s a brief look at some popular day spa packages:

* From $125 to $175 you will get a three-hour classic salon/spa experience that includes manicure with paraffin treatment, pedicure, scalp treatment, shampoo and styling, massage or mini-facial.

* From $75 to $100 you will get a two-hour body treatment with exfoliation, massage and steam room

* For $300 to $500, you can be pampered throughout the day and choose from a host of services. Meals will also be served to you during your day stay.

And don’t think day spas skimp on luxury. Many spas offer limousine services and treat their clients like royalty, no matter what social class they come from. For this reason, day spa gift certificates have become extremely popular giveaways. When you present a day spa gift certificate, you’re giving your loved one a luxurious gift of indulgence. What better way is there to say that they have worked hard and deserve some of the finer things in life?

When choosing a day spa, keep in mind that different spas offer different services. In many cases, day spas work in conjunction with a full-service beauty salon. That means you can choose from a wide variety of services. However, other day spas may only offer massage and skin care services without offering hair and nail services. You should also shop around. Prices from one spa to another can vary considerably.

So if you want to be pampered but are short on money and less time, perhaps a day spa is the perfect compromise you’ve been looking for. But be warned, day spas can be addictive.