Holiday-scented spa treatments in New York City
Cranberry Delight body scrub and massage at Faina European Spa
If you want a whiff of the holidays without being overwhelmed by festive aromas, this body combo offering will do the trick. Owner Faina Shafir, who has been running her Midtown West spa for 26 years, created this seasonal service (available through February 28) after discovering cranberries’ nourishing skin benefits. Be prepared to strip down to a disposable paper thong for the first half of the treatment. Using subtly fruity Keyano Aromatics cranberry body scrub, a therapist will rub you from head to toe with the thick, coarse cream. The hydrating exfoliator contains cranberry oil, shea butter and antioxidants. After you’re fully coated, rinse off in an adjacent shower and emerge with a silky-smooth dermis that’s noticeably softer. Next, a different therapist performs Swedish and deep-tissue massage using Keyano Aromatics cranberry oil, a slick paraben-free serum that seeps into pores, leaving a slightly sweet lingering aroma. You can re-create the experience at home—both products are available for purchase ($22 each). 330 W 58th St between Eighth and Ninth Aves, suite 402 (212-245-6557, fainaeuropeanspa.com). 60min, $110 (normally $160). Mention TONY to receive this discount through Dec 31.—Rachel LeWinter
Are your pores in need of some attention? We sent a Spa Week staffer to test the Holiday Glow Facial with Pomegranate-Cranberry Antioxidant Treatment at Faina European Day Spa. See if this treatment lived up to its promise of delivering clear, glowing skin!
From Spa Week staffer Kaitlin:
One of the worst things about winter weather? Dull winter skin. I tried just about everything from peels to hydrating facials to get back the glow, but nothing seemed to do the trick. I knew that Faina had a reputation for providing great skincare, so I decided to give their new seasonal facial a try.
When I arrived, Laura, my esthetician and new best friend, wasted no time getting to work. This facial started with all of the basics: cleansing, exfoliating, steam and extractions. After that, two masks were applied; One with aloe to calm redness and inflammation and one with cranberry to brighten and plump. Since each facial is tailored to your individual skin type, mine concluded with a collagen treatment, LED light (to help the product penetrate) and oxygen blast.
During the facial, I discovered another great perk of Faina: Skincare lessons are included with your service. Laura advised on what type of products are best for my skin, what treatments I should do, and how often. (Note to self: Skincare routines need to be tweaked just about every season, so remember to switch it up!). Laura also pointed out a better way to apply products, and I learned that massaging in skin creams helps boost their efficacy. I left with plenty of new skincare knowlege, as well as that glowing, dewy post-facial complexion we all love. -KS
Faina European Day Spa: Clay Souffle Chocolate Mint Body Scrub
315 W 57th St between Eighth and Ninth Aves, suite 402 (212-245-6557, fainaeuropeanspa.com). $70. TONY deal Mention TONY when booking or at time of appointment for 20 percent off all treatments (Mon–Fri appointments) through Feb 29.
I’ve been blessed with itchy, dry skin (thanks, Mom), so I was stoked when my technician, Barno Yosefi, explained that the natural sugar cane in this exfoliating scrub would remove dead cells and leave me with smoother skin. The delicious-smelling concoction, safe for those with sensitive skin, was rubbed gently all over my body.
Best part: A steamy shower after the treatment and subsequent massage with moisturizing, vitamin-rich lotion were unexpected extras.
Why it’s worth it: My entire body felt baby-soft, and I didn’t have the slightest inclination to scratch.—Elizabeth Denton
Faina European Spa Skip the boring Valentine’s Day gifts this year and book a spa escape for you and your plus-one. This tranquil spot is lowering prices on its most popular packages. Nab a 50-minute couples’ massage with champagne and chocolates for $209 (normally $220); add two-hour-long dual pore-cleansing facials for $339 (usually $410); or go big with three hours’ worth of facials, paraffin hand treatments, spa pedicures and massages for $232 (regularly $358). 315 W 57th St between Eighth and Ninth Aves, suite 402 (212-245-6557, fainaeuropeanspa.com). Mon–Fri 10am–8pm; Sat, Sun 10am–6pm. Thu 9–Feb 29.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Faina European Spa is named after a Russian woman named Faina. It’s her spa. Go figure. Well-versed in the art of pampering, this lady has put together quite the impressive sprawl on 57th street. Tucked away on the 4th floor of a predictably glossy building just beneath Central Park’s west side entrance, Faina spa offers hedonists all the fixin’s—especially for those hedonists arm in arm with a lover. Perhaps best known for couples treatments, Faina does romance right. We’re talking champagne scrubs, flower petals, and some post-spa getting lucky time. (Note: The “getting lucky time” will have to happen on your own time and, yes, as lovely as their spa is, on your own turf).
I stopped at the spa a few weeks ago for a revitalizing lavender sea salt full body scrub, and then a nice and hot steam in the adjacent shower. I followed that up with a massage that put me to sleep like a just-fed baby. And I mean that in the best way possible. Who doesn’t want to wake up with soft muscles in a room that smells like an orchard and is backlit by flickering candles?
Expect a 100% professional spa so clean you could eat off the floor with body scrubs and oils so delicious sounding that you just might do that.
I mean, umm, that’s gross. And you might die. So don’t do that. But go get your back rubbed.
By: Elizabeth Seward
Fantastical
Usually, champagne is served in cups for drinking, but at Faina European Day Spa, you dunk your feet in it. Faina’s Grape Peel Pedicure begins with a warm foot soak in effervescent champagne soap suds. Next, your feet are exfoliated with a champagne rose scrub, then covered in a champagne rose mask. Before the sweet-smelling mask is removed, your feet are wrapped in plastic and placed in two funny-shaped silver slippers that make them feel quite toasty. After about five minutes, the slippers are removed, the mask is rinsed away, and your feet are moisturized with champagne rose lotion. A lengthy, luxurious foot massage follows, succeeded by the application of toenail polish. The whole process takes longer than your average pedicure, but it is also more pleasurable. The Grape Peel Pedicure is not available for a reduced price during Spa Week, but Faina’s classic European Pedicure is. Although the classic is sans champagne, Barno, the Faina technician who did an exquisite job on my toes, assured me that it’s très fantastique.
"Romance for Two"
Faina European Day Spa
This Valentine's special will put you and your loved one in the mood for romance while keeping you warm and cozy all day. The package includes a steam shower, an aromatherapy body polish, a one-hour European body massage, and champagne-and-chocolate tret to top it off. Visit the relaxing getaway on West 57th Street between Eighth and Ninth avenues in order to purchase a package, or check out other special offers on the spa's Web site at www. fainaeuropeanspa.com' - Maia Blume
"Faina European Day Spa is one of TONY's favorite escapes. For something a little out of the ordinary, opt for the European Purifying Facial with Papaya and Pineapple Enzyme Treatment or the seaweed Mud Paraffin Facial. or stick with the tried and the true European Body Massage"
"Any excuse that might have been keeping you from pampering yourself is completly shot down here: the brief treat is not expensive, not lengthy and not inconvenient - and there no getting naked necessary. The office-size suite may be modest, but its linens are crisp and staff serenly professional. A quarter hour of temple rubbing, hair tugging and swirly head kneading feels a lot longer, and it's mind-clearing for even the most ticklish among us. Expect a quick detour to the shoulders or forearms if you are game, but nothing's more invasive here than what you'd experience in an awkwardly crammed L train"
"Faina European Day Spa is one of the city's top spots offering top notch skin care ..."
"Faina Day Spa alleviated the frustration of my freakishly long 10am meeting. The 15-minute scalp massage--a seemingly endless series of rubs, strokes, and even strangely enjoyable hair tugs--was a godsend. The treatment even purports to stave off hair loss, a bonus for those tearing their locks out over a looming presentation or their own personal Dwight Schrutes."
"In her native Russia, she held a medical dgree, which explains her knowledge of and interest in workings of the body's most vital organ-the skin. Today, Faina is the proprietor of a luxe Midtwon spa offering unparalleled personalized service. Add to that her years of experience studying ways to perfect the complexion, a unique dash of old-world charm, and a no-nonsense approach to beauty, and you have a day spa experience you'll never forget"
"Faina's facials are known city-wide; she will unclog your pores, get rid of surface dirt and dead cells, and restore a healthy, youthful glow to your complexion"
"Restore youthful radiance and vitality at this private retreat nestled in the heart of Manhattan. Russian born and trained, Faina has a deep understanding of the skin"
"Faina provides enough pampering to calm both skin irritation and send you snoozing"