Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we offer our opinions on the best Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more.
I’m an unashamed subscriber to self-care culture.
Hear me out: It’s more than a gimmick on social media. Though contrarians could argue that it’s morphed into an industry based on consumerism, self-care at its core is a pillar to uphold in our fast-paced lives. Why? Because it forces you to slow down.
We’re taught from a young age that caring for ourselves means moving our bodies meaningfully and feeding them well. But on top of that, we can make our bodies feel their best — and take intentional time away from the stress of work and life — through self-care.
Often, that can just mean a hot bubble bath and a face mask after a long day. But if you’d like to step up your routine, then I have several tried-and-true services in Denver to recommend. At an economic moment when people are hesitant to spend their cash, these are my personal favorites that I consider worth the price for the value they provide.
Pur Artistry Japanese Head Spa
I’ve been entranced by those viral videos of Japanese head spas for a while now. Clients protected by eye masks lay their heads under a halo-shaped tool that gently sprays water as technicians shampoo, massage and condition their hair. It wasn’t long before I turned to Google to find local head spa experiences, and I saved a trip to Pur Artistry Japanese Head Spa for a special occasion.
Unfortunately, it was too good, and I’m now convinced that this has to be a monthly expense.
The city’s two locations in LoHi and Denver Tech Center offer four head spa experiences, ranging from $125 for an hour to $250 for 115 minutes. I tried the shortest option, the “essential head spa.” First, my technician performed a scalp analysis, identifying any flakiness, redness, oil and more. In Colorado’s dry climate, our skin is crying for help — even on our heads. After changing into a robe, the spa experience began: exfoliation, a double cleanse, a massage and conditioner.
Once that wrapped up, I was handed a tray of refreshments to enjoy while my technician blow-dried my hair. The second scalp analysis confirmed that I was a new woman.
4940 S. Newport St., Denver, and 1735 Central St., Denver
Talia Rose Aesthetics
Before Talia Rose Aesthetics, I was bouncing from chain to chain, trying to find a facial spa where the quality matched the cost. After my first facial with esthetician Talia Rosen, I was hooked.
I’ve tried several of her services: the “yours truly ritual” at $125 for 75 minutes, the “glass skin ritual” at $115 for an hour and the seasonal facial at $115 for 75 minutes. The “yours truly ritual” starts by selecting an affirmation card from a deck and settling into her cozy studio space in City Park West for some leisure time. From there, Rosen cycles through aromatherapy, a skin analysis, a double cleanse, enzyme exfoliation, pore extractions, massage and a treatment mask.
She’s a one-woman show: small business owner, esthetician and hidden industry gem.
1610 Gaylord St., Denver
SweatHouz: Cold Plunge and Infrared Sauna Studio
In search of a sauna to fight the winter chill, I frequented SweatHouz: Cold Plunge and Infrared Sauna Studio when it first opened its South Broadway location. Since then, the national franchise has unveiled plans to open on Tennyson Street and in the Denver Tech Center.
That’s for good reason, because this contrast therapy studio has a lot to offer. After booking my first hourlong session for $45, I was escorted to my private suite, which included an infrared sauna, a cold plunge tub and a vitamin-C shower. I had control of the temperature in the sauna where I sweat it out for up to 45 minutes, watching Netflix all the while. I could only stand a few minutes in the cold plunge, which drops as low as 48 degrees.
It felt like an hour well-spent. The catch: After the first try, the price jumps to $80 per session, which I can’t abide. But SweatHouz offers great promotions, and I’ve wholeheartedly taken advantage of them. If you love it, you can purchase a membership or package, which both drive that cost per session down to a more reasonable number.
2101 S. Broadway, Denver
Bori Curls Studio
This one is for the curly folks. If you’re anything like me, you’ve also faced a lifelong struggle to find hairstylists who know how to handle ringlets. I’ve been duped countless times by well-intentioned hair professionals who claimed to work with curls but left me looking like the Native Hawaiian version of Little Orphan Annie with a brunette bob.
Frances Alabarces, the owner and curl specialist at Bori Curls Studio in the University Park neighborhood, is the first stylist who’s made my curls look even better — and walks me through the process of how to care for them myself. As the only person in my immediate family with curly hair, this is a game-changer.
A curly pixie cut and a kids’ curly cut both cost $120. From there, she offers separate rates for new and existing clients. For new clients, a curly cut for low- and medium-density hair is priced at $150 for 90 minutes and a curly cut for high-density hair is $170 for two hours. The service includes a dry cut or trim, then a styling lesson and product recommendations.
Originally from Puerto Rico, she serves both Spanish- and English-speaking clients. I’ve seen her for years, and, when I move from Denver, I plan to make return trips for my haircuts. Is that ridiculous? Maybe — but she’s the only one allowed to touch my curls now.
2496 S. University Blvd., Denver
Purluxe Beauty Bar
Purluxe Beauty Bar is everything you want in a nail salon: bright, clean and fast. The wine and cocktail options are an added bonus.
I have my go-to selections — classic pedicure and Gel-X manicure — but the list of services is extensive. Customers can opt for a simple combo like the classic manicure at $32 and the classic pedicure at $42, or amp up the luxury with selections including the mango madness pedicure at $75, the champagne and roses pedicure at $85, and the Pur deluxe pedicure at $125.
This salon is top-tier, with nail technicians pampering your hands and feet at once. I’m almost always out the door within the hour — and that’s no small feat.
Locations in Cherry Creek, Lower Highland and the Denver Tech Center
Capitol Eyebrow Threading
Tucked away in the Cheesman Park neighborhood is Capitol Eyebrow Threading, a no-frills spot that is hands down the best deal for facial hair removal. Though I am part of the generation of young women whose moms largely introduced them to eyebrow waxing, I decided a change was in order and pivoted to eyebrow threading.
Capitol Eyebrow Threading is open to walk-in customers, and I’ve never had to make an appointment. For just $15, the owner sits me down and shapes my eyebrows within minutes. My face — and my wallet — have never been happier.
1205 E. 9th Ave., Denver
Lake Steam Baths
As a reporter, I’ve covered Lake Steam Baths — a Denver institution since 1927 — several times. As a customer, I’ve frequented the Russian bathhouse on West Colfax Avenue even more often. For a $32 day pass, I can languish in the sauna, steam room, hot tub and showers.
The bathhouse hosts men’s days on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Its women’s days fall on Monday and Thursday. Most times, I quietly relax by myself, though it’s a spot to socialize, too. I was recently shown how to use the venik, or a bundle of leaves, which is vigorously slapped against your body to move the steam. Another client taught me to rub Epsom salts under my armpits and feet to remove the day’s negative energy.
A trick I discovered for myself was the bathhouse’s soap and salt scrubs. That’s a service that I usually associate with Korean spas, so I was initially a little surprised to see it offered at the bathhouse. Ranging in price from $25 to $30, the scrubber on duty cleans and exfoliates your body over the course of a half hour, getting all the spots on your back that you can’t reach. I leave feeling as shiny as a seal — a sense of cleanliness and calm that every body deserves.
3540 W. Colfax Ave., Denver