Zen Salon and Spa by Carol Perkoski ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To begin my regimen of relaxation, massotherapist and body worker Colleen Lanzaretta led me to her soft-lit massage room (which she lovingly refers to as "my cave.") Once I was comfortably settled on her massage table, Colleen began the Deep-Tissue Massage by resting a heating pad of mud infused with trace minerals on my back. It had a warming, calming and re-mineralizing effect. Colleen shared with me the fact that "We lose minerals through perspiration, exercise and stress, so this treatment helps replenish the skin." Colleen deeply massaged my entire body, weaving her fingers through my hair to massage my scalp, and then rooted out the stress in my neck and shoulders with purposeful healing strokes and nimble fingers. She positioned hot stones in certain places along my spine, on my stomach and into my hands. The combination of the heated mud, nurturing strokes and hot stones evoked in me a divine feeling of inner bliss. Colleen's presence, attentiveness and intention to heal were apparent during every moment of this service. Her method perfectly captured the namesake of the spa.

Colleen's pre-sence, attentiveness and intention to heal were apparent during every moment of this deep-tissue massage.

    As I lingered in a deep state of relaxation, Colleen began the next body treatment, the Full Body Polish & Salt Glow. As she stoked my entire body with a dry soft bristled fan brush, Colleen shared how I could give myself similar treatment on a daily basis at home. The technique helps with lymphatic drainage and detoxification and calms the nervous system. Using long strokes, Colleen brushed away from my heart and in circular movements along my joints. Following this she used a luscious peppermint sugar scrub to exfoliate and detoxify my skin. "By cleaning the body's largest organ, the skin,” she explained, “we are able to wash away the debris and the top layer of the skin, which sheds every 28 days. This improves the body's intake of oxygen, the detoxification process and product absorption." The treatment was completed with an energizing shower followed by an exquisite full-body application of moisturizer infused with delicate and fragrant aromas of geranium and lavender. The body polish and salt glow gave my skin a baby-soft feel.

    Esthetician Alia Haloua provided my final treatment, the Luminous Sea & C Facial, which nourishes the skin with seaweed and vitamin C. This facial is especially therapeutic for those with dry and dull skin. The treatment uses Pevonia products from France because they are nearly pharmaceutical-grade botanical-based products, and Alia has found that they work very well on her clients. Alia’s passion for her work shone as she exuberantly explained the steps of this facial.

Esthetician Alia Haloua's passion for her work shone as she provided me with a facial that left my face with a bright, healthy glow.

    First she cleaned my skin with a milk cleanser containing botanicals of aloe, hazelnut oil and propolis from honey bees, which acts as a powerful moisturizer. Next she applied a refreshing, nonirritating toner over my face and neck which she followed with a thin layer of a soothing enzyme mask to slough off dead skin cells and moisten my skin. The mask was followed by a relaxing massage of my neck, chest and shoulders. After removing the mask, Alia vigorously massaged vitamin C serum and freeze-dried seaweed into my face until it was fully absorbed into my complexion. Finally, she painted a vitamin C lift-off rubber mask to set in all the products and tone my skin. After this treatment my face had a bright, healthy glow and a silky-smooth texture.

    Zen Salon & Spa offers a full array of hair and nail treatments as well as facials, body treatments and massages. For other unique experiences, try the Plantomer Lift-Off Mask, a cooling facial treatment for sensitive skin that uses minerals from the ocean, or the Vacation, a 90-minute, full-body massage with the addition of guided stretching and deep-tissue work. Regardless of the treatments you choose, your visit to Zen Salon & Spa assures you the experience of the artsy milieu of Asia, holistic treatments and professional, caring therapists.

Zen Salon & Spa is located at 2718 Lorain in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. For more information, call (216) 939-1760 or visit www.salonzen.com.

Photo by Bob Perkoski - www.Perkoski.com.