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Photographs by Katherine Bish
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Day 1: Your Feet
When the weather is sunny and flip-flops are the shoe of the hour, one preens with polished toes. But then comes the dreary weather of winter, and feet are shod in socks and boots. No longer does the pedicure seem a necessary indulgence.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
First of all, the skin gets dried and cracked. And if that doesn’t sound unpleasant enough, while you stay toasty in stockings or socks and shoes or boots, feet sweat and fungus grows. Toss complacency aside, and book that pedicure.
If you want to go for the gold and if dropping a C-note on your toes doesn’t faze you, try the Signature Pedicure at Ginger Bay Salon and Spa ($100; 437 N. Kirkwood, 314-966-0655). The throne is stashed in a lovely room fit for two, and you’re handed a warmed rice pillow for resting your weary head. Then the pedicurist gives your feet the works: massage, exfoliation, cuticle care, callus smoothing, a rubdown with Dead Sea salts followed by fragrant oils, a mask and then a dip of your pink toes right up to your ankles into paraffin. She finishes off with a polish that literally lasts weeks.
For a more budget-conscious alternative, experience the Lemongrass Lavender Foot Treatment ($25) at the Wellbridge Athletic Club & Solace Spa (7620 Forsyth, 314-746-1501; 998 Woods Mill, 636-391-6109). It includes a scrub-down with a mix of seaweed, lemongrass, lavender, pumice and walnut shells, followed by a massage and fruit-acid hydrating cream. And unlike Ginger Bay’s luxurious hour-plus experience, this one takes a scant 15 minutes.
Day 2: Your Hands
Even though a simple coat or two of your own polish keeps your nails looking pretty, it’s not quite as easy to keep them feeling pretty in the dead of winter. Splurge on a more luxurious hand therapy treatment to combat your dry and cracked skin. Look for spa manicures that include cuticle, hydrating and paraffin treatments (which make your skin better able to absorb moisture) plus a top-notch hand and arm massage. A hydrating mask will soothe and soften your skin. Then pick a polish color that complements your fancy new holiday garb, or stick to what’s in: black and other deep, decadent colors.
Go!Spa’s Spoiled Rotten Manicure ($38; 11735 Manchester, 314-822-0772) enhances your typical file/buff/polish application with intensive cuticle treatment, an exfoliating scrub, a hydrating mask, paraffin treatment, a deluxe hand and arm massage and heated herbal pillow therapy—all in 45 minutes. Make it French for an additional $5.
Day 3: Your Face
As much as your hands and feet deserve some serious spoiling during December, at least your mittens, wool socks and boots can keep them hidden if you don’t get around to it. Not so with your face, which makes a treatment all the more important.
Stonewater Spa’s Signature Facial ($95; Plaza Frontenac, 314-569-2111) offers nourishment and defense against the damaging December weather. It begins with deep pore cleansing, followed by steam with exfoliation and blemish extractions. Stonewater gives a face, neck and shoulder massage before applying a facial mask, toner, serum and moisturizer. Staff esthetician Anna Salaber says that what makes this facial the spa’s signature are its unexpected bonus features—a foot massage and “hot mitts on the hands and feet.”
Alternatively, depending on your skin history, Studio Branca’s Salicylic and Mandelic Acid Peel (from $60; 12627 Olive, 314-469-1222) may be the call. This treatment combines those two acids to create an exfoliant and decongestant that improves imperfect skin. Studio Branca esthetician Jodi Miller says this is a great alternative to glycolic peels “for baby boomers with rosacea or sensitive skin.” And for those with time on their mind, Miller claims the peels can get “significant work” done in less than 20 minutes.
Day 4: Your Body
Your extremities are covered, so let’s move on to the main frame. Scrubs will exfoliate your skin and remove dead skin cells (using sea salt or crushed seashells, for example), but we’ll focus here on massages and wraps. One option on the former is the Fusion Stone Massage ($100), created by Aveda and available at the Chase Park Plaza (212–232 N. Kingshighway, 314-633-3081). “The stone massage is a sensational experience, and it helps in relaxation,” says Tara Gregor, the Chase’s salon manager. Heated oil is used in tandem with smooth basalt stones that are employed to massage the entire body. “There is a smooth, fluid transition because the hands are not taken off of the client’s body,” Gregor says. “Sometimes, you can’t tell if it’s the stone or the hands.” The stones—handpicked in pairs—are specially suited for each part of the body; for the abdomen, a large flat stone is used, whereas a larger, darker stone that can hold more heat is used for the back. The pattern for the stone application is warm-cold-warm, which helps invigorate the body and the mind.
Not big on stones? You may enjoy the Fango Mud Wrap ($80) at The Face & the Body Day Spa (2515 S. Brentwood, 314-725-8975; 1765 Clarkson, 636-532-2500). To start the treatment, you choose an oil with which to scent the room. You’re then wrapped in a solar blanket, which causes your body temperature to rise. The warm green Fango mud—rich in silica sand, algae and nutrients from the sea—is applied all over the skin. Then you’re rewrapped in the solar blanket and given a pressure-point massage. After a cooling foot massage, you shower and are wrapped in a cool sheet, which brings the body temperature back down, closing your body’s pores. Linda Hoff, esthetic manager for the Face & the Body’s Brentwood location, says that this treatment leaves the skin feeling more toned. “If someone has dermatitis, eczema or very dry skin,” she says, “the mud can really hydrate the skin and keep it from being so itchy.”
Day 5: Your Home
It’s time to make your home feel as heavenly as you do. Since we spend almost a third of our lives sleeping, the bed is where to start. Hästens, a Swedish bed maker, has recently introduced the Vividus (about $60,000). This über-luxurious fantasy bed includes two mattresses made up of materials like horsehair, cotton and wool, and it has a flax-lined pine frame and oiled oak legs. As an added bonus, when you move closer to snuggle with your partner, the bed won’t creak—thanks to the company’s innovative hand-tied, flax-lined spring system. Made by hand for each customer, Hastens beds are finished with an engraved brass plaque and given a 25-year warranty.
But what good is a Lexus-priced bed if it doesn’t have the finest sheets? Vicki Howfer, from the local store Sallie Home (9821 Clayton, 314-567-7883), recommends Sferra Milos Egyptian Cotton Sheets ($600 for king-size flat), which have a 1,020-thread count. “They are the most luxurious,” she says, “They have a crisp, clean feel and a beautiful drape.” Howfer also loves Scandia Down comforters and duvet covers, specifically the Versailles medium down comforter, made of Hungarian goose down. She notes that the company can tailor-make a comforter to fit your needs. “If you’re always cold and your husband is hot,” she says, “they can do one side of it light and one side with more down.”
There’s no reason to limit your pampering to the bedroom, though. Your bathroom can be just as pamptastic. Start out by drawing a bath complete with a delicious-smelling bubble foam. Try Lady Primrose’s Tryst Bathing Gel ($20 for an 8-ounce bottle), which, Howfer says, is the soap du jour for several stars. When it’s time to step out of the tub, wrap yourself in a heated towel, courtesy of a Brookstone Towel Warmer ($200; Saint Louis Galleria, 314-727-5799). For the final touch, slip into a silk and French lace robe from Leigh Bantivoglio. “It’s definitely luxurious,” says Jenny Hannis, owner of the lingerie boutique Jule (9757 Clayton, 314-983-9282), which sells a long ($270) and a short ($230) version. “The long robes are just gorgeous to lounge around in,” she says. “It’s just that yummy feeling against your skin.”
Day 6: The Man in Your Life
If you have found that all this pampering is starting to take its toll on you, take a break, and let the man in your life indulge today. Although treatments for men don’t usually involve pretty colors and sweet, flowery smells, he deserves a day of relaxation and revitalization, too. Look for facial treatments geared toward relieving razor burn, pedicures that treat calluses, hand and foot treatments that include paraffin, and massages that relieve muscular tension and increase circulation and flexibility.
Scandals Day Spa (4455 Telegraph, Suite 220, 314-845-2111) has a package dubbed Especially for Him ($185), which includes a Swedish massage, spa therapy manicure and spa therapy pedicure. It all starts in the locker room, where he’ll find a plush robe and selection of hot and cold beverages. Next up: a one-hour, full-body basic relaxation massage. He’s probably no longer got his wallet handy, but for an extra $10, he can upgrade to a deep-tissue massage, which will focus more on muscular tension. Then there’s a manicure and a pedicure, complete with a whirlpool foot soak, intensive callus care, and a deluxe lower leg and foot massage.
He can also test the waters at Selah Salon & Day Spa (1424 Washington, 314-588-1335) with the three-hour Fit for a King Package ($200). This treatment provides him with a deep-tissue massage (neutralizing muscle pain, tightness and tension), a deep-cleansing facial (with stepped-up exfoliation) and a men’s manicure (buffing, natch). All this royal treatment is topped off with something we know every guy is up for: a free lunch.
Day 7: Your Teen
Your kids are extensions of you, so shouldn’t they be pampered, too? For the teen girl in your life, you could start with a first makeup lesson. Many department-store beauty counters offer free consultations, which means you can put your teen in the hot seat and let the consultant try out some different looks (age-appropriate, of course!). Christy Beck, a Clinique consultant at the Saint Louis Galleria, begins her consultations with a few general questions for the teen, then determines skin type and chooses corresponding makeup. Beck acknowledges that teens tend to want something more “vibrant,” though she maintains that they should keep any makeup light and natural. Her final suggestions: “Do research, and ask a lot of questions.”
For something a little more special, check out the Just for Teens Package at Ginger Bay ($115). Here your teen gets two hours’ worth of attention in the form of a makeup lesson, a manicure, $35 in Aveda products and a complimentary gift. Ginger Bay’s Katy Beck says this package is beneficial partly because of its educational value. “A good makeup application has to begin with proper skin care,” she says. “Many teens are not educated at how to really take care of their skin. They’re either underdoing it or overdoing it, so getting proper skin care is the more important lesson.” According to Beck, the moms also enjoy it. “Coming in, they can feel comfortable knowing that we are really just looking out for the best interests of their daughter and want to help them achieve the best results.”
Day 8: Your Body, Part 2
Sure, that external massage felt great, but now it’s time to attend to your inner you. Yoga tones muscles, increases flexibility and detoxifies, but Karen Jones, owner of Marbles Yoga (1905 Park, 314-621-4744), also champions its power to relax the mind and the body. For the best pampering experience, she recommends Restorative Yoga ($12 for a one-hour session). This type uses several props, which means all your positions are supported (which means you’re straining less). Restorative yoga doesn’t tone the muscles; it relaxes them. “We are usually closed up and look more like the letter ‘O,’” Jones says. “Say you are sitting in a chair with your shoulders slumped forward, like the way you sit at a computer. When we are driving or sitting at a computer all day, the muscles become tight. This yoga pose opens up the opposite side of the body and relaxes those muscles.” Since the pose opens up the chest, your heart is allowed to have an emotional release. “This pose makes you more loving and courageous,” Jones says.
Day 9: Your Hair
Go from loving to lovely by focusing today on your locks. Whether you’re longing for a Hollywood look or just need to give your ’do a quick do-over, you’ve got options. At Michael Isaiah Salon (11940 Manchester, 314-966-3233), the Exfoliate and Restore Condition Treatment ($35–40) rids you of damaged and dead hair and soaks what remains in protein and collagen to condition your locks back to their natural strength and shine. Karen Weindel, a stylist at the salon, calls this 30-minute service “a microdermabrasion for your hair.”
For those who are seeking a more … transformational experience, Weindel suggests a complete package of Consultation, Foil, Color, Cut and Style (approximately $225, though prices vary). What starts with a conversation about your current state of hair affairs (grumbles, wishes) moves into 2½ hours of fun that will help you make a second first impression at all the holiday parties that follow. Weindel says that often stylists can suggest new looks to long-term clients—she returned from a recent Las Vegas hair show, for instance, ready to match a new look to one of her steadies. The impulsive types shouldn’t worry, though. “I love it when customers come in and say, ‘Go for it,’” Weindel says. “Then I can be totally free.”
Day 10: Your Appetite
You’re feeling tremendous from head to toe, outside and in. What could ruin a day like that? How about a harried, rush-hour trip to your local supermarket—inept shoppers attempting self-checkout—and heading home to do the “What’s for dinner?” dance. May we present, for one night only: the private chef.
One St. Louis star on this scene is Kirk Warner of Kirk’s Traveling Kitchen (prices vary depending on event and menus). This acclaimed chef—formerly of Savor—has wowed private diners in St. Louis and Santa Fe, New York and San Fran, Luxembourg and Lithuania. If you didn’t think pampering could get culinary, you weren’t invited to one of Warner’s most recent events. “I prepared a multicoursed wine dinner for a customer who was interested in pairing some of the best Australian wines of the past 20 years with a 12-course Australian-influenced menu,” he tells us. “Luckily, I had some indigenous Aussie spices like wattle seed, bush tomato and lemon pepper leaf and was able to track down a supplier who could provide fresh kangaroo and crocodile. It was a great dinner.”
Great? Sounds unforgettable. Chefs like Warner start by discussing the menu, budget and tone for a new client’s special night. As the planning moves on, everything is crafted to the client’s wishes and special needs. It’s kind of like you’re in charge—without lifting a finger. Bon appétit!
Day 11: Your Wardrobe
Clothes make the man, er, the woman. As long as you’re in pampering mode, take a break from scouring rack after rack (where you often pick up duds that are, er, duds), and enlist the help of a personal shopper. This special service, which is often complimentary at larger department stores, lets you go about other business while a trained shopper goes on the hunt. All you have to do is give the shopper your size, the styles of clothes that interest you (or names of specific designers) and your price limit.
One local option is the personal shop service at The Fifth Avenue Club at Saks Fifth Avenue in Plaza Frontenac (314-567-9200). The club does not have a formal membership procedure, and anyone is welcome to use its services. First-timers start with a consultation; when they return for a scheduled appointment, a Saks consultant presents the preselected merchandise. Debra Derrick, Saks’ assistant general manager, says that the personal-shopping experience can often be “a time-saving thing for women who don’t like to shop,” as well as a way to learn what’s new and hot without having to do the on-site research. “The consultant,” Derrick says, “will see something in the store that you might like, call about new arrivals of merchandise and inform you about fashion trends.”
At Neiman Marcus (Plaza Frontenac, 314-994-5050), the goal is to make the customer feel comfortable—with a cup of tea, a bite to eat or a specific kind of music in the room. “Our customers respond very positively to the service,” says Ellen Soule of Neiman Marcus. “Who doesn’t appreciate some pampering and attention in the midst of all the daily things a busy person has to attend to? Often our personal shoppers do a lot of prep work over the phone with the customer, so that when she comes in, everything she is looking for is ready and waiting for her review—apparel, shoes, jewelry, accessories.”
Day 12: Your Finale
What better way to finish off your 12 days of pampering than with high tea and a matinee? Make your own crustless mini-sandwiches and other bite-size delectables, and invite the ladies to your place. Or save your hands from more dishes, and splurge on one of St. Louis’ tearooms. Washington Avenue’s London Tea Room (1520 Washington, 314-241-6556) offers a proper Afternoon Tea ($22 for one person, $40 for two), which includes one scone with jam and Devonshire cream, small sandwiches, assortments of small cakes and a choice of tea served in Burleigh china. And don’t rush too fast through those cakes: The pastry chef here studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York.
A westward option can be found at the Lobby Lounge of the Ritz-Carlton (100 Carondelet Plaza, 314-863-6300). What the Ritz calls Traditional Tea ($27) is split into three servings: The first features, well, tea and four small sandwiches (including smoked salmon and crab with American caviar and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus with grain mustard); for the second, it’s freshly baked scones with Devonshire cream and preserves; and for the third, tea breads and fruit tartlets and assorted miniature pastries. It’s a regal scene—with fresh flowers, serious seating and attentive servers.
Our piece of final advice: Cap off these glorious 12 days by sipping your last drop of tea and slipping into a late-afternoon movie. Preferably alone. It’ll get quiet. The cinema’s yours. The seats are comfy. The lights are low, and then gone. What to watch? Doesn’t matter. The more obscure the film—something Finnish would be fine—the better for dozing. Good night, and good luck.
By Elizabeth Lewis, Christy Marshall and Allie Wieczorek
