Still stumped by someone on your gift list? Believe me when I tell you a spa gift certificate works for literally any woman on your list. If she’s into serious pampering, she can nab herself a facial or a body scrub; if she’s a high-power exec, I’m sure she’s in need of a massage; and if she’s one of those weird people who doesn’t like spa treatments (hi, Mom) she can still get a pedicure…or even a few excellent beauty products.
For my Portland peeps, let me save you the agony of hunting through a plethora of Aveda chain spas and hemp-wearing hippies: head north, a bit off the beaten path, and straight to Blooming Moon Wellness Spa.
Their incredibly sweet owner and aesthetician, Ginny (who you might have noticed on my Portland Picks list), was introduced to me by a dear friend (hi, D!) a couple of years ago, and I’ve been utterly hooked on the entire Blooming Moon experience ever since. Ladies, you have never had a facial this good. Ginny is pure magic…my skin is about the crankiest in the biz, but she never fails to calm and soothe it out of even the most dire state. Much as I ordinarily hate the whole “all natural” schtick, Ginny is fanatical about using the best, most natural products she can find, and it’s totally working for her.
You’ll want to know that you can nab a seriously excellent gift here for as little as $45, which will get your gift-ee a 30-minute massage or one of Ginny’s amazing express facials. Up it to $60, and she could have a salt scrub, which is one of my new favorite treats, especially during the dry winter months.
But the best deal in town is their monthly special package. It changes every month, but for December, it’s a massage, facial and a peppermint pedicure for $149. Really. Last month, it was a divine cinnamon-vanilla body scrub (made from scratch by Ginny, thank you), a 60-minute massage and a soak in their luxurious aromatherapy steam shower. I can tell you from personal experience it was pretty much my most relaxed two hours in recent memory.
There’s still plenty of time to call them up, order a gift certificate, and have it on your doorstep before Santa swipes all your Christmas cookies. Heck, if you insist on procrastinating a bit longer, they’ll even email it to her for you.
Oh, and when you call, tell them I said hi!
