After battling months of brutal winter in Joburg, we’re beyond ready to throw on some strappy sandals and a flippy skirt and put our best face – and body – forward. To prep for spring from head to toe, we put three beauty treatments to the test, including a safe tanning treatment and a facial that promises full restoration. The sunny season has never looked – or felt – so good.
Babor Classic Facial
A day in Sandton might be brilliant for shopping, but it’s hardly good for the soul. Luckily, tucked away in a quiet apartment building in Sandhurst is the calming haven of Life Lux Spa – a luxurious subterranean spa perfectly positioned as an alternative to the mayhem on the surrounding streets. A cosy haven of remedies and relaxation, the space is full-on interiors inspo, with a new level of gorgeousness at every turn. Whether you’re tired or rundown or merely in need of a skin treat, the Babor Classic Facial (R730) is the perfect way to make yourself look and feel much better. Using top-quality Babor professional skincare products made in Germany, this facial is utterly pampering – you’ll fall asleep in the first few minutes! We found it to be a really good all-rounder, with deep cleansing, toning, stimulating and extractions where needed. It’s also results-driven, so our skin looked lifted, clearer and smooth and wasn’t drenched in heavy product. You won’t leave feeling greasy – just glowing with fresh-looking skin with no irritation.
Embassy Towers, 175 Empire Place, Sandhurst
010 594 5393
The Tan Lab Spray Tan
Nude Skin & Nails is a classy yet discrete place to go for a quick spritz that’s personally applied by a lovely, skilled airbrush artist. The process of getting a spray tan using The Tan Lab (R350) couldn’t be easier: The treatment room is like being in your bathroom at home and you simply stand in the shower to be sprayed. Using The Tan Lab’s vegan, eco-friendly and cruelty-free solution in either light, medium or dark, the team aim to work with your skin tone to give a natural look. We love this product because first off, it’s minimally scented with no headache-inducing odour – really, it’s next level. Plus, it dries almost instantly and doesn’t leave you feeling like a sticky mess. Even the pickiest spray-tan customers will be impressed by their comfortable, professional and efficient experience at this upscale salon. From arrival to fully clothed again, the treatment takes 15 minutes at most. Although the process is incredibly quick, our spray tan faded pretty evenly during the following five days. In addition, the pricing is phenomenal.
Summerfields Shopping Centre, 678 Kelly Avenue, Boskruin
011 792 6833
CND Shellac English Garden Mani-Pedi
A go-to pamper spot for beauty editors, YouBar always delivers long-lasting manis and pedis. The intimate space is cool yet inviting and has the feeling of sitting in a friend’s stylish living room. The salon has an impressive range of brands and shades, including CND Shellac’s new English Garden collection consisting of petal-soft colours Flowerbed Folly, Soft Peony, Lady Lily, Kiss from a Rose, Carnation Bliss and Magical Topiary. Book the Shellac mani-pedi combo (R750) for a magnificent manicure and a pretty pedicure that transforms rough heels and callused toes into smooth, presentable feet. Care and condition take priority over gels and nail-art here, with hydrating treatments on the menu. However, they also offer chic, minimal nail art, which you can view on nail tech Winnie’s Instagram account. Once your nails have been spruced up, there’s plenty more to explore – continue the beautification with waxing and tinting or a QMS facial. Or, venture to the hair salon downstairs and have a hair repair treatment and blow wave.
Thrupps Illovo Centre, 204 Oxford Road, Illovo
011 880 3056
Caffeine & Cashmere 