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An all-nude Korean spa, a “gold”-infused facial, an LED red light chamber, and an A-list-worthy hair transformation: This may sound like the stuff of bougie fairytales (my favorite), but it’s real and it’s in Los Angeles, where a beauty bounty awaits you. And IMHO, no one is more deserving of indulgent pampering than moms.
I’ve been a mom for almost five years now, and I can say with certainty that the struggle is real. Look, my kids are amazing and motherhood is – I know, so cliché – the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Really. But that doesn’t mean motherhood is not also, at times, utterly exhausting.
Moms are depleted. And while I do make time for “me things” among everyday to-do’s, I still crave the rare opportunity to GET AWAY. To be totally selfish with my time and my money. So I did. Thank you, husband! I flew (alone!) to Los Angeles to visit friends, but I also went in search of some of the most transformative, distinctly L.A. things that can make any tired mom feel like a million bucks. Because if anywhere in the U.S. can boggle a person’s mind with luxury, wellness, and absurd spa treatments, it’s The City of Angels.
I wanted to drink overpriced smoothies chockablock with collagen powder, to sleep late and go to bed early, to sit with my thoughts far from the screeches of my feral one-year-old. For one long weekend, I ate, slept, and breathed all things L.A. – and left feeling more renewed and reinvigorated than I have in a long time.
Love the idea of a getaway but not in a place to fork up the dough? I’ve included a few tips on how to replicate that breezy SoCal glow from the comfort of home.
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Where to Stay
This is one of the most important decisions a mom can make on her L.A. sojourn. The hotel is her grounding place. A space made for reminding mom that, even though she misses her babies and her bed, mom trips are important and she deserves a space made that caters to her. Enter: The Santa Monica Proper.
Designed by Los Angeles-based interior mastermind Kelly Wearstler, this hotel exudes laid-back, west-coast charm. Doused in warm, earthy neutrals at every turn, with verdant palms exploding from the ground floor, this hotel is full of awe-inspiring shapes and textures. It’s a feast for the eyes, but one made to soothe and calm the nervous system.
Dine at Palma in the lobby or Calabra on the rooftop. Take a dip in their gorgeous rooftop pool. Sweat it out at their on-site gym or do none of that exercise nonsense and visit Surya Spa, which is a collaboration with internationally acclaimed Ayurvedic doctor, chef, and herbalist Martha Soffer. Rent a bike, grab a complimentary morning coffee, and indulge in one of their recovery rooms, which includes everything from a personal sauna to something called The Ammortal Chamber (more on that later!). The staff is perpetually friendly and accommodating, the food is delicious, and the beverages are top notch. Why a hotel? Because at an AirBnB, you’d have to cook for yourself. Pffffff.
What to Wear
Dress for the job you want, even if that job is getting facials and drinking mezcal cocktails. I have two speeds in L.A.: Chill and Chiller. When I lived in Los Angeles, I couldn’t possibly repurpose the all-black ensembles of my days in NYC, but I also couldn’t fully commit to athleisurewear, either. Here’s how I strike a happy medium from morning to midnight when I embody my West Coast persona.
The Essentials
It wouldn’t be a trip to L.A. (or the Brentwood Country Mart) without a stop in Doên, Sézane, and Clare V. They’re three of my go-to brands, which means when I head to SoCal, I bring my Doên June Top, Madewell Perfect Vintage Crop Jeans, Sézane Gaspard Cardigan, and Clare V. Grande Fanny. It’s part of my uniform (plus a good, white button down) and is a great place to start when blending in with well-dressed locals.
Everything Natalie Martin
I started investing in this L.A. designer’s maxi dresses back in 2020 and I have never looked back. I relished being able to wear such comfortable, go-anywhere dresses in pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond – and to easily go from a day of shopping to a breezy al fresco dinner. Natalie Martin is my Roman Empire and ¾ of my identity.
Beyond Yoga
I have been a loyal Beyond Yoga leggings person for years (years!), but I am also a “leggings are not pants” person. (Go ahead, judge me!) Instead I’m wearing these lightweight, goes-with-everything wide-leg pants on repeat. I’m also loving this tie-front maxi dress because it’s versatile, flattering, and oh-so comfortable.
Where to Spa
Now for the pièce de résistance. You cannot turn around (even in this sprawling city!) without bumping into the next best place for a beauty transformation or a total-body reset. These are some of my tip-top recommended spots for R&R.
Aquagold Facial at JECT
I love a medspa as much as the next person, but with all the recent hubbub around inexperienced injectors and shady practices, I do diligent research before letting someone put a needle near my face. I like JECT because their providers are board-certified, advanced practice providers–PAs and NPs–and they have rigorous safety and training practices. During my appointment at JECT Los Angeles, I met with Grace Jensen, FNP-BC, who shared her wealth of skin care knowledge with me and then gave me the Aquagold Facial. This super-quick, nearly painless (promise!) treatment infuses Vitamin C, wrinkle reducers, and hyaluronic acid into the skin to give it a dewier, plumper look. With little-to-no down time, it’s a great brightening pick me up for extra glow.
Try it at home: I can’t yet speak to some of the newer at-home infusions that are coming out, but I can attest to theses glow getters:
- Incorporate Parëva Beauty’s C35.5 Firming Glow Serum into your morning routine, which uses 30% THD and other powerhouse ingredients for a gorgeous luminosity
- Reveal soothed, radiant skin in just 5 minutes with the Ranavat Resurfacing AHA Saffron Masque (or just about anything from the Radiant Rani Collection, which is infused with saffron and other skin-soothing ingredients)
- Reduce inflammation and hyperpigmentation with Monastery Gold Facial Oil, which also leaves skin with a dewy finish
Olympic Spa
At this jjimjilbang-inspired Korean spa, guests strip down to nothing and take a dip in rooms that soothe the nervous system in a flash. Think: an ice sauna, herbal steam room, whirlpool, infrared therapy room, red clay sauna, and pink salt room to name a few. Their scrubs are not to be missed, but their facials are also worth splurging on. (I had the Lifting Buccal Facial and would do it over again 100x if my wallet allowed.)
Try it at home:
While there is, unfortunately, no way to fully bring the jjimjilbang experience into your own home, I recommend:
- A long, steamy shower with one of these body scrubs
- 3 minutes with the Virtue Restorative Treatment Mask
- 4-Minute Facial with the Ziip Halo, which is one of the best at-home devices you can try, offering microcurrent and nanocurrent to boost collagen, reduce wrinkles, and get glowing, evenly toned skin
The Ammortal Chamber in The Recovery Room at The Proper
Was this the most relaxing 25 minutes of my life? Absolutely. This state-of-the-art rejuvenation station combines multiple forms of therapy to:
- Stimulate cellular repair with Multi-Wave Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEF & PEMF)
- Relax the nervous system, improve sleep, and enhance mood with Vibroacoustic Sound Therapy
- Rejuvenate skin and reduce inflammation with Multi-Wavelength Light Therapy
- Enhance “cellular resilience” with Molecular Hydrogen Therapy
- Give the body and mind a full-blown reset with Guided Meditation & Breathwork
YAH. (Apparently the L.A. Dodgers use them, too!)
Once I finished my session in The Chamber (could have taken an hour-long nap TBH), I took advantage of the rest of the Recovery Room, which included my own personal sauna and cold plunge, LED red light tower, yoga mat in case I was feeling ambitious (I wasn’t), and leg compression boots to boost circulation and aid in lymphatic drainage. A highlight of my trip? 1000%.
Try it at home:
It wouldn’t be cheap to recreate this experience at home (unless your name starts with “Jeff” and ends with “Bezos,”), but if you want to reap some of the same benefits of The Recovery Room, try this:
- 12 minutes with the 4-in-1 Solawave Wand, which combines 630nm of red light therapy to improve firmness and the look of fine lines; therapeutic warmth to reduce the look of puffiness; a low-level galvanic current; and a soothing vibration that for a more lifted and sculpted look
- What’s cool about compression boots is that you can try them at home. The satisfaction of having your legs squeezed and released is oddly therapeutic. Highly recommend
- A Clearlight Red Light Therapy Tower can help reduce pain, rejuvenate skin and amplify wound healing, as well as support mental health. I use mine while I style my hair
Hair Transformation at MéCHE
I have been seeing Hannah Burdy off and on for a decade and the woman has never – never – left me feeling lackluster. Her cuts are solid gold and her precision and attention to detail are unmatched. I come to see Hannah when I’m looking for something dramatic: a fresh crop or a new set of bangs. Then I saw the unflinchingly talented Rich Ohnmacht, who is a color czar when it comes to blondes (and I’m sure everything else). The result? A cut and color I’m not only absolutely over the moon about, but also a style that will grow out impeccably. Trust me. It’s worth the money.
Try it at home:
Keep hair in tip-top shape between appointments. Some of my style secrets:
- Help strengthen strands and scalp with OneSkin OS-01 HAIR Peptide Scalp Serum
- Give hair a smoothing, hydrating boost with Divi 3-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner
- To get an effortlessly undone French bob look, I use Ouai Wave Spray and finish the ends with Kevin Murphy Free Hold Styling Paste
Brows at Oliveaux
Oliveux founder Lacey Wagner, is one of my favorite facialists, but she is also a brow wizard. Tucked away in a Highland Park building, Lacey gave me the best brow lamination I’ve ever had. Her knowledge is boundless, her work is intentional, and her preference for natural aesthetics makes her a thoughtful, meticulous artist. While she may or may not be taking new brow clients, she’s worth seeing for a variety of facials tailored to your specific needs – and then you can be one of the first to know about new openings.
Try it at home:
Keep brows healthy, resist the urge to overpluck, and let makeup do the rest:
- For a natural look with a little hold, the Privet Beauty The Brow Setting Serum uses skin care-worthy ingredients to give brows a full, healthy finish
- Get fluffier-looking brows day to day with Lancôme Infallible Up to 24H Brow Lamination
- Have more control over where you fill in color with Kosas Brow Pop
We’re Only Getting Started
A person could spend a lifetime in L.A. testing all varieties of beauty and wellness treatments, and still not catalog them all. (Maybe I’ll do a Part Dieux?) But for one long weekend, these recovery havens are a welcome respite for fatigued moms. Happy relaxing!
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