The Pampered Spirit NJ & Other Good Reasons To Try A Mobile Spa

The Gift For The Man (or Woman or Couple) Who Has Everything – Last summer, my brother got married which presented me with a not so unique challenge—so what to get the man who has everything, including a lovely new wife?

My brother is like many men when it comes to his concept of “spa.” He would LOVE to try a massage because the idea of anything promoting stress reduction, serenity and relaxation is appealing to say the least. However, the thought of going to a spa to get a massage seems too “girlie,” too far “outside his comfort zone” or too {insert whatever understandable reason you can think of here} for him to give it a try.

My sister-in-law is a bit more adventurous when it comes to things spa. Before the wedding she mentioned she would love to try a spa, so for her bachelorette outing, I treated her to a wonderful spa experience at Ethereal Day Spa and Day Spa (http://www.etherealdayspa.com/) in Parsippany (don’t worry, the review is coming soon – I promise!). In fact, she was so open, she even let me pick her treatments!

So, when it came time to pick the perfect wedding gift, I decided to treat them both to a magical spa experience that would allow them both to enjoy their first professional massage, a romantic candlelit dinner, and soothing music all in the comfort and privacy of their own home.

Enter the mobile spa experience.

The Experience – I contacted Bridget Turnbach, founder of The Pampered Spirit Mobile Spa & Massage Co. (www.thepamperedspiritnj.com) who helped me design the perfect gift for my brother and his new bride. Since it was a surprise gift and my sister-in-law subscribes to my blog, I will not tell say how much it cost, but I arranged for what is now posted to her site as The Ultimate In Romance Dinner and Massage package.

Bridget and another skilled massage therapist met me at my brother’s home along with Chef Ted, proprietor of Ted Can Cook Personal Chef Service (www.tedcancook.com). We knocked on the door and within minutes, the newlyweds’ living room was magically transformed into a serene spa, complete with candles, music and aromatherapy where my brother and sister-and-law received their side-by-side relaxation massages.

As the Pampered Spirit team worked its magic, Chef Ted prepared a gourmet meal, complete with an entrée of my choosing (I selected Chef Ted’s signature salmon dish) flowers (in colors to match their wedding colors), sparkling apple cider (they don’t drink alcohol) and a wonderful chocolate dessert of Chef Ted’s choosing. The beauty of that add on is that Chef Ted literally bought EVERYTHING from all the ingredients, to the cooking equipment and serving dishes. And when it was all said and done, the Pampered Spirit team, including Chef Ted, cleaned everything up, returning my bother’s apartment back to its original state – except of course for the relaxed, rejuvenated and transformed newlyweds left behind!

While I have yet to personally indulge in the privacy, comfort and convenience of the mobile spa, my brother and sister-in-law were BIG fans of their experience. And, for two people who had never had a massage before, I knew if they enjoyed it, there must be something to it.

Why Try It Yourself? – So, based on their feedback, and some research of my own, here are the top 5 reasons to consider a mobile spa experience, even though in some cases, it may be a bit more expensive than a more traditional spa.

1. It’s convenient – Mobile spa companies schedule appointments based on their availability and their client’s schedule. And many, such as Pampered Spirit, work on weekends, including Sundays!

2. It’s private – Mobile spa companies come to you – at work, at home, at a hotel or wherever you prefer. So, if you’re a little “spa shy,” what could be better than your place for a spa experience?

3. It’s customized – Mobile spa companies totally customize their services. And while you don’t have to have all the trimmings like the gift package I selected for my brother and his bride, you can often get the experience you want, when you want, where you want.

4. It’s great to try alone, with a friend or with a group – In addition to individual treatments, many mobile spa companies offer packages for two and “spa party” services for groups. While, I’ll cover spa parties in another post, mobile spas offer a great option to share a unique spa experience with your sweetie or with your best friends. They also make for unique fundraisers and special events.

5. The extras are limited only by your imagination (ok, and maybe your budget!) – From manicures, pedicures and facials to massages, personal chefs, psychics, martini bars, champagne, flowers and almost anything you can dream of (within your budget and that the space will allow), mobile spa companies can help deliver all the extras needs to bring your ultimate “in home” spa experience to life.

Ways To Spa On The Go – So, if you’re looking for a mobile spa service to try, listed below are a few sites for companies in the NJ/NY metropolitan area that I came across in my search for the perfect wedding gift for my brother and sister-in-law:

The Pampered Spirit NJ (www.thepamperedspiritnj.com)
Earthtones Holistic Products and Services LLC (www.earthtonesmobilespa.com)
Mobile Massage Spa, LLC (www.mobilemassagespa.com)
Spa Chicks on The Go (www.www.spachicksonthego.com)
SpaLean Day & Mobile Spa (www.spalean.com)
Pampered Soul Mobile Massage & Spa (www.pamperedsoulspa.com)
SPArties (www.sparties.com)

Many of them offer gift certificates or special services for the office and/or corporate events, fundraisers, weddings and other special occasions. Please note, this list is by no means inclusive and The Pampered Spirit NJ is the only company whose services I’ve purchased to date. So if you’ve tried any of these mobile spas, or know of one that’s not listed, please let us know by posting your comment below.

Oh yes, before I forget, here’s one last – and perhaps the best – reason to try a mobile spa experience (or any spa experience!)….YOU DESERVE IT!

Wishing you good spa!

Essence Hair, Nail & Body Spa: Maiden Spa Voyage

Essence Hair, Nail & Body Spa
1678 Pennington Road
Ewing, NJ 08618
609-538-8106
http://www.essencespa-salon.com/

Visited: May 2005

In A Nutshell: A nice, affordable retreat when a day spa or hotel spa are physically or financially out of reach.

Genre: Beauty/Salon Spa

The Scene: Hip, Chic, And Upscale But Very Comfortable And Very Zen-like—Think Barbershop 2 Meets Elizabeth Arden


The Damage: Surprisingly Affordable; I had the Ultimate Time Out for $125 (plus gratuity) which includes a "Stressbuster" massage, refresher facial, manicure and pedicure. Where else can you sample all of those services at that price?

The Experience: The Salon—When I first walked in to Essence, I knew there was something familiar yet different about this beauty spa. Perhaps it was the way the upscale style and contemporary tastes of the owners--Troy and Tommi Vincent--subtly pervades the beauty salon’s décor and piped-in music that immediately let me know I was in for a soulful journey.

The friendly, professional staff seemed genuinely happy to see me, calling me by my first name throughout my entire experience and honoring my appointment without delay.

As I walked across the distinctive hardwood floors supporting the salon area where the shop’s stylist and barber worked away on a young girl and an older gentleman, I couldn’t help think to myself this is not the typical beauty/barber shop—or beauty spa for that matter.

Across from the hairstyling area the cozy, yet comfortable and very neatly kept, manicure stations were accompanied by an impressive selection of nail polishes that I couldn’t wait to try. But that would come later during my Ultimate Time Out, a half-day of pampering and beauty consisting of a massage, facial, spa pedicure and manicure.

The Oasis—Turning the corner, I observe another satisfied Essence customer enjoying what l now know was a decadent foot soak and pedicure. As I proceed up the stairs, I notice a sign asking patrons to please keep the noise to a minimum as I enter “The Oasis”. Suddenly, I’m transported into a tranquil, Zen-like world as the sounds of Stevie Wonder are replaced with what I imagine are a compilation of instrumental tracks from a CD that might be called, “The Best Of Waterfalls, Dolphins, Shooting Stars & Other Relaxation Sounds.”

As I change into my robe and secure my belongings in my locker—complete with sandals and a plastic bag for my jewelry—I slowly inhale the scents of the beautifully lit aromatherapy candles and help myself to a juicy, sweet fresh strawberry before my facial begins.

The Facial—My refresher facial can only be described as peaceful, gentle and rejuvenating. In between the cleansing, exfoliating, toning and moisturizing steps, my cosmetologist Cherise (who also happens be the owner’s sister–but trust me, nepotism has NOTHING to do with why she was the perfect person to deliver the facial for my sensitive skin!) sprays my face with a deliciously scented moisturizing spray which serves as my only source of resistance from the tempting state of slumber that beacons throughout the treatment.

Throughout the treatment, I kept waiting for the comfortable scraping and irritating scrubbing that came with my last spa facial and am pleased to report it never came. At the end of my time with Cherise, my skin looked and felt great—I think I half-jokingly asked her if I was allowed to take it home with me!

The Massage—It doesn’t get any better than this, I thought. Then, I got on Joe’s massage table, an experience that gives new meaning the phrase, “It hurts soooo good.” My Stressbuster massage was incredible. While I ooh-ed my way through parts, I left ahh-ing in a state somewhere between butter and Jell-O.

As I got dressed back into my street clothes and physically prepared to leave the Oasis (part of me is still mentally there!) to meet Juanita for my pedicure and manicure, I thought to myself “They picked the right name for the top two floors of this lovely salon spa!”

The Mani- & Pedi-Cures—Before coming to Essence I didn’t think spa pedicures were worth the money, especially when I can go to my local strip mall and get my feet done for a fraction of the cost. But Juanita changed my mind, delivering one of the best pedicures I’ve ever had. The chair was comfortable (even without the remote control!), the water was hot just the way I like it (thanks to a thermostat device in the basin which heated the water throughout the course of the treatment) and the foot scrub she used did wonders on my rough spots. And did I mention the multi-step treatment allowed extra soaking time? Ahhh…

Needless to say I was a little disappointed when it came time to polish my toes and get my manicure, but all good things…Juanita did a nice job on my manicure, the highlight of which was a glass Emory board that she masterfully used to file and buff my natural nails.

The Future—Although I hear Essence is currently scouting bigger locations that will enable them to provide steam, sauna, showers and other water/pool-based services, I left relaxed, satisfied and eternally grateful to my friend who had given me the gift certificate. The Ultimate Time Out service is exactly that–and for the price, I may have to go again next month!

p.s. The handwritten Thank You note from Troy and Tommi which came a few weeks later to invite me to come back soon was a very nice touch....Don't worry, I will!