Spas, Massotherapy & Beauty Centres In Ottawa

Beauty Centers in Ottawa

Spring is here and, as is typically the case in Ottawa, Summer is rapidly approaching. Time to crack out those open-toed shoes, update your haircut and get ready to hit the beach because the hot weather is (finally) on its way!

No, really.

I know the weather in Ottawa has been grey and rainy of late, with temperatures centering around seven degrees, barely climbing into double-digits, let alone giving us reason to strip off the extra layers and show a little skin, but I hear that things are looking up! The upcoming long weekend promises to be a real beauty, topping out at 28 degrees (that’s close to 90 for you visiting Fahrenheit folks) and – whether your in Centertown or South Keys, Kanata or New Edinborough – you’ll have all the excuses you need to get out for a picnic, a walk in the park, or a trip to Mooney’s Bay to show off that body you’ve been working on all winter.

Oh, yeah. I went there.

See, this piece is all about Ottawa beauty centers. “Beauty Centers” meaning spa-salons that offer a variety of different treatments – everything from salon-style treatments like body waxing and hair styling to spa experiences like massage therapy and facials – to give you a little luxury or help you get yourself ready for an event, an occasion, or even an entire season.

With that in mind, here a little something to whet your appetite: A quick sample of some of the beauty centers, located in and around Ottawa, to serve your need for lush personal luxury.

Rinaldo Hair Designers and Spa

With three locations – one in Manotick and two in Ottawa (one in the Byward Market and the other at Carlingwood Mall) – Rinaldo’s is convenient to pretty-much everyone. They offer the standard run of beauty treatments (mani-pedis, facials, and a variety of massages) and have a staff of award-winning hair stylists on-hand to give you the look you want. Having had Rinaldo do my hair, I can tell you he’s a total peach. He’ll do his best to give you exactly what you’re looking for.

BossArts – Beauty in Balance

Located at Laurier and Elgin in the heart of Ottawa’s Centertown, BossArts Beauty in Balance offers a range of treatments for hair, skin, and musculature, including cuts for curly hair, makeup lessons, and spa treatments such as moor mudwraps and body polishing.

York Street Spa

On York Street, in the Byward Market, of course. This upscale Centertown salon and spa offers a luxe experience including an “Art of Natural Beauty” lesson, a long menu of hair-care and makeup treatments, as well as massages, facials, and “alternative therapies” like reflexology and Marama Ayurvedic Therapy.

Capital Hair Company

This little gem is located in the south end of Ottawa, on McCarthy Road. Despite the name, the CHC offers more than just hair styling. Their treatments include body waxing, straight razor shaves (for the gentlemen), and even electrolysis, as well as the usual complement of manicures, pedicures, and cutting-edge hair styles.

Personally? I’m looking forward to getting my first pedicure of the season!

See you at the salon,

Allison.

Massotherapy in Ottawa

Okay. I don’t actually know how many people call it “massotherapy” as opposed to “massage therapy” but, either way, massages feel awesome and they’re really good for your body, so let’s go with it.

Massage is pretty big in Ottawa these days. Between the various extras on Government health plans (like dental and, yes, massages) and the sheer number of white-water kayakers, distance runners, and yoga enthusiasts around the place, you basically can’t swing a cat without hitting a day-spa, a beauty center, or a licensed practitioner offering various types of massage and massotherapy from their clinics, spa-salons, and studios. It seems like every day spa worth its salt (scrub) offers at least two or three different types of massotherapy – Swedish massage, hot stone therapy, even reflexology – on site, and even corner-store style nail salons offer pedicures that come with a complementary, if speedy, foot massage.

In Ottawa, it’s not so much “how to find” as “where to start” when it comes to picking a provider for you massage therapy treatments. Luckily for you, however, you have me. Your guide to what’s available in Ottawa when it comes to massotherapy.

First off, we’ve got the schools. These are good places to go if you need some massage therapy – for a back injury or just because you’re feeling stressed – and can’t afford the standard hourly rate for a fully licensed practitioner.

You can check out the International Academy of Massage at 380 Forest street (in the west end, near Lincoln Heights Galleria) or the Massage Therapy program at Algonquin College (1385 Woodroffe Avenue, also in the west end of Ottawa).

If you don’t want to trust your medical massage needs to a student, you might consider going to a massage therapy clinic like the Glebe Massage Therapy Centre (located in Fifth Avenue Court), or Elgin Massage Therapy (which is located on Lisgar avenue, near Elgin street).

Align Massage Therapy has three Ottawa-area locations (Orleans, Beechwood, and Bank Street) and offers a variety of different treatments as well as yoga classes, while Centretown Massage on James Street, in downtown Ottawa, offers acupuncture and chiropractic treatments as well as massotherapy. Island Park Therapeutic Massage (at 241 Patricia, just north of Scott Street) offers flexible hours and services in German and Italian as well as English.

If getting to a clinic is difficult – because you’re traveling, or because you have a difficult schedule to work around, you could try booking an appointment with an individual therapist as many of them offer out-call services and can bring their equipment to you by appointment. You can find a long list of Ottawa massotherapy practitioners here, but here’s a quick list to get you started:

Mikhail Gorbounov, who is located in Mooney’s Bay, just next to Riverside Drive, offers Swedish massage, myofascial release, reflexology, deep tissue massage, and sports massage, with a focus on sports injury treatment.

Stephanie Scharf is a registered nurse as well as a registered massage therapist. At her Experiment Farm-area studio, she offers several types of massage, as well as lymphatic drainage and palliative care treatments.

Megan Max, in China Town, offers massotherapy for sports, auto, and soft tissue injuries, as well as massage for pre/post surgery, pregnancy, and chronic pain.