Finding clarity in a world cloaked in a haze of stress and frustration

By John Hobbs

Have you ever noticed how, after heavy rains, Los Angeles takes on an almost supernatural clarity—hills are greener, mountains appear in places you had no idea were mountainous, and you can actually see the downtown skyline? But then, just a few days later, the haze settles back over the city, obscuring the once-beautiful vistas. It’s a lot like stress. A few weeks ago, I left Euphoria after a much-needed massage, feeling supernaturally serene, but then frustration and stress settled back in, obscuring my once-relaxed worldview. I knew it was time to once again drop in on what has become my favorite retreat in the middle of the city: Euphoria Face and Body.

Strolling up to the door of the spa, I am always amazed at the way Euphoria’s unassuming façade gives way to an oasis of relaxation within. Even as harried motorists make their way through gridlocked traffic right outside, I feel miles away from the stress as the soothing smell of lavender and the calming sounds of trickling water wash over me. The spa’s effervescent owner Gabriella Phillips welcomes me and takes me back to a treatment room. Today’s indulgence—a back facial.

Phillips leaves the candlelit treatment room long enough for me to disrobe, put on a plush waist towel, and lie face down on the treatment bed, relaxing to the ethereal sounds of birds chirping. When she returns, she asks me about my cleansing regimen for my back. “Uh,” I stammer, somewhat shamefully. “Do you use a scrubber?” she asks. I confess that I don’t and that, because I can’t really see my back, I never worry about it. “But I always wash behind my ears,” I offer, almost apologetically. She smiles and says that it is a really common hygiene foible.

“When you do a lot of exercising, impurities can get trapped in the skin cells as you sweat,” she explains as she applies a gentle cleanser to my back.

What follows is 60 minutes of bliss as she exfoliates my skin with an enzyme, does extractions, and then applies a mask to my back. “The back facial is a gentle way to make sure that the skin is clean on the back, that the pores are totally cleansed, and that you can put moisture back into the area so the skin doesn’t break out,” says Phillips.

At the end of the treatment, she gives me a back, shoulder, neck, and scalp massage, which melts any residual stress away. “People love the back facial because it’s just like treating yourself to a massage, but with the benefit of making sure your skin is beautiful, healthy, and nourished,” Phillips says.

Once finished, I begrudgingly get dressed and prepare to return to the fast-paced world waiting for me outside Euphoria’s doors. Though my disposition feels as fresh as the air after the rain, I know that it will only be a matter of time before I’m running back to Euphoria in a haze of frustration, looking for a little relief.

Euphoria Face and Body is located at 8253 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Hlywd. Call (323) 656-9944 to make an appointment. For more information, see www.euphoriafaceandbody.com.