Stress-busting on every budget

Living in New York City is expensive, even exorbitant at times. Any Columbian can attest to this. As a result, most of us—except maybe the independently wealthy—try to trim the fat in our lifestyles and be conscientious about our spending. But every now and again, indulgence is healthy and even necessary to combat the stress and fatigue inherent in a Columbia education. In less than two weeks, let the (semi) guilt-free indulgence begin during Spa Week 2010.

Similar to Restaurant Week—except that it caters to your physical body instead of your palate—Spa Week offers reduced-price spa treatments at some of the finest salons on the island of Manhattan and beyond, in the outer boroughs. Compelled by a totally selfless humanitarian impulse (the only explanation as to why I’d postpone studying to have my toenails painted), I visited a couple of the spas participating in Spa Week to bring you the “Fun, Fantastical, and Freakish” version of Spa Week 2010, as well as some not-so-cheap but delightfully offbeat spa treatments.

Fantastical
Usually, champagne is served in cups for drinking, but at Faina European Day Spa, you dunk your feet in it. Faina’s Grape Peel Pedicure begins with a warm foot soak in effervescent champagne soap suds. Next, your feet are exfoliated with a champagne rose scrub, then covered in a champagne rose mask. Before the sweet-smelling mask is removed, your feet are wrapped in plastic and placed in two funny-shaped silver slippers that make them feel quite toasty. After about five minutes, the slippers are removed, the mask is rinsed away, and your feet are moisturized with champagne rose lotion. A lengthy, luxurious foot massage follows, succeeded by the application of toenail polish. The whole process takes longer than your average pedicure, but it is also more pleasurable. The Grape Peel Pedicure is not available for a reduced price during Spa Week, but Faina’s classic European Pedicure is. Although the classic is sans champagne, Barno, the Faina technician who did an exquisite job on my toes, assured me that it’s très fantastique.

Freakish
Facials—complete with exfoliation and extractions—are common fare at spas. But do you ever recall seeing a facial for the rump listed under a spa’s services? Unconventionality aside, such a thing does indeed exist. The upscale Haven Spa in SoHo offers the Baby’s Bottom treatment, which is essentially a facial for the behind.

Starting with a special exfoliating scrub, the Baby’s Bottom treatment also includes an acid peel to prevent unbecoming bumps on your backside, an extraction of existing pimples, and soothing moisturizer. I have to admit, I was quite intimidated by this treatment. Baring my backside to a total stranger was—to say the least—daunting, but if anyone can make a person feel at ease while exposing her butt cheeks, Bozena, the charming Haven employee I bared all to, can. Luckily, Bozena informed me that the skin on my bottom was in tip-top shape, so I was able to escape the extractions. For those aiming to become bikini-ready in preparation for the summer months, I suggest Haven’s Baby’s Bottom treatment—it’ll make your bottom gleam like it’s golden.

Fun
For a quick mani and pedi at a convenient location, visit The Back Room Hand & Foot Spa in Harlem. The Rose Petal Ritual manicure and pedicure includes a hand massage in rich, fragrant lemon and rose hand cream and a foot bath in a rose petal soak, followed by a foot massage using rose and coconut moisturizer. The Tropical Paradise manicure and pedicure combo is also available during Spa Week.

Faina European Day Spa is located at 315 West 57th St., near Columbus Circle. Haven Spa is located at 150 Mercer St. in SoHo. The Back Room Hand & Foot Spa is located at 24 West 125th St.