Receive 15% off Treatments and Organic Retail on your special day! Offer valid on day of birthday only. Please bring valid ID with you!

We always have specials running on Pretty City.

Look for us on PrettyCity.com!

Read our review! www.chicagobeauty.com/review.cfm

When I´m so stressed out that I can barely string two sentences together or remember to eat lunch, there´s only one sure-fire remedy: a trip to the spa. And I´d prefer it to be a warm, inviting spa with a friendly staff practically tripping over themselves to make sure that I´m comfortable. Luckily, that´s just what I found at Mariola´s Organic Spa and Retreat in Long Grove when I visited on a sunny Saturday morning.

The spa offers organic treatments exclusively and focuses on eco-friendly practices in its day-to-day operations. Not surprisingly, an expansive collection of Eminence Organics is called upon for both blissful spa treatments and retail offerings. The spa solely uses this 100% organic product line in all of its treatments, and almost every product Eminence offers is sold at Mariola´s for those who yearn to take a piece of their spa induced bliss home.

Mariola Millirons, the spa owner, has been a practicing esthetician for 10 years and opened her signature spot in November 2008. Since then, she has staffed the spa with expert estheticians, talented Licensed Massage Therapists and technicians with years of experience; quality services and top notch customer care are of utmost importance to all.

The spa is located in the Long Grove Commons, a shopping center at the intersection of Old McHenry Road and Route 22. The connecting storefronts are designed to look colorful colonial-style homes from the exterior. Inside, however, the spa is flanked in neutral tones with antique white, shabby-chic cabinets and accents throughout. As I walked in, I breathed a sigh of relief -- there was no impossibly thin, too-chic-for-you staff; just friendly faces and a charming, homey atmosphere.

My spa day began with a Lymphatic Drainage Massage. Now I´ve had my fair share of massages, but I´ve never had one designed to help toxins exit my body and help stimulate lymphatic draining, so I was interested to see what results this treatment would serve up. The LMT used a gentle touch to manually move the lymph fluid to the lymph nodes. The end result is optimal relaxation as the hour-long treatment aims to flush toxins from your body and boost your immune system to boot. When the massage was finished, I felt completely relaxed and followed strict instructions to drinks lots of water to aid in flushing out toxins.

My next service, the Organic Face Treatment, proved to be equally rewarding. I donned a plush robe and slippers and headed to another treatment room for a facial completely customized to fit my needs. My skilled esthetician began by cleansing my skin before applying an alpha-hydroxy mask. Over the mask, she layered paprika, which opens up pores much like steam does. The paprika helps increase circulation so that the mask can penetrate more deeply. As the mask went to work, the esthetician massaged my feet and lower legs. Light extractions and a second mask followed; this mask was designed to calm my skin leaving it soft and soothed. Next, she delicately massaged my face using a light mimosa champagne oil. Calling upon Hungarian massage techniques (think deep, long strokes) she kneaded my shoulders, chest and back and then finished off with some heavenly neck stretches. A coconut cream mask (for deep hydration) was applied next and as it penetrated my skin the esthetician massaged my hands and arms. Finally, she applied a grape-antioxidant serum for anti- aging, an eye cream and moisturizer. Every facial is finished off with a dusting of Eminence´s Sun Defense SPF 30 mineral powder so guests leave protected and pretty.

For those in search of eco-friendly services and products or those simply in search of some peace of mind, at Mariola´s Organic Spa and Retreat getting green and getting gorgeous are one in the same.