What it is: Spa Merge in New York City

Why we love it: In a city known for its luxe spas (Bliss, Spa Chakra, The Peninsula, etc.), a new pamper place has to offer up something really special in order to get noticed. In other words, a few cucumber slices and some lavender-scented lotion isn't going to raise the (expertly groomed) eyebrows in this office. That's why our expectations were firmly in check when we were invited to try a treatment at Spa Merge a few months after it opened. We scanned the spa menu and noticed that they use products from top-notch companies such as SkinCeuticals and Naturopathica. The manager explained that the spa's philosophy is to combine the best of science and nature in every treatment, sort of like the beauty version of driving a Prius.

The space is expansive, so you don't feel like you're in über-cramped NYC, and the purple and brown decor gives it a chic, unisex feel. But what we really like is that instead of changing in a locker room and hanging out in a communal "Relaxation Space" where inevitably someone is blabbing on the cell phone, you are taken directly to your treatment room, where you can undress and chill out in private.

Now on to the actual facial. We went with the signature version, which involved a glycolic peel, practically painless extractions (swear!), a collagen mask, and a heavenly shoulder, neck, and hand massage. We were so impressed with how glow-y and untraumatized our skin looked that we promised our technician we'd be back in a month for a follow-up appointment during spa week.

For more info visit spamerge.com.

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