Katie Danver, 20, and her sister Darielle, 25, at the new Reston Hand and Stone Spa located in the South Lakes Village Shopping Center. Photo by Steve Hibbard.
A new Hand & Stone Spa opened in the South Lakes Village Shopping Center in Reston off South Lakes Drive on Sunday, Feb. 1. Owned by Darielle Danver, 25, and her father Eric Danver, 52, of Medford, N.J., the franchise spa decorated in warm earth tones and ambient lighting in nine rooms specializes in facials, hot stone massages, skin peels, waxing, eyebrows, hand therapy, and hot towel foot treatments with scrubs and lotions, and more.
"It's a five-star spa experience at a one-star price," said Darielle Danver, who recently moved to Fairfax to start her new business. "It's a spa environment as opposed to a clinical environment."
She adds: "Everybody wants to feel good, and we're bringing that to them at a very affordable price ... You can come in and feel pampered and not break your bank while doing that."
The Signature Service is $79.95 for a 50-minute hot stone massage using river stones where the stones are heated to 120 degrees. The therapist uses the stones as an extension of their hands; they help break down lactic acid in muscles. "The heat from the stones draws out stress and tension," said Danver. "It's a whole body massage; everywhere their hand goes, the stone will go as well."
THE SPA offers Clarity and Dermalogica Facials at $59.95 for the initial 50-minutes visit. After an esthetician does a full analysis of the skin, they determine if there are any problem areas, and can recommend customized upgrades. They do cleansing, exfoliation, steaming, extractions as well as a decollege massage of the neck and upper shoulders. In addition, they offer anti-aging facials, sensitive skin facials, and detox facials for acne-proned skin. "They are always customized for whatever skin condition the client has going on," said Danver.
For sun-damaged and dry skin, there's a hydrating pumpkin facial for $69.95. For acne-prone skin, there's the MediBac line that targets bacteria at $79.95 for the first-time user. There are also customized facials that come in different varieties for $79.95 for first-time users.
The spa provides upgrades based on the estheticians recommendations for the client's skin: the ultra-calming line is used for skin with problems like rosaceae; the MediBac line for acne and oily skin; the Age-Smart line for prematuring skin and the Grey Line for normal skin.
In addition, the spa does hair removal and waxing, using NuFree, which sticks to the hair follicle and lifts the hair from the root; it costs $15 for an eyebrow wax, and up to $60 for Brazilian/bikini wax.
Membership starts at $59.95 for a 50-minute classic facial for first-time users; $59.95 for a full-body Swedish massage; and $79.95 for a Signature Service hot stone massage. If you have one of those procedures and join the Lifestyle Program for $59.95 a month, you become a member with three-, six-, or 12-month pay options, or by using pre-paid options. The most popular is the annual prepaid membership. "You are paying for 12 services, and for an added bonus of paying up front, you get a 13th service for free," said Danver. It can be for a 50-minute Swedish massage or a 50-minute classic facial.
For their Valentine's Day Special, buy any service gift card or spa package gift card and receive a free $20 gift card for yourself.
HAND & STONE was founded by physical therapist John Marco in Tom's River, N.J., in 2004. It has 200 locations nationwide. With a staff of 15, the Reston location has nine different rooms -- three esthetician rooms, and six massage rooms, including one couple's room. After opening another spa in Chantilly last October, the Danvers plan to expand to four other Hand & Stone spas in the next several years in Northern Virginia.
Dad Eric, who owns 22 Papa John’s Pizzas in New Jersey and Delaware, has the franchise background, and daughter Darielle is in charge of the day-to-day running of the spa. "I was a customer in New Jersey for a couple of years; I was fascinated with the business and wanted to do multiple spas in the area," he said.
Darielle's sister Katie Danver, 20, moved down from Medford, N.J., to manage the Reston location. Manager and operations director Kristina Lovelace, 29, who moved to Fairfax from New Jersey, has 10 years of experience in the spa business. "Hand & Stone spa is meant to be its own private oasis -- a place for clients to escape and relax and come to clear their minds from the day-to-day chaos," said Lovelace. "It's a place to relax, restore and renew themselves."
Mariam Mirpour, 36, of Potomac Falls, a Licensed Master Aesthetician at the spa, said she is excited to go to work with great people. "The overall environment is so peaceful and relaxing; and clients can feel the positive energy when you're working on them," said Mirpour. "When a client leaves here so happy and rejuvenated, and they give me a hug, it just makes my day."