FEATURE: Alice Koskas and The Lounge Spa, Culver City

Posted by ESM on December 23, 2011 in Features | No Comments »

I get my eyebrows waxed.

Yep, I said it.

And no one else can touch my fine brows except for one person - Alice Koskas from The Lounge Spa in Culver City.  My wife and I discovered Alice and The Lounge Spa over 5 years ago and since then, they have been exclusively taking care of all our spa needs.

Their customer service is great, the prices are reasonable and whenever we go visit Alice and her team, we’re treated like family.

Wait, are you still stuck on the fact I wax my brows?  Check our advice on men’s eyebrow grooming before bringing all that noise. 

What I especially like about The Lounge Spa is that it doesn’t feel like a stuffy, snooty, “you don’t deserve to be here” spa. 

The Lounge Spa vibe is definitely relaxed, easy and welcoming.

We had a chance to sit down and talk to owner Alice Koskas about The Lounge Spa, her career and her grooming/spa advice for our readers.

Hi Alice, thanks for taking the time to talk to us here at ESM.  Tell us about how you got started in your career and how you started The Lounge Spa?

I know this may sound crazy, but at 5 years old I knew I wanted to be in the beauty industry. 

I used to play with my Barbie doll for hours fixing her hair & makeup. While most Asians were heading to UCLA or USC after graduating from high school, I enrolled at Santa Monica Jr. College in their cosmetology beauty department.

The inspiration for The Lounge Spa came during a drive to Palm Springs, CA where I came across a billboard promoting a lounge-themed radio station.

It was a retro-cool vibe billboard and the lounge theme immediately caught my attention. I began to think of what a cool concept of a spa with a swanky decor with fun, unique names of services.

After the two-hour drive to Palm Springs from Los Angeles, my theme, concept and mission statement fell into place.

The spa would not only provide excellent massage and skin care services, but attain a hip and fun atmosphere for clients and staff. Far from the typical clinical, sterile environment where the same facials and massage techniques are done.

What is The Lounge Spa all about and who do you cater to?

There are too many Zen, mind, body and spirit spas saturating Los Angeles, you’re not going to see Buddha statues and water fountains in the spa, playing flute like music.

I wanted something more hip, relaxing and cool, as if you were at a lounge bar where you can chill with a loved one, friends or by yourself, so I created the menus of treatments that are as refreshing as cocktail drinks, of which each service is named after.

Our clients are everyone from students in college, to busy business people, to stay at home moms, to celebrities.

We also have clients that drive as far as Santa Barbara to San Diego!  It’s very flattering that we have clients who drive from far.

We’re pretty busy outside of the spa too, since we do a lot of outside events and travel to studios to massage cast and crews.

We feel very fortunate to be in the position we are in and appreciate our clients, because without them we wouldn’t be open today.

How long has The Lounge Spa been in business?

We celebrated our 6 year Anniversary on December 11th 2011.

We have been fortunate during these hard economic times probably due to the fact our prices are affordable enough where one can come in more than once a month (and for the fraction of the cost if you were to go to a Beverly Hills or a hotel spa).

We feel our clients are already stressed coming in and shouldn’t feel stressed having to pay high prices.

Are there services you provide at The Lounge Spa for men?

Absolutely! From massage to facials, we cater to men.

When you walk through our red velvet ropes, you’ll see were not a pink, fluffy spa.  Men won’t feel intimidated when coming here, with our masculine men’s locker facility, there are showers, robes and slippers provided for them.

Massage is the most popular when it comes to men services, especially deep tissue.

We think you’ve got a great sense of style as can be seen with the interior design of The Lounge Spa.  What inspires you when it comes to design and style?

I’ve always loved decorating and have done interior decorating for friends.   Once I opened the spa, I’ve also gotten clients to do their homes and offices.

Everyone always asks me who did the design for The Lounge Spa. When you’re on a budget and have no investors, you really have to make do with what you have. 

Quite honestly, I’d rather spend money on furniture and decor over shoes and clothes.

What is your personal philosophy on men’s style?

Men’s style is whatever makes you feel comfortable.

I feel it’s important to look your best and wear the appropriate clothes depending on where you’re going.

Can you give our readers some advice when it comes to men’s grooming and skin care?

I love this question.

Some men are brought to the spa with their girlfriends or wives who feel facials are only for women and I always get asked “Do men get facials?”

My response is “Do men have skin?”

Ask any guy this question: “Do you get your car wash?” and they will respond: “of course!”.

Next time you get your car washed, I want you to put your hand on the hood of the car after an hour it was washed.

What do you feel? Probably dirt, dust and grime.

That’s what your skin is exposed to everyday, that’s why you need to wash your face every night.

Now think of a moisturizer as the equivalent of car wax. It helps protect the top coat, (such as your face) from absorbing any dirt and bacteria. By keeping the exterior washed and protected, your car looks attractive and clean, that’s no different with your face.

Additionally – women like smooth, attractive skin on men :} so why wouldn’t you want to take care of it?

What does the future hold for you and The Lounge Spa?

I would love to see my concept in Boutique hotels, since boutique hotels are much smaller and have a more intimate feel.

Customer service is a key to any business; I’m a hands on person and at the spa, it’s important as a business owner to be there.

So if you live in the Los Angeles area and are looking to treat yourself or your significant other to the most amazing spa services this side of the 405, make sure to contact Alice and the folks at The Lounge Spa. 

Your body – and checkbook – will thank you.

For directions and more information about The Lounge Spa in Culver City, you can check out their official site at http://theloungespa.com/.

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