2024 Best of the East Bay: Beauty, Health, & Wellness | People + Style

EDITORS’ PICKS

BEST NEWCOMER

STUDIO 1875, WALNUT CREEK

Serena Murdock has been offering sugaring services for years—using a honey-like wax made of lemon, sugar, and water—but only recently has she become copartner of Walnut Creek’s Studio 1875. Her business, Sugared, still has hair-removal services (and a HydraFacial/Brazilian combo service), but you’ll also find injectables, wedding makeup, microblading, and eyelash extensions in this one-stop beauty shop. sugared.co.

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BEST TRIED-AND-TRUE SPOT

THE SPA AT THE PARK, LAFAYETTE

The spa at the Lafayette Park Hotel has been a community mainstay since 2002, offering luxurious treatments in a soothing environment. Try a Mt. Diablo Hot Oil Massage, which features a full-body application of warm oil. If you’ve been exercising too hard, the Lafayette Sports Recovery Massage is a perfect choice for reducing muscle fatigue and increasing range of motion. lafayetteparkhotel.com/spa.

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BEST HIDDEN GEM

THE CURL STUDIO, WALNUT CREEK

There’s a hair salon that caters specifically to curly-haired cuties—and it’s right in Walnut Creek. The Curl Studio wants you to embrace and celebrate your curls and texture. Go for a cut and color, or, if you need extra support in managing your mane, book a curl lesson. You’ll get the 411 on curl maintenance, home care, products, and treatments on top of a wash and natural styling. thecurlstudiowc.net.

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READERS’ PICKS

Alternative Therapies Provider

Arctic Restore, Alamo, arcticrestore.com.

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Runner-up | The Art of Beauty Medispa, multiple locations, plasticsurgery1.com.

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Barbershop

Empire Barbershop, Concord and Hercules, empire-barbershop.com.

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Runner-up | Clip Joynte, Walnut Creek, clipjoynte.com.

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Blowout Bar

Hartz and West Salon, Extension and Blowout Bar, Danville, hartzandwest.com.

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Runner-up | Golden State Strands, Danville, goldenstatestrands.com.

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Cannabis Dispensary

Velvet, Martinez, velvetcannabis.com.

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Runner-up | CoCo Farms, Antioch and Concord, enjoythefarm.com/coco.

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Cosmetic Dentistry

Josh McCormick, DDS, Concord, myeastbaydentist.com.

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Runner-up | Cosmetic and Family Dentistry of Concord, Concord, cosmeticdentistryconcord.com.

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Day Spa

Changes Salon and Day Spa, Walnut Creek, changessalon.com.

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Runner-up | Woodhouse Spa, Walnut Creek, woodhousespas.com.

“I have been enjoying Changes for over 25 years. It’s my happy place and a place to escape the day-to-day stressors.”

—Linda Lagoy, Lafayette

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Dental Practice

The Diablo Dental Group, Danville, thediablodentalgroup.com.

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Runner-up | Coliseum Dental, Walnut Creek, coliseumdentalwc.com.

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Dermatologist

Golden State Dermatology, multiple locations, goldenstatedermatology.com.

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Runner-up | Kelly Hood, M.D., Lafayette, kellyhoodmd.com.

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Facial

Skin by Lexie, Walnut Creek, skinbylexie.glossgenius.com.

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Runner-up | SkinScience Medical Aesthetics, multiple locations, skinsciencemedicalspa.com.

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Hair Salon

Caroline’s Salon, Lafayette, carolinessalon.net.

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Runner-up | Lush Salon, Danville, lushsalondanville.com.

“Caroline’s Salon has wonderful stylists and a calming and relaxing atmosphere. A warm and lovely experience from the moment you enter. Always look forward to being there.”

—Darlene Kaplan, Folsom

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Hair Extensions

Lush Salon, Danville, lushsalondanville.com.

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Runner-up | Hartz and West Salon, Extension and Blowout Bar, Danville, hartzandwest.com.

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Home Health Services

Hillendale Home Care, Walnut Creek, hillendale.net.

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Runner-up | BrightStar Care, multiple locations, brightstarcare.com.

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Lash and Brow Salon

The Lash Empire, Alamo and San Ramon, thelashempirespa.com.

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Runners-up | Alex Cher Beauty, Lafayette, alexcherbeauty.com; Un-Stripped, Martinez, un-strippedlbb.com.

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Massage

Changes Salon and Day Spa, Walnut Creek, changessalon.com.

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Runner-up | Simply Massage by Alexandra, Walnut Creek, simplymassagebyalexandra.glossgenius.com.

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Med Spa (Botox, Fillers, and Injectables)

The Art of Beauty Medispa, multiple locations, plasticsurgery1.com.

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Runner-up | SkinScience Medical Aesthetics, multiple locations, skinsciencemedicalspa.com.

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Nail Salon

Changes Salon and Day Spa, Walnut Creek, changessalon.com.

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Runner-up | Pandora Nail Spa, Lafayette, pandoranailspa.com.

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Place to Buy Beauty Products

SkinScience Medical Aesthetics, multiple locations, skinsciencemedicalspa.com.

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Runner-up | Hartz and West Salon, Extension and Blowout Bar, Danville, hartzandwest.com.

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Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon

Dr. Brett E. Stompro, Dr. Chester K. Cheng & Dr. Pauline J. Santos Plastic Surgery & Medispa, multiple locations, plasticsurgery1.com.

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Runner-up | SkinScience Medical Aesthetics, multiple locations, skinsciencemedicalspa.com.

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Tanning Salon

Secretly Sunless Tanning Studio, Castro Valley, secretlysunlesstans.com.

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Runner-up | Koley’s Glo on the Go, Lafayette, koleysgloonthego.com.

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Tattoo/Piercing Studio

Gold Society Piercing, Walnut Creek, goldsocietypiercing.com.

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Runner-up | Zebra Tattoo and Piercing, Berkeley and Walnut Creek, mrzebra.com.

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Waxing

Skin by Lexie, Walnut Creek, skinbylexie.glossgenius.com.

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Runner-up | Changes Salon and Day Spa, Walnut Creek, changessalon.com.