South End Health & Beauty

Canadian couple Andrea and Chris Scott set out to create the anti-spa spa—a place with none of the soothing-to-no-one whale music or cloyingly feminine interiors. Instead, Skoah is a fairly no-frills, approachable, gender-neutral facial spa that’s affordable enough to make booking treatments a regular occurrence rather than a rare treat (the wallet-friendly membership options help). Treatment rooms resemble tiny Scandinavian cabins—white wood walls, silky-sheeted beds, and plenty of light. Facials are thought of as workouts for the skin, the goal being a clear, healthy, and hydrated complexion. We like the “xtreme,” which is accompanied by a foot facial and scalp massage (less headaches have to equal less forehead scrunching, right?), all performed using Skoah’s own plant-based line of products, made in Canada.