Beauty destination: The NOW Massage, LA

If you read my post on the amazing Heyday a few weeks ago you’ll know that I was recently in Los Angeles, where I did a kind of Tour of Beauty so you don’t have to! Well you’ll probably want to given the amazing places I checked out, one of which was the massage and good vibes-giving marvel known as The NOW Massage.

In LA, your spiritual and emotional maintenance is as crucial as blowouts and facials, and thanks to the drop-in massage studio The NOW, the holistic benefits of massage—better sleep, lower anxiety and more—have become as accessible (and affordable) as having a professional help give you great hair on a Friday night.

Since they opened their first studio in 2015, The NOW  studios have become an Angeleno go-to for high-quality massages in a calm and chic space that won't break the bank. Co-founder and Creative Director Gara Post was responsible for helping create the look and feel of each relaxation destination, and you feel the bliss wash over you from the moment you walk through the doors. I visited the West Hollywood location and began snapping for Instagram the minute that I crossed over the threshold, envisaging creating a similar vibe at home as soon as a landed back in New Zealand. Post’s vision was always to embrace a 'minimalist, soothing aesthetic' to whisk away the stressors of daily city life, creating an oasis in the city and an escape from the fast-paced, digital overload we experience on a daily basis. The idea was to bring nature indoors, and incorporate raw elements and natural materials that conjure smells and scenes from exotic destinations, and it most definitely works. All wood surfaces, whitewashed walls and kilim pillows, the spaces ever have hand-made crystal grid installations to give positive energy to each boutique.

Like Drybar and Heyday, The NOW has taken an indulgence and made it more accessible every day, with a price within reach for many looking to incorporate regular massage into their lives. We booked in advance but they also welcome drop ins, with several beds on the go at once in their blissful locales.

For a place offering such affordable services, The NOW’s menu is impressively broad. I went for the signature massage known just as “The NOW”—a blend of Swedish and Thai techniques – with a CBD balm and gua sha add-on. I felt like I was walking on air when I left, and took home my own rose quartz gua sha and pot of balm that I have used more than a few times since returning home. They also offer their own body oil to buy, and a range of beautifully curated body and wellness-focused products that are well worth a browse through.

With four locations now open in LA, The NOW is most definitely a place to book into the minute you hit the city. Beat the jet lag and ease yourself into the Californian way of life, one smooth stroke at a time.

For bookings and pricing head here.