Fancy Girl
priti organic spa, East Village
Dying to get the celebrity spa treatment without the haute spa attitude? Tired of being shamed if your feet and bikini line are not up to snuff? Itching to be beautiful without harming our world and ourselves? Well, the environmentally-minded girl on the run can take a long, sweet pause at priti, an organic, non-toxic spa.
I try to avoid spas as much as humanely possible. From getting a hard-sale twenty-minute product pitch while flutes whistle in the background of my allegedly relaxing facial, to snickers at my non-perfectly coifed bikini line, to being herded between treatments like cattle, New York City spa visits have become akin to expensive Chinese torture. Until I discovered priti - a snug haven in the midst of the heavily trafficked, hip East Village. Owner and former fashion model/fashion photographer Kim D’Amato’s vision is simple: to support purveyors of organic products and to reduce chemically produced products, which are harmful to the environment, not to mention ourselves.
My kind of woman, and my kind of spa.
Upon entering the spa, be forewarned – it’s not your typical spa experience replete with faux Buddhas, unflattering fluorescent lights and a snooty reception staff, rather priti resembles a darling tea shop with it’s coolly purple and sage-colored walls, a charming owner who is busy planting her spring roses, and a staff ready to offer you organic green tea and a most lux experience.
priti offers the most luxurious services (and comparable pricing to the other fancy establishments) of manicure, pedicure, waxing, facials and massage, using only organic products and non-toxic paints. All their products (which also include fresh flowers, herbs, fruits and organic essential oils) are natural, deliciously fragrant and eco-friendly - right down to their slippers, which are biodegradable. Spending two hours with my uber-knowledgeable and incredibly fabulous technician, Michael, years of soot and oil were lifted from my stressed-out skin, leaving my complexion smooth and glowing. Might I mention the incredible neck and shoulder message, which hit all my pressure point and knots, and left me utterly blissed out? priti uses the rarefied Dr. Alkaitis line, which contains living, edible ingredients with no preservatives. After, I savored a mani/pedi and was delightfully surprised that I didn’t pass out from the heady, toxic fumes that are the norm in other spas/nail shops. My tired dogs soaked in a bath of fresh rosemary and citrus and my nails were buffed and moisturized to perfection. The spa uses “Uhma Nagri” and “Nature Girl” in their hands & feet boutique.
In Sanskrit, priti means “pleasure”, “joy”, “satisfaction” - no doubt as I headed back into the frenetic Manhattan streets, soothed, scrubbed and smelling sweet, I felt incredibly priti.
priti
35 East 1st Street
Between 1st/2nd Avenues
New York, NY 10003
212.254.3628
Email: pritihandsandfeet@earthlink.net
Subway: F/V to Second Avenue
