Aromatherapy oils infuse a custom relaxation massage of light to firm strokes; Dermalogica facial deep-cleans with extraction and masking

• Expires Aug 15, 2012
• Limit 1 per person, may buy 1 additional as a gift. Limit 1 per visit. Valid only for option purchased. Must book 7-10 days in advance for best availability. 24hr cancellation notice or fee up to 1/2 of the Groupon price may apply. Must use promotional value in 1 visit. Massage treatments valid only with Elizabeth and Mary Kay. Facials valid only with Julienne. Services must be used by the same person.
• See the rules that apply to all deals.

• $32 for a 60-minute aromatherapy massage (a $65 value)
• $39 for a 90-minute aromatherapy massage (a $90 value)
• $39 for a 60-minute European facial with a 15-minute massage (an $85 value)

Ideal for holiday gifts, aromatherapy massages calm and refresh with scented body oil and strokes that flush oxygenated blood to weary, constricted muscles. Deep-tissue therapy may be purchased for an additional $10. European facials rely on Dermalogica masks and toners to clean pores opened by steam, exfoliation, and extraction. A 15-minute back massage incorporates aromatherapy, and is supplemented by work on stiff necks, shoulders, and arms.

Like leaving someone at the altar to elope with a true love, Akari Skin & Body Care owner Julienne James left hair school. It was 1987, and she had been giving her friends mini massages on the side. "I didn't have a true interest in my heart to do hair because of all the chemicals," she explained, "and [my friends] felt better after I did just a little bit of shoulder massage." That passing fancy was formalized through the massage therapy program at Therapeutic Learning Center in Fresno, aesthetician's training at Federico's Beauty College in Visalia, and a vow-renewal ceremony for her and her hands, creating a commitment to holistic health and skincare that she has sustained for more than a quarter-century.

Julienne exercises her passion on clients who range in age from 12 to 90 years. Treatments begin not atop the massage table she modified with extra padding and a tiny, hidden pea, but at the doorstep. The aromas of lavender, clary sage, and black pepper waft from the softly lit space, as these are some of her favorite scents for blending into massage oils and foot lotions. She acquired her knowledge of aromatherapy in England, where she also expanded her repertoire of Swedish, Shiatsu, and therapeutic massage with an Indian acupressure technique targeting stress in the scalp and neck. Massages are usually a fusion of these styles, which are further customized with the heat of the room and the presence or absence of scents and music. Julienne once noticed that a client who teaches piano recognized the classical music she turned on during the session, and has since been very careful about selecting tunes that would not remind anyone of going to work. Her meticulousness also extends to skin. Facials use additive-free Dermalogica products that won out against other brands in a personal, several-month-long test, and her wax is so thorough it can rid clients of hair and the memory thereof.