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White leather couches, stone tile floors, gleaming white walls, and watery blue opaque glass accents welcome clients to this Asian-inspired day spa. The front of the space, which houses the waiting area, retail boutique, makeup chairs, and manicure/pedicure stations, is fun and lively, with the hustle of 14th Street streaming past and a bounty of natural light beaming through large windows. The vibe, along with the latest pop tunes and creative, relaxing, and very thorough mani/pedis, makes this a great spot to get nails done with friends. In back, dim lights, candles, and soft music create a quieter setting for massage and skin services. Eight private treatment rooms tout bamboo and paper screens, tatami mats, hand-embroidered blankets from Indonesia, and antique Chinese furnishings. The vast menu of facial and body treatments reflects Acqua’s effort to blend ancient therapies with modern skincare: Using a new-tech system of bi-elastic blades and supersonic sound to polish the skin, The Super Sonic Facial, combined with a Japanese mushroom enzyme peel, leaves skin feeling nourished and plump without any irritation. Featured skincare products are handpicked by the spa owner, so rather than using a complete line from one company, they work with the best available product—Sonya Dakar, Actifirm, Epicuren, Yonka, IS Clinical, Lucern—for each skin type or problem. — Amanda Theunissen

Facial/Massage and Manicure/Pedicure parties are available. Acqua’s staff will order in food or drinks as requested, and will even send guests home with goodie bags.

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Best of New York Awards

• Best Pedicure (2004)
• Best Facial (2003)
• Best Facials (2002)
• Best Manicure (2001)

Featured In

• Nip Tuck? (10/25/04)
• Bronze Age (6/7/04)