Kristin Taylor of La Center is the owner of Ridgefield spa Bodywork Devine, where she offers massage, skin care and eyelash services.
The environment at Bodywork Devine in Ridgefield is designed to be soothing and relaxing.
Bodywork Devine in Ridgefield offers professional skin care services and products.
Feeling a little weary and stressed? Maybe your muscles are stiff and sore, or tired skin is looking puffy and dull?
A day of pampering is waiting at Bodywork Devine, tucked into a small commercial strip building on a country road in Ridgefield. Entering the spa is like stepping into another world, one that embraces you into a soothing sea of calm.
Kristin Taylor of La Center owns the spa, where she offers massage, skin care and cosmetic services, along with three other staff members.
Some of her clients have been coming for a massage since she started working in the space seven years ago, she said. Back then it was just a backroom of a neighboring salon.
Taylor was working in a different career for 15 years when she began to feel that she wanted to do something different. She wasn’t sure what that would be, she said, but she was certain she wanted to help people feel better.
Massage was the way that she could do that. Skin care soon followed.
“I always had that passion for development,” said Taylor. “I love growth and change.”
Taylor has built a steady business of clients who come from around north Clark County and Vancouver.
Some seek massage on a regular basis for relief from pain and muscle tension. Others come in on occasion for a bit of personal luxury. Taylor can accept insurance from most providers for massage services.
She offers different styles of massage for different needs — deep tissue, therapeutic, relaxation, hot stone, Swedish, and Ashiatsu. She offers massage for women during pregnancy, and for couples seeking to share the experience.
The most common massage request is for pain in the neck, shoulders and back, said Taylor. It can reduce pain and stress and increase circulation to the area to aid healing.
“Overall, they are going to feel better,” said Taylor. “Once you get into a deeper state of relaxation the body has a chance to adjust.”
Each massage is different, because each person is different. Taylor can tell where the pain or tension is, and how much pressure is just enough, she said. Everyone goes home with a bottle of water and an exhortation to drink, to help their body flush substances released by long-tense muscles.
Taylor’s foot treatment includes a soak, a scrub and a mask, along with a massage and sometimes hot stones. It’s a pedicure minus the nail polish, she said.
Skin care is another aspect of care at Bodywork Devine. Taylor offers facials, or whole body treatments. Aromatherapy or unscented products combine to rejuvenate tired skin. For the guys, Taylor offers a Gentleman’s Facial with Back Facial, which cleans and exfoliates hard-to-reach skin, she said. Ladies like waxing for the underarms, a reprieve from daily shaving which also offers smoother, blemish-free skin.
Taylor emphasizes the importance of avoiding sun exposure.
“Always use sunscreen,” she said. “30 is enough. You can get damage even on cloudy days.”
Nights are most important for the skin, since that is when rejuvenation takes place. For healthy skin, always remove makeup or other products before going to bed, said Taylor, and apply a night moisturizer.
Spray tan parties go on-site with an airbrush machine and a pop-up tent.
“It’s fun,” said Taylor. “Ladies get together, they have wine and snacks.”
And then there are eyelash extensions.
“People are addicted to lashes,” laughed Taylor.
Individual lashes are attached to the existing lash, creating a modest enhancement, or thick, full lashes.
The spa is designed to offer a full range of services for relaxation and rejuvenation. Upon arrival, clients are ushered to a dimly lit room with a softly playing music and a warm massage bed. In the winter an electric fireplace flickers. When you step inside, you can just relax, said Taylor.
Taylor knows her clients by name, she said, and knows what they like. She knows about their spouses, and their kids — they are like family.
“We strive really hard to take care of our clients,” she emphasized.
Other staff members at the spa offer small group yoga classes, Thai massage, and special occasion makeup.
