);

Fitness Open House Seeks To Get D.C. Residents In Shape

Massage therapist, Anthony Jenson poses in front of his chair at Aura Spa’s Beauty and Wellness Open House in Southeast Washington, D.C. Photo by Brianna Nargiso, Howard University News Service

By Brianna Nargiso, Howard University News Service

Aiming to introduce more D.C. residents to fitness and self care habits, Aura Spa The Yards by VIDA Fitness in Southeast, Washington D.C. hosted one of their open house opportunities, The New Year Beauty &Wellness Open House recently.

The New Year Beauty &Wellness Open House, free to the public with an email RSVP consisted of several spa demonstrations. Guests were encouraged to take advantage of free skincare analyses that led to free goodie bags full of personalized skincare items from their newly adapted Canadian acne-fighting organic, 100 percent vegan and GMO-free line; Nelly. Hair color consultations by Bang Salon, body massages and champagne were also offered to guests.

Massage therapist and author Nirvana Rain added to the event by promoting self-care with her new interactive book I’m so F*cking Awesome, advocating for self-awareness and truthfulness. Rain added to the atmosphere by promoting alternative self-care options for those who may not be interested in fitness or spa treatments but need a pick me up.

“(Aura Spa is) the only spa in Washington, D.C. where every aspect of the spa is customized to fit the client,” said spa director Elaine Perhach. “No person will have the same facial or massage because everything is specifically catered to the individual needs of our clients.” 

VIDA Fitness member Liana Fulger, 27 described her membership in VIDA as beneficial. “I visit VIDA maybe four times a week. I’ve tried about three to five classes and can definitely say becoming a VIDA member has been the best investment I have made,” she said.

Perhach  wants people to know that Aura Spa is growing and expanding its eco-friendly products and services to best serve customers. She emphasized the importance of VIDA Fitness members being able to look and feel their best through fitness but also through facials and massages offered at the spa hence the Tuesday perks for VIDA Fitness members on Aura Spa services. 

Fulger, leaving a VIDA Fitness gym workout session before attending the event stated how relaxing massages were, especially after her workout.

Massage therapist, Anthony Jansen talked about how inclusive Aura Spa is as his clients vary from young adults to injured athletes to those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

Guests who opted into the free skin analysis were able to use the Reveal Image Skin Analysis Tool that enters Aura Spa’s database under your profile to track results by taking detailed pictures of your skin and analyzing wrinkles, sun damage and scarring. 

“Every visit to the spa checks your progress and records it to see how your skin is reacting to new products and routines,” said esthetician Maya Brooks. “Some estheticians only look at your acne, here we consider acne, inflammation and congestion.” 

During a raffle at the opening, Perhach also introduced Aura Spa’s new botanical use of CBD oil. Right now Aura Spa offers CBD oil with up to three percent THC for muscle relaxing massages for tense clients looking for a relaxing service. This will be one of the few spas in Washington, D.C. to offer services using all-natural CBD oil instead of Hemp oil.

In the next 60 days Perhach stated that Aura Spa will also be launching several more CBD based services including a facial, massage and ritual experience. The ritual experience starts off with a CBD based tea to calm you down, then a relaxing CBD facial, a CBD massage, then take home CBD infused chocolates to complete the ritual.

Aura Spa’s grand opening is among many of the free fitness classes and workout sessions offered at VIDA Fitness locations across the district in the past few weeks. Among the five VIDA Fitness locations in Washington, D.C. exists four Aura Spa locations and one opening in Ballston Alexandria in April, according to Perhach.