I drove from Westchester to Metamorphosis Day Spa, located on 127 56th St between Park and Lexington a bit harried from staying up all night the previous night before with my best friend Kari. Luckily, Metamorphosis is located on a charming block on the Upper East Side with well-groomed marble building entrances and fresh flowers on the street side.  I found parking right on Park and was whisked up to a fragrant spa with candle lit décor and long mesh curtains.  I went to a waiting room with a plush chair and curled up to some Orange blossom tea and water filled to the brim with lemons.  Lounging, I had a little detoxification from my car ride.  The spa staff was extremely friendly and welcoming, offering to take my coat with warm and generous smiles.

The spa owner, Cleo Londono, a Colombian woman with vibrant, glowing skin that gleams like a penny, brought me into a tidy little room with all-white bedding and a cream waffle knit robe dress-thing, that I would probably wear out on the beach if I ever get to Tahiti for my dream vacation.
Cleo delicately inspected my skin to give me the Spa’s signature facial, an herb based skin treatment that moisturizes and relaxes the skin.  Heavenly, sign me up!

She began with a lavender milk facial cleanser that is suitable for all skin types and then gave me a lovely steam, carefully noticing whether it got too warm.  She wrapped me up in a fluffy wet facecloth that made me feel like I was about to get some sushi for dinner.

Cleo felt that the cranberry enzyme peel would be the best to revitalize my skin, which can get a little bit dull.  After I had this enzyme peel my skin felt clear, and I felt a little bit rejuvenated from my long night out the day before.  She found this amazing hydrating serum that made my skin feel like a creamy serving of dew and cherries.  The serum’s effect lasted all day, when I hit a yoga class at Jivamukti and saw hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons.  I always like looking beautiful for billionaires. She ended with a radiant mask that had the wild scent of roses.  I asked Cleo a little bit about her past, and she is from a very small town in Colombia where her grandmother was the resident health herbalist.  Her inspiration comes from her grandmother’s interests in plants and flowers.  All of Metamorphosis’ products are organic and natural, and smell great on the skin.  This is definitely the smoothest facial I’ve ever had, in terms of making my skin feel very smooth to the touch and giving me that glossy, dewy air of those healthy women we see bopping all over New York City.

Cleo’s favorite treatments at the spa are Cleopatra’s Confection, a milk and honey wrap with alpha hydroxy exfoliation and the Pumpkin enzyme peel that is infused with Vitamins A and C.   She does many special packages for men and women that are holiday themed.  The mother’s day packages are filled with white tea and flowers.  She also frequently donates a small portion of these packages to Save the Earth and the Breast Cancer Society, which I think is an excellent way of giving, and that I wish more businesses would do.  The treatments left me feeling soft and silky.

Metamorphosis Spa is located on 127 E 56th St. 5th floor.  The phone number is (212) 751-6051.   www.metspa.com