Spa Review: Tammy Fender Holistic Skincare Spa in West Palm Beach
Tammy Fender Holistic Skincare Spa has two locations in Florida including West Palm Beach (pictured).
On a palm tree-lined street overlooking the intercostal waterways of Palm Beach lies a quaint brick building that houses Tammy Fender's eponymous spa, Tammy Fender Holistic Skincare Spa. The OG plant-based skincare queen opened the doors to her jewel-box haven in 2003, serving Palm Beach’s elite and skincare aficionados in the know.
Since then, Fender has created quite a name for herself in the world of holistic beauty, and she’s no stranger to the positive impact that the right plants have on our overall well-being. Before clean and plant-based beauty were part of the skincare community vernacular, Fender was whipping up her own concoctions as soothing salves and repairing treatments.
Upon entering her all-white spa—a sanctuary for skin rejuvenation, repair, support, and nurturing—there's an immediate serenity that whisks you away. A sense of utter quiet and calmness instantly floods the senses. Every practitioner at Fender's spa embodies this very same peacefulness—they speak quietly and have a serenity to them. Their all-white attire of flowy linen ensembles and crisp cotton button-downs make you feel like you're entering skincare heaven, which you are. White furnishings, flickering candles, and meticulously cut crystals line every square inch of the space.
The interior of the spa features a relaxing all-white palette that is soothing to the eyes and the senses.
I enjoyed indulging in the Tammy Fender Signature Treatment, a 60-minute facial that epitomizes the concept of holistic living on every level imaginable and employs products exclusively from the Tammy Fender Skin Care Collection. (Each expertly handcrafted product in her namesake collection contains the finest botanicals, plant butters, and therapeutic grade essential oils.)
After getting set up in Fender's treatment room, which resembles a Shabby Chic-meets-Parisian-esque boudoir, I selected three plant-based oils for her to incorporate into the forthcoming treatment. Each oil serves a purpose, and Fender explains that the subconscious mind plays a role in the selection. I pick lemongrass, peppermint and lavender, strictly based on their scents, which Fender later explains have strengthening properties, ideal for addressing my most pressing skin concern: broken capillaries.
Tammy Fender’s holistic treatments incorporate customized blends of ingredients and impart a glowing radiance to the complexion.
Next, I hoisted myself onto the treatment bed, which sits smack in the center of the room. Unlike a traditional facial bed, this one is reminiscent of a waterbed, allowing therapists to perform craniosacral massage properly. I buried myself under the sumptuous sheets and weighted blanket, and cozied into place for the next hour of sheer bliss.
The facial is far from any other spa facial I have ever experienced—it's so much more. Calming music wafts through the air, and Fender's soft voice describes the initial steps of the treatment and then an intention message to relax the mind. All this occurs while she first manually cleanses my skin with her eponymous formulations, followed by ultrasonic cleaning for a deeper cleanse and mild exfoliation. There's not a second where my skin stings, burns, itches or feels uncomfortable.
Once the skin is thoroughly cleansed, Fender moves on to a gentle, rhythmic massage that boosts circulation and imparts the most naturally beautiful glow and the perfect amount of skin plumpness. First, she applies product, and then she spends ample time working every square inch of the face before moving towards the neck and decollete. It's like being touched by an angel as her super soft hands glide across my skin, and the scent of freshness from a faraway land with hints of plant life envelops the air around me.
The spa’s experienced holistic practitioners are trained to work with clients in creating transformation, with long-term goals and guiding the subtle lifestyle shifts that can enhance vitality.
It's not until about 20 minutes into the treatment that Fender analyzes my skin (part of her master plan) and, in true Tammy Fender fashion, softly apologizes for the brightness of the light during her assessment. Her diagnosis: tight pores, a tad of redness (due to broken capillaries), and overall healthy skin.
The skin guru approved of my everyday skincare routine, which consists of the basics (cleansing, exfoliation, tons of sunscreen, vitamins A and C, peels, moisturizer and oils, to name just a few), sun avoidance, in-office treatments, and a clean diet. She did recommend incorporating more bioflavonoids into my diet, like leafy greens and strawberries, to help strengthen the thin blood vessels above my upper lip to reduce their appearance. Naturally, I oblige.
After receiving my skin report card, Fender continued with the treatment. First, she whips up a cooling mask chock full of vitamins A, C, and a bunch of other good-for-your-skin ingredients. The thick mask feels a little goopy on my skin, but she assures me that it will work its magic. Then, as it sets, Fender uses the remaining oils I picked at the start of the treatment and massages them into my hands and arms, which leaves them feeling like silk. After she removes the mask, there’s a blast of oxygen (the final step) to push the actives from the entire treatment further into the skin and seal everything in.
Using herbs and plant butters, refined marine clays and floral essences, Tammy Fender Holistic Skincare Spa creates customized blends to support every facial and body treatment.
Following every signature treatment at Tammy Fender Spa is the most delectable fresh-squeezed green juice to ever dance on my taste buds. It’s the just-right blend of pineapple, apple, spinach and kale, and it closes out the holistic experience for a sense of renewed skin health and overall wellness.
As if the whole experience isn't enough, the fact that my skin remained for days, perhaps the glowiest it has ever been, sealed the deal for me. Even my husband commented on how clean and "not red" my skin looked after the facial.
I highly recommend visiting the Tammy Fender Spa (West Palm Beach or the new Delray Beach location at the Opal Grand). It's a total reset for your mind, energy, body, and skin. Every time I leave this holistic slice of heaven, I understand my skin's needs more and am better equipped to nurture and love it as it deserves.
Cost: Tammy Fender Signature Treatment ($280/60 min with 30 min Reflexology; $325 with eye treatment)
Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Mon - Fri) 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Sat) and on Wed. available to 7 p.m. by appointment
Address: 711 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Phone: 561-659-2229
Email: customercare@tammyfender.com
[Photos courtesy of Tammy Fender Holistic Skincare Spa]
Elise Minton Tabin is an award-winning beauty journalist, editor, and beauty expert with over 16 years of experience. She previously held the title of Executive Beauty Editor at NewBeauty magazine for 13 years, where she oversaw and reported on all things beauty, plastic surgery, anti-aging, health, and wellness. She was also instrumental in the launch and continual growth of the beauty supplement brand Hush & Hush. Currently, she freelances for NewBeauty, Dermstore.com, Aedit.com, Mollysims.com, StyleCaster, The Sunday Edit, and other outlets. She currently lives in Boca Raton, FL, with her husband, daughter, and dog, Franklin. Follow her on Instagram @elisetabin