Balensi's Institute Skin Care & Spa is a day spa located in Chula Vista, California—close to downtown San Diego, Coronado, and many other points of interest.

For those looking for a personalized and relaxing day spa experience in San Diego County, Balensi's Institute Skin Care & Spa offers an innovative menu of services, along with tranquil decor with Mediterranean accents surrounded by lush greenery. Founded in 2003, the 3,000 square-foot spa is located in a remodeled 1910 home that includes five treatment rooms, an infrared sauna, and a relaxing outdoor patio lounge.

With an expert staff of technicians and extensive treatment offerings, guests can choose from a full range of facials, peels, massages, body care treatments, permanent makeup, as well as extreme eyelashes. Balensi exclusively offers the Clark’s Botanical Stem Cell Lift, which is an anti-aging facial developed by co-owner and lead aesthetician, Lorena Balensi, and created in partnership with the coveted skincare brand.

We spoke with Balensi, who shared special spa bonuses, treatments to try, unique offerings, and more.

Balensi's Institute Skin Care & Spa is located in a remodeled 1910 home.

Why You’ll Love It: Some of our guest’s comments are:

“Amazing gem of a place with an array of services.”
“The atmosphere is so beautiful and relaxing, and this spa is a charming oasis with beautiful surroundings.”
“The place is an oasis right in the middle of Chula Vista. It’s a cute cottage filled with serene sounds, candles, aromas, and friendly service. I've been to many spas in my lifetime, but Balensi's is by far the best. Clean, clean, clean spot. I found the place quite inviting—both the room and bathroom were clean and comfortable.”

Key Features:

6 treatment rooms
1 infrared sauna (infrared saunas produce the same infrared heat as the sun. Infrared heat is required for all living things for optimum health. The radiant heat from infrared sauna surrounds you and penetrates deeply into your joints, muscles, and tissues, increasing oxygen flow and circulation. As a result, there are an array of infrared sauna health benefits.)
1 Vichy shower (the Vichy shower originated in Vichy, France. Choose from a variety of spa treatments designed to rejuvenate your body and soul with our Vichy rain therapy.)
A relaxing back patio area

The spa has a garden patio where guests can relax before or after services.

Snacks Served: We serve four different kinds of tea and cookies from Italy.

Bonus: When guest come in we offer four different kinds of tea they can choose from, cookies from Italy, and members can choose between two different kinds of California white and red wine (alcohol-free).

The 3,000 square-foot spa has five treatment rooms.

Insider’s Favorite: The Celebrity Facial MesoEclat ($125). This is a skin peel system specifically designed to fight the effects of aging caused by genetic and environmental factors. The Mesoeclat method ensures excellent anti-aging results, giving the skin a firmer, clearer appearance with less fine lines and wrinkles. Improvement is visible almost immediately and continues through the course of five sessions.

Balensi offers a robust mix of services, including a full range of facials, peels, massage therapies, body care, permanent makeup, and extreme eyelashes.

Unique Treatment: Clark's Botanicals Stem Cell Lift ($125). Created by Lorena Balensi and only available in Balensi Spa), this ultimate anti-aging facial harnesses the skin-protecting power of rare Swiss apple stem cells and delivers intense hydration, lift, and vitality. The concentrated formula also features collagen-boosting Centella Asiatica and moisture-binding Algae Extract. Continuing with an anti-wrinkle serum incorporates two topical neuropeptides plus multiple antioxidants to effectively reduce the appearance of crow's feet, frown furrows, pinched lip lines, and even bands on the neck.

An infrared sauna is included among the amenities.

Splurge Treatment: We offer four different celebrity facials to choose from:

Clark’s Botanicals Stem Cell Lift ($125): This ultimate anti-aging facial delivers intense hydration, lift, and vitality harnessing the skin-protecting power of rare Swiss apple stem cells.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Facial ($125): This treatment is designed to increase skin elasticity, and repair and reverse environmental damage due to sun exposure.
24k Gold Facial ($245): Luxury anti-aging treatment based on 24k gold that offers the skin an unparalleled therapy of luminosity and cellular regeneration.
MesoEclat ($125): This skin peel system is specifically designed to fight the effects of aging caused by genetic and environmental factors.