Best of HONOLULU 2024: Beauty & Self-Care on O‘ahu

SEE ALSO: Best of HONOLULU 2024

• The Best Food & Drinks on O‘ahu
• The Best Shopping on O‘ahu
• The Best of Health & Wellness on O‘ahu
• The Best Services on O‘ahu
• The Best Entertainment and Leisure on O‘ahu
• The Best of HONOLULU Family on O‘ahu

Best Custom Essential Oil Blends

Crafting a unique essential oil blend with Charity Paiva of Mino‘aka Wellness is like creating a custom fragrance, only your new scent is holistic care. Select two to six scents after smelling and ranking a dozen of them. Paiva helps formulate the blend either as an essential oil roll-on or atomized spray. You’ll learn the meaning of each scent you choose and what your soul needs most. —TO

705 S. King St., #206, (808) 429-2701, minoaka-wellness.com, @minoakawellness

Best Place to Get Your Ears Pierced with Friends

Having previously gotten my ears pierced at Claire’s, I didn’t know there was a better alternative until discovering Love Me Knots Hawai‘i. The Kaimukī boutique has turned routine ear piercing into a deluxe experience that you can enjoy with your besties. Have a refreshment while browsing the jewelry or wait your turn on comfy lounge chairs. The process itself, involving a hollow needle instead of a piercing gun, enables faster healing, and all earring options are 14-karat gold with flat backings for optimal comfort. Plus, a portion of every purchase goes to animal shelters, another sweet touch from this women-owned business. —AL

lovemeknotshi.com, @lovemeknotshi 

Best Hair Removal

Reader Pick

Shaving: causes in-grown hairs and doesn’t last. Waxing: sticks to your skin and hurts like a mother. Lasering: cost prohibitive. Sugaring: Now we’re talking.

Sugaring is all natural and antibacterial, using only sugar, lemon and water—no harsh chemicals that can damage your skin or the planet. At Sugar Bar, services start at just $10.30 for simple hair removal, with underarms at $25.75 and a Brazilian for $66.95. The company, founded in 2020 by Kimi Arango, recently made it onto Yelp’s list of Top 100 local businesses in the country and is working toward opening a second location, at Market City Shopping Center. Ladies, book an appointment with any of the licensed estheticians, or “sugarists,” who will remove unwanted hair from anywhere below the shoulders, but for guys, only G-rated options are available—no manzilians. —KV

2758 S. King St., #204, (808)-203-3840, sugarbarhawaii.com, @sugarbarhawaii

Best Head/Scalp Massage

Illustration: McMillan Digital Art/PHOTODISC via Getty Images

While researching head massages, I discovered that most businesses offer them as part of a body massage or hair treatment and not as a stand-alone service—except for Kū Day Spa. Located in a house transformed into a wellness oasis, the Mānoa spa offers a therapeutic head massage ($95) that also covers the neck, shoulders and upper back and chest. The massage is designed to address clients’ specific needs, whether it’s stress, headaches or insomnia. Using firm yet comfortable pressure and strokes—techniques used in Japan—my therapist transported me to a blissful state. The service ended with hair oils, tonic spray and a warm towel, leaving me feeling and smelling wonderful. —AL

2631 O‘ahu Ave., (808) 721-1489, kudayspa.com, @kudayspa

Best Natural Facial

Illustration: EKramar/IStock/Getty Images via Getty Images

No two facials with esthetician Nikolle Coelho of By Nikolle Aesthetics are the same. From her cozy studio on the second floor of Samsung Plaza, Coelho delivers bespoke holistic skin rejuvenation. First-time clients begin with a consultation to target skin concerns. The 75-minute facial includes natural and organic cleansers and serums as Coelho works to reverse aging, minimize redness and refine texture. You leave with a radiant glow and a relaxed state of mind. —TO

655 Ke‘eaumoku St., Suite 222, (808) 457-8823, bynikolleaesthetics.com, @by_nikolle_aesthetics