Profile

Iranian-born Mina Bowker trained at renowned spas across Europe before settling in New York and opening Azure Day Spa in 1995. The unpretentious, 11-room space is full of homey details like flat weave rugs and a gurgling water sculpture create a buffer to the outside world. While dominated by basics like massage, waxing, and body wraps, Bowker’s extensive spa menu is supplemented by a rotating collection of treatments inspired by her travels to Thailand and the Far East. Where else would you get a turmeric yogurt exfoliation or a mango facial? Younger clients (especially men) favor spray-tan applications and laser hair removal sessions, while older spa-goers often choose ear candling, a soothing, 2000-year-old Egyptian practice designed to flush toxins from the sinuses and ear canal. A former acne sufferer, Bowker also specializes in facial treatments for problem skin. — Carolyn Murnick