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National skin-care chain Dermalogica opened its first New York concept store in February 2009, a spotless, glaringly white space that exudes cleanliness. The walls are lined with an exhaustive supply of Dermalogica’s fragrance-free products, from cleansers, toners, and exfoliants to specialized masks. The spot’s six specialists offer complimentary “mapping” of the skin, examining each zone of one’s face with the aid of vanity mirrors and steamers to develop a personalized skin-care prescription. Two reclining chairs are reserved for microZone treatments, in which walk-ins can indulge in a twenty-minute exfoliation or have a mini-breakout-relief treatment. But the complete Dermalogica experience involves a customized facial in the skin pod, a futuristic, dome-shaped treatment room equipped with state-of-the-art gadgets like a high-frequency machine and vacuum suction tool. Although the California-based company shuns adjectives like “luxurious” in favor of more clinical descriptors like “high performance” and “healthy,” the 60-minute treatment is surprisingly tranquil, with your own choice of music playing on an iPod. — Randi Eichenbaum

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