Why Celebs Like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid Love This Hip LA Spa
Inside the new spa The Now. (Photo: The Now)
Talk about incredible marketing. Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Hailey Baldwin were the first customers at brand-new LA hot spot The Now, a serene, impeccably designed spa doling out affordable massages to a Hollywood who’s-who. The sanctuary down the street from CBS studios officially debuted on November 4, but on the 3rd — Jenner’s 20th birthday — they opened their doors for the supermodel trio and two girlfriends.
Says cofounder Erica Malbon, “They had an amazing experience. We love them and we’re so glad they came in. Gigi’s like, ‘I can’t wait to come back when I’m in town.’” But the glamazons aren’t the only ones who have boosted the visibility of The Now, which is so chic you’ll want to move in upon entering. Support from the duo’s friends — like stylists Monica Rose, Penny Lovell and Hadid’s older sister Alana — and the space’s Instagram-worthiness helped it take off beyond their expectations.
The Now spa space. (Photo: The Now)
From the start, “I was like, ‘We have to create a space that’s going to be ours, that everyone recognizes on Instagram — like the hammock and chairs. We did have that in mind when we started,” says Malbon. Beyond that, the envisioned something they could replicate in other locations that brought nature inside. “We wanted to use everything in its organic form and for everything to be original, like absolutely nothing people have already seen. They always say, ‘taste doesn’t have to be expensive.’” They scoured lumberyards for wood, and the spa director made the dreamcatchers herself. Cofounder and jewelry designer Gara Post chimes in: “It’s a high-low situation. Like we love Saint Laurent, but we love Reformation, too.”
A spa room at The Now. (Photo: The Now)
Indeed, their prices are surprisingly reasonable. Luxury service at a democratic price in an aspirational setting was their aim. Half-hour massages — either in one of the communal Social Room’s eight leather chairs (where black-and-white films play on one wall and cacti hang on the other) or on the eight private beds within the Moment Room — are $35. One hour costs $60. Open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. six days a week, they credit volume for the low prices. The menu is simple, and three inexpensive add-ons — like Beauty Sleep, using collagen eye masks they can barely keep in stock — make it easily customizable. Forget coffee shops: This is the new It spot for a business meeting or quick break.
Making the stress-melting signature Swedish-inspired massages even better: an extensive aromatherapy selection of Jiva-Apoha oils. Fans of the hard-to-find Tulum-based Coqui Coqui perfumes can also get them there. And, “we’ve had a ton of people buying gift cards for the holidays,” says Post. “Because what can you buy for $35 — a candle?” There’s also an app, to make booking even easier. These days, at the click of a button, she points out, “you really can get a workout, massage, blowout, facial and manicure and always be in a great environment — we sort of completed the circle.” All in all, says Malbon, “We’re breaking the mold of what people have in their brains of a spa.” And considering how many Jenner and Hadid have probably tried, they must like the change.
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