I had been disappointed with many of the salons in McLean until I came across Anabella.
A pretty spa with walls painted in tranquil shades of peach and green and blue, it is owned by Ana Snow, an experienced aesthetician.
During my hourlong $80 facial, Ana explained everything she put on my face, from the soothing gel around my parched eyes to the blueberry enzyme mask to the clay-herbal mask. Her touch was feathery—well, except the neck and shoulder massage she performed while waiting for a face mask to dry. That was just okay.
Ana’s facials include lymphatic drainage ($125), a process using two suction cups that she swore would help drain toxins from my face. The clicking and swooshing sounded like something out of Star Trek.
There are other treatments on this spa’s menu that are lost on a skeptic like me, such as Cold Light Therapy, which claims to “increase RNA and DNA synthesis.” I did think my skin looked a little better when I left, though I was disappointed to see a few breakouts the whole next week.
Sherri Dalphonse joined Washingtonian in 1986 as an editorial intern, and worked her way to the top of the masthead when she was named editor-in-chief in 2022. She oversees the magazine’s editorial staff, and guides the magazine’s stories and direction. She lives in DC.
