My First Japanese Head Spa Experience at Head Spa EN in Hermosa Beach

Disclosure: My experience at Head Spa EN was complimentary in exchange for editorial coverage. As always, all opinions and experiences shared are my own.

I will happily sign up for just about anything that promises shinier hair and an hour of relaxation, so when I had the opportunity to try a Japanese head spa for the first time, I was immediately intrigued.

I had seen head spa treatments before, but I had never actually experienced one myself. I was especially interested in the combination of hair and scalp care with the relaxing, almost spa-like side of the treatment.

For my first experience, I visited the new Head Spa EN location in Hermosa Beach, California, where I tried their Signature Japanese Head Spa and added a blow-dry and styling afterward.

After spending more than an hour with my eyes closed while my hair was washed, steamed and cared for between head, neck and shoulder massages, I completely understand why people love these treatments.

My hair was incredibly soft and shiny afterward, but I think what surprised me most was how much I learned about my scalp along the way.

What Is a Japanese Head Spa?

The easiest way I can describe a Japanese head spa after experiencing one is that it feels like a combination of a scalp treatment, hair treatment and massage. Yes, there is a focus on your hair, but the experience goes beyond simply having your hair washed at a salon.

My treatment included an analysis of my scalp, cleansing and scalp care, steam and plenty of massage. Head Spa EN was also able to tailor part of my treatment based on what my scalp actually needed.

There was also the relaxation element as well. For most of my treatment, I had a cloth placed over my eyes and could completely shut everything else out. Between the water, steam and massages, there were several moments when I genuinely felt like I could fall asleep.

Visiting the New Head Spa EN Hermosa Beach Location

I visited Head Spa EN's new Hermosa Beach location, and the environment immediately fit the experience. The space felt clean, calming and intimate, with a darker, relaxing atmosphere and a really nice scent.

Because the treatment is so one-on-one, I actually liked that the space didn't feel like a huge traditional salon. The smaller setting made it feel even easier to settle in and relax.

Head Spa EN operates from its own private space inside Salon Republic, which makes the experience feel much more personal once you're inside.

The location was also surprisingly easy to navigate. I parked in the garage and took the escalator up to the building. They do provide two-hour parking validation during your visit as well which was really convenient considering my entire appointment took around an hour and a half with my added blow-dry.

From there, you head inside to Salon Republic, where your stylist meets you at the entrance around your appointment time to let you in.

My Scalp Analysis

Before we even started the actual head spa, my stylist sat down with me to talk about my scalp and any concerns I had. Then came one of the coolest—and admittedly slightly strange—parts of the entire experience: seeing my scalp extremely close up. The way this was achieved was by using a scalp analysis device to get a magnified look at different areas of my scalp.

It is one of those things you don't really think about until suddenly you're staring at your own scalp on a screen. It was a little crazy to see everything that closely, but it was also really interesting and made me realize how little attention we typically give to the health of our scalp. Luckily, mine was clean, but she noticed that my scalp was dry. Because of that, she explained that she would incorporate a scalp moisturizer into my treatment.

I really liked this part of the experience because it made the treatment feel more individualized. Instead of simply going through the same process regardless of what my hair or scalp needed, we were able to identify something beforehand and address it during the treatment.

What Happens During the Signature Japanese Head Spa?

My treatment began with something that had absolutely nothing to do with my hair—and immediately became one of my favorite parts: a neck and shoulder massage. From there, we moved into the actual hair and scalp portion of the treatment. My hair was thoroughly cleansed, and my stylist incorporated the scalp moisturizer we had discussed after looking at my scalp.

One of the most interesting parts for me was the steam treatment. My hair was enclosed while a steam machine worked on it, which was something I had never experienced during a regular salon appointment. Between the warmth and simply being able to lie there with my eyes covered, this was probably the point where I came closest to actually falling asleep.

There was also plenty of water incorporated throughout the treatment as my hair and scalp were cleansed and rinsed.

But the massages were probably my favorite part of everything.

Throughout the experience, there was attention given to my scalp, head, neck and shoulders. The treatment eventually finished with another really good shoulder massage, which I loved.

The Signature Japanese Head Spa itself lasted a little over an hour for me. And while I originally became interested in head spas because of the hair-care benefits, I think the relaxation component ended up being equally important. For that hour, there wasn't really anything I needed to do. My eyes were covered, my phone was away and I could just completely shut off and enjoy the experience.

Adding a Blow-Dry to My Head Spa

Your hair gets completely wet during the treatment, so you can add a blow-dry to the end of your appointment. The blow-dry added approximately another 30 minutes to my visit.

This is where I really got to see how my hair felt after the treatment.

It was so soft.

My hair looked noticeably shiny and smooth, and it felt incredibly clean without feeling dried out. Even later that day and into the following day, my hair and scalp still felt great. For me, adding the blow-dry was a great way to finish the experience because I was able to leave completely styled rather than having to deal with drying my hair myself afterward.

How Much Does Head Spa EN Cost?

For my visit, I experienced the Signature Japanese Head Spa, priced at $160, along with the Blow Dry with Styling add-on, priced at $60. Together, these services would normally total $220 before gratuity.

My experience was kindly hosted by Head Spa EN as part of this editorial feature.

This was such a lovely self-care experience and a chance to truly slow down and relax while also giving my hair and scalp some extra attention.

What I especially loved was that it felt like more than a traditional salon appointment. The experience was incredibly one-on-one and combined scalp care, hair care and relaxation all in the same treatment.

For me, the scalp analysis and personalized care made the experience feel even more special, especially because I was able to learn more about what my scalp actually needed while enjoying such a calming treatment.

Is Head Spa EN Worth It?

I would absolutely do a Japanese head spa again and would recommend the experience to someone looking for a relaxing way to give their hair and scalp a little extra attention. What made Head Spa EN particularly interesting to me was the combination of the relaxing experience with actually learning something about my scalp.

I went in primarily thinking about having shinier, healthier-feeling hair and enjoying a relaxing treatment. I wasn't necessarily thinking about whether my scalp itself was dry. Having that analysis done beforehand and then knowing my treatment was being adjusted to help address it made the experience feel much more purposeful and personalized.

And then, of course, there was the massage. If you love massages but also love leaving the salon with ridiculously soft, shiny hair, this is a pretty great combination of the two.

I also think a Japanese head spa would make such a fun birthday gift, self-care day or girls' day experience, especially for someone who already loves beauty treatments and spas but wants to try something a little different.

What to Know Before Visiting Head Spa EN Hermosa Beach

There are a few things I would know before booking your appointment.

• Your hair will get completely wet. This isn't a treatment where you leave with your original hairstyle intact, so keep that in mind when planning the rest of your day.

• You don't necessarily need freshly washed hair. I personally arrived with second-day hair.

• You can wear your normal clothes. I wore jeans and a white T-shirt and then put the provided silky robe on over my clothes before the treatment.

• Plan for at least an hour. My Signature Japanese Head Spa lasted a little over an hour, and adding the blow-dry brought my total appointment time closer to an hour and a half. I would personally give yourself a comfortable one-to-two-hour window depending on the services and add-ons you choose.

• Park in the garage. From the garage, take the escalator up to the building and head to Salon Republic. Your stylist will meet you at the entrance around your appointment time. During my visit, Head Spa EN provided validation for two hours of parking.

• And most importantly: allow yourself to actually relax.

  
  

I am normally someone who always feels like I need to be doing something, so having my eyes covered and being able to completely disconnect for an hour was one of my favorite parts of the entire experience.

Final Thoughts on Head Spa EN

If one of my friends asked me whether she should try Head Spa EN, I would tell her that it's such a fun way to combine a hair treatment with genuine relaxation. I walked out with noticeably smoother, shinier and incredibly soft hair, but I also left feeling relaxed and knowing a little more about my scalp health than I did when I walked in.

The scalp analysis was especially interesting because these are things we don't necessarily think about when we're taking care of our hair. Being able to actually see my scalp, learn that it was dry and then have my stylist incorporate something specifically to address that made the experience feel much more personalized.

And between the steam, scalp care and those massages, I came dangerously close to taking a nap—which I think might be the best review I can give a spa treatment.

If you're looking for a Japanese head spa in Los Angeles or want to check out Head Spa EN's new Hermosa Beach location, this is definitely an experience I recommend.

Ready for a little self-care of your own? You can book your Head Spa EN Hermosa Beach experience here and explore their available treatments and add-ons.