By Stevi Costa

Spa Scotta owner Jessica Campbell purchased the business from is founder Scotta Ashcraft, now a leasing director at Cushman & Wakefield, in 2006. Campbell was the first employee Ashcraft hired when her new spa needed an esthetician in 1998. When Ashcraft wanted to sell her business, Campbell was the perfect potential buyer. She knew the business inside and out, so the spa would stay in the family, so to speak. The transition went smoothly for both the original owners and the staff.

Now in its 12th year of business, Ashcraft’s original vision has continued to grow and expand. Campbell describes the environment she maintains at Spa Scotta as “an unpretentious day spa with a truly committed and educated staff.” When the spa opened, they offered basic services such as massages, facials, waxing and nail care. “Our motto was to do what we did well,” Campbell said. “We grew our service menu slowly over the years as we became more educated in different services and as the staff has pursued new skills. Our motto is still the same, though.” Spa Scotta’s services now include advanced skin therapies such as microdermabrasian, ultrasonic exfoliation and IPS illuminating peels; lash extensions; lash and brow tinting; and spray tanning services.

The services offered at Spa Scotta cater to wide variety of clients, including pregnant women as well as teen and tween girls. “We create new services and programs in response to client demand and employee input. We have always had a sizeable number of pregnant clients so gearing services for them was a natural move,” Campbell said. The hormonal changes women experience during pregnancy can cause increased acne, dryness or changes in skin tone. Spa Scotta uses the Belli skin care line – created especially to handle the changes in a woman’s skin during pregnancy – during their pregnancy facials. The spa uses Belli’s Elasticity Belly Oil during pregnancy massages to aid stretching skin rebuild its elasticity.

For teens and tweens, Spa Scotta offers services like the “edu-facial” which educates young girls about good skin care regimens, mini manicures and pedicures, mini massages, ear piercing and make-up lessons. “The teen/tween services came out of our own personal experiences with the spa industry when we were young and the number of younger clients we were seeing,” Campbell said. “Young clients have different challenges than adults. We wanted to address them appropriately.”

While younger clients can get lessons in make-up application, Spa Scotta is just beginning to expand its make-up services to adult clients. “I am really excited about our make-up team,” Campbell said. “I get inspired every time I see one of their clients after a make-up application. Our artists take what is beautiful about the client and make that shine.” Spa Scotta’s make-up artists also offer their services off-site, which is especially convenient for brides who would rather spend their wedding day relaxing instead of running around to make multiple beauty appointments.

Whether off-site at a wedding or on-site at the spa, Spa Scotta’s expert staff strives to make its clients as comfortable as possible. The spa offers several packages for a day of pampering. According to Campbell, the most popular is The Five Star – five hours of treatments including an hour-long massage, basic facial, manicure, pedicure and a boxed lunch for $325.

All of the beauty lines used at Spa Scotta can be purchased at the spa or online through its website, including the Sweet Beauty line created exclusively for the spa’s use in its manicure and pedicure services and the spa’s own line of vanilla-ginger scented body wash and lotions. Spa Scotta also offers gift certificates.

Spa Scotta has changed and expanded its services in order to grow with the interests of its staff, and now the spa offers that opportunity to other beauty providers. The spa has opened what Campbell calls “The Finishing School,” which offers “post-graduate education for beauty providers.” Campbell hopes that The Finishing School at Spa Scotta will grow in 2010 and inspire other beauty providers to keep expanding their skill sets and beauty interests.

Spa Scotta is located in the University District at 4915 25th Ave NE, Ste. 103 West, across from the University Village shopping center. Appointments can be made by calling (206) 522-5800. The spa menu is available online at www.spascotta.com.