ShesWELL: A New Wellness & Beauty Retreat Launches in Upstate New York

What happens when a spa owner, a massage therapist, an acupuncturist, a cosmetologist, and a Hudson Valley B&B innkeeper get together? A series of retreat weekends in the Hudson Valley, of course! The spa owner is Allison Tray of Brooklyn's Tres Belle Spa—she's the first Charlotte's Book Beauty Expert in Brooklyn, and Tres Belle, known for their high-tech beauty menu, has earned various accolades throughout the years including "Nicest Staff in NYC" and "Best Spa in NYC." Allison's good friend, Tamara Ehlin, is the innkeeper—she's the owner and operator of Hudson Valley’s The Forsyth, a gorgeously appointed B&B right on the waterfront in Kingston. Allison and Tamara were spending lots of time together at the Forsyth—enjoying the "come as you are" vibe, as they put it—when they came up with the idea for ShesWELL, a series of super-relaxing spa-style retreats. Allison had always been interested in expanding her services to outside the city; Tamara had years of experience as a chef and special event planner. The rest isn't exactly rocket science, but this part is key: both Allison and Tamara wanted to build an easy weekend retreat for New York women where no one felt pressure to change anything major, or workout too hard—all they had to do was relax. The other retreat centers in upstate New York focus primarily on betterment of some kind: Old Stone Farm and the famed Omega Institute focus on the mantra of “transformation.” You can't blame busy, hard-working women for wanting to take advantage of their free time to improve themselves, but Allison and Tamara want to focus on the benefits of simple relaxation. Allison Tray told us, “A goal of ShesWell is to introduce women of all ages to the idea of a beauty and wellness retreat that celebrates who they are TODAY not who they could change into tomorrow.” She added,  “Women work so hard and don't set aside enough time for themselves. We offer a luxurious, pampering weekend where you can hangout as you please and at the same time indulge in expert loving care that just might inspire a new healthy habit or ritual.” The loving care will absolutely be expert: Liz Welter is a Massage Therapist with over 10 years of experience. She integrates a multitude of techniques within a session to fit everyone's unique needs, and she believes in a holistic approach to wellness, guided by a balance of body, mind, and spirit. Acupuncture treatments will be provided by Alexis Arvidson, and hair treatments by Cristina Filloramo—the pair make up Love & Citrine, a boutique experience where healthcare and beautycare are combined (as they inevitably are). The first retreat kicks off Friday, February 3rd with a beauty treatment followed by dinner and wine tasting.  The weekend will include four one-hour beauty treatments: a custom facial, an acupuncture session, a massage, two one-hour yoga classes, and either a hair cut or intensive hair treatment by Cristina Filloramo of Love & Citrine. Plus, you'll be going home with a beauty swag bag with over $200 in beauty and wellness goodies. Don't have time to spend the night? You can join the retreat with and without lodging: prices start at $825. For more information, check out the Forsyth website. Here's to your health in the New Year!

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