Earth and Beauty Spa opens in Smithtown 

Self-care makes your mind, body and soul feel better, spa owner Shenequa Olivia Wright contends.

Wright, who sought to open a wellness haven for people who’d never had massages or a self-care routine, including members of her family, operated a spa in Deer Park for a year before outgrowing her space. Wright reopened her Earth and Beauty Spa in a larger space in Smithtown in January. 

"Self-care is very, very important," Wright says. "Getting a massage once a month; getting a facial — just taking better care of yourself. And that’s something that was lacking in my family and friends."

Wright guesses that many Black people she knows — from her family and friends to people she meets in her daily life — do not prioritize self-care. To Wright, self-care means nurturing the body and the mind, balancing physical treatments, such as massages and skin care, with mindfulness and emotional support.

"One thing is they don’t think they need it," says Wright, who grew up in Amityville, where her parents viewed self-care as a luxury rather than a routine practice.  "And then the second thing: They don’t think it’s affordable. And it can be affordable."

Wright’s own mother, who’s in her mid-50s, experienced her first massage ever at Wright’s Deer Park location. "When she was finished, she almost cried" because she felt recharged after prioritizing time for herself, Wright recalls. "And now I see my mom makes sure she applies that to her daily living."

In February, Wright is offering a discounted spa treatment: a 30-minute massage with tea, "that comes with the whole spa experience: the robe, the slippers, the warm rags, the essential oil," says Wright. She uses social media, including Black Long Island’s Facebook page, as well as promoting her spa on Google and Yelp to reach different demographics.  

"We invite people from all walks of life to come and immerse themselves in a transformative experience where self-care is celebrated," she says. "Everyone deserves a moment of peace and beauty, and I am committed to providing just that."

The spa offers therapeutic massages, natural facials, exfoliating body scrubs, herbal foot soaks, foot massages and an infrared chronotherapy light sauna.

"Our body carries a lot of tension," she says. "We don’t even know it until our back starts hurting. Once you go ahead and get the massage, it gets to be a release."

There’s also a tea bar where clients can relax and rejuvenate with a selection of premium herbal teas. The new spa has seven treatment rooms for a massage for one and for couples, natural makeup,  foot soaks and facials. Services start at $45 for a 30-minute lavender chamomile foot soak to $400 for a 60-minute couple’s massage.

Earth and Beauty Spa, 811 W. Jericho Tpke., Suite 108 E, Smithtown, 516-807-0122, earthandbeautyspa.com.