Reinventing Dolce
By Patricia Nugent
The story behind the new Dolce Organic Salon, Med Spa and Salt Room goes back to 2016, when owner Linda Machalicek and her sister visited a salt cave in Naples, Florida.
They both were amazed by the experience, but while Linda’s sister was relaxing, her own mind was zipping along in overdrive.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wanted to be one of the first to bring this healing treatment to Cleveland,” she recalls.
Since the space at her former location in Strongsville wouldn’t accommodate the room, along with her husband Gary, Linda decided the time was right to move into a bigger location and build not only a salt room but also create a true med spa, expanding into spa services and medical esthetic treatments.
“It took us months to demo the 6,000-square foot area we needed for our dream in Middleburg Heights . We even hired an architect to redesign the interior space and and everything turned out exactly as we’d hoped,” says Linda, who worked with a color consultant from Sherwin Williams to create a soothing palette of river rock hues, from slate grays and earthy browns to cobalt blue.
“Each space within the salon and spa feels intimate yet flows into other areas. We have nine styling stations, which includes a private VIP room for those who want more privacy, and a separate makeup studio that all flow into the hair coloring and cleansing area. I’ve designed my dream.”
Luxurious white leather reclining pedicure chairs in the mani/pedi department ensure a relaxing experience.
Enter the Salt Room
Linda Machalicek shipped 8,000 pounds of salt from Pakistan to build a soaring wall of glowing Himalayan salt bricks in Dolce’s salt room. This deeply peaceful oasis also features salt on the floor, a ceiling mural painted by an artist to mimic a never-ending night sky, and six deluxe zero-gravity chaise lounges separated by gauzy curtains.
She invested in a machine called a Halo-Generator that pulverizes pure Himalayan salt and wafts it into the room.
“People leave a 45-minute session feeling completely relaxed, but also being able to breathe again,” she says.
“In addition to respiratory benefits, studies have shown salt therapy’s detoxifying effects improve energy and sleep, lessen cold and allergy symptoms, and even improve skin conditions.”
Look for yoga classes, breath work programs, and an instructional How to Give a Massage program to take place in the new space.
The Benefits of Going All Organic
Since finding Dolce in 2008, Linda has researched and implemented an organic regimen for the salon and spa. She credits her all-natural path to coming back from pancreatic cancer as reason to share with others how much better life can be chemical free.
To that end, she is one of the few salons in the area to exclusively work with organic products and treatments, including the Oway products from Bologna, Italy, for skin and hair.
“They go beyond organic,” she says. “As biodynamic plant-based formulas, even the soil in which the medicinal herbs are grown is pesticide-free. And the results are shiny healthy hair and glowing skin. Pure pigments make a difference.”
So Much “Aaaaahh” in the Spa
The welcoming lounge is equal parts breathtaking and homey, like a living room on a magazine cover. Surrounded by cascading waterfall fountains, the roaring alabaster stacked stone fireplace beckons you to cozy up on the leather furniture.
Clients can dabble in an extensive array of spa services, from facials and massage to visits to the European infrared sauna and salt room.
“The team of estheticians and massotherapists I’ve put together is amazingly talented,” says Linda.
Additional beautification and detox services range from dry brushing to electrolysis, waxing and lash extensions. For skin, the spa offers cutting-edge anti-aging modalities, such as microchanneling with stem cell serum, and the hydroplus facial, which sloughs off the outer layer of dead cells with a diamond-tipped wand and infuses skin with targeted serums.
“We have also introduced Celluma LED Light Therapy, an innovative facial treatment that reduces wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, smooths the skin’s surface and re-energizes natural cell function,” she says. “The healing energy works safely and gently on acne-prone skin as well since it reduces bacterial buildup. Investing in this technology is worth it, as the results are gorgeous.”
To take beauty treatments to the next level, Dolce’s medical director, Dr. Dawn Zacharias, specializes in a host of esthetic services, including injectables and Botox.
Dolce Organic Salon, Med Spa and Salt Room is located at 18820 Bagley Road in Middleburg Heights. Hours are Monday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 440-238-5514 or visit DolceOrganicSalon.com for more information.