Prologue Lifestyle is a spa at King St. E. and Parliament, and it was designed with the idea of pampering the city's vast sea of professionals in mind. As such, the spa, as could probably be expected, attempts to provide a luxurious experience that will help said professionals forget the struggles and chaos of the city and just chill the hell out. The question, of course, is 'Does it succeed?'

To a certain degree, I have to say yes. I stroll in for a visit on a cloudy but humid afternoon. I'm greeted by two serenely friendly women with beautiful smiles, one of whom is co-owner Elham AyoubZadeh. The owners insist on offering me a treatment, so I follow AyoubZadeh through the bright white, no-frills, hyper-modern space to the treatment rooms upstairs.

AyoubZadeh used to work in finance on Bay St. before she opened Prologue Lifestyle , and she tells me on the way up how much she always longed for a rest in those days. "It's all about investing in ourselves," she tells me. The 'lifestyle' factor refers to the product list : they sell stuff like natural dog shampoo and essential oils to repel bugs, alongside more traditional beauty products.

It sounds like a cheesy PR line, but I can't help but believe her. Prologue offers sides of coffee and tea with their manis and pedis, like many salons and spas. But they also have a partnership with Angels Gate Winery based in Beamsville for added relaxation, providing bottle service for groups. The spa hosts its own events, too, like a seminar on home ownership for women and ladies nights.

The signature facial is a thorough treatment complete with a series of cleansing oils, scrubs made with lemon and crushed bamboo, and a facial massage. The esthetician asks me if I'd like any extractions (removal of blackheads and other impurities of the skin) as opposed to just diving in with her finger nails and picking my face apart. I really appreciate having the choice, as not every esthetician bothers to ask. She removed obvious impurities, and finishes with soothing hot towels and hydrating mask. My one issue with the service is that she doesn't fill me in on what she's doing as she goes, and since my eyes are covered, I have to keep asking. I'm sure some clients wouldn't mind the mystery, but I like to know, journalistic tendencies aside.

And I have to be honest: I find the atmosphere to be less soothing than expected. The treatment room I'm brought into is lacking in that there are no candles, no soft, coma-inducing music. The lights are dimmed and the room is soft and comfortable, scented with essential oils. But it could achieve more tranquility with those simple additions.

That said, you probably haven't lived until you've had your nose massaged by this woman. The Nellie Tier products they use are simply divine, dahling, and my skin looked flawless and super-healthy a couple of days after the treatment. Alongside facials, they also offer manis, pedis, back facials, full body treatments, massage and lash and brow treatments. In short, the menu provides all of the essential spa services, and they treat clients pretty perfectly from what I can see. I would say this spot is worth a visit if you're looking to "invest in yourself," as Elham says.

Photos by Jesse Milns