At this point, I assumed Dios would rinse out the oil, and start my blowout — but, it turns out, the velaterapia (which typically costs around US$150) was only the beginning of my day at Laces. Over the course of the next five and a half hours, a flurry of stylists stopped by my chair for one indulgent treatment after the next. One swept a vitamin-rich mask across my hairline with a brush, while another prodded my head with an electrical suction device meant to “stimulate the follicles” but really just felt like an intensive scalp massage. Moments later, a woman came by to knead my tired shoulders, while another soaked my feet in an herbal bath before asking if she could paint my toenails a rich shade of red. I looked around the salon, and everyone else was leaning back in their chairs enjoying the same thing. Unlike most salons I’ve visited, this wasn’t a place to get your hair done and get out so the next person can take your spot — it was a ritual to be enjoyed.