Natural Infusion

If fusion is about melding different elements, Tim and Donna Duffy nailed it with their new spa. The husband and wife duo’s Deephaven retreat combines modern organic intelligence with a menu of stellar spa treatments.

Fusion Lifespa, where everything is fresh and chemical-free, is the Whole Foods of our local spa scene. To keep their all-natural boutique spa from screaming Birkenstocks and granola, they skipped decorating with bland beiges and instead used bold colored toxic-free paint for the Asian-inspired space. Renewable resources range from bamboo sheets to towels made with azo-free dyes to products made from chocolate espresso (safe enough to eat), cranberry, and cabernet grape seed.

Committed to a higher standard of organic living, the Duffys are also realistic business owners. Knowing that people want the end results of peels and Botox, they offer cosmetic acupuncture instead of injectables. To ensure that the time-honored bathing rituals adored in Europe aren’t lost here on modest Minnesotans, they’ve altered the treatments to create a better level of comfort. For example, for the steam/soak/bath, they’ve taken out the nudity part, where a technician slathers you up, and have set the scrubs and masks out in self-serve dishes so clients can relax—not cringe.

Though there’s a long list of luxurious experiences, such as four-handed massage and chromatherapy, the Duffys also want to fill the gap between spendy spa nail services and pedicures and quick strip mall salons that are often wafting with chemicals. Fusion’s cherry Chap Stick–like aroma is from the all-natural cleaning products. Copper pots replace spa jets to eliminate bacteria, and nail polishes and products are free of acetone, formaldehyde, and phthalates. Time-managed treatments keep prices competitive and walk-ins welcome.

In the works is a signature line of all-natural beauty products, which may soon be sold at a freestanding retail location in Uptown or 50th & France—but the couple has no plans to go corporate. Right now, they say, it's just about keeping it sustainable.

Fusion Lifespa, 18142 Minnetonka Blvd., Deephaven, 952-345-3335