Best Of: Beauty, Health and Wellness

Best Acupuncturist — Martin Herbkersman

Runner-up: Li Huang

Founder of Palmetto Acupuncture Clinic, Martin Herbkersman is the best around for any acupuncture, oriental medicine, and herbal and nutritional medicine related needs. With over 20 years of experience, Herbkersman is known for his expertise and wisdom along with his kind and calming demeanor. The fact that he founded his practice on the idea that a happy and healthy public contributes to a great society says a lot about that type of doctor that Herbkersman is!

Honorable Mention: Noemi Martinez, William Skelton

Best Barbershop: Gentleman’s Quarters Barbershop

Runner Up: Frank’s Gentlemen’s Salon

You’re looking pretty shaggy there, friend. Might be time to get that haircut you’ve been putting off. And there’s no better place in Columbia for a cut than Gentleman’s Quarters Barbershop. Founded in 2018 by Dominic Peterson, a Master Barber from New York with over 14 years of professional barbering experience, GQ strives to provide the absolute best in men's grooming by offering detailed, precise haircuts from seasoned professionals. Lookin’ sharp!

Honorable Mentions: Circa, Regal Lounge

Best Chiropractor — Columbia Family Chiropractic

Runner-up: MaxLiving Chiropractic

Though they may be famous for treating back pain, chiropractors actually focus on musculoskeletal disorders, which means that they can often help with everything from nerve function to headaches, as well. If you’re interested in natural, holistic medicine solutions to your ailments, Columbia Family Chiropractic is the most trusted clinic in town.

Honorable Mentions: Dean McCaughan — Midlands Health Center, Dr. Jennifer Lee — Health Source

Best Counselor or Therapist — Jill Smith and Associates

Runner-Up: Everyday Wellness

We all need a little help now and then, but we don’t have Mr. Cleaver, Mrs. Brady or Grandpa Walton to turn to. It's a good thing that Jill Smith and Associates, in both Columbia and Lexington, has experienced professional counselors specializing in individual psychotherapy, couples counseling, telehealth and services to children, adolescents and families. And they’re committed to delivering these services with warmth, respect, kindness, empathy and authenticity.

Honorable Mention: Corazon Holistic Health, Rachel Kelly

Best Crossfit — Cottontown Crossfit

Runner-up: CrossFit Soda City

Cottontown Crossfit has something for everyone who’s interested in the workout regime, regardless of experience. For those who have been doing it for years, the classes will certainly be challenging enough, but for newer folks they offer foundational classes that teach basic vocabulary and movements that will be built upon. With class sizes of 16 or less, you can be sure that you’ll get quality instruction that will encourage whatever fitness journey you’re on, whether you’re a crossfit lifer or just dropping in.

Honorable Mention: Carolina Crossfit

Best Day Spa — The Beautique

Runner-up: Urban Nirvana

The Beautique Skin Spa is a medical spa offering waxing, esthetics, massages, saunas, tanning and piercings. Owners Brooke and Paul Gellici curated the Whaley Street space to feel like an Indonesian wellness retreat, with bohemian knick-knacks and draping plants filling each nook and cranny of the space. Their team is stacked with estheticians, a massage therapist and even a medical director to ensure clients receive the best treatment.

Honorable mention: Skin and Brows Redefined, Studio 803

Best Dentist — Dr. Shivani Patel, 32 Dental

Runner-up: Bela Family Dentistry

Led by Dr. Shivani Patel, 32 Dental is no stranger to Best Of Columbia. Dr. Patel is a proud USC and MUSC grad and the recipient of many academic and clinical awards. To each new patient, she brings individual care, attention and expertise in oral surgery, endodontics, implant dentistry and restorative procedures. Whatever your age, whatever your need, Dr. Patel is Columbia’s favorite dentist.

Honorable Mention: Forest Drive Dental Care, Marc Berger Choice Dentistry

Best Dermatology Practice — Columbia Skin Clinic

Runner-up: Carolinas Dermatology & Plastic Surgery

Beautiful skin has never been easier! With four locations, Columbia Skin Clinic is the most experienced dermatology group in the region. They are dedicated to your specific skin needs with a focus on making your skin feel and look healthy. From medical dermatology to aesthetic services and everything that fall in between, they truly are a one-stop-shop for all things skin.

Honorable Mention: Northeast Dermatology, Palmetto Dermatology

Best Esthetician — Brooke Gellici — The Beautique

Runner Up: E’toshia McFarland — Faces By Etosh

Brooke Gellici isn’t just the best darned esthetician on the Columbia scene; she actually owns one of the best salons, The Beautique. Brooke attended college in Rhode Island before she and her husband returned to Columbia to be closer to family. Her passion for skin care and beautification comes from her own struggles with acne as a teenager, so she has both the skill and the compassion to do her job with care and excellence.

Honorable Mentions: Jocelyn Perez — Everglow Spa, Tara Monroe — Beautique

Best Eye Doctor or Group — Columbia Eye Clinic

Runner-up: Devine Eyes

The Columbia Eye Clinic has a long history and stellar reputation in the community. Having grown to 14 board-certified doctors and more than 100 staff across four locations in the Midlands, they offer everything from Lasik and cataract surgery to diagnostic treatment and regular comprehensive eye exams. So if these words are looking a little blurry, it might be time to go see the team at Columbia Eye Clinic.

Honorable Mentions: 20/20 Vision, Vision Therapy Institute

Best Family Practice — Lexington Family Practice

Runner-Up: Palmetto Family Medicine

With multiple locations and more than 45 years in practice, it’s no shocker that last year’s winner is back in first place. It’s easy to take one’s health for granted, but the pandemic and the resulting quarantine made us all reconsider and reevaluate that stance. Maybe keeping tabs on our health isn’t such a bad idea after all, and the best way to do that is with a physician you trust. Lexington Family Practice has clearly earned that trust.

Honorable Mention: Harbison Medical Associates, Noretta Family Medicine

Best Fitness Studio — F45 Forest Acres

Runner-up: Basecamp Fitness Columbia

F45 tells you exactly what it is in the name: the F stands for functional training, meaning their exercises are meant to ensure full-body workouts that help with everyday movements, and the 45 is how long the classes last (in minutes). F45 Forest Acres offers efficient training that evolves with every class and can be modified for beginners — or pushed for those who want a challenge. They use a team-training structure, emphasizing and encouraging the community to help people reach their fitness goals.

Honorable Mention: EQ Fitness and Physical Therapy, Fit Columbia

Best Gym — Planet Fitness

Runner-up: Burn Boot Camp — Lake Murray

Affordability and zero judgment. What more could you want in a gym? This chain has multiple locations across Columbia, including a new location on Garners Ferry Road, where memberships start at just $10 a month. The friendly staff is stacked with certified trainers who can answer questions or help you with your form. Athletes and first-time gym users alike are members of Planet Fitness, which is open seven days a week.

Honorable mention: Chosen Uno Training, EQ Fitness and Physical Therapy

Best Hair Salon — Hyde Salon

Runner-up: process. A Hair Salon

Looking for a luxury salon experience? With locations in Chapin and the Vista, Hyde Salon will have your locks looking lush in a beautiful ambience and a drink in your hand. They take great pride in their exceptional team. Each stylist is talented and vetted, and everyone is welcome. Even your brows can partake in a little self care while you’re there. For those with a busy work schedule, they’re open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Honorable Mention: Haven + Co, Metropolis

Best Hair Stylist — Lexie Ivanko — Hyde

Runner-up: Tamika Barker — Natura Q Hair Studio

If you’ve ever been to Lexie Ivanko for your hair needs, you would probably agree that she’s a hair wizard! A masterful stylist at Columbia’s Hyde, Ivanko is known for making her clients feel beautiful, both while sitting in her chair and while walking out of the salon. Her skills, along with a friendly and welcoming presence, keeps clients coming back for more. She’s the perfect stylist to go to if you’re in need of a transformation.

Honorable Mention: Brooke Buck — Image Makers, Daisy Gass - Hyde

Best Holistic Health Provider — Everyday Wellness

Runner Up: MaxLiving Chiropractic

Everyday Wellness was created to help you address your whole self: mind, body and spirit. They are a group of providers that believes in the power of the mind-body connection. They value community and strive to normalize care for your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual state, as well as teaching self-care practices — something that it seems like we’re often too busy to do. Everyday Wellness lives up to its name with their expertise and experience.

Honorable Mentions: Corazon Holistic Health, South Carolina Center of Integrative Medicine

Best Home Health Care Service — Hands and Hearts Home Care

Runner-up: McLeod Home Care

For 15 years, Hands and Heart Home Care has strived to provide a first-class home care experience for seniors to age comfortably in their homes, which is all any of us really want in the august years of our lives, right? With an attention to developing and maintaining relationships with health providers, rehab facilities, nursing homes and hospice care, as well as expertise in dementia, Alzheimer’s care and arthritis, this crew has the Midlands’ hearts (and hands) for a reason.

Honorable Mentions: Casania's Caring Hands, Heart of Hospice

Best Hospital — Lexington Medical Center

Runner-Up: MUSC

It's easy to say Columbia is more "city" and Lexington more "country," but the reality is that we're one big, bustling metropolitan area with myriad health concerns. With five community medical centers and more than 400 affiliated physicians, Lexington Medical Center is prepared to address those concerns. Affiliated with MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, the sprawling main campus off US 378 offers complete cardiac care and is reported to perform more than 32,000 surgeries every year. From cancer screening and treatment to delivering more than 4,000 babies annually, patients know they’re in the right hands here.

Honorable Mention: Prisma Health Baptist, Prisma Health Richland

Best Lactation Support — Sandhills Pediatrics

Runner-up: The Latch RN

Lactation can cause confusion and concerns for new mothers. Sandhills Pediatrics alleviates that concern with its abundant resources. Just on their website is a page with links to videos and web pages detailing many different breastfeeding topics, but the real support comes from the two Board Certified Lactation Consultants that make up the “Lactation Station.” The consultants can guide new mothers through the entire process of breastfeeding, identify any problems and help make the entire process easier.

Honorable Mention: Columbia Lactation Care

Best Massage Therapist — Sara Peters — Beautique

Runner-up: L’Toia Benjamin — Hands of Restoration

At Beautique Skin Studio on Whaley Street, Sara Peters strives to bring clients a relaxing, unforgettable experience. The licensed massage therapist incorporates health and wellness into each session, always learning new trends within the industry to advance her practice. Within beautiful curated treatment rooms, Peters is sure to make you feel comfortable and relaxed.

Honorable mention: Brad Rasmussen — Drift Massage Studio, Nikki B Massage

Best Medical Spa — Sculpted by WH Aesthetics

Runner-up: Beautique Skin Co.

Have you been wanting to try out microneedling? Injectables? Dermal fillers or the newest facial treatments? Columbia locals say Sculpted by WH Aesthetics in the Vista is the place to go. As a medical spa, they stay on the cutting edge of products and procedures. Services range from IV therapy to laser hair removal. With a plethora of five-star reviews and monthly specials, you might find something for you.

Honorable Mention: The Essential Face, The Hammett Clinic

Best Nail Salon — Canvas Studio

Runner-up: Posh

Want stellar nails without acrylic? Canvas Studio in West Columbia specializes in making your natural nails beautiful. No acrylic or harmful chemicals — they focus on bringing life to what's already there. From a basic manicure to fun nail art, they were voted best nail salon for a reason. Their focus is on making your nails healthy, strong and beautiful!

Honorable Mention: Nail Room, The Nail Barre

Best Orthodontist — Boyd Orthodontics

Runner Up: Tompkins Orthodontics

If experience and trustworthiness are important qualities for you when it comes to choosing the right orthodontist, then you’ll want to check out Boyd Orthodontics. They’ve been the most trusted name in the braces and Invisalign trades for nearly 40 years. They break down every detail for their clients, right down to the cost of the Invisalign fittings. So you’ve got transparency, excellent service and a spotless reputation among their clients. What else could you ask for?

Honorable Mentions: Davis Orthodontics, Purnell Orthodontics

Best Orthopedic Practice — Prisma Health Orthopedics

Runner-up: Lexington Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

From sports-related injuries to physical therapy and rehabilitation, Prisma Health Orthopedics has the experienced and board-certified orthopedic surgeons and staff who can take care of you when you aren’t moving the way you need to be. With a reputation for personalized attention and convenient scheduling, along with a high quality of patient care, they are the favorites of Columbia’s knee-and-back-pain sufferers.

Honorable Mentions: MUSC HEALTH Orthopedics, Palmetto Bone and Joint

Best Pediatric Care — Sandhills Pediatrics

Runner-Up: Palmetto Pediatrics

If there’s anything that a child hates, it’s being sick, and part of that loathing comes from a fear of going to see the doctor. Returning from a win last year is Sandhills Pediatrics, meaning that they must be doing something right. Twenty pediatricians in five locations strive to work with parents as partners in ensuring the health of their children by providing cheerful, compassionate care to infants, toddlers, adolescents and teens.

Honorable Mention: Pediatric Associates, SouthernMed

Best Pharmacy — Hawthorne

Runner-up: True Pharmacy

Picking up prescriptions can be a hassle. In steps Hawthorne Pharmacy and Medical Equipment to assist. With eight locations across the Midlands, this local pharmacy provides helpful assistance with prescriptions and vaccines. They offer some local delivery options and they offer to synchronize recurring prescriptions, so you can pick up all of your monthly prescriptions at once. If you have questions about your medications, their pharmacists are ready and able to help.

Honorable Mention: Blythewood Pharmacy, Landy's Pharmacy

Best Physical Therapy Practice — Pinnacle Physical Therapy & Personal Training

Runner-up: Vertex

Known for a friendly staff that remembers your name, Pinnacle Physical Therapy & Personal Training is a one-stop shop for all your wellness needs. Doctors J.R. and Kyra Watts have a long list of specialties to rehabilitate your ailments — and if they can’t help you, someone on their experienced staff surely can. Beyond physical therapy, Pinnacle was the first place in Columbia to also offer personal training, nutrition services and massage therapy.

Honorable mention: Ascent Total Performance, EQ Fitness and Physical Therapy

Best Piercing Studio — RAW Body Piercing

Runner-up: Immaculate Body Piercing

When it comes to someone poking a hole in your face or body, you’re going to want the best. RAW Body Piercing knows that, offering a team of fully certified technicians — some with over 10 years of experience — and only the highest-quality jewelry. See their services and book an appointment online. Or, if inspiration strikes, walk-ins are welcome. You can follow the shop on Instagram @RAWBodyPiercing to find out about any piercing specials.

Honorable Mention: Piercing Parlor, The Beautique

Best Pilates — Club Pilates

Runner-up: The Pilates Sculpt Studio

We’re sweating just writing this! If you’re looking for the perfect low-impact, full-body workout, Club Pilates is the place to go. With different class types for all skill levels, Club Pilates has a workout that fits everyone's goals. With health at the center of their focus, there is no doubt that you’ll walk out feeling like the best version of yourself. The best part? Your first class is free.

Honorable Mention: Fit Columbia, The WRKT

Best Place To Be Born — Lexington Medical Center

Runner Up: Prisma Health Baptist Parkridge

It's not like you have a choice where you’re born, but in case you can, broadcast a hint out to Mom while you’re hanging out in the womb. Tell her to head for Lexington Medical Center when it’s time to give birth. Their professional and caring staff will make sure your introduction to parenting goes as smoothly and safely as possible. Trust them with one of the most important events of your life.

Honorable Mentions: Home, Prisma Health Richland

Best Plastic Surgery Clinic — Carolinas Dermatology & Plastic Surgery

Runner-up: Carlin Plastic Surgery

If you’re going under the knife, you want the very best. And that’s what the board-certified surgeons at Carolinas Dermatology & Plastic Surgery offer here in the Midlands. From breast augmentation and liposuction to facelifts and tummy tucks, they do it all with personalized care plans and state-of-the-art technology designed to deliver exactly what you need.

Honorable Mentions: Capital Plastic Surgery, Lefkowitz Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics

Best Tattoo Artist — Shannon Purvis Barron — Ophidian

Runner-Up: Ethan Chandler — Sickle and Moon

As the co-owner of Ophidian, Shannon Purvis Baron has high standards of artistry to uphold. In the business since 2006, she specializes in American traditional and neo-traditional designs, though she is particularly enthusiastic about tattooing images from pop culture, flora and fauna, and pet portraits. Along with her all-woman staff, she focuses on creating an atmosphere of comfort, inclusivity and artistry in her eclectically-decorated parlor in Main Street’s Historic Arcade building.

Honorable Mention: Matthew Toto Davis — Animated Canvas, Wayne Munn — Tatway

Best Tattoo Studio — Ophidian

Runner-up: Tatway Tattoos

In the short time that Ophidian Tattoo has been in Main Street’s Arcade Mall, they have quickly made a name for themselves. Founded in 2020 by Shannon Purvis Barron and Chelsea Owen, Ophidian is intent on providing a safe, inclusive space in the tattoo community, as reflected in it being female-owned and -operated. Ophidian doesn’t do walk-ins and spots fill up quickly, but the repeat customers make it clear that the wait is worth it for the artistry Ophidian offers.

Honorable Mention: Animated Canvas, Sickle and Moon

Best Urgent Care — Lexington Medical Center Saluda Pointe

Runner-up: Doctor’s Care

Near Chick-fil-A on Saluda Pointe Circle, Lexington Medical Center takes walk-ins and treats everything from flu symptoms to broken bones. Their staff handles diagnoses, disease and injury treatment, lab services, X-Rays, MRIs, CT scans and ultrasounds. The urgent care boasts high reviews thanks to its clean environment, timely care and friendly staff.

Honorable mention: MEDcare, Veritas

Best Yoga Studio — Fit Columbia

Runner-up: Studio Fire

At Fit Columbia, the goal is to make fitness fun and accessible for all. Angela Yong Sellers opened the local business with this in mind 10 years ago. For this group, being named Best Yoga Studio includes not only standard practice yoga, but aerial yoga and wall yoga, too. Need an easier way to sweat? Their website features video tutorials of chair yoga, a safe and effective option for any situation. Check out a class at their Five Points-based studio.

Honorable Mention: Bikram Yoga, Corazon Holistic Health