Grounded Bodyworks, Palm Springs: A Lymphatic Massage and a Spa Shop Worth the Stop

Touchpoint Travel

Dec 28, 2024

2 min read

Updated: Oct 15

Palm Springs in December is the desert at its kindest: warm afternoons, cool evenings and the San Jacinto Mountains sharp against a clear sky. Grounded Bodyworks, an independent spa on North Palm Canyon Drive, has become part of how I do this town. I first went in December 2023 for one of their 60-minute massages, and I came back in December 2024 for something different: a lymphatic massage.

Sunlit spa shop at Grounded Bodyworks in Palm Springs, with a woven pendant light, candles on a round metal shelf and greeting cards on wooden ledges

The lymphatic massage

I'll be honest: it was unusual. If you're used to Swedish or deep-tissue massage, lymphatic work feels like a different language. It is generally gentle, rhythmic work meant to encourage fluid to move, rather than the kneading pressure most of us expect when we book a massage.

I loved it. I felt lighter for days afterward, which is not something I can say about most massages.

If you've never had one, go in with an open mind, tell your therapist what you're hoping for, and keep the rest of the day slow. If you have a health condition, check with your doctor before booking.

The spa shop

Then there's the shop, which I could happily wander for an hour. It is small, sunny and thoughtfully stocked, with plants on nearly every surface and shelves of candles catching the afternoon light.

One wall is Davines hair care from Italy, the LOVE, OI and MINU lines lined up like a color chart. Another is given over to OSEA's seaweed-based skin and body care.

A wall of Davines hair care at Grounded Bodyworks, arranged by color on dark metal shelving above wooden cabinets

OSEA seaweed skin and body care on wooden shelves with plants, woven baskets and folded striped blankets

There are Slow North bar soaps with names like Lucid Dreams and Forest Bathing, Salt & Stone body care, and Open Warrior mala bracelets by Mary Caroline Jewelry, handmade in Los Angeles.

On my December 2024 visit I left with the Salt & Stone Black Rose & Oud body wash, an SPF 30 lip balm, a set of reusable facial cloths and a wood-grain S'well tumbler. They're easy to pack, and a nice way to bring a little of the visit home.

Know before you go

Grounded Bodyworks, 1701 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Open daily, 9 AM to 5 PM. Book by calling or texting 760.848.8587.
Beyond massage: body treatments, plant-based skin care, waxing, brows and lashes, hair at Roots Salon, nails and meditation.
Couples and group experiences, plus in-room and mobile services at area hotels.
HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
Lymphatic massage isn't listed on the homepage, so ask about it when you book.

How we'd fit it into a Palm Springs trip

Book it early in the trip. If it leaves you feeling the way it left me, you'll want those lighter days while you're still on vacation, not on the flight home. Keep the rest of that day unhurried, and leave time to browse the shop on your way out.

Planning Palm Springs?

At Touchpoint Travel, we build trips around the details that make them yours, from the right hotel to the treatment that sets the tone for the whole stay. If Palm Springs is on your list, let's plan it together.