From the first spring thaw to the golden days of autumn, the salons of the region turn to the busy work of readying brides for the plains wedding season.

The very crops that fill the plains fields are finding a second life in the region's skincare, as spas turn sunflower and flax oils into local beauty lines.

Carried across the ocean by Nordic settlers, the sauna endures on the plains as both a beloved ritual and a modern wellness trend embraced by the region's spas.

The plains winter is merciless to the skin, and the salons of Fargo and Bismarck have built a whole season of care around defending against the cold, dry air.