TRENDING SPA TREATMENTS
Most everyone has experienced a manicure or massage, but what about some of the more interesting spa treatments that are available? Let’s deconstruct some of the hot trends in spa therapies.
RASUL Rasul thermal mud treatment is a traditional cleansing treatment that is traditional in Arabia, combining the health enhancing properties of heat, steam and mud for a relaxing and skin conditioning treatment in a magical and sensory private enviroment, complete with twinkling lights and fragrant vapours. In a Rasul treatment, Detoxifying Body & Muscle Essential Oil Clay Lotions are applied to specific areas of the body, then you relax with a combination of steam and cool showers. REIKI Reiki is a form of non-intrusive energy healing originating in Japan in the early 1900s in which naturally occurring electromagnetic energy is channelled by an ‘attuned’ practitioner. Once associated with the incense soaked realm of new age hippies, Reiki is rapidly infiltrating the mainstream. Like acupuncture and reflexology before it, doctors are now recommending Reiki as a viable healing method, and today it’s practiced through the world by many millions of people. REFLEXOLOGY Reflexology is a type of ‘zone therapy’ which involves applying pressure to certain points on the hands, feet and ears. Doing this is believed to encourage the body’s natural healing process in corresponding areas. It can also be used for stress relief and to improve overall well-being. The therapy is based on the principal that certain points on the feet, hands and ears (known as reflexes) are linked to other areas of the body. For example, the tips of the toes correspond with the head and the heel is associated with the lower back and intestines. CUPPING Cupping is a lesser-known treatment that comes from Asian medicine, one that can provide an especially pleasant experience. Cupping is the term applied to a technique that uses small glass cups or bamboo jars as suction devices that are placed on the skin. Once the suction has occurred (with the use of heat), the cups can be gently moved across the skin (often referred to as ‘gliding cupping’). The suction in the cups causes the skin and superficial muscle layer to be lightly drawn into the cup. Cupping is much like the inverse of massage - rather than applying pressure to muscles, it uses gentle pressure to pull them upward. ION CLEANSE An ion cleanse is meant to be a detoxification system to reduce the symptoms of unavoidable ‘toxic overload’ through a series of detox sessions. Simply relax with your feet in water for about 30 minutes. The procedure is painless and comfortable. The therapist uses a basin containing sea salt dissolved in purified water and then place an electrical unit, called an array, in the water. The array generates alternating positive and negative ions around the feet. The ions enter the body through your feet and begin neutralizing the toxins. Why the feet? Apparently, the largest pores in your body are located in your feet, allowing for the greatest release of toxins in the shortest amount of time. ROSE QUARTZ FACIAL Rose quartz facial massage therapy is a treatment for mind, body and soul. Rose essential oil, rosehip oil and rosewater are used to nourish the skin, while a facial massage with rose quartz crystal wands stimulate cell renewal, heal and re-energise the skin while promoting a feeling of wellbeing. Rose quartz contains a number of minerals, including iron, magnesium, sodium, manganese and silicium, as well as oxygen. Thanks to the ability to transfer energy, this crystal is believed to have a positive effect on body, mind and soul and improve skin moisture, increase vitality and stimulate circulation. A BOTTOM FACIAL Why stop at your face when going for a beauty treatment? In America, derrière therapy is all the rage. Scrubs and microtherapy help smooth out the little bumps and lumps on your tush, while a finish of spray tan makes sure your
bum is beach ready.
SALT CAVES The curative effects of the salt cave are believed to lie in the anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory properties of Himalayan crystal salt. Himalayan Crystal Salt is more than mere salt: it is the energy of the primal sea, the Earth, the Sun, and the stars. Once sought by emperors, kings, and sultans, natural crystal salt is believed to be a panacea and it has been known and used as a holistic remedy for centuries. Halotherapy (‘halos’ in Greek means salt) is a completely natural treatment with no side effects. It takes place in a dry, sterile, and hermetic environment that recreates a natural microclimate identical to ancient salt caves and salt mines. Throughout the therapy, salt aerosol is constantly scattered into the air for the patients to breathe in. The salt aerosol consists of tiny and dry salt particles which are ground in a special salt generator. These aerosolized microparticles can penetrate into the deepest regions of the lungs and deposit upon the surface, destroying bacteria and fungi. CRYOTHERAPY Cold air therapy takes place in a whole-body chamber, which has dry fresh, oxygenated air — due to the lack of moisture (humidity) or wind chill, and is not painful like an ice bath or immersion. During the treatment, your skin temperature will decrease between 30-45 degrees over 2.5 to 3.5 minutes inside the chamber. You will immediately warm after exiting the chamber, with full range of motion in your muscles and joints, unlike water or ice treatments, where the joints remain stiff for hours. Even if you don’t like being cold, this process will rejuvenate your body, skin and mind, and you will leave feeling warmer than when you arrived. BEER BATH Beer has always been the secret to shiny tresses, but in Germany they are taking it to the next level with a beer bath. Besides being bubbly, warm and portable, this whirlpool like treatment is meant to soothe and cleanse the skin with B vitamins, biotin and protein compounds. AYURVEDIC TREATMENTS Ayurvedic medicine (“Ayurveda” for short) is one of the world’s oldest holistic (“whole-body”) healing systems. It was developed more than 3,000 years ago in India. It’s based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Abhyanga is a form of Ayurvedic medicine that involves massage of the body with large amounts of warm oil. The oil is often pre-medicated with herbs for specific conditions. SERAIL MUD CHAMBER A traditional Egyptian treatment, the Serail Mud Chamber harnesses the therapeutic benefits of min- eral mud to improve the complexion, relieve rheumatic discomfort and remove toxins by encouraging blood flow to revive tissue and stimulate the lymph system. CHAKRA BALANCING Chakras are seven subtle energy centres in the body that affect our equilibrium and inner harmony. When blocked, these Chakras can affect the body and mind emotionally and physically.