Spa’s seem to be the longest standing fad since boot cut jeans. Maybe there is more to spa treatments than meets the skin! I have always had a very practical approach to holistic treatments, apply only what can’t be consumed, for instance, why waste a whole papaya on your face, when you can eat half of it and create a benefit for your eyes and digestion. In fact fruit facials seemed almost absurd to me unless the fruit is too rancid to be eaten or generally tastes lousy.
The latest trend is veering towards even weirder products being applied all over the body, no matter how tempting chocolate is, it belongs in the mouth and nowhere else, unless you are considering it for intimate purposes, then that’s entirely a personal choice. But chocolate as a body pack just doesn’t seem right. The cocoa bean has numerous qualities, it has vitamins (A, B1, C, D & E), calcium and potassium, it even has endorphins, the chemicals that make a person happy. The main reason chocolate has won as a spa treatment is the anti oxidant properties it contains. Anti oxidants fight free radicals and free radicals are bad boys, they harm blood vessels, skin elasticity, the heart and worst of all, they are attributed to causing clusters of cancer cells. I guess that’s good enough reason for people to go find the closest Chocolate Spa treatment in their area. Chocolate is the only food substance I would suggest as an application, after all applying it would save you the calories but then again, is it worth the sacrifice? If chocolates have anti oxidants and all the other good stuff, then I would rather pop a piece in my mouth and rejoice.
The spa treatments that I completely agree with are of an entirely different nature. They have a science attached to them that is a little more gratifying and convincing than just “it’s good for you”. Massages for example, just regular massages can be the ultimate spa experience if done correctly. Use natural oils like coconut, olive or mustard (smoke it on a fire so the overpowering fragrance is reduced) or even a mild product like baby oil is great. Make sure the masseuse is either qualified, experienced or comes with great references, because he or she can hurt you.
Dim the lights, burn incense, lay out some flowers petals if you like flowers and just close your eyes. Let the stress slip out the soles of your feet and let strength seep into your neck and shoulders. There is a process for de-stressing during a massage, concentrate on every single part of your body, start with your toes. Relax your toes, let them be flaccid, move on to your ankles, the shin, the knees and so on. By the time you reach your forehead, you would have turned your body into a limp mass of person that requires an hour of kneading. Be the dough! Good massages can assist in digestion, weight loss, muscle strengthening, de-stressing and a general sense of well being. Massages can be had at home, at a spa or even your garden. In India, massages are a norm from the time a person is born. Infants as young as a few weeks old are gently massaged to help develop their dexterity, coordination and muscle strength. Almost all Indian children have been brought up on massages. Beyond the physical benefits, it is also a good way to bond with your baby.
Several holistic treatments that are age old remedies in Indian medicine (Ayurveda) are being adopted by Spa’s. Some of which are easy to replicate at home. The idea is to devote 2 hours a week to your body, that is sufficient time to take care of your hair, skin, teeth, nails and mind. Get a massage once a week, that’s 45 minutes and the rest of the time can be used for simple home treatments that are way more organic than anything in a bottle. If someone bottles consumables as body treatments there has to be a preservative involved, so when you use that product, you actually use the preservative too. There are a few simple recipes below that can give you a budget spa feeling within hours in your own home.
Hair:
1 egg white (never use the yolk, that’s where the foul smell comes from)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive or coconut oil
1 tbsp yoghurt
Mix all the ingredients and apply to the scalp and hair for 15 minutes or till the egg white dries and makes your hair crispy. Wash with tepid water and don’t apply shampoo till the end of the day.
Face:
2 tbsp chickpea flour
1/s tsp lemon juice (natural bleach but very potent so be stingy)
1 tbsp fresh cream (it’s better to take it off the top of boiled milk but in a lot of countries milk is tetra packed so the next not so best thing is packaged dairy cream)
1/s tsp sugar
Mix all the ingredients, to make a paste you can use a teaspoon of milk if the liquids in the recipe are not sufficient to make a paste the consistency of putty. Apply on the face for 15 minutes, when it is drying, gently rub it off. The dry face pack will take off fine hairs on the face and the sugar will help exfoliate.
Nails:
2 tbsp glycerin
1 tsp lemon juice
Dip your fingers in this mix for 10 minutes a week and watch your nails sparkle white and stay healthy and chip free.
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