"The Body Scrub"
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"The Body Scrub" |
| royat |
CHAPTER THREE She Sells Body
Scrubs by the Sea Shore “Give us the
luxuries of life, and we The waves are lapping up against the shore in a syncopated Caribbean rhythm. Your body, reclining upon a low-slung padded bench, soaks up the warmth of the tropical sun. Far in the background, faintly heard, are the strains of a Jamaican calypso band. You are in a spring-fed grotto, surrounded by hanging ferns and flowering plants. A giant sea turtle named Charlie glides through the crystal clear waters of the spring. The spa here at Sans Souci resort is named after this gentle creature. As a guest at Charlie’s spa, you are being treated to one of their signature treatments, the Body Scrub, a delight which people travel from all over the world to experience. The skilled Jamaican therapist who led you down into the seaside grotto takes a moment to explain the treatment to you, and then begins. First, you lie face down on the sun-warmed pads, and a stream of heated water flows over your back. The therapist sprays enough water to leave you moist but not drenched. Then she lifts a bowl of freshly mixed native ingredients in one hand, scoops out some of the contents with her other hand, and proceeds to rub the mixture into your glistening skin. She works vigorously, and you can tell that she has tuned into the beat of the distant music as her hands glide, stroke, and slough away every last vestige of your former unscrubbed self. You notice that her hand movements are circular for the most part, swirling around the contours of your body like the natural flow of a river around rocks. The ingredients in the therapist’s hands begin to work their magic. Heavy grained sea salt, flaky stone-ground island corn meal, traces of aromatic oils, and a few drops of spring water combine to gently yet thoroughly scrub away dead skin cells, leaving the pores open and clean. Since the skin is the largest organ of the human body and its major vehicle of elimination, it is vital to periodically rid it of the natural build-up of dry peeling cells. After the therapist has spent about ten minutes scrubbing every last pore in more detail than you thought possible, warm water washes once again over your body. Then, to your delight, suddenly the grotto is filled with the scent of exotic fruits, fresh and heavily ripe, as a mango/papaya body bath is applied liberally to a brand new piece of natural loofah. The therapist moistens the sponge and then starts in again on your back, taking off any extra corn meal or salt that might remain. She is careful to move in circular motions once again, you notice. This must be what she was telling you about in her introductory remarks. Every movement of the body scrub is an ellipse, making sure not to stretch the delicate collagen of your skin tissues too far in any one direction, avoiding any abrasive pulling. The loofah is rough but not too rough, and you can feel weeks and months of sun damage, wind damage, and neglect being thoroughly banished. When this phase of the treatment is over, you are asked to turn over onto your back as gently as possible. Now your eyes scan the hints of blue sky through the trellis work of foliage above. When the cascade of warm water begins to flow over your torso, thighs, and your shoulders, you exhale a deep sigh and wonder why you waited so long to treat yourself to this, the first step in your own Royal Treatment. After the entire procedure is completed, you will then be toweled dry, and a creamy emollient lotion will be massaged into your skin, first on the front, then the back. You may notice your body drinking in the lotion like never before. After the therapist has finished with this application, you will then be invited to do perhaps the most challenging task you’ll face throughout your entire day, which is to stand up and leave the grotto. If you’re lucky, no appointment will be scheduled directly after yours, and you’ll be able to stay for a short while. You may drift into the delicious space between sleeping and waking, where you are conscious but there is not one single thought going through your mind, which has become as tranquil, for the moment, as your surroundings. The Body Scrub is an excellent place to begin your journey of discovery into the realm of spa treatments. Done properly, it will leave your skin cleansed and ready to receive maximum benefit from any of the treatments that follow. Seaweed masks will sink through the pores more quickly. Herbs will be able to penetrate and detoxify that much better. Essential oils will reach the blood stream with less to impede them. And as a side benefit, you will, literally, glow. That is why this treatment is often referred to as a “Salt Glow” or “Body Glow.” In my spa certification workshops, I always have the students come up to the front of the class after I’ve finished demonstrating the body scrub. All together, they place their fingers lightly upon the skin of our newly cleansed model, and all together they automatically let out a chorus of “oohs” and “aahs,” like spectators at a fireworks display. Not only will your skin glow after this treatment; it will be softer and smoother to the touch than you’ve ever experienced before. It will cry out to be touched! If a trip to Jamaica is not in your immediate plans, don’t worry. Charlie and the spa will still be there whenever you might have an opportunity to pay a visit. You, however, will not have to depend upon the expertise of a trained spa staff to provide you with all the benefits described above. By the end of this chapter, you are going to know how to recreate the body scrub right at home. And believe it or not, it is going to feel every bit as good as it would down there in the Caribbean. Well, OK, you may miss the kiss of the tropical breeze or the evocative ping of the steel drums in the distance, but these are details that can be overcome. Keep in mind, especially, the hundreds of dollars that you will be saving by recreating this spa service in your own private spa. And fasten your sights on the goal of being able to share this treatment with someone you care about. Then just turn up the thermostat, put Bob Marley in the CD player, and close your eyes. *** Some variation of the Body Scrub is utilized at practically every major spa in the world today. Many employ salt as the base in a mixture of several ingredients. Others use salt alone. Still others use no salt at all. The specific ingredients you are going to use for your own home body scrub are up to you. I am going to offer you a list of possibilities, and from there forward I am going to refer to the actual materials, whether used separately or combined, as the “exfolliant.” Exfoliation is the term used to describe any type of treatment that scours dead skin cells from the body. Where did this tradition of exfoliating originate? Why was it started? The word “exfoliate” was taken from the Latin exfoliare. It first appeared in the English language in the year 1612, and it meant “to strip of leaves.” The use of exfoliating Body Scrubs, however, extends well back into history. The ancient Egyptians were an extremely beauty-conscious race, and the upper classes spent much of their time tending to their appearance. Besides shaving their heads with bronze razors and wearing wigs, they also developed a large array of cosmetic products. One of these was a type of soda ash that was used to vigorously scrub the skin before rubbing perfumes and ointments in. The Romans used metal skin scrapers called strigils in their famous public bath houses. Examples of these early exfoliating tools were found buried in volcanic ash at the baths in Pompeii. In Turkish baths, a rough canvas washcloth wielded by a professional masseur did an effective job. In Finish saunas over a thousand years ago people would banish any trace of dead skin by beating themselves all over with the leaves and branches of young birch trees, a procedure which left skin thoroughly stimulated and quite red as well as clean. Almost all Native American
tribes used some form of ceremonial sweat lodge as part of their culture.
This usually included skin cleansing with the use of fir branches, eagle
wings, or buffalo tails. They sometimes rubbed their skin with aromatic
herbs as well. The Puyallup-Nisqually tribe rubbed themselves with sand
after their sweats. The Omaha used grasses. The Mayan and Aztec used bunches
of herbs, and several tribes fabricated special instruments out of animal
bones specifically for the purpose of scraping the skin. Today, the products used and the methods employed are quite gentle and benign compared to the intensity of exfolliants past. Comfort is the key at the world’s greatest spas, and it should be in your own home spa as well. Veronica is one of the therapists at Sans Souci who specializes in giving their famous Body Scrub. When asked to describe in her own words what is most important to keep in mind for customer comfort while performing this treatment, she does not hesitate in her response. In a silky, sing-song voice full of the flavor of the Jamaica, she says, “It’s the warmth, you know. Without that, no matter how good your technique is, no matter how hard you work or what ingredients you use, the people are just gonna end up complainin’, and you don’t want that. Luckily for us here, there’s a nice warm breeze comin’ in off the bay three hundred and sixty five days a year. And we always make sure to keep our shower water near skin temperature or a little higher, in the upper 90’s. For those folks doin’ this type of treatment up North, I’d recommend one thing first; keep that body warm! “After that, I’d say the most important points to keep in mind are your ingredients; they have to be fresh and aromatic. And of course your attitude. You’ve got to welcome those people into your special domain and make them feel they’re somethin’ real special.” Of course, this hospitable attitude directly reflects Conscious Pleasure Principle Number Three—Greetings. Without a true flair for hospitality, any spa would fall far short of its potential. The director at Charlie’s spa, Maggie Spencer, echoes her therapists’ opinions. In more clipped, British tones, she sums up the administering of first class treatments at any topnotch spa. “It’s the caring, really, isn’t it?” This is what The Royal Treatment is all about. The question is often asked: “How often should one receive a Body Scrub? Is it safe to do every day?” Most people who visit a spa receive a Body Scrub only once during their stay, and that is for a particular reason. It should be remembered that the body has its own innate wisdom; if nature did not intend for dead skin cells to remain on its surface, they would fall off by themselves which, in fact, they do. A certain amount of dead skin cells remain, however. They actually form the first of the four layers of our epidermis, known as the stratum corneum. The dead cells act as a barrier against light and heat energy and protect the body from water loss, micro-organisms, and many chemicals. So, you can see, it would not be beneficial to constantly go scraping all of these cells off in the name of beauty. An occasional sloughing, though, no more than once a week, and especially when combined with other nourishing, replenishing treatments, does wonders and actually helps the skin in its constant process of renewal. In many large spa facilities,
an entire room has been constructed solely for the purpose of giving the
Body Scrub. The floor and all the walls are covered with tile. In the
center of the room usually stands a giant raised stone or ceramic slab
upon which the client reclines. A drain is built into the floor, and a
shower head attached to a long hose protrudes from one wall. The entire
setup is made watertight and mildew proof. Other spas have specially designed
“wet tables” that have a drain built right into them. First, let me explain the simple setup you’ll need, and a short list of readily available ingredients. You can certainly choose any number of easy-to-use prepackaged products that are available throughout the beauty industry, and I’ve listed a few in Appendix A. But everything you need can be found in your kitchen or at the nearest grocery store. YOU WILL NEED
EXFOLLIANT RECIPES
If you can’t find Dead Sea Salts, any sea salt will do. The heavier the grain, the more intense the exfoliating action will be, which often causes redness, especially on those people with light-complected, sensitive skin. The redness, or hyperemia, as therapists call it, is nothing to worry about. If someone is extremely sensitive, though, you’ll want to opt for more gentle scrubbing mixtures, and there are plenty of them around today. Most of those commercially available make creative use of naturally occurring substances. One of my favorites is a combination of finely ground almond shells and tiny bits of sea kelp in a cleansing base. Here are two easy recipes for your own home use. Remember, no matter what you use, it is important that it be kept warm. Nothing’s worse than relaxing for a treatment only to have cold salt slathered on your skin. You can keep your cup or plastic bottle warm by placing it under the hot water faucet before giving the treatment. RECIPE ONE,
CHARLIE’S SPECIAL RECIPE TWO,
SALT & OIL BLEND SETTING UP
Before you even bring your partner into the room, spread a large bath towel out on the floor or, if you’re lucky enough to have one, on the massage table. A carpeted floor is better than a hard one, and the edge of a bed will work too. Make sure your partner’s body fits on the towel and, if not, overlap two smaller towels slightly and place them end to end so that your partner remains completely on them during the treatment. This way you will avoid any mess later. Take four hand towels, fold them into quarters, roll them up lengthwise, and dip them in very hot (but not boiling) water. Wring them out, wearing rubber gloves if you have them to protect your hands, and then either place them in the optional crockpot or put them in the Spa Thermal Unit (STU). One more note about the towels we’ll be using. The technical term used by therapists for a hot, wet towel is fomentation, which comes from the Latin root, meaning poultice. We needn’t concern ourselves with terminology, but several of the treatments in this book are going to include the use of these hot towels, and the techniques for using them described here will be used throughout. It will be best if you practice getting the towels as hot as possible and then storing them in such a way that their heat is maintained for as long as possible. You’d be surprised what a little ice chest (STU) can do in this regard, as long as the towels are sufficiently hot to begin with. Once you have the system down, you’ll have a setup that allows you to simulate a hot water treatment room at a fancy spa with amazing accuracy. Fill your bowl with hot water, and you’re ready to invite your partner in.. Of course, you’ll want the bedroom or bath or wherever you’re giving your body scrub to be nice and warm, eighty degrees or higher, as bodies tend to chill quite easily when they’re splashed with water, even when the water’s warm. THE BODY SCRUB
The exfoliation stroke is different than the massage stroke in that its purpose is to cleanse the surface of the body, not affect the underlying tissues. Keep your pressure firm but not hard, and make sure to leave your palms and fingers open and flat. Your partner should feel a pleasurable “scrubbing” sensation, but it should never seem abrasive. Movements should always be in a circular direction so as not to pull the delicate skin fibers too far in one direction or another. If you see the skin start to redden a bit, don’t be alarmed. As I mentioned earlier, this is completely natural, especially for those people with fair complexions. This is simply blood coming to the surface, which is beneficial in cleansing out the capillaries. This step of the procedure takes about five minutes. You can swirl your palms around in a rhythmic manner, lulling your partner into body scrub bliss. Move slowly down the back and onto the back of the legs. Don’t worry about pulling any hair as the layer of moisture between your hand and your partner’s body will make the scrubbing go smoothly. Remember, though, that the purpose of this treatment is to rid the skin of dead cells. A little elbow grease is indicated while performing this step. Firm strokes help to circulate the lymph fluids, thus aiding in the elimination of toxins. You can remoisten the skin at any time if you feel a dry, grainy, “bunching up” of your exfolliant. Also, add more exfolliant whenever you wish. The next step involves using the first of your preheated towels. When you’ve finished scrubbing the back, take the towel out of the STU, unfold it, and wave it in the air for a few seconds if it’s still too hot. It’s usually OK to place the towel on your partner’s back a little sooner than you’d think. Your hands are more sensitive than her back, and the extra heat sure feels good. Run the towel down your partner’s back, over the legs, and down to the feet. It is not necessary to wipe off every last grain of your exfolliant now. The very next step is going to take care of that. This time, dip your loofah sponge in the bowl of hot water, apply a quarter sized patch of body bath to its surface, and begin to scrub. Note: mango or mint body baths are nice for this purpose: see Appendix A for suggestions. This, in effect, is a second skin scraping combined with a cleansing. Follow the same rules of pressure and direction you did with the exfolliant, and once again spend about five minutes completing this step on the back and the back of the legs. Then, it’s Towel Number Two. When you’ve finished with the first two steps, have your partner roll onto her back, and start the process over again, this time beginning at the feet and working your way up. First, moisten the body with the washcloth. Then place some exfolliant in your hand and begin working it in circular motions first up one leg, then the other. When you’ve finished there, move to the abdomen, being extra careful as this is a sensitive area. Women’s breasts should usually be avoided because these tissues are too delicate for many exfolliants. Stop when you reach the neck. Gentler products formulated especially for the face are available; most body scrubbing agents are a little too rough above the neck. Finish off with the arms and hands. Time for Hot Towel Number
Three. Wipe away the exfolliant, starting with the abdomen, as this area
feels the most pleasure when presented with such delicious heat. The final step in the process is an application of cream. The richer and more moisturizing, the better. This application can last only a few minutes, in which case the whole Body Scrub will be less than thirty minutes long, or you can make this the beginning of the one hour full body Spa Massage that you’re going to learn in Chapter Eight. For now, though, just finish the treatment by applying the cream to the front of the body for two minutes. Then have your partner turn over and apply some more cream to her back. When she turns over, you should quickly replace the towel she was lying on with a clean one so that her nice cleanly polished skin doesn’t end up in a puddle of sea salt. What you should have in front of you now is a literally glowing body, not to mention a person who is truly grateful to you and can now almost certainly be counted upon to return the favor some day. Enjoy! STEP BY STEP Start with partner face
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