Relax - So Spa So Good
May 14, 2009 by admin ·
Owners Perspective Magazine - Wild and wacky? Or novel and unique? From baths in hay to facials with bird poo (we kid you not!), beauty knows no boundaries when it comes to looking good.
By Anis Ramli
In the world of spa, the adage “Been there, done that” seems to hold true for most of us. But does it? A look at recent introductions made to spa treatments reveal that when it comes to maintaining youth, a woman will go to all extremes for that elusive elixir.
Whether it’s a dip in wine bath or milking beauty’s secrets from a bird’s nest facial, today’s spa treatments seem to lure spa goers with the wacky and zany. But look closely and you will see that today’s novel treatments are really yesterday’s beauty kitchen helpers.
Consider the aforementioned bird’s nest facial found at the Spa Village of The Majestic Malacca (www.spavillage.com) in Malaysia. Malacca, the recently declared UNESCO World Heritage Site on Peninsular Malaysia, is a rich mélange of Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese, Indian and Malay influences. All these cultures merge to create a fascinating and unique destination, unlike anywhere else on the globe. The Spa Village offers a variety of therapies that draw from both the Malay and Chinese heritage, particularly the unique
Peranakan (Straits Chinese) culture.
The bird’s nest facial with star fruit mask was a treatment once reserved only for the Chinese imperial palaces! In this facial mask, bird’s nest with its anti-ageing properties is combined with the vitamin-enriched star fruit to hydrate and cleanse even sensitive complexions. Considered the ‘Caviar of the East’, bird’s nest is the dried saliva of a species of swifts found only in the coastal caves of South-east Asia. The nutrients from the ingredients are easily absorbed into the skin, leaving it supple and glowing.
“Spa culture has moved from basic treatments, such as uncomplicated facials and massages, to a growth industry where, looking to traditional healing cultures that adhere itself to today’s modern women,” explains Chik Lai Ping of Spa Village. “The ingredients may sound exotic or new, but if you examine them closely, you’ll see that these are the kinds of beauty remedies or healing treatments that generations before us have used. We’re just only now rediscovering them.”
Take for example the healing power of gold. Long known for its ability to treat conditions ranging from rheumatoid arthritis to Alzheimer’s, gold is also prized for its beneficial properties in improving the condition of the skin. Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, slept in a gold mask nightly to activate the power of gold for a youthful and fresh appearance fit for a queen. The Queen of the Ching Dynasty had gold rolled on her face everyday.
Traditional secrets of geisha beauty have also been unlocked at Shizuka New York Day Spa (www.shizukany.com). Geishas, known for their iconic porcelain complexion of clear, unblemished skin, used to smooth powdered nightingale droppings (uguisu no fun) on their faces. This ingredient not only removed their heavy makeup but also helped brighten, heal and re-texturise the skin due to its natural enzymes and guanine.
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