Similar to the way chefs create pleasing dishes for their culinary specials, spa estheticians create specific signature treatments that they’ve tested and found to offer optimal results. Signature spa treatments often utilize fresh botanical ingredients that are grown locally or in the spa’s own greenhouse. Alternately, signature treatments may include rare ingredients such as caviar or gold that are reputed to have marvelous effects. Signature therapies, such as those rooted in the chakras, generally fit with the spa’s theme, culture or healing philosophy, for instance Ayurvedic principles.
Advantages
Signature treatments are often a spa’s most popular treatments as well as the treatments they excel at. Estheticians learn to perfect these treatments and ingredients are typically very fresh. Spas with several locations such as hotel chains, may offer the same signature treatment in different locations, providing travelers the opportunity to have the same treatment in various locations.
New Signature Therapies
On August 10, 2009 InterContinental Hotels and Resorts announced the introduction of two new signature treatments based in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), using herbal products created by Eu Yan Sang. Called Yin and Yang, these therapies are based on the TCM principles of yin and yang balance.
The Yin treatments are designed to relax the body and rely on calming, cooling herbs such as geranium, lotus and pepperming. The Yang treatments, which use mulberry twig, salvia root, and clove, are energizing and help to raise Qi energy and blood circulation while clearing energy blockages. Both of these spa rituals include a body exfoliant, wrap, massage with special oil and herbal tea.
In June 2009, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, with 41 hotels in 25 different countries, introduced several new signature treatments developed by their expert team of aromatherapists and practitioners of TCM. These new signature therapies includes a relaxing, hands-on body massage ritual that combines the powerful effects of oriental meridian massage with the therapeutic benefits of custom-blended essential oils.
Guests receive a consultation with a private therapist to determine the type of treatment that would work best for them. The specific treatment and essentials oils are custom tailored for each guest depending on their needs. Guests are also given instructions on the type of therapies and diet that would best work for them at home so the benefits of their spa visit can be extended.
Extreme Signature Spa Trends
Spa guests at the Yunessan Spa in Hakone Japan can soak in a bathtub filled with ramen noodles, which are reported to soften and smooth the skin.
Hari’s Salon in London offers the Aberdeen Organic Bull Sperm Treatment. It is believed that the protein in bull sperm moisturizes, brightens, and repairs damaged hair. The semen is combined with protein derived from Katera root.
The Geisha facial, popular in New York City and at the Diamond Hawaii Hotel Spas, relies on nightingale droppings to hydrate and smoothe the skin.
In northern Israel, guests at Ada Barak’s spa in northern Israel can opt to have six nonvenomous milk and corn snakes slither across their skin in a therapy designed to relieve aching muscles and stiff joints. This is similar to the leeches that are used to help heal deep wounds, a not uncommon hospital therapy.
Other extreme therapies include baths containing gold or silver, which are reported to have hydrating effects and make the mud bath seem like child’s play.
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