Body Exfoliation
Exfoliation removes debris, prepares the skin for treatment and invigorates the skin. The cell turnover is accelerated the texture of the skin is refined.
Exfoliation enhances the effectiveness of the active ingredients in anti-cellulite, hydration and moisturization treatments by revealing more radiant skin, priming it for better absorption of the softening and hydrating power of follow up treatments such as body wrap or massage. Congested pores are unblocked and ingrown hairs are uncovered. Dull skin is revitalised.
Exfoliation product is to be thoroughly rinsed with warm water and pat dry the skin. Follow with a body wrap/mask, or massage.
Salt Glow
Salt exfoliation leaves the skin feeling healthy, regenerated, and silky smooth. Mix salt with a lotion or oil and essential oil for full-body application. Use circular motion. The most common sea salts used in spa treatments are dead sea salt, black lava salt or Himalayan salt. In a dry room (no shower facilities) the exfoliant is removed with damp hot steamed towels.
Sugar Body Scrub
Sugar acids enhance exfoliation and are less aggressive than salt. Fine-grained skin-scouring sugar granules buff and transform the skin. Raw sugar cane produces natural alpha glycolic acid which is an excellent exfoliant. Ingredients such as hibiscus (can be grinded in a coffee grinder), lemongrass and grapeseed oil can be blended with sugar to create your very own tropical body smoother. Ginger, lemon and frangipani are popular ingredients in hand crafted eco-salon sugar scrubs.
Enzyme Peel
Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAS) are chemical peels which loosen dead skin cells, allowing them to be removed. They can be gentle or strong, depending on the formulation.
Body treatments tend to use mild chemical exfoliants like papaya or pineapple extracts. Papaya and Pineapple contain active enzymes that soften and heal the skin. Papaya's natural enzyme, proteinase papain lifts impurities fast and gently dissolves dead skin cells, refines and brightens the skin.
Pineapple enzyme, Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme (an enzyme that digests proteins) found in fresh pineapple. It is used in skin care to remove impurities, digest dead skin cells without harming sensitive skin and leaves your skin instantly brighter, more supple and smooth.
Spa Polish
A body polish usually takes place in a wet room. The exfoliation product is massaged onto the skin with circular motion and rinsed off with an overhead Vichy shower or the client steps into a shower to rinse off. Natural exfoliating ingredients are often added to formulas for a more exotic spa exfoliation experience: shell grains, bamboo polishing fibres, micro-beads, crushed walnut shells, almond meal, crushed rice or rice bran, loofah particles or powdered pumice.
Dry Brushing
Soft bristles massage and gently exfoliate the skin to remove dead skin cells and stimulate blood circulation. Dry brushing is a preventative for dry skin and a way to exfoliate the skin, thus stimulating skin renewal that is super soft to the touch. Well brushed skin will have increased blood supply and its metabolic function of helping the body eliminate toxins will be optimally boosted as well as improved cellular ‘turnover’
Scrub Mittens/gloves, Exfoliating Skin Towels
Woven nylon material provides intense exfoliation
Textured mitts are elasticized to stretch to fit any size hands. Available in a variety of colours. Particularly for use on dry skin that needs intense exfoliation. Gloves unclog pores and buff away stress while stimulating blood circulation. The gentle fibres of the glove will buff away dullness by removing layers of dead skin from the surface. Sloughing off surface, dead skin cells helps to uncover a smoother, softer feeling skin.
Gommage
Gommage formulas are sometimes used in body treatments, particularly if the spa doesn't have a wet room. They are highly effective but more labor-intensive that a salt glow or body scrubs. If a spa has a wet room they will usually offer a scrub where you shower off afterwards. You don't shower after gommage. Gommage is a cream or paste that is thinly applied to the skin. It sits for a few minutes until it dries slightly. The spa therapist then removes it from the skin by rubbing. The gommage rolls up off the skin as it is rubbed, picking up the skin's outermost dead skin cells with slightly sticky ingredients like xanthan gum. Gommage may also contain a cellular dissolving agent, like an enzyme. It is a highly effective means of exfoliation and deep cleansing.
