Its a different way to spend time and from what I observe it is a do more than once experience. Relax, refresh, revive, its a spa day!
Happiness is…a day at the spa.
I’ve always been intrigued by what goes on in a spa salon. Have I ever had a spa day?
Well, officially NO. But lately, my curiosity is getting the best of me. Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed many spa days at home.
My home techniques for getting that “special” feeling is using Royal Spa bath and shower gel. Luxurious beads of vitamin A and E gently massages your skin, cleanses your body and leaves you feeling like you have been at a spa or at least soaked in a hot tub with special ingredients.
Royal Spa Bath & Shower Gel
Royal Spa Essential Oils
Whenever I’m on a cruise ship, I go to the Spa deck it feels like I’ve entered a secret chamber where you must have the correct credentials or know the right vocabulary to enter in. There’s a mysterious vibe and the secrecy behind closed doors draws my curiosity. My hesitation has been allowing a complete stranger to touch me. The truth is the older I get, the more my muscles ache and a good back and shoulder workout on my tired and aching muscles sounds appealing.
If you’ve never had a massage but lately body aches have had you craving for someone to rub you down, read on.
What’s the big deal?
There has to be something with massage treatments because they have been around for decades. An industry where over 9 billion dollars was happily spent in the USA alone is worth learning more about. The average service charge is $75.00.
Menu of Spa Offerings
Massages
- effleurage, long sweeping strokes at the start and at the end
- petrissage, muscle kneading and rolling (similar to kneading dough, in this case muscles)
- friction, applying deep pressure to a particular spot using your thumb, fingertips or muscles
- tapotement, rhythmic tapping
Billed on cruise ships at a higher rate, an Aromatherapy Massage combos with the Swedish Massage but add oils like lavender or rosemary to the massage lotion.
If you have very tense muscles, the Hot Stones Massage may satisfy your need. Hot, smooth stones weigh are put on the body and used to massage those tense muscles. The heat from the stone releases the tension in your back and shoulders and allows a deeper penetration to the muscles during the massage.
Deep Tissue massages focus on treating stiff, painful trouble spots. It could be the should or neck. Trigger Point Massage are similar in that the focus is on specific areas of the body. You don’t get a full body massage; but in this technique, the therapists pinpoints the problem muscle and applies pressure techniques to make the muscle relax.
For headaches, back pain or lack of energy, try the Shiatsu Massage. A Japanese technique, finger pressure is applied to different pressure points. The objective is to fix imbalances in the flow of energy in your body.
Looking for a full body workout?
The Thai Massage does exactly that. The therapist moves the you into various yoga like stretches. During this massage, the therapist uses every part of his or her body to stretch your body and apply pressure on muscles and joints. Its a rigorous workout for both parties involved. Try the Thai Massage if you need to improve energy, increase flexibility or just improve overall health.
Scrubs and Body Wraps
All kinds of therapeutic scrubs and body wraps to make you feel intoxicating. Scrubs exfoliate the skin and work best for those with non-sensitive skin. Wraps are for detoxification and not suited for those who are claustrophobic. You are wrapped tightly in foil after you are covered in mud or algae. Here a few choices that I found on various cruise ship spa menus:
- Ginger Lime scrub
- Sugar or Salt scrub
- Coconut extract and Tahitian Frangipani body wrap
- Coconut rub and milk body wrap
- Seaweed wrap
- Chocolate wrap
Facials
Hi tech has been combined with smooth touch and creates a dynamic skin treatment. There are facials to fight lines, wrinkles and spots. Treatments like microdermabrasion, oils and creams do wonders for wrinkles, eye puffiness, and de-energized bodies.
We have described the basics in spa choices that you can find in spa centers and on most cruise ships. Even with the basics, there are variations that have been added, so be prepared to review lots of choices. There are more advanced choices like reflexology, acupuncture, thalassotherapy pools, and Turkish baths, just to name a few. Go out a try a few of these techniques today.
