As Earth Day approaches, it’s nice to find ways to pamper yourself for an at-home spa day that are not only luxurious but also earth and skin-friendly! Sure you can treat yourself to something like these eco spa hot tubs, and yes you would find it very relaxing to sit in one of those. But there’s also something quite nice about having other home spa experiences. We’ve sourced at-home spa treatment recipes from some of the best eco-friendly spas and skincare specialists in the world. Try them at home, and tell us what you think! For the ultimate detox in your home, you may wish to consider getting one of the Sun Stream infrared saunas for sale which can provide great health benefits.
Eco-Friendly Spa in New York City
The Guerlain Spa in the Towers of the Waldorf Astoria New York recently unveiled skincare services featuring pure royal bee jelly, but to advance the Earth-friendly experience further, this spring the Guerlain Spa has launched “Urban Island Escape,” a treatment that incorporates extra virgin organic coconut oil and the hotel’s Top of the Waldorf Rooftop Honey. The spa’s local roof-to-spa concept also includes a “Milk, Haute Honey and Rooftop Herbs” manicure/pedicure using honey and home-grownherbs such as rosemary from the 20th floor garden. www.guerlainspas.com
Below are manicure and pedicure recommendations from Rodica Constantin, lead nail and skin care specialist at the Guerlain Spa for both an at-home foot scrub as well as the at-home version of the Guerlain Spa’s signature hydrating “Milk, Haute Honey, and Rooftop Herbs” manicure and pedicure. For ultimate relaxation, you could always visit a hotel with jacuzzi in room Birmingham and spend a night away. Treating yourself every now and again is a great way to feel relaxed and pampered.
Guerlain Spa’s Recommended At-Home Foot Scrub
Ingredients:
- 2 tbs. sugar
- 1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 avocado
Directions:
Mix ingredients together to form a paste. Soak feet in warm water and then apply the paste to any rough areas of the foot and rub in concentric circles. Dip feet back in warm water to wash. For best results, repeat the treatment 2-3 times a week and wrap feet in soft socks after the treatment in order to hold in the moisture.
Benefits:
Due to the moisturizing olive oil, high nourishing protein content of the avocado, and coarseness of the sugar, this is a natural way to treat rough skin.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tbs. lemon juice (or lemon essential oil)
- 2-3 tbs. olive oil
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1/2 cup honey
- Rosemary sprigs
Directions:
It is best to do manicure and pedicure separately. Combine sugar, lemon and olive oil to create coarse scrub. Fill container with warm water, stir in warm milk, then crush and sprinkle rosemary springs on top. Soak feet or hands in the milk, water, and rosemary mixture. File dry skin, and if comfortable, cut cuticles as well. Clip and file nails to preferred length and shape. Using the home-made lemon-sugar scrub, exfoliate feet and legs (or hands and arms) with the pre-mixed lemon-sugar scrub. Wipe away scrub and then spread honey across the same areas. Relax and let the honey soak into the skin for 5-10 minutes. With warm water, gently wash away honey. Once honey has been cleaned off, massage the calf muscles, and any tender parts of the hands and feet. Begin applying nail polish as desired.
Benefits:
The warm milk provides a moisturizing soak to soften the skin, while the sprinkled rosemary delivers a relaxing scent during your at home spa day. By using the exfoliating lemon-sugar scrub, dry skin is gently sloughed away, and the honey application is used as a nourishing mask that leave skin feeling silky-smooth.
Located on the 19th floor in the Towers of the Waldorf Astoria, Guerlain Spa offers a serene, French-inspired oasis complete with a rose-adorned lounge area and spacious treatment suites. The 14,000 square-foot space features 13 treatment suites, VIP/couple’s suite, hydrotherapy room, Wellness Lounge, sunless tanning room, nail salon, and fitness center with men’s and women’s changing lounges complete with steam rooms. Amid a sweeping backdrop of Park Avenue and Manhattan, guests can relax and socialize in the Wellness Lounge with specialty tea, champagne, cappuccino and an exclusive, seasonal menu created by celebrated Waldorf Astoria chefs. For post-treatment pampering, “The Final Touch” offers a complimentary shoe shine, garment steaming and make-up refresh with every treatment. The Guerlain Spa was awarded one of the Top Urban Spas in the Spafinder 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards. For information and reservations, readers can visit www.guerlainspas.com or call 212.872.7200.
Eco-Friendly Spa in Michigan
Grand Rapids, MI has been named Beer City USA’s top Beer City for the second year in a row. In celebration, the JW Marriott Grand Rapids and the Amway Grand Plaza are offering beer-infused spa specials for guests to pamper themselves and experience the beer culture of the city. The “Brew and Renew” treatments include a pedicure with beer tasting or body polish & massage with local hops and barley and local craft beer to exfoliate the skin. www.ilovethejw.com; www.amwaygrand.com
These suggestions come from Caitlin McClelland, spa manager for the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and the JW Marriott Grand Rapids. Even for the manliest of men, this scrub, plus a pint of his favorite brew, will make for the perfect at home spa day!
Brew and Renew (Beer Spa Treatment)
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Hops
- Barley
- Beer
Directions:
Soak the area in beer for 15 minutes. The Amway Hotel Collection uses Brewery Vivant Solitude and Founders All Day IPA, but any beer will do.
Grind up the hops and barley in a blender and mix the same amount olive oil to the mixture. Rub on clean skin to get rid of any rough textures. The mixture of the beer and olive oil will moisturize.
Coffee scrub: Ingredients: Coffee beans and coconut oil.
To energize the skin, combine your favorite coffee beans with coconut oil by crushing the beans and applying the mixture it directly on the body. The caffeine will awaken your senses and the coconut oil will hydrate your skin.
Sand scrub: Ingredients: Sand and coconut oil.
During the summer months, you can give yourself a spa treatment at the beach! At the Amway Hotel Collection in Grand Rapids, MI, the spa uses Grand Haven Beach sand from the Lake Michigan shore. Combine the sand with olive oil and rinse off in the water. The sand will exfoliate your skin and the olive oil will keep your skin soft and smooth.
Eco-Friendly Spa in Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
W Retreat & Spa – Vieques Island’s signature AWAY Spa features a variety of seasonal and freshly prepared treatments for guests to indulge in local culture while overlooking the Atlantic Ocean just eight miles off the coast of Puerto Rico. One noteworthy treatment is the new “Papaya Pineapple Scrub,” a freshly prepared combination of papaya sourced directly from the island along with pineapple and finely crushed grape seed in order to improve elasticity for a naturally radiant glow. www.awayspavieques.com
- Freshly ground coffee
- Shredded coconut
- Coconut oil
Directions:
Mix equal parts of freshly ground coffee, shredded coconut and coconut oil (about 3 tablespoons of each).
Benefits:
The Café con Coco Scrub is a freshly prepared combination of Encantos Puerto Rican coffee grounds, local shredded coconut and kukui coconut oil. For your at home spa day, you can use any variety of your favorite fresh coffee grounds, organic coconut oil, and fresh grated (not sweetened) coconut. The treatment begins with the application of the scrub, applied in a circular motion to exfoliate away dead cells and polish the skin in order to reveal a healthy glow. The aroma of coffee and sweet coconut is stimulating and invigorating. This antioxidant rich scrub is healing, restoring, in order to stimulate circulation and treat cellulite.
About the AWAY Spa at the W Retreat & Spa – Vieques Island
Located less than eight miles off the coast of Puerto Rico on Vieques Island, AWAY Spa is perched overlooking the Atlantic Ocean at the W Retreat & Spa – Vieques Island. Designed by the renowned Patricia Urquiola of the Milan-based Studio Urquiola, the whimsically designed spa is leading the charge in fusing local ingredients in a variety of seasonal made-to-order treatments using local Puerto Rican coffee grounds, papaya and indigenous ingredients like the native “Noni” fruit. For more information visit www.awayspavieques.com.