Why Body Treatments...

What's up with Body Treatments?

Body treatments are an under-rated spa service because people tend to think they can do it themselves at home.  Of course you can, but it won't be as thorough, effective or relaxing.  Esthetician use better ingredients and better, safer techniques.

Benefits of Body Treatments

Body treatments are known to help prevent wrinkles, decrease cellulite, and slow physical signs of aging, leaving your skin looking fresher and younger.  Seaweed, salt, mud, charcoal, and mineral wraps are also excellent ingredients to exfoliate your skin and remove toxins.  As with other spa services, body treatments help with your mental health also as they reduce stress, soothe tired muscles, and relax both your body and mind.  Even experienced spa-goers don't understand body wraps.  Different body wraps serve different purposes, and it's important to understand the difference between detox, hydrating and slimming wraps so you get the experience you want.

Body wrap treatments are sometimes called a body cocoon or body mask. Body wraps often make an appearance in signature spa treatments, which might start with a scrub, move on to a wrap, and finish with a hydration treatment

Differents Treatments and Combinations

The basic body scrub exfoliates your outermost, dead skin cells with a salt scrub (rougher), a sugar scrub (gentler) or some other exfoliant, like coffee grounds or fruit enzymes that gently loosen the inter-cellular bonds. It is usually followed by a shower and an application of lotion.

A body scrub can be a stand-alone treatment, but it is often combined with a body wrap that is either hydrating (adding moisture to the skin) or detoxifying  (anything with clay, mud or seaweed).

Once you've been exfoliated and rinsed off the salt or sugar, you may lay down so the cream, clay, mud or seaweed can be applied.  Then you're wrapped up and kept warm for about 20 minutes, hopefully getting a head massage at the same time.

If it's a hydrating treatment, you don't want to rinse off the cream.  If it's clay, mud or seaweed, you are rinsed again, then come have an application of lotion.

Body scrubs and wraps often show up in longer treatments called rituals or signature treatments. Body treatments are essentially a facial for your whole body and leave your skin feeling velvety smooth and soft. The idea behind a body treatment is that it is just as important to cleanse, exfoliate, and hydrate the skin on your body as it is the skin of your face. This holistic procedure is good for your body no matter what time of year, but it can especially be helpful in the winter as it moisturizes skin when it is typically dry and flaky.

Body Scrubs/Polishes

The most popular body treatment is a body scrub, sometimes called a body polish, salt glow or sea-salt scrub. This is an exfoliating treatment that takes place on a table covered with a sheet and a large, thin piece of plastic. As you lay on your stomach, the massage therapist rubs a mixture of sea salt, oil, and aromatics (like lemon) into your skin. This exfoliates the skin and leaves it feeling fresh and soft.

Once your whole body is scrubbed, it is removed, leaving fresh skin.   Then lotion is applied.  It's an invigorating treatment, and it's a good idea to get your scrub before your wrap if you choose to have both.

Darling Esthetics performs a Kur fine sea salt polish.

Differences Between Body Masks and Wraps

First, both body wraps and masks always start with some kind of exfoliation.  At the very least, there will be a dry body brushing.  However, a dry body brushing is not nearly so effective as a body scrub.
Because you want the product they put on your skin to be able to penetrate the skin as deeply as possible, splurge on the body wrap includes a body scrub first. 

If you're slathered with mud, algae, or seaweed and wrapped in a thermal blanket, it's a "detoxifying" treatment that stimulates your metabolic system, speeding its ability to carry away waste products. A body wrap can also be a wrapping treatment used to treat cellulite. It sometimes has a diuretic effect that aids in temporary weight reduction.

If the product is cream or lotion, it's a "hydrating" treatment.

Different types of wraps

Detoxing and remineralizing body wraps

Detox wraps use a variety of products such as algae, seaweed, mud, clay or gel to help rid the body of toxins.  When the product is applied to the body, it's called a body mask.  Then you are wrapped in plastic and covered with a blanket for about 20 minutes, which is the body wrap.  These products work by stimulating your circulation, drawing out impurities, and giving your body minerals it might be missing.  Afterwards, the body mask is washed off and you may get an application of lotion.

Who should get a detox body wrap:  Save this for when you really are making changes in your diet and trying to reduce your toxic load.

These clays, muds and seaweeds may be natural, but they are effective....and expensive!   Don't have a detox wrap and then go eat a T-bone and four martinis.  It will make you feel worse rather than better, and you've wasted your money.

Darling Esthetics Wraps

Hydrating body wraps use creams and gels to soften, soothe and hydrate the skin.

Usually the spa will use a super-luxurious body cream from its line. You don't want to wash it off.

Who should get a hydrating body wrap:  You're out on the ski slopes.  It's the middle of winter.  You take off your jeans and watch the white flakes fly.  It's time to exfoliate and hydrate! Or can they can also help your skin recover from too much time in the sun.

Slimming wraps

Slimming wraps are a labor-intensive specialty that aren't found everywhere.   For a slimming wrap, each limb is tightly wrapped after being covered in a high-concentration mineral solution to detox and remineralize the body.   Some spas such as Darling Esthetics will use Micro current or Radio Frequency followed with cellulite lotions.

What Happens During A Body Wrap?

A body wrap should begin with exfoliation, and a salt scrub or body polish is much superior to dry brushing.  You lie down on whatever you will eventually be wrapped in – often plastic or mylar, but sometimes towels or sheets.

Once the product is on, you’re wrapped to stay warm, usually for 20 minutes.

When the time is up, you’re unwrapped and the body mask has to come off.  You might either jump in a shower or the therapist will rinse you off with a handheld shower or hot towels that feel absolutely fabulous. Then you are dried off, and there’s usually an application of lotion to moisturize your skin.

Things To Watch Out For With a Body Wrap

* Don’t expect a body wrap to be a massage.  You esthetician may give an incredible lotion application but it is not classified as a massage.

*Look for signature treatments that include scrub and body wrap

* If you have claustrophobia, this may not be the right treatment for you.

* You might be left alone during the treatment. If that bothers you, ask before you book the service.

*If you have allergies such as selfish be careful which treatment you choose ( definitely not a seaweed wrap)

Care After a Body Treatment

Your skin may be a bit tender after a body treatment—especially if it involved a deep body scrub. However, it is perfectly fine to shower after a body treatment as long as you remember to lather your body with soap then gently rub your washcloth or loofah in circles to remove any dead skin or leftover lotion.  However, since specialty lotion is usually the finishing touch, washing soon after is not recommended.

Seaweed Wraps

Seaweed Wrap

Slippery and Stringy how does it benefit your skin. 

Seaweed:

There is no food on the planet more abundant in minerals and trace elements than seaweed.  1 gallon of fresh micronized seaweed powder offers the equivalent of 10,000 liters of seawater in trace elements of copper, zinc, manganese, iodine and selenium.  All of these elements can and do penetrate the skin’s barrier to provide nutritional supplementation when used in body wraps and baths.  

There’s More:

You might be surprised to learn however that seaweed body wraps are far more worthy of your attention.  They play an important role in your health and quality of life that is becoming more needed today.  Many people find that a weekly or monthly Seaweed Body Wrap is the solution to problem areas and even do target areas between full body wraps.  

Process:

A Seaweed Body Wrap is aiming for skin toning, relaxation and sweating to detox.  Provided you aren't claustrophobic, this wrap can be very relaxing...

It's often done in a dim room with soothing music, blissful aromas and a warm temperature.   

The first step for a seaweed body wrap is to exfoliate the skin.  Secondly, the sea element is applied, spreading over entire body.  The body is then wrapped in heated foil, blankets, towels while the paste soaks in.  The typical wrap involves rosemary, clay, eucalyptus or other herbs. You'll feel compressed, but not suffocated, in the tight wrapping which is said to encourage you to sweat out toxins and lose excess fluid in the spaces between your cells. You may remain wrapped for 20 minutes or longer.  This is then followed with a skin toner and then moisturizers with additives to lock in the smoothness that a seaweed body wrap gives to the skin. 

Benefits:

Detoxifies

A seaweed wrap helps to eliminate toxins from your body. The paste is applied to the body warm, causing you to sweat. During the sweating process, your body is eliminating impurities. These are then brought to the surface of the skin and rinsed away when the wrap is washed off.  Seaweed baths provide intensive re-mineralization using Laminaria algae rich in trace elements and iodine to stimulate metabolism and promote detoxification through hydro-lymphatic drainage.  These toxins may be byproducts of metabolism or the result of nutrition and the environment.  Ionizing minerals found in the bath powder neutralize free radicals responsible for many common afflictions and aches and pains. Our blend of essential oils works on the liver and intestines to restore purity to the body’s eco-system and promote a more youthful lifestyle.

Removes Dead Skin and Moisturizes

Dead skin prevents your body from absorbing moisture. While you sweat during a seaweed wrap, not only are toxins removed from the body, but dead skin is loosened as well. The seaweed itself is chock full of proteins, vitamins, minerals and lipids that easily soak into the skin to add moisture.

Improves Skin Elasticity and Regeneration

Over time, your skin loses the ability to stretch and return to normal. This can lead to stretch marks and wrinkles. Seaweed contains antioxidants, essential fatty acids and vitamin A, all of which can help to rebuild the elasticity of the skin. It also makes your skin more supple by increasing blood flow to its surface, regenerates damaged skin cells, produces collagen to firm and tone the skin, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

Reduces Cellulite and Improves Body Contouring

Body wraps absorb excess water and compact the skin, which can improve circulation and reduce the appearance of cellulite. If you’ve recently lost weight and have excess skin, a seaweed wrap can help with body contouring. It aids in shaping the excess skin so it’s smoother and less noticeable by direct diffusion of vitamins and minerals. Additionally, if cellulite is a problem, a seaweed wrap may help reduce the undesirable marks it leaves on the skin.  Body wraps are a popular weight loss technique, which when added to a diet and exercise plan, can trim a few inches from your body. Body wraps are great ways to help reduce the appearance of cellulite, trim the stomach, buttocks and thighs and conditions and tones the skin. 

Reduce Aches & Pains:

Seaweed contains vitamins and minerals as well as iodine that is beneficial for relieving aches and pains.Seaweed detox body wrap certainly benefits to the skin. In addition, the entire process for a seaweed body wrap is an excellent way to relieve daily stress and to help the body feel new and improved.  A seaweed body wrap also helps the body to feel better and remove toxins. The best way that a seaweed wrap helps to detoxify the body is through the sweating process that helps to eliminate impurities from the body. If you have problems with aching bones, arthritis, joint pain or water retention a weekly seaweed body wrap can be beneficial to you as well.

Rebalancing:  

Addresses problems associated with circulation and water retention due to hormonal imbalance and lymphatic congestion.  Congestion is at the root of many ailments such as PMS, menopause-related skin aging and heavy legs.  Transdermal penetration of calcium, magnesium and silica help drain the lymph system and relieve symptoms of PMS and bloat.

Health Benefits:

Seaweed is a virtual storehouse of vital minerals and trace elements.  Why this is relevant becomes more evident when we consider that the modern diet in America today is impoverished in terms of these vital elements. he same is true with levels of magnesium, potassium, selenium, iodine and many more elements that are vital to good health.  And this total devitalization of American produce can be a root to the epidemic spread of degenerative diseases. 

Scientific Aspect:

We can examine the case for iodine.  This element plays an important role in the regulation of the thyroid and its hormones. In fact, their studies claim that breast cancer and uterine cancer can be classified as “iodine-deficiency” diseases and that each disease can be traced to a mineral deficiency.  Iodine, itself is linked to reproductive health.

To highlight why iodine is so necessary (more than ever) is the high levels of levels of bromides found in the baking of bread.  Bromides replaced iodine in baking bread, inhibiting the assimilation of iodine in our diet.  So even if you are consuming the minimum RDA of iodine, bromides may actually be creating a deficiency in this vital element…..along with fluorides and chlorides.

How Seaweed Wraps Help...

Since our skin is a barrier, how do these molecules break through to nourish your body? 
The answer lies with two factors:

1.  Bio-compatibility: Seawater and human blood plasma are chemically and qualitatively identical.  Simply put, pure seawater mixed with three parts fresh water is the original saline solution.  The mineral composition of seawater is identical to that of the human body making it (seawater) indistinguishable from your own blood plasma and lymph.


2.  Molecular Weight: The miniscule size of minerals and vital trace elements such as copper, zinc, iodine, manganese and iron for example, make the diffusion through the skin easy.  

For these reasons, Body Wraps have been a mainstay of most resort destination spas as well as urban day spas for the past three decades.  It is a must on any spa menu.

Various Marine Algae and their benefits

The Spa Technologies offers two programs to restore vital minerals to rejuvenate aging skin and tone up bodies.  Body wraps containing various species of seaweed are nature’s best remedy for fighting cellulite and other conditions such as water retention and aging skin.  Below are some of the seaweeds used in treatments:

Lithothamnium White Algae drives in calcium to drain away trapped fluids, reduce congestion and alleviate the symptoms of PMS and bloat.

Laminaria Brown Algae is iodine rich to stimulate the metabolism of fat and contains copper, zinc and manganese to stimulate collagen synthesis.Brown algae, or kelp, is one of the most common types of seaweed which is believed to rid the body of toxins and heavy metals that cause a variety of health problem such as obesity, arthritis and high blood pressure. Rich in minerals like iodine and potassium, seaweed also believed to boost the body’s natural immune system and improve thyroid and liver function which also helps with detoxification

Fucus Brown Algae offers many of the same benefits as Laminaria algae but with a lower dose of iodine.

Porphyra Red Algae contains essential fatty acids and amino acids for their super hydrating qualities and their ability to protect cell membranes against free radical damage.

Spirulina Blue-Green Algae provide a chlorophyll rich antioxidant that also enhances the aesthetics of the body treatment.

Irish Moss Red Algae provide super moisturization when used in seaweed gel masks.  They are anti-inflammatory and excellent when used on sunburned skin.

Klamath Blue-Green Algae is the most nutrient dense food on the planet, containing glyco-proteins, vitamins, minerals, simple carbohydrates, lipids and biologically active enzymes. Due to the algae’s nutritious soft cell wall, these nutrients are readily available to the body. As the body uses only a small amount of energy to convert this superfood into fuel, consuming Klamath.

Klamath contains amino acids, nucleic acid content, chlorophyll and B-12 vitamins content, mineral content, carbohydrates, lipids, and fatty acids.

It has the nutritional balance to assist the immune system and enhance better brain and emotional functions. Additionally, it has helps your physical well-being, mental clarity, and overcoming allergies.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center states that Klamath can boost your immune system and have natural anti-viral properties, which helps suppress the growth of HIV and other viruses. Consuming Klamath algae also helps relieve fatigue and improve your tolerance of exercise.


Thea Kelp is the largest and most nutrient rich of all seaweed species. Skin care benefits of Sea Kelp offer superior hydration as well as anti-inflammatory and anti-aging benefits. Rich in vitamins and trace minerals, Sea Kelp can be applied on the skin as a firming agent, healing agent, exfoliating agent, and strengthening agent.

Sea Kelp contains essential fatty acids that don’t just suffuse your skin with moisture, but also prevents your skin from losing that moisture with continued use.

Having a lot of toxins alive inside your skin makes you look dull and lifeless. If you want that fresh and bright look, you’ve got to get rid of them! Simply let Sea Kelp sit on your skin. It will draw out any excess fluid, dead cells, and toxins that are preventing the real you from shimmering through. As an additional skin care benefit of Sea Kelp, getting rid of all those toxins will make your skin smoother.

Sea Kelp reduces the pooling of blood underneath the skin, lessening the symptoms of Rosacea which is a skin condition that causes facial inflammation, swelling, red discoloration and acne associated with Rosacea. Sea Kelp’s natural, anti-inflammatory compounds can have a positive effect on any type of acne flare-ups. Acne is the swelling of the skin pores, which trap the oil, resulting in blackheads and whiteheads, acne, and even cystic acne. The anti-inflammatory effect of Sea Kelp reduces the swelling of acne. It can also be used as a natural exfoliating agent to remove dead skin cells, which can block pores. Sea Kelp can also help protect the skin from environmental damage.


Sea Kelp and Klamath Blue-green algae are two of the main ingredients in the Seaweed Wrap available at Darling Esthetics.   Along with those are willow bark extract, aloe vera oil, Vitamin E, rosehip seed oil, lavender, and a touch of fragrance to lift the spirits. This special combination of ingredients gives a pleasant scent and excellent results.


In Conclusion, seaweed body wraps are beneficial to the skin in several ways, so whether you’d like to drop excess skin after losing weight or rid your body of toxins, seaweed will do the trick.  Many users reported that they feel better after a seaweed body wrap and have fewer aches and pains.  Seaweed has long been valued in Asian countries for its nutritional and medicinal qualities, and Western cultures have now embraced it for its health benefits, particularly its ability to cleanse or detox the body. As you can see, there are many advantages to a seaweed body wrap.  For that reason alone, seaweed extracts are used for a variety of skin conditions, including acne and rosacea.