Healing Lifestyles & Spas

Good Enough to Eat

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By on Healing Blog

By Tanya M. Williams

We are all aware of the importance of getting our daily servings of fruits and vegetables – the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients these colorful foods deliver are incomparable. Less obvious, however, are their healthful benefits when applied to the skin. For the same reasons that medical professionals and health educators recommend daily doses of these foods, estheticians and spa therapists are introducing more food-based treatments into their regimens with delicious results. And treatments are not limited to fruits and veggies – oatmeal, coffee, honey, herbs, and spices are making their way from the kitchen to the treatment room and from the produce section to the beauty aisle. Listed here are some of the most beneficial foods for the skin as well as what they can do for you.

Citrus Kings

Lemons, limes, oranges, pineapples, and grapefruits pack a wallop of vitamin C, a nutrient which helps build and heal the skin. Grapefruits also contain lycopene, a potent antioxidant and free-radical scavenger, which helps maintain skin tone and combat cell damage. The natural fruit acids of citrus also make good exfoliates and astringents. At home, try Body Bistro’s Pineapple and Lime Cleansing Wash, a good choice for oily or acne-prone skin or Kiehl’s Pineapple-Papaya Facial Scrub, which blends these fruits with apricot and sesame oils for a skin-sloughing moisturizing treatment. Visit Sonoma’s MacArthur Place for the Mandarin Orange and Pink Grapefruit Scrub, a sure bet to get skin glowing!

Tropical Wonders

Coconut, guava, mango, and papaya – the names alone evoke skin-baring, sun-loving climes. Besides their tempting aromas, these fruits boast skin-smoothing, moisturizing properties. Guavas, mangos, and papayas are high in carotenoids – powerful antioxidants that aid in skin renewal and protect against environmental toxins. Papayas are also a natural skin softener due to their high content of papain, a natural enzyme. Coconut milk and oil provide nourishment and re-hydration for all skin types. Archipelago’s White Sugar & Mango Hand Creme is a treat for hardworking hands, while Origins’ Never a Dull Moment blends papaya, mango, and apricot seeds in a facial scrub suitable for all skin types. Trilogy Spa’s Guava Papaya Sugar Scrub provides the nutrients of these exotic fruits in a tempting head-to-toe exfoliation. (See sidebar for a do-it-yourself recipe).

Other fruits of the tree

Apples, apricots, avocados, and cherries are a few of the fruits that have made their way from the market to the spa. An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but these pectin-rich wonders are also soothing to the skin. Apricots provide vitamin A and beta-carotene to enrich and nourish the skin. Loaded with potassium and high in fat, avocados are nature’s finest moisturizing mask, while cherries boast bioflavonoids, vitamins A, C, and E and alphahydroxy acids to exfoliate and tone the skin. The Four Seasons Santa Barbara offers a signature Avocado-Citrus Body Wrap, a nourishing and hydrating treatment fit for sunny climes. Or check out Plus One Spa at New Tork’s Waldorf-Astoria for their Waldorf Salad Gommage, a savory body polish using apples and walnuts. At home try OPIs Avojuice which combines the soothing properties of avocado with intoxicating scents like grapefruit and coconut-mango. La Belle’s Apple Pectin Enzyme Peel is a delicious and powerful exfoliate; Éminence’s Sour Cherry Masque and Apricot Whip Moisturizer are among my favorites, though their entire organic line is not to be missed.

Garden Goodness

Cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and pumpkins are a few of the other nutrient-rich foods gaining a following outside the kitchen. Cucumber is a natural astringent and mild tonic for sunburned skin, while the acidity in tomatoes makes them a natural exfoliate and an effective cleanser for oily skin. Like all orange foods, carrots and pumpkins are rich in beta-carotene – a nutrient essential to maintaining healthy skin and hair. Consequently, both of these veggies are frequently found in cleansers, masks, and even body wraps. Sundara’s Soothing Carrot Body Wrap is an earthy skin-calming indulgence, while San Francisco’s Nob Hill Spa offers a Pumpkin Dream Wrap with all the benefits of pumpkin, honey, yogurt, and oatmeal in one delicious treatment. At home, try Aveda’s Tourmaline Charged Eye Crème, which contains cucumber to reduce inflammation or Burt’s Bees Garden Tomato Toner, a gentle fix for acne-prone skin.

Greens

Whether you prefer spinach, kale, chard, or seaweed, dark leafy greens are a powerful source of vitamins and essential nutrients. Rich in phytoestrogens, minerals, and antioxidants, greens are showing up in facials and body treatments. Pittsburgh’s ESSpa Kozmetica SkinCare offers two veggie-based treatments, the 8 Greens Facial and Citrus Greens Back Treatment, both of which promise to exfoliate skin and combat breakouts.

Grains

Grains like cornmeal, oatmeal, and rice – once the domain of bakers and chefs – are being finely ground, soaked, and blended into a variety of skincare treatments. The inherent texture of these grains makes them a natural choice for exfoliation; they are also a nourishing addition to baths. Oatmeal, a gentle cleanser and exfoliate, is particularly good for sensitive skin, while cornmeal makes for an invigorating, circulation-enhancing scrub. Watercourse Way’s Native Grains body treatment is a full-body exfoliation and wrap that incorporates cornmeal, oatmeal, as well as bentonite and kaolin clays for a skin-softening, deeply detoxifying experience. Another choice is Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa’s Cactus Flower Wrap, which uses a blend of oats, corn, prickly pear syrup, and honey to nourish and hydrate dry desert skin. At home try June Jacobs’s Pore Refining Oatmeal Scrub with Honey or Modern Organic Products’ Oatmeal-Coconut Body Bar. For a real edible experience, combine Essencia’s Lavender, Oats, and Nuts Facial Scrub with a dollop of yogurt for a luxurious exfoliating and hydrating treatment.

Coffee & Tea

Its fragrant aroma gets many of us out of bed each morning, but thanks to the healing properties of this flowering plant, we can now enjoy coffee’s benefits beyond the cup. With a pH equal to that of our skin, coffee acts as a balancing astringent. Coarse ground beans, which serve as a natural exfoliate, are showing up in scrubs with milk and sugar as ‘body lattes.’ Additionally, coffee is a free radical scavenger, helping to neutralize oxidation reactions in skin, which are responsible for conditions like acne and eczema. Urban Nirvana’s Body Buzz is a milk and coffee-based scrub, followed by a detoxifying coffee-mud wrap, and finished with an application of vanilla bean body lotion. At home, try BodyCoffee’s extensive line of coffee-based products, including a hydrating body balm and an invigorating body polish. Green, white, and black tea products are also receiving wide acclaim for their many powerful antioxidants. For an all-over body boost, try Te Tao’s Body Butter. This super emollient cream combines the pleasing scent of orange flower with white tea to nurture and deeply moisturize skin.

Honey

Well-known for its topical healing properties, honey has been used to keep wounds clean and infection-free for generations. Honey’s naturally-occurring hydrogen peroxide teams up with propolis, a compound in nectar, to fight infection and bacteria and to act as a natural bandage. These nourishing and protecting properties extend beyond broken skin, acting as a gentle moisturizing cleanser for all skin types. At Elizabeth Adam Salon & Spa in Chicago, try the Honey & Lemon Body Massage, a muscle soothing, skin pampering experience or visit the Spa Hotel Healdsburg for a Chardonnay & Honey Wrap, a sweet wine country treat!

Herbs & Spices

Ayurvedic practitioners are well-aware of the topical benefits of herbs and spices. From cinnamon to turmeric, coriander to sage, these flavorful ingredients stimulate, tone, soothe, cleanse, and detoxify skin. Rosemary promotes circulation and helps ease muscle strains and joint pain; thyme is antiseptic and germicidal, making it excellent for skin conditions like acne and dandruff. Paprika stimulates cellular repair, increases skin metabolism, and clarifies skin tone, while coriander diminishes redness and irritation, helping to calm sensitive skin. After a strenuous workout, revive tired legs with Dr. Hauschka’s Rosemary Leg & Arm Toner. For your face, try Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Moisturizer, which employs cinnamon and ginger to help clear breakout-prone skin. Or check out the Fat Flush Detox Body Wrap at The Greenhouse Spa. This flannel body wrap is steeped in rosemary, clove, and allspice to stimulate circulation and promote detoxification. Another option is Aetheria Relaxation Spa’s Herbal Body Bliss – an infusion of sandalwood, clove, and ginger that detoxifies and tones skin. You’ll never look at your spice rack the same way again!

Trilogy Spa’s Guava Papaya Sugar ScrubYou’ll need:

1/2 cup Hawaiian cane sugar

3 tbs. coconut milk or oil

3 tbs. almond or jojoba oil

1/2 cup fresh papaya and guava

Mix sugar and coconut milk or oil with almond or jojoba oil. Puree fruit in a blender or food processor, stir into oil and sugar mixture.

Exfoliate with dry brush or exfoliation gloves, rinse off in shower. Pat dry (skin should be damp) and apply mixture from feet to head in circular motions always towards the heart. Rinse with warm water, pat dry, and enjoy silky smooth, sweet-smelling skin!

Healing Lifestyles & Spas Team
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