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Gilding the Lily: 24K Gold Facial at Equinox

Filed under: Spas

gold facialLooking for a rock solid spa treatment? How about The Spa @ Equinox's new 24k Gold Facial?

"While our new gold mask is simply beautiful, its real benefits are a matter of complex chemistry and biology," said Nicole Vitale, senior director of The Spa @ Equinox. "Gold powder, when combined with the proper level of silk extract, blocks free radicals to help the skin regenerate quicker and fuller. After a single treatment, your face will look and feel firmer, fresher and vibrant."

Sure. But does it feel good? The answer is yes - the $165 treatment includes full signature spa facial, which includes a detailed skin analysis, custom facial and décolletage massage. The 24K Gold Collagen Mask caps off the treatment to moisturize, firm and whiten the skin.

The facial is currently being offered at Equinox spas in cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Boston, Dallas and DC.

Now that's what we call a gold standard.

Sweat Out Holiday Indulgences in the SlimDome

Filed under: Spas

Chances are, you've spend the past few weeks - and Thanksgiving weekend in particular - overindulging on your favorite foods. Prep for the next round of holiday festivities with a trip to your local SlimDome, an infrared sauna that promises up to a five percent reduction in body weight in just one 45-minute session.

We recently have become devoted to this treatment, which burns 400 to 600 calories per session and is safe enough to use daily. The process is easy - one simply lays inside the dome, a rather coffin-like device that slides up almost to the user's neck. A super-absorbent towel is placed on top of the dome's spongy padding ... because we guarantee you'll sweat ... profusely.

Unlike a regular sauna, the Dome only reaches temperatures of 110 - 140 degrees Farenheit, but it uses infrared technology to penetrate 1.5 to two inches beneath the skin's surface, generating a subcutaneous sweat that doesn't dehydrate but purges toxins from the body at a significantly higher rate than a regular sauna session.

And, because your head and face is outside the Dome, you won't feel nearly as hot.

The sauna may also have health benefits - D.C. area spa owner Amy Boyce of PureSkin (the only D.C. area spa to carry the Dome) says that her mother used the Dome daily after being diagnosed with unhealthy levels of mercury in her system. After a month of regular treatments, she was completely healed.

So here's to being both healthy - and happy with your weight - this holiday season.

Squeeze out the Stiffness from a Long Day of Teton Hiking

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

If you head out to Jackson Hole, still a playground for the wealthy, despite the lingering effects of the recession, a jaunt through the mountains is probably on your itinerary. The Grand Tetons are simultaneously challenging and inviting, and you need to respond to that call! After having scaled peaks or stumbled along trails, however, your body will need some relief. The Avanyu Spa at the Snake River Lodge & Spa is the perfect fit for rejuvenating your weary muscles.

I visited this spa on a recent getaway to Jackson Hole and can tell you the staff's talented hands are the perfect antidote to the strain and pain that comes with an active vacation. The Avanyu Spa offers 17,000 square feet of pure relaxation ... with the exception of the gym on the fifth floor. It's a great place to get in shape, but I just can't bring myself to compare exercise to bliss – it's just not my nature.

The range of treatments is fairly wide, and includes a variety of unique massages (e.g., Komodo Massage, Sleeping Indian Custom Massage and River Stone Massage), as well as desert salt exfoliation, several facials and other skin treatments.

The spa's layout was certainly interesting. The gym is on its uppermost floor, and the four below included treatment rooms, locker rooms and, on the first floor, an indoor pool and access to one outside. An elevator transports you from one to the next. At first, this seemed cumbersome, but that's probably because I'm constantly in a hurry. Quickly, I came to realize that the forced wait encouraged a bit of patience, moving me into the mindset that a spa visit encourages.

Claridge's Embraces 1930's Hollywood Glamour with New Spa Treatments

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

A view of a treatment room at the Spa at Claridge's in London
Claridge's, the iconic Art Deco landmark in Mayfair, has unveiled a selection of beauty treatment designed to recapture the timeless glamour of a bygone era.

Following in the footsteps of Hollywood's leading ladies and gentlemen, to many of whom Claridge's was a second home, the beauty therapists at the Spa at Claridge's have carefully created individual regimes, each with a particular icon in mind, with treatments such as "The Clark Gable" and "The Grace Kelly."

The treatment menu provides a form of nostalgic escapism, offering an immersive opportunity to experience pampering styles and grooming techniques inspired by the golden age of Hollywood. Should guests crave 'alone-time', Claridge's beauty therapists will recommend "The Greta Garbo", inspired by the 1930's Swedish screen siren who was famously known for the line "I want to be alone." This restorative ritual includes a one hour Swedish massage, a one hour cellular La Prairie facial and a light lunch for one. The cost is £222 ($340).

New Croatian Radison Blu Offers 100,000 Sq. Ft. Spa

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

The Radisson Blu Resort and Spa Dubrovnik just became the largest resort on Croatia's Dalmatian coast. The new property, which is only 11 miles from Dubrovnik International Airport, boasts more than 100,000 square feet of spa, sports and wellness facilities with treatments such as hydrotherapy and salt saunas. This is the first Anne Semonin spa to open in Croatia, and to celebrate the milestone, several exclusive treatments have bee developed.

The spa itself occupies 37,000 square feet along the Croatian coastline, with seven individual treatment rooms and two more for couples. An outdoor hot tub sits at the center of this layout. The Thalassotherapy Therma Stone Experience, 100% Active Ice Therapy Facial and Black Sand Scrub & Ocean Massage Ritual were developed specifically for the Radisson Blu – I guess giving three more damned good reasons to get on a plane for Dubrovnik.

Another 75,000 square feet is dedicated to a sports and wellness center. The 60-foot lagoon pool, waterfall and underwater vitality jet lounges sound simply seductive, and there are additional treatments built around these decadent aquatic amenities.

Pass on the cliche European destinations this year, and head out to the Dalmatian coast. The spa experience will be a far cry from the usual.

Escape to the Naples Ritz, Hide in the Spa and Go Green ... All at the Same Time

Filed under: Spas, Green

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort – and its sister property, the Beach Resort – are making it easy to hide from the world for a few days this summer. And, I can tell you from experience, the twin Ritz properties are great places to hide. With the Spa Escape Package, you can be treated as you deserve (or, in my case, better), for a mere $259 a night ($299 at the Beach Resort).

The spa at the Ritz-Carlton Beach Resort services both Naples, FL properties. As part o this program, a stay at either hotel will get you a $200 spa credit, which includes both services and retail. You'll also pick up a $50 gift card for the properties' on-site stores.

The Ritz-Carlton Spa integrates organic and eco-friendly options to mitigate environmental impact without degrading the quality of the treatments provided. The Eco-Luxe Facial and Eco-Luxe Cocoon are conducted in the Eco-Room, which features soft materials made from organic cotton and bamboo and washed in a separate machine with fragrance-free and sulfate-free cleansers. The floor and chair are made from bamboo, and the massage table was crafted entirely from sustainable materials.

With domestic flights cheaper than ever (except when I'm flying, it seems), getting to Naples won't be painful, and JetBlue has countless flights into the area. And, the perks that come with the Spa Escape Package basically make the room free. I hit this spa last summer and might just make it an annual experience.

De-Age Your Face At The New Guerlain Spa Set To Open This Fall

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas, Cosmetics and Fragrance


In 2005, I mentioned Guerlain's line of orchid-based skin creams, designed to pamper and plump your skin. You will soon be able to get an entire orchid-themed treatment at the Guerlain Spa at the Regent Bal Harbor, a new resort opening this fall. The 124-room resort will have a 10,000 square foot Guerlain Spa with 14 treatment rooms each with a private bathroom. Threr will also be a foot therapy lounge, hydrotherapy facilities, a wet therapy suite for specialized hydrotherapy and Vichy body treatments, a beachfront treatment cabana, sauna and steam rooms and pre- and post-treatment relaxation lounges.

The Exceptional Orchidée Impériale Treatment consists of a two anti-aging masks on the face, neck and décolleté, followed by a gentle face massage. The treatment will cost $390 (a jar of the crea on its own generally sells for around $350). The spa will also offer massages, body polishes and anti-aging programs.

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