Feet Treats
By Rachel Lincoln-Sarnoff
Ticklish, tough, and tender by turns, feet carry us through the trek of our lives. Spas are wising up to the fact that a little attention to these extremities goes a long way toward relaxation. New ped-perfect treatments are expanding the possibilities of exploring health and well-being-from the ground up.
Luxury is in the details. Simple, cleansing foot rituals are adding
repose to treatments ¨C before they even start. As a distinct
demarcation between everyday frenzy and spa calm, the new footbath is,
in many instances, even filled with symbolism, as at Elemis Spa at the
Aladdin where it represents the purification of the soul. Spa Village
at Pangkor Laut Resort takes the welcome ritual to another level with
Chinese Foot Pounding as therapists reenact a treatment previously
enjoyed by the concubines of feudal China: The feet are bathed in rose
petals and water, kneaded, and tapped with tiny wooden hammers.
While welcome rituals and reflexology paths are an added bonus for
spa-goers, the real coup de grace may be the uberpedicure, a treatment
that puts the spa at your feet, literally, applying techniques and
therapies normally reserved for other body parts. Hot stones are
soothing feet at Dallas's Est¨¦e Lauder Spa in the Hot Lava Rock
Pedicure. At Atlanta's Lulu day spa, aromatherapy is the conduit to
relaxation with Muti Oil's Peppermint Pedicure. But at Mario Tricoci
Day Spas (and at increasing numbers of urban nail parlors) intensive,
facial-quality microdermabrasion is hygienically super-smoothing rough
soles.
There's a new sense of sophistication
in at-home spa treats. Forget about old-fashioned cotton socks covering
salveslathered feet at night; simply pulling on a pair of DDF's
Moisturizing Gel Socks gives hard-working feet the care they deserve.
Essie Spa's Pedicure pack includes everything you need for an at-home
spa session with inspiring contents that make it worth the effort: A
sea salt soak and fruity exfoliating scrub prepare feet for a hydrating
mask and a delicious massage with ylang-ylang essential oil.
Foot reflexology is believed to be a window to good health. By applying
pressure to specific points on the foot, practitioners can restore the
proper flow of energy to corresponding parts of the body.
Do-it-yourself reflexology paths are the new twist as spas like Pangkor
Laut Resort, where spa-goers are invited to walk on embedded river
stones that stimulate pressure points on the soles of the feet. At
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa, the water path combines reflexology
with water therapy using unique, ankle-deep troughs paved with river
rocks and filled with hot and cold water ¨C an energizing combination
that boosts circulation and detoxifies lymphatic systems.
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