Body Polish

Q. What is a body polish? I heard they are good for you in the winter?
A. You heard correctly. A body polish is a treatment for the skin. I like to call it a facial for the body. It is not a massage although there are some elements of massage in the body polish. A body polish can be done with a variety of products. The most common and most popular are salt, sugar and bran. Usually one of these exfoliation products is mixed with massage oil and some form of essential oil for aromatherapy. In most spas the procedure is followed by a shower and a rub down with some high quality body lotion.
During this procedure you are usually on a massage or treatment table. Your therapist will gently rub or exfoliate your skin. Your back, your arms, your legs and you feet are the primary areas that receive this exfoliation. Areas like your heals, elbows, and knees may get some extra attention because they tend to be very dry and rough. If your hands are dry and rough, you’ll want to point that out ahead of time to your therapist so that she will spend extra time with them as well. The rub should not hurt, it should be very relaxing and the aromatherapy should be a great part of it. Once exfoliated you should be able to shower off the rub. If your spa does not use a shower method then your therapist will wipe you off. Once the scrub is gone you’ll return to a clean table and receive a rub down with body lotion. I like to use sugar scrubs instead of salt. Sugar is much less abrasive but gets the job done well. Whatever your therapist uses be sure to let them know if they hurt you or rub too hard. Truly, this is one of my most favorite services. In the end your skin will feel very smooth and soft. It’s great for dry winter skin but wonderful year round. Your skin will glow. This makes the service a great one for brides or anyone who wants soft glowing skin. I guess that would be all of us!

Q. What are blackheads? I can’t seem to get rid of the ones around my nose.

A. Blackheads are caused when the skin’s natural oil, called sebum collects in the skin’s pores and hardens. To be a more specific, congesting toxins that are being expelled through your skin from the blood and lymph fluid combine with sebum and create a pasty, “glue”. The exposed tip becomes oxidized and black in color, thus the name. Oily and combination skin is more susceptible to blackheads. The skin’s most dense oil glands in everyone are in the T-zone, across your forehead – down your nose to your chin. This is where people will get the most blackheads. Visiting a spa for a professional facial will help you get rid of the blackheads initially. You should then follow a routine of proper home care to keep your skin clear. Try and keep your face clean but don’t over wash that can aggravate the problem. A good wash twice a day with an exfoliating soap or scrub and warm water followed by a toner or treatment product should do the trick.