Spice up your Spa


The history and lure of spices began almost as long ago as human civilization. Wars have been fought over spices, new countries discovered; empires have risen up and been defeated – all for the love of the flavor and aroma of spices. The use of spices has been an integral part of religious rituals, and spices have even been used as currency. Spices were among the most valuable items of trade in ancient and medieval times.


Spices


have always been used to enhance one’s natural health and beauty and today’s Mexican spas continue to make the exotic and luxurious spices of the land part of their lavish rituals.


From the shores of the Pacific Ocean comes most precious salt


for making


rich and powerful body scrubs, and from the Mayans and the Aztecs come delicious cacao and chocolate for facials and massages. Oranges and papayas, even chilies and cinnamon all combine to make blends for body treatments or oils for massage.


Deep rich Mexican


coffees from around the country make for a wonderful exfoliation treatment in many of the nation’s top spas.


The Aztecs referred to chocolate as the “nourishment of the Gods” and at Posada del Valle in Tepotzlán, Morelos, the Aztecs’ and Mayans’ prized delicacy, cacao, is infused into a lavish chocolate


treatment for facials and massage. At


the Tides in Playa del Carmen, a host of Mexican spices are mixed with local pumpkin, lime and lemon, along with the Aztec cacao and local aloe vera, honey, mud and wine to melt away any stress or muscle aches in massages, baths and body treatments.


Spices combine with other local delicacies to make rich treatments at Mexican spas.


At the Spa at Las Ventanas al


Paraiso in Los Cabos, the client can delight in a Hakali Massage which uses local cactus and pulque, a drink made of Mexican agave to soothe and relax. The Monte Alban Treatment at the Away Spa in Mexico City at the W Hotel offers a sanctuary from the busy city with a body wrap that combines jasmine, rice, and richly flavorful Mexican cinnamon all wrapped up in organic milk.


The Maya Spa at Cabañas Copal, Tulum, Quintana Roo, takes full advantage of all the wonderful and deliciously sexy Mexican local spices in their chocolate body exfoliation, using cacao seeds straight from the highlands of Chiapas. These delicate local spices are first hand ground by local Mayan women and then toasted over an open fire on a clay grill. The toasted cacao seeds are mixed with cocoa and almond oil and used to exfoliate the entire body. Banana leaves fresh from the trees outside cover the body,


allowing the nutrient-rich cacao


and chocolate mixture to soften and nourish the skin. Warm oil made from local cacao is dripped over the hair while


the head is massaged, before the client is submerged in a wooden tub and rinsed.


As if that isn’t enough of a sexy, sultry spicy spa ritual, the Maya Spa in Tulúm also


offers an a indigenous Mexican


chocolate body wrap using cacao bean and almond oil for exfoliation, chocolate cream and


banana-leaf wrap to


draw out impurities, an ocean or fresh cenote water bath, and a massage with Mexican chocolate cream.


Mexico provides so many delectable, delicious and aromatic spices that need not only show up in Mexican food and kitchens.


These same rich, nutritious


and luxurious spices can add an entire new dimension to your spa rituals and treatment offerings that will delight all of your valued spa guests. To make a spicy Mexican massage oil, add some fresh basil leaves and a little Mexican cinnamon to sweet almond oil for an invigoriating and refreshing lift to your client’s day. Buen Provecho!


Car 8 ole S chor www.naturallybeautifulwomen.com www.spaprofessionalmexico.com


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