Located in the heart of the Sonoran desert, this calm haven features a diverse menu of healing, detoxifying and reinvigorating treatments.
The Treatment: Reveal Your Brilliance, 50 min. $150
A revolutionary vitamin-C based facial that hydrates and tightens the skin with pharmaceutical grade Glycolic Acid and gentle enzymes to exfoliate even the most sensitive skin. Created to accelerate cellular renewal, skin will be brighter, firmer and reveal its true youthful brilliance.
The DIY version: To get similar results at home, try the following steps using the products featured at the spa.
Built on the deep-blue waters of Lake Mohonk in 1869, this grand 267-room Victorian castle is one of America's oldest family-owned resorts. The spa boasts a unique mountaintop setting and celebrates all that nature has to offer.
The Treatment: Signature Elements of Nature: Shawangunk Grit Mineral Body Treatment, 80 min. $170
This ritual begins with a restful hydro-tub massage to melt tension. The skin is then gently exfoliated with the spa's signature "Shawangunk Grit" (minerals combined with hydrating botanicals) to leave skin silky and soft. A rich body cream with soothing rosehip and plantains is gently warmed and poured over the body for a relaxing massage. A guided power nap completes the treatment.
The DIY version: To replicate the renewal at home, Spa Director Barbara Stirewalt recommends making your own "grit" scrub. "Mix together a handful of Epsom salts, your favorite body oil, and a small portion of a dried herb (lavender or rosemary are suggested). Gently rub this mixture onto your body in a circular motion before stepping into the tub to soak with our Rosemary Mint Bath Collection, $22 at the spa she says. "In your post-treatment at home, take some time for yourself -- listen to soothing music or choose a favorite book." Stirewalt suggests The Three Minute Meditator by Nina Smiley and David Harp, $14.95 (at the spa), which she says is "an almost 'instant' way to hone your personal meditation and relaxation skills."
There's something about getting a spa treatment that's transcendent. The entire ritual -- from the exhilarating moment you enter the sanctuary to the melancholy phase of checking out -- is indulgent and exhilarating. Especially when you're at a top-notch destination like the ones featured in this story. These award-winning spas are some of the best in the United States -- and for good reason. They're not only breathtaking to behold, but offer signature spa treatments steeped in either ancient methodologies, new wave thinkings or a combo of both -- all guaranteed to cure what ails you, and feel (mostly) heavenly in the process.
But, what if you can't make it to the Florida Keys or the Blue Ridge Mountains? What if a jaunt to Scottsdale for an Ayurvedic spa treatment simply isn't in the cards (or budget)? Relax. Thanks to overwhelming cooperation from the head honchos who run these swanky spas, we're able to bring you DIY information on their signature spa treatments. Sure, it's not exactly the same to experience, say, a salt glow in your tiny pink bathroom as it is in a luxurious suite with a Vichy shower, but with the step-by-step how-tos, and info on precisely which products to purchase to recreate the spa treatment as authentically as possible, you'll at least end up with similar results.
So, cozy up and flip through this gallery of spa treatment goodies and, as you read each tantalizing description, allow your mind's eye to be transported to the destination, luxuriating in the service. Then, when you come back down to earth, plan out how you're going to recreate that Shangri-La from the comfort of your own home. Your body -- and mind -- will be so happy you did.
