A great part of any trip is a sojourn to a local spa. A day of relaxation, away from the hustle and bustle, can reinvigorate our senses before returning to the real world. A recent trend in spas is incorporating indigenous edibles into treatments, allowing us to give our bodies a taste of it as well. Here are ten spas where local food ingredients play starring roles in facials, baths, and scrubs.
Coconut and Milk
Exotic Coconut Rub and Milk Ritual Wrap at Hotel Le Toiny, St. Barth: St. Barth locals have long used the coconut to nourish their bodies inside and out. Hotel Le Toiny combines the moisture-rich local ingredient with a milk bath to deliver an intensely moisturizing experience that soothes all senses. First, a warmed, skin-nourishing milk bath is drizzled over the entire body, followed by a softening Balinese coconut scrub.
Guavaberry
Guavaberry and Sugar Body Scrub at Serenity Spa at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino, St. Maarten: Grown on the beautiful island of St. Maarten, guavaberries (not to be confused with guavas) have a tiny, delicate pink-and-white flower and translucent, juicy bittersweet flesh. This scrub offers a taste of St. Maarten and also leaves you silky smooth for beach time.
Wild Yam
The Sun Soothing Ritual at Phulay Bay at A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Krabi, Thailand: Phulay Bay’s spa uses local wild yams as part of a nourishing after-sun treatment. Wild yams are known to be great for relaxing muscles and soothing nerves, ideal for post-sun inflammation.
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
Coffee Delight Body Scrub at Trident Hotel, Port Antonio, Jamaica: This invigorating scrub incorporates dark-roasted finely ground Blue Mountain coffee infused with rich nourishing cocoa butter, olive oil, sea salt and sugar. Caffeine doesn’t just energize you from the inside: This eclectic blend both soothes and energizes while leaving your skin soft and smooth.
Ramen Noodles
Ramen Noodle Bath at Yunessun Spa Resort in Hakone, Japan: A bath of ramen noodle broth contains collagen, which is known to plump skin and add a healthy glow. Not your thing? This spa also has a buzz-worthy sake bath, as well as one of green tea.
Awa Root and Hawaiian Ginger:
Kohala Spa at Hilton Waikoloa Village, HI: Spring for an awa root (historically grown only in the Pacific islands of Hawaii) and Hawaiian ginger foot ritual, along with a scalp and hair massage featuring a blend of local pure essential oils. Then, stimulate the senses with local healing herbs combined with a full body massage using a blend of white flower lotus and ylang ylang essential oils.
Quinoa
Quinoa Facial at the Spa at Tambo del Inka Sacred Valley, Peru: The popular Andean grain possesses wellness properties that have been harnessed for centuries. Rich in fatty acids and minerals, as well as a source of Vitamin E and B Complex, it assists in cellular regeneration, forms a protective barrier over the skin, features excellent emollient properties, and reestablishes skin hydration.
Chardonnay and Olive Oil:
Chardonnay Olive-Oil Sugar Polish at Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, Sonoma, CA : We go to Sonoma to enjoy the wine. Our bodies are no different. This polish is an aromatic exfoliation and moisturizing body treatment combining olive oil, chardonnay grape seed extract, sugar and lavender.
Blue Corn
Aloe Vera and Blue Corn Skin Healer treatment at the Lakeside Spa at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, AZ: Native people of the Southwest have used blue corn for decades to polish and purify the skin. In this treatment, blue corn is blended with the healing benefits of aloe vera to exfoliate and soothe the skin.
Dates
Arabian Date Wrap at CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi: This wrap nourishes skin with a blend of dates, coconut milk, almonds and vanilla.
Aly Walansky is a lifestyles writer based in New York City. Her greatest loves include her shih tsu, soap operas, and extra dirty martinis. Follow her on Twitter: @AlyWalansky.