With its various treatment rooms, curated packages, and trained professionals, a spa has something to offer anyone who walks through its doors. From the sauna to a mud bath, the options can seem endless. And yet, a few types of spa treatments remain especially popular for spa-goers and DIY self-care enthusiasts alike. For your very first spa day, you might try one of these options as a tried-and-true segue into this world of relaxation and rejuvenation. Even a long-time client will turn to an especially popular treatment, knowing just how beneficial it can be.
Massage
Linked to Eastern cultures from as early as 3000 BC, massage therapy uses a combination of pressure and movement to stimulate the body’s tissues, muscles, and other parts. Within the context of a modern-day spa, massage is by and large the most popular treatment category. Whether it’s relieving pain or washing away stress, all-body treatments like massages are popular for good reasons.
When you book a massage, you’ll typically choose a treatment from one of two types: targeted or relaxation-focused massage. Your session will be customized to focus on a particular issue, injury, or area of concern in a targeted or remedial massage. Conversely, a relaxation massage will focus more generally on the healing effects of this practice, encouraging you to relax and recharge through a combination of touch, aromatherapy, and other specially designed tools. Depending on your chosen treatment, you might even find jade or shiatsu stones play a part in your massage session.
Facials
Of course, many people partake of DIY face masks at home, using ingredients like the fan-favorite Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay or even pantry or refrigerator staples. At the spa, though, your facial will be more intensive, combining masks and other skincare products with procedures and treatments meant to refresh your skin and relax your soul in the process. You might, for instance, choose a facial focused on lasting results, improving your complexion, and promoting younger-looking skin. Or, you might prefer more restorative treatments focused on replenishing and nourishing your skin.
In either case, you’ll find that your facial includes some combination of skincare products, jade rollers, LED light therapy, hydro-microdermabrasion, exfoliation, hydration, and more. Each package will target a specific concern or work towards a particular goal. In some cases, you may even be able to get a completely customized facial, using the products, tools, and procedures that are perfect for your skin and its needs.
Beauty
Beyond the steam room and massage table, you might just find that most spa-goers are actually visiting for beauty treatments, not the luxurious relaxation you may otherwise imagine. Beyond the typical maintenance, you might perform at home, like shaving or filing your nails, you’ll find that these sessions take your cosmetic self-indulgences a step further.
For instance, you might book a mani-pedi, taking a standard act of self-care and raising it to the level of a blissful experience, complete with aromatics and massage. Or, you may arrive for a spray tan, waxing session, or tinting treatment, creating the look of your dreams for a special event or just because you feel like it.
Save for the selections offered by your chosen location, no one can tell you what sort of treatments to book when you visit your local spa. However, you can rest assured that you’re in for a treat when you choose one that’s especially popular. Whether that’s a relaxing massage, a refreshing facial, or an upgraded edition of your regular manicure, any of these sessions will prove to give you the luxurious experience you’ve been dreaming of, all for the simple price of a spa day.
