Globe Trotter
1/5You don’t have to venture to the Dead Sea to experience its therapeutic powers. Turn your tub into a mineral–rich soak with Ahava’s Liquid Salt. People have reaped the benefits of the Dead Sea for thousands of years, including the legendary Cleopatra. Today, tourists from around the world flock to various clinics and spas in the sea region. Ahava, however, is the only cosmetic company to have exclusive rights from the Israeli government to use the mud and water of the Dead Sea. "The product helps improve the appearance and texture of the skin thanks to the mineral foundation of Dead Sea salts and Dunaliella, a Dead Sea algae that’s rich in antioxidants and protects the skin from free radicals," says Maxine Siegel, Ahava’s national trainer and head aesthetician. The product can be used in a warm bath in lieu of mineral bath salts or in the shower. Siegel recommends massaging the product over entire body, and leaving it on for two minutes before rinsing. This product leaves your skin feeling healthy, regenerated, and silky smooth: a spa treatment in a tube!
Ahava Dead Sea Liquid Salt, $18. Ahavaus.com.
2/5Calling all Athenas and Aphrodites! For a skin–soaking treat, try Korres Natural Products’ Yoghurt Mask. "In Greece, yogurt is part of culture. For decades, yogurt has been a remedy that Greek mothers have turned to for the relief of sunburn," says Lena Korres, head of new product development and international marketing for the Athens–based company. "Yogurt makes a wonderful cosmetic product due to its levels of lactose, proteins, minerals, and vitamins, which increase moisture levels in the upper layers of the epidermis," says Lena. Korres chemists worked at maintaining the yogurt’s unique property: the live cultures. "Despite the fact that the mask contains such a sensitive raw material, the final product is impressively active," Lena says. The Yoghurt mask is suitable for both oily and dehydrated skin, and all Korres Natural Products are known for nixing out harmful synthetics. The result is an indulgent collection fit for any goddess.
Korres Yoghurt Mask, $27. Sephora.com.
3/5For a time, I was scared to endure the thin needles involved in an acupuncture session, but curiosity got the better of my nerves. I recently spent an afternoon at Manhattan’s Glow Skin Spa on the Upper East Side with acupuncturist Jordanna Dworkin, and received the medical technique that originated in China over 2,000 years ago. Jordanna explained that acupuncture unblocks chi, a spiritual energy that permeates all things (and therefore cannot be empirically measured), by inserting needles at particular points on the body. To start, she applied an Asian volcanic clay body mask. The patterns in which the mask dry indicate which acupuncture meridians, or energy pathways, may require energetic balancing between positive and negative forces. Interestingly enough, Jordana says my drying patterns showed imbalances on the right side of my body, including extended drying time along the liver. "According to classic Chinese medical theory, the liver regulates emotional imbalance. When an individual is under stress, the liver chi tends to stagnate and acupuncture will resolve such blockages," Jordanna says. (Considering my busy schedule, that’s definitely true!) She carefully inserted needles on my hands, neck, feet, and one on my forehead—but I only felt a tiny pinch! As for the results, I felt so relad after the treatment, I hit the hay at 7 o’clock that night!
Yin Yang Bliss Treatment, $200 for 90 minutes. intouchacupuncture.com.
4/5When I traveled to India last year, I was introduced to threading, Southeast Asia’s secret to beautifully sculpted brows. Little did I know, eyebrow threading is a service now offered at spas in New York City. I made an appointment at Shobha Spa in Soho to get more information on the service and, of course, experience it for myself. According to Jennifer Pesce, Shobha’s marketing associate, the thread works as a mini lasso, specifically pinpointing and removing the stray hairs. Aside from the process being painless and efficient, the string acts a linear focal point, creating precise definition of the brow. "We strive for symmetry—that’s our philosophy," Pesce says. All in all, it took about five minutes to reshape my brows and even the shortest hard–to–pluck hairs in my arch were gone. Truly an eye–opening experience!
Eyebrow Threading, $20. shobhathreading.com.
5/5Shiatsu massage, which originated in China around 530 BC and was later exported to Japan, Southeast Asia and Korea, can be found at most spas and is now my M.A.C. (massage of choice). I tried it as part of a package at Manhattan’s Acqua Beauty Bar, including a body scrub to slough off dead skins cells (a weekly ritual in Asian bath houses), and facial. "The massage itself is a pressure point massage using the fingers, designed to help regulate the energy flow within the body," says Jamie Ahn, owner of Acqua Beauty Bar and Townhouse Spa. "Shiatsu is performed for relaxation, and to aid circulatory and digestive systems." It was topped off with an acupressure facial, which allows tension release and greater blood and oxygen flow in the facial area. I felt like a million Yuan when I walked out!
Garden of Eastern Delights, $225 for 180 minutes. acquabeautybar.com.
