Beauty Spa Treatments

Just a generation ago, most people would have considered going to the spa as spoiling oneself.  Nowadays, people may still have a similar attitude regarding spas, but more people than ever are indulging themselves and make regular appointments to get pampered.  Spas are interesting in that they combine beauty treatments with therapeutic bodywork, so it's hard to tell whether people get spa and beauty treatments to look better or to feel better.  The reality is that the majority of spagoers go for both reasons, and receive both.  It really can be a win-win situation, one where you look and actually feel better after a treatment (as opposed to feeling better just because you look better).  And I do say "people" as opposed to "women", because spa statistics show that almost a third of spa patrons are men.  There's something about taking a break and having your body worked on that's a balm to the spirit, and it seems to appeal equally to men as well as women.  Although women still outnumber men in spas, this probably has more to do with gender roles and cultural norms than appreciation of spa treatments.
So just what are the treatments you're likely to encounter in a beauty spa?  Let's start with the therapeutic, which are treatments that are more likely to appeal equally to women as well as men.  Although many spa beauty treatments are also supposed to have a therapeutic effect, we will first focus on those treatments that are more directed towards health. 

Many health treatments in a spa are designed to relax, detoxify, de-stress, and cleanse.  Lest you think that relaxing is no big deal, let me tell you that relaxing, besides being crucial to good health, can also do more than anything else to make you look good.  Your body functions better and can release all sorts of gross stuff, leaving you not only feeling but looking better.
One of the most common treatments in a beauty spa is massage.  Usually, you will be able to get a massage in a beauty spa done by a licensed professional.  Generally, the aim of the massage will be to help you relax and feel good.  You can expect an oil massage or Swedish massage that uses gentle gliding strokes, and some kneading.  What you don't usually get in a spa is a massage that uses deep pressure or some other more nitty-gritty style of massage.  Expect soft and pleasureable work in a beauty salon and spa, perhaps with some shiatsu for the face.  Even though such massages don't use deep pressure, they can still be very therapeutic as circulation is stimulated and body tissue is gently manipulated.  Actually, such a massage can be just as good as a "harder" one.  It's not always or even usually necessary to feel pain for a massage to be effective, so don't think that a "soft" massage isn't doing you any good- chances are, it is.
Another common treatment is the full body herbal wrap, in which sheets that have been soaked in different herbs or herbal extracts are wrapped tightly around the body.  This is supposed to detoxify and aid in weight loss, though different herbs may also be used to achieve different goals. 

On the flip side of the coin, there are many therapies that are used specifically to make you look better. 
A wide range of beauty spa products may be used in the beauty day spa you visit to achieve this purpose.  These include various body rub lotions and oils, special salts to exfoliate the skin, aroma therapy oils (essential oils), and special soaps and cleansers.  As the nature of this beauty spa equipment implies, most of these treatments are directed towards making your skin look better.  Better, as in fresher, more elastic, and just younger looking in general.  It's normal for women in our culture to want to look young, but it's probably best to stay away from treatments such as botox to achieve this.  Botox may numb your skin enough to take away a few wrinkles, but it does this with a toxin that can cause health problems.  Stick with the natural treatments, and learn to live with wrinkles. 
Common aesthetic treatments include facials, including harsher ones like microdermabrasion and laser peels (which must involve a medical professional) and natural ones using papaya and pineapple, for example.  It's always best to try the natural therapies first, as they tend to be less costly and less likely to damage your skin. 
Hair removal is also one of the main things done in a beauty salon spa, with waxing the most common.  An alternative to waxing, which leaves a residue and can be very painful, is body sugaring.  Here, natural materials are used to remove body hair without the negatives associated with waxing. 
Of course, for many women no visit to the beauty day spa would be complete without getting a manicure or pedicure, and a range of such services are offered.