The Millcroft Wellness Checkup
California-inspired treatments
By Jennifer Stemmler

Having recently returned from a spa seminar in California, I was surprised to find that most spas still focus on standard services such as pedicures, facials and body treatments. During my presentation, I found myself teaching them about our focus on more ayurvedic and holistic services such as Indian head massage, Jin Shin Jyutsu and acupressure.

I explained that though we offer the standard spa services at The Millcroft Spa, our focus is on awakening people to the idea that a spa can be a key tool in promoting health and wellness. A spa can take you away from the pressures and stresses of everyday life and help you to relax and revive your mind and soul as well. The focus on detoxifying and the importance of taking care of our clients from the inside out has become main foundation on which our treatments and services are based.

During my visit I was able to experience services from three top spas in the Santa Barbara area. Two were hotels that have been noted as the best in the United States, The Ojai Valley Resort & Spa and The Bacara Resort. I also had the chance to visit a day spa in downtown Santa Barbara that caters to the famous and is very well known for their product named after the spa, Avia. (Their product was in the bags given out at the 2007 Oscars.)

Walking into these three spas it was easy to notice that a Mediterranean experience is a popular idea behind many spas in California, featuring warm colours, decorative tile, wrought iron, waterfalls and cozy areas to read.

I enjoyed my time in California talking to spa employees that do what we do everyday, but differently. I have also decided to bring back to The Millcroft Spa one of the favourite treatments that I experienced but with an organic twist - an organic body polish with a hot oil massage. In this treatment the guests have a choice between receiving an organic lavender body polish (made with lavender buds) or an organic mandarin body polish (made with mandarin orange and lemon peel) followed by either a 30-minute or 60-minute hot oil massage.

Hot oil massage is not a popular service in Canada but it is very therapeutic. It not only feels luxurious but when the hot oil is applied it helps to open the pores of the skin to allow the oil moisturize deeper.

I am confident that hot oil massage will soon catch on with other spas in Ontario. Just be sure to remember where you heard about it first!

Jennifer Stemmler has more than 10 years experience in the wellness and cosmetics industries and is the spa manager at The Millcroft Spa, Centre for Well-Being in Alton. She is a certified esthetician and has worked in some of the top spas in southern Ontario. For more information on the Millcroft Spa, and/or the services offered, visit the Spa page at www.millcroft.com. Jennifer can be contacted via e-mail, jstemmler@millcroft.com.