Friday, January 2, 2009

Happy New Year!

What are your New Year's Beauty Resolutions for 2009? Last year I promised that I would curb some of my indiscriminate beauty and self care product and service acquisitions, instead settling on some tried-and-true standbys. All around I believe I've accomplished my goal, with some minor tweaks still due in some areas. For 2009 I'm reinstating my birthday hot stone massage policy and hope to keep up my semi-monthly facial routine.

I was recently in Las Vegas. City of excesses and indulgence. On the second day I treated myself (body sugar scrub) and my husband (gentlemen's facial with phytomer products) to some spa services at the world renowned Canyon Ranch Spa. The spa is located at The Venetian Hotel and Palazzo Resort (and more here).

Upon arrival at the spa, the guest is ushered to the very well-appointed locker rooms to deposit their possessions in a locker and exchange them for a comfortable, over-sized bathrobe. The guest is then free to explore the huge locker room, and included areas of interest: well-appointed showers stocked with products for your use, a powerful jet pool with lounge chairs, a sauna and steam room, and a peaceful lounge to relax and enjoy a refreshment. The co-ed areas included a conservatory, ocean room, and salt grotto. There were other common rooms available, such as the white powder room (with man-made snow), but it was being worked on during my visit.

The 50-minute body conditioning scrub I chose featured a Mango Sugar glo--chosen because it's safe for sensitive skin--out of a possible four scrubs available aimed at different preferences and skin types.
The guest relaxes on a height-adjustable massage table, while the therapist applies the conditioning scrub in an invigorating massage. Followed by a 15-minute soak in a hydro-massage jet tub of enormous proportions--the hot, bubbly water lit from below the surface in a changing array of hues from ultraviolet to infrared. A little side table supplies the soaking guest with iced water and a washcloth in a bowl of ice.
Upon exiting the tub the guest goes back onto the massage table so the therapist can apply a matching mango and passion fruit lotion in a wonderfully relaxing apres-bath massage.

Guests can proceed to their respective lounges or to the conservatory after their treatments. I proceeded to lounge in the conservatory with a cup of hot tea, and then stepped into the salt grotto. I've read that people in Chicago visit salt grottoes either because they suffer from passing or chronic respiratory ailments or because they enjoy the immune system boost in the deep of winter or year round.

The Canyon Ranch spa at The Venetian/Palazzo also features a fully-appointed gym and a rock climbing wall. There is a restaurant and a cafe which not only offer healthy and delicious menu items, but are also very cost efficient in a city of excesses (particularly financial).

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