Dayspa

NOV 2015

DAYSPA is the magazine of spa management. Spa owners and spa managers turn to DAYSPA for spa management trends, spa management tips and more.

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YOURWELLNESSSPA © GETTY IMAGES HERBAL HEALTH The Essence of Spa Essential oils are a spa's lifeblood, so make sure you're getting the real thing. By Andrea Renskoff 70 DAYSPA | NOVEMBER 2015 It's impossible to imagine the spa world today with- out products derived from botanical life, most notably essential oils. For their therapeutic and aromatic val- ues, these undiluted substances extracted directly from botanicals are the most versatile way in which we draw plants into the spa experience. Essential oils provide their benefi ts in concentrated doses. We rely on their healing and aromatherapeutic properties, which are delivered via skincare products and treatments, massage, energy work, steam and hydrotherapy treatments and, of course, the very air we breathe. Deeply. As a spa professional, you're no doubt well versed in identifying the types of essential oil your client needs most, be it calming lavender, refreshing and invigorating citrus, or restorative wood-based varieties. But how much do you know about the oils you use? Do you know how they were manufactured, and their precise levels of purity and quality? For this month's look into herbal health, we examine the essentials of our beloved essential oils. OILY DISCOVERIES Experts have concluded that plant extracts were used in various parts of the world as long ago as 3000 B.C. For example: • The legendary father of Chinese medicine, Shennong, recorded the use of hundreds of plants for healing and well-being. • Hippocrates, the Greek father of modern medicine, described aromatic baths and massages as critical to health, and advocated

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