Bridal Pampering- a Spa Services Guide for Brides

No doubt about it – one of the best parts about being a bride-to-be is a bona fide excuse to indulge in a little pampering. Not only does a relaxing massage or facial better equip you to handle those pesky seating chart conundrums and nagging moms, a little self nurturing can also ensure you look your best on the big day.

But like a kid in a candy shop, the plethora of spa treatments available can be intoxicatingly exciting and a tad overwhelming. Use this guide of the most common treatments to decide on the pampering package for you.

Massage
The ultimate path to relaxation and tension relief, massage involves kneading the body’s muscle and connective tissues through various methods.

Here are the basic types of massage:

Swedish Massage– involves kneading the muscles with firm yet gentle pressure to ease aches and tension, improve circulation and promote relaxation. This traditional form of touch therapy forms the basic techniques for deep tissue, sports and aromatherapy massages.

Deep Tissue Massage – uses the techniques of Swedish massage with more intense and focused pressure to release deeper muscle tension and knots.

Sports Massage - typically applied to athletes to enhance performance, prevent and heal injuries,
sports massage is designed to focus on specific muscle groups.

Aromatherapy – traditional massage that adds scented oils designed to address specific needs such as relaxation, energy, stress-reduction or balance.

Hot Stone Massage – involves smooth, heated stones placed strategically on the body to relieve tight muscles. This form of massage is perfect for those with muscle tension that prefer a less intense massage.

Shiatsu – a Japanese massage that employs rhythmic finger pressure on your body’s meridian points. This relaxing style is designed to release energy blockages and regain balance.

Facial
This procedure treats the face to cleansing, toning, exfoliating, massaging and moisturizing – all designed to reveal glowing skin.

**Elegala tip – if you’ve never had a facial, you may want to book your appointment a few weeks before the wedding to allow any possible skin reactions (acne or redness) to fade.

Body Treatments
Like a facial for the entire body, body treatments are designed to exfoliate, hydrate, and rejuvenate the skin.

Here’s a guide to some common body treatments:

Body Scrubs – scrubs and creams are applied to exfoliate and polish your skin, leaving your entire body soft.

Body Wraps/Masks – designed to improve appearance and texture of skin by ridding the body of toxins, body wraps cover your body in a mask of mud, lotion, algae, or seaweed, then you’re wrapped for 20 minutes or so, rinsed off, and finally covered with lotion.

Skin Exfoliation – abrasive cloths and micro-bead face scrubs remove dead skin cells from the body to reveal smoother and healthier skin.

Mani/Pedi
You’re probably already familiar with this one; however, nail treatments at full service spas tend to be more luxurious than your basic mini-mall variety.

**Elegala tip - Remember to get your final manicure and pedicure the day before your wedding so nails can thoroughly dry, and get a bottle of your polish from the manicurist for last minute touch-ups.