Sea Island Life Magazine Spring/Summer 2014 | Page 24

mind + body
SCENT-SATIONAL
REMEDIES
Indulge in scent-infused treatments at The Spa
and Salon at Sea Island to relax and rejuvenate.
SEA ISLAND RETREAT (two hours)
A consultation with a spa therapist
to design your own herbal remedy
precedes this aromatherapy experience.
Beginning with a salted body polish to
deep cleanse, a shower with natural fruit
acids encourages circulation while hints
of spices, flowers and herbs fill the air.
A warm bath induces relaxation, and is
followed by a massage to quiet the mind.
The retreat concludes with a wrap of
rich shea butter crème infused with
green tea and sage.

MAKING SCENTS
ADDING AN AROMATHERAPY COMPONENT TO SPA
THERAPIES AMPLIFIES HEALING POTENTIAL.

a

BY DEBRA BOKUR

romas have the ability to relieve
stress, soothe, energize and relax.
The essential oil within a scent
begins its remedial journey as a
plant extract and transforms into an integral
component of a spa experience, the ideal destination for relaxation. Spa treatments are laced
with scent elements, crafting a therapeutic use
of pure botanical essential oils.
Such use has a documented history dating
back at least 6,000 years, when ancient cultures
aromatic plant extracts. In the 1920s, French
chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé began a
systemic exploration of the effects of essential
oils on health and wellness. Today’s spa-goers
modern research through aromatherapy.
“The No. 1 reason men and women visit a

spa is to learn how to manage their stress,”
says Lynne McNees, president of the
ences of essential oils within the fragrances
help to encourage deep breathing ... bring
clarity and lower stress.”
The Spa and Salon at Sea Island offers the
Zents body care line, which provides guests
a deeply customized experience by allowing
them to select the herbal scent that most
ments, such as aromatherapy massages, evoke
different moods: lavender for relaxation,
peppermint to energize and citrus as a mood
lifter. “Other popular scents are vetiver and
rosemary,” McNees says. “Vetiver is known for
its ability to calm and balance the mind.”
At-home products are also infused with
fragrances to continue the relaxation outside of

SCENTED JOURNEY (90 minutes)
The journey starts with a customized scented
herbal blend used in a full-body exfoliation,
followed by a shea butter and fruit acid
moisturizing shower. Finally, a massage with
warm bamboo stalks relaxes muscles and
guests receive a special Sea Island gift.
LEMONGRASS LIFT (60 minutes)
This purifying wrap and scrub consists of a
lively blend of organic lemongrass, moodenhancing orange and mandarin, and is
followed by a cool, refreshing cup
of lemongrass tea.

the spa. McNees explains that scented blankets,
neck pillows and eye masks can incorporate
stress management into everyday life.
“Scents are personal and are closely tied
to memory,” she adds. While the exact
connection linking scent with memory and
emotion is a topic of ongoing study, many
researchers believe that scent receptors in the
nose network directly with areas of the brain
that warehouse our emotions and memories,
“When used correctly, scents can provide
touch point with smell,” McNees says. A whiff
of fresh lemon blossoms ZY