The perfect Spa Day

There is no shame in treating yourself or in letting others treat you.

And after the uncertainty, heartbreak and loss that so many of us experienced over the last two years, we may all be entitled to a little or a lot of me time.

At Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort Spa on Paradise Island, my friend, Dr. Wanderlust and I, elected the latter.

The first, and possibly the hardest decision you’ll have to make is deciding which spa treatment to indulge in. They’re all pretty enticing. After choosing my favorite options, I was able to narrow it down to two: the sea lavender and samphire polish and wrap and the coconut poultice massage.

According to the description offered by the spa, the polish and wrap is “a nourishing duo of skin exfoliation and hydration. Nutrient-rich extracts from sea lavender and samphire smooth the skin, whilst a moisturizing milk of shea butter and sea salt envelops the body in a warm wrap to allow thirsty skin to replenish.

The coconut treatment, which was my favorite of the two, “utilizes heated and scented coconut poultices rich in vitamin E and K. The body is sumptuously drizzled in Frangipani Monoi Body Oil to heal and moisturize the skin. Using an array of eastern and western massage techniques and acupressure movements, the poultices are then applied to the body at pressure points to relax the muscles and release tension.”

But I’ve gotten ahead of myself.

Getting started

Once you arrive at the Four Season’s Spa, you will be greeted in the reception area and offered fruit-infused water or champagne. I went with the water (since at the time I was a lactating mom).

From there, you’ll be escorted to your private, cozy villa, equipped with a day bed and a large Jacuzzi.

After disrobing, I hopped on to the massage table and prepared for a much-needed massage and body polish.

We started with the body polish and wrap. After preparing my body, my massage therapist applied the sea salt. I personally love scrubs because it gets rid of the dead skin. As a new mom, pampering sessions were sidelined. At this point in my life, more than five hours sleep is considered a pampering session.

After the sea salt was applied I was enveloped in a wrap. For how long? I am not sure. I let my mind drift to the ebbs and flows of the calming music. I felt at peace.

This spa option also comes with a scalp massage, but because of my hair style, my masseuse offered to give a mini facial instead. It was literally just what I needed, as I was at the tail end of a flare up.

After she restored my glow, I was instructed to go into the shower to wash the salt beads from my body. Water came from nearly every angle in the shower, soothing my muscles.

Soon I was hopping back on the freshly changed massage table for round two: the coconut poultice massage.

The heat applied from the poultices was absolutely magical. There were multiple pressure spots across my body, so my therapist was in for some hard work.

I elected for medium pressure and I let my mind drift once again as the massage therapist worked her magic. I had to fend off the sleepiness because I really wanted to enjoy every minute. As the massage therapist pressed the coconut poultice into my skin, I wondered how I could take this experience home with me.

Turns out, guests get to keep the coconut poultice – a happy coincidence.

My massage was so good, even my feet, which are usually very ticklish, cooperated.

When my two-hour-long session was done, I felt like my skin was made of silk.

From there I rested in the day bed as my Jacuzzi bath was prepared. After a 20-minute soak, I left the spa feeling like a new woman.

With COVID-19 infections consistently low, a lot more people feel comfortable taking a full breath (without a mask) and letting their hair down a bit more.

So what do we do with our newfound sense of freedom? We treat ourselves, of course.