The Balinese Boreh is a traditional herbal scrub used at the end of a hard working day to relieve muscle aches, increase blood circulation and create relaxation. Boreh accomplishes this by using heat therapy combined with exotic spices that stimulate the circulation and warm the skin with an aromatic blend. It is also used as a treatment for headaches and fever.
The history is that the hand-crushed spice would be applied on the legs of the rice farmers after a day’s work of standing in the water tending the rice. The ingredients of this fragrant paste is a combination of powdered sandalwood, whole cloves, ginger, cinnamon, coriander seeds, rice powder, turmeric root and nutmeg, all ground in a mortar and pestle and combined with water to make a thick consistency.
Boreh has now been adapted and used in Asian and American spas in the form of a scrub. The treatment encompasses Indonesian massage, followed by the application of a masque of crushed spices to the whole body, excluding the face, which heats and heals. The herbs used in the boreh scrub include cloves that are traditionally used to ward off chills, cold and muscular numbness. Ginger gives relief to arthritic joints, sore muscles and poor circulation. Rose water distillate is a byproduct of producing rose essential oils. Its fragrance is refreshing and exotic. It’s blended with the boreh scrub to enhance the healing properties of the scrub. Rose water distillate has an added value of being a skin toner, providing soothing and skin softening properties.
The Boreh paste is applied all over your body avoiding sensitive areas, and then your body is wrapped with cloth to keep the paste in contact with your skin. The sensation is of deep penetrating heat that melts away your tension and at the same time invigorates. The masque is left to work its magic while a massage is given, foot, scalp or Reiki.
After 5 or 10 minutes it is necessary to rub the skin vigorously to cause the paste to flake it away, a shower is then needed to remove the remaining paste. A moisturize and relax by drinking a cup of herbal tea, which will also rehydrate and cleanse your body.
Sooth your tired muscles with a Balinese Boreh at these selected spas
MAP OF SPAS THAT OFFER BALINESE BOREH |
