The long winding road that leads you to Cranwell Resort & Spa in Lenox is as unassuming as it is long. But it’s at the crest of this hill where the real resort begins to come into focus.
“Cranwell is unique in many aspects. We’re only about a two and a half hour drive out of New York, about a two hour drive out of Boston, and you’re in beautiful country,” said Cranwell Resort & Spa President Lewis Kiesler.
Nestled in the heart of the Berkshires, Cranwell was named the “Top Resort Spa in Massachusetts” in [Read more →]
Canyon Ranch helped pioneer the healthy spa concept in 1979 and still does it better than anyplace else. Healthy, delicious food? Check. Top-notch skin care? Doris Day, the dermatologist on our panel (meet all of our judges), rates this spa a perfect 10. In the fitness category, Jo Hannafin, MD, gives Canyon Ranch’s offerings, which range from restorative yoga to hard-core hiking, the highest score of any spa we evaluated. Our judges also love the staff’s high level of accreditation and training. (The place is crawling with doctors.) A nurse tailors a schedule to help you meet your health goals, from lowering cholesterol to beating insomnia, and may also suggest tests like a mammogram or a stride analysis—all done on-site. “Canyon Ranch has the high standards that other spas strive to match.” Choose between desert (the 240-guest Tucson spa) and mountains (the 200-guest Lenox location, tucked into the Berkshires), both of which take maximum advantage of the natural beauty.
Don’t miss: Yamuna Body Rolling, done with special balls to build strength, flexibility, and balance.
Cost: $5,130 and up per week, per person, double occupancy, at Lenox ($5,750 at Tucson), including meals and some treatments and wellness services. Lenox also offers a three-night stay starting at $2,040.
Bright, playful colors are what summer 2008 is all about. This assortment of bright polishes is by Essie.
From the moment Queen Nefertiti applied her first coat of ruby red polish, nails became more than an afterthought. They became a fashion statement. Colors and trends may have changed over the centuries, but pampering yourself and having healthy, beautiful nails are always in style.
Color trends For summer 2008, bright, playful colors are what it’s all about.
“Colors should be fun,” said Donna Chanson of Paul Conza Day Spa and Hair Salon in Worcester. Hot pink is back with a bang, popping up in fashion magazines and on runways.
“OPI’s new colors, Elephantastic Pink or That’s Hot Pink, are great hues if you want to try out this trend,” said Angie Le, a nail technician at St. Cyr Salon and Spa in Worcester. “Celebrities like Rihanna are doing brights to make their nails stand out.”
Rihanna sported the bold look at this year’s Grammy Awards, when she rocked a bright tangerine nail color against her sapphire blue Zac Posen dress. Corals, pinks and cherries are prominent in all the summer polish collections.
If bright fingernail polish is a little too flashy, Michelle Cousineau of Top Shop Salon and Day Spa suggests trying brights on your toes. Eye-popping colors are a perfect complement to strappy sandals, breezy dresses and short shorts.
Black was a super hot color for winter and early spring for the more subdued fashionista, but now that it’s summer, switch to a navy blue. “Yoga-ta-get This Blue from OPI is perfect,” said Le. “It’s navy, with a little sparkle for the summer.” Or, “try a deep purple,” said Jennifer Rosa, a nail technician and massage therapist at Tu Moda Spa for Beauty and Wellness, a spa in Worcester, MA.
Ready to try a shimmering metallic? Gold, in particular, will look stunning against that new summer tan.
Nail 911
Of course, even with those fabulous shades on your fingers and toes, you’re bound to run into some problems. Whether it’s chipped nails, nail biting or just not having enough time to take care of your nails, experts can come to the rescue.
“Nails are like onions, they have layers,” said Chanson. “Peeling nails are often due to a poor filing job. You must remember to file nails in the same direction — and be careful. Also, after you finish polishing nails, coat the tip to seal the nail, since water is another culprit for weak, peeling nails.”
Le recommends the Essie Nail Strengthener System to improve nail quality. “If you want a simpler treatment, opt for tree oil, which will make nails stronger and will treat fungus,” she said.
As much as everyone would deny it, nail biting is an issue for adults as well as children, for men and women. “Nail biting is a big issue with a lot of women who come in to see me,” said Le. “Always try and get manicures. If your nails look good, you’ll be less prone to bite them.”
Cousineau adds that nailbiters usually have thick cuticles, so they should get their cuticles pushed back by a nail technician or during an at-home manicure.
She also suggests putting on a coat of clear top coat polish every few days after a manicure or pedicure to keep the color. “Never use old nail polish — anything over a year. It chips easily,” she said.
Classic looks
If you’re looking for a timeless look, the classic French manicure or pedicure is always the way to go. Even the super trendy Heidi Montag of “The Hills” sported a French manicure for the 2008 MTV Movie awards.
“I get the French manicure every time,” said one of Cousineau’s customer’s. “It’s just easy and goes with everything.”
If your natural nails need a boost, consider trying gels or acrylics.
Both cost about $30 and up, depending on where you go for the application. In addition, both need upkeep. “If you do opt for either treatment, it’s important to always let your nails breathe,” said Rosa. “Make sure to take them off and have your nails exposed for a few months every once in a while.”
Focus on feet
Don’t forget your feet. And a little foot indulgence never hurt anyone. “Making time for yourself is important,” says Chanson. “When you pamper yourself, you are happy, and that happiness rubs off on others. It’s good for your spirit and soul.”
But it’s not all about luxury for feet either. “I would say that dryness is a problem I’ve suffered with for years,” says Lindsey Shaw of Leominster. “Dry heels, in particular.” To remedy this common issue, it’s important to moisturize. “I would recommend one of two solutions,” said Rosa. “You can exfoliate to slough away dead skin cells and then moisturize. Or, if you can, get a foot masque, either at home or with a pedicure at a salon. The masque will both exfoliate the skin and moisturize it all at once, leaving the feet soft.”
Nails go green
The green movement is red hot this summer. Many companies are creating Earth-friendly lotions and scrubs. Eco-minded companies, such as Collective Wellbeing, an organic skin care line, have created a way to give back through their CollectiveCare initiative. The program gives customers the power to direct where a portion of proceeds from their purchases will go by allowing them to nominate and vote for nonprofits on its Web site. Also, make sure your nail products are animal friendly. “Aveda is a great green line,” said Rosa. “They use all natural ingredients and don’t test on any animals.”
While cost was definitely a driving factor, ambience and the quality of the spa treatments, activities, and food were also considered in compiling this selection. They’re arranged according to price, from least to most expensive — with a cap of $3,000 for a weeklong stay. (And just in case you can’t quite carve out a full week away, the nightly rates are listed, as well.) Read on to find out where to get the most bang for your buck.
I found this hot springs spa years ago when a friend of mine, living in Taos at the time, insisted I visit. We spent the afternoon (a day pass is $16) lounging in mineral pools containing arsenic (good for skin conditions and arthritis) and lithium (aids digestion and eases depression), sipping spring water, and spreading mud on our bodies then drying in the sun. It was blissful. In addition to 10 mineral pools, the 1,100-acre property has a historic hotel, a restaurant, and a full-fl edged spa. (Massages begin at $80 for 50 minutes and must be booked in advance.)
PRICE: From $109 per night; seven-night stays from $783.
The Native Americans were the first to enjoy these sacred waters, followed by the Spaniards, and by the 1890s the place had mushroomed into a health haven. Today, guests book into local hotels (accommodations are not available on-site) and then head to Glen Ivy’s spa playground (day admission is $35 on weekdays, $48 on weekends). A selection of soak-supplementing options are available: the legendary Glen Ivy Club Mud, where you can cover yourself in red clay (great for drawing impurities out of the pores and tightening the skin); a grotto for slathering on a hydrating body masque ($25); a wide variety of massages and facials (from $125); and a café serving tasty, healthy dishes made with local ingredients.
PRICE: Area hotels from $124 per night; packages that include seven days admission to Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa and seven nights accommodations from $892.
When it comes to yoga, there are few, if any, retreat centers in the U.S. that can boast more offerings and renowned instructors than the Kripalu Center. (Each year, Kripalu’s 700 yogacentric programs attract more than 28,000 participants.) Its location — 150 wooded acres with a private lake and miles of trails — provides the ultimate setting for peaceful walks and meditative contemplation between yoga sessions, which are held three times a day: early morning, midday, and late afternoon. In between, there’s hiking and canoeing as well as workshops on topics like nutrition and creative writing. Ayurveda, India’s ancient science of holistic medicine, is practiced here and incorporated into everything from daily rituals (awaken before sunrise and give thanks before bed, for example) to therapeutic treatments like massage, nasal cleansing, and herbal detoxification sessions (spa treatments from $35).
PRICE: Dormitory accommodations from $155 per night (twonight minimum); seven-night stays from $1,106.
Founded by legendary fitness buff Sheila Cluff, who still personally leads some of the activities and classes, The Oaks at Ojai celebrated its 30th birthday in 2007. Not surprisingly, there’s a cornucopia of get-in-shape classes, from aqua aerobics to core conditioning with hula hoops to belly dancing. New mission-style spa suites featuring hand-carved headboards and spacious jet tubs in the bathrooms add a feeling of luxury, and select spa treatments benefit from local ingredients, such as the Ojai Olive Oil Body Souffl é ($125, 75 minutes) that uses oil pressed from olives gathered in nearby groves. But it’s the 1,000-calorie-a-day spa cuisine that attracts the majority of guests — many who come with a holy grail weight-loss spa focus. Hikes and walks are popular, too — not to mention gorgeous — amid flowering citrus trees, lavender, and aloe.
PRICE: From $185 per night; seven-night stays from $1,295.
Just two hours from Manhattan in the Catskill Mountains, New Age Health Spa sits on 280 wooded acres combining lovely nature trails with spiritual, New Agey offerings like tarot card readings and a plethora of yoga, tai chi, and meditation classes. Native American rituals are the highlight of the spa menu: Try the Native Sun Purification ($95, 50 minutes), a spa hair treatment using traditional herbs grown in the spa’s greenhouse, or the complimentary Sweat Lodge Ceremony that is offered from April to November on the Saturday evening closest to the full moon.
PRICE: From $209 per night (two-night minimum); sevennight stays from $1,589.
PRICE: From $130 per night; six-night Detox Program from $1,699.
This intimate destination spa — just 17 rooms — offers an old-Europe feel. Think gilded frames, marble, and wingback chairs. Hiking is the big draw, particularly in autumn’s glorious foliage, but yoga, meditation, and spa treatments (from $60) are popular, as well. Rooms are cozy, and afternoon tea is served daily in front of a fireplace — or on a wraparound deck with Adirondack chairs during the warmer months. The cuisine excludes red meat and instead features local ingredients like free-range chicken, cheese, and seasonal produce.
PRICE: From $325 per night (two-night minimum); seven-night stays from $2,240.
The luscious fig is surely the most sensual of fruits
A symbol of fertility in many cultures, the fig has long been revered as an aphrodisiac. The ancient Greeks believed figs were a gift from Dionysus, aka Bacchusthe god of wine, wanton behavior, intoxication, and ecstasyand sacred to Demeter, goddess of the harvest and fertile soil. Figs are believed to have been the favorite fruit of Cleopatra, and they reputedly played a crucial role in her suicide; having decided to take her life in 30 B.C.E. after Mark Antonys defeat and death, Cleopatra asked that an asp be delivered to her, concealed in a basket of figs.
Fig is the first and most mentioned fruit in the Bible, making its entrance in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve cover themselves with fig leaves. Some scholars claim that a fig, not an apple, was the unspecified forbidden fruit. The figs healing properties are referenced in the Bible, when Isaiah recommends a poultice made of figs to cure a boil.
The fig is native to Turkey, which remains the largest producer of the fruit, followed by California. The fruit is actually a flower inverted upon itself, and the trees are relatively short, about twenty-feet-high. Fig trees are extremely prolific; they usually produce two crops per year, and some bear fruit for up to 100 yearsone of the reasons the fruit symbolizes fertility as well as longevity.
It was one of these impressive trees, growing behind her Atlanta shop, that inspired Jill Jones to add a Cranberry Fig collection to her Bidwell Botanicals line about five years ago. Her research into the figs beneficial properties proved fruitful. Figs have been used both topically and as a diet supplement for ages due to their high vitamin content, explains Jones. Figs also have natural AHA properties that were used as far back as ancient Egypt to help refresh and brighten the skin. What they probably didnt know, scientifically anyway, was that fig fruit contains very high levels of phytochemicals that help fight cancer andfilter UV rays, thus protecting the skin. Jones intended Bidwells Cranberry Fig collection to be a seasonal offering, but her customers changed her plans: We brought it out for the holidays then tried to shelve it, but it was really popularpeople were up in arms!
Indeed, figs seem to fuel a fetish following. Californian Brook Harvey-Taylor, founder of Pacifica, says she was inspired to create her Mediterranean Fig Soap and Body Butter when she first tasted the fruit of a fig tree flourishing next door to her beachfront home about seven years ago. Once I finally ate a fresh one, I was hooked, she rhapsodizes. She also fell for the fruits intoxicating aroma. The scent of figs is said to be calming, she notes. I cant think of anything better for skincare than taking time to relax and get rid of stress. The ability to really do this is what leads to long-term health and beauty.
Yet, its not just the fragrance that fosters fig fans. Lynn Shulman, founder of Torontos Elixir Spa, uses 100 percent organic fig extract in her most popular treatment, the Exfoliating Fig Enzyme Facial. The reason I chose fig is because ficin [also known as ficain], the enzyme in figs, is twenty times more powerful than papain (papaya enzyme). It does a fantastic job of exfoliating the skin without irritation. Skincare leader Dermalogica is also using fig for ficins exfoliating properties; its Exfoliating Body Scrub includes powder from the fruit and the trees latex (a milky sap), which has a higher concentration of the enzyme.
Los Angeles dermatologist Vicki Rappaport cant verify the higher potency of ficin: Papain and ficin come from the same family of cysteine proteases. If ficin is stronger, its still weaker than most known exfoliators in skincare. Noting the perpetual search for the latest, hottest, natural ingredient, she says, Fig as an ingredient is somewhat untapped but emerging as the sexy new kid on the block. Figs are rich in oils in both the skin and the seeds and they have some mild antioxidant properties, which of course helps reverse damage in the skin. And, most of all, fig as an ingredient usually smells luscious.
That luscious smell was apparent when I recently previewed the new Cranberry Fig Conditioning Body Scrub at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts. We were tired of the traditional lavender- and citrus-type scrubs, explains Spa Director Colleen Stiers of her decision to introduce this treatment. I was looking for something different but still effective. After doing some research we found the fig was Cleopatras favorite fruit and has been used for over 2,000 years for its health and skincare benefits. This antioxidant-rich fruit revitalizes the skin by fighting the damaging effects of the sun and environment. The treatment begins with a full-body exfoliation using Bidwells creamy Cranberry Fig Shea Butter Sugar Body Scrub, which is removed with warm towels, and continues with a relaxing soak in a hydrotherapy tub, followed by a light application of cranberry fig moisturizer. The rich fragrance turned headseveryone I passed wanted to know what smelled so goodbut better than that was the long-lasting benefit of moist and smooth skin.
While the Mediterranean pairing of fig and olive is prevalentas in fig soaps from Israel-based Noveya and Australias Mor Cosmetics cranberry is another popular partner. Unlike Joness experience at Bidwell, Bella Lucce founder Lela Rain Barker hasnt been swayed by customer demand; spas offer her Cranberry Fig Antioxidant Wrap only as a holiday-season special. That wont be the case at a new spa concept she is helping develop for Marriott properties in the Middle East, North Africa, and India. Sarray Spa, the first of which will debut at the new Marriott resort in Doha late this year, will offer treatments full of fig extract, fig powder, and fig concentrate. We chose figs as a key ingredient primarily because of their importance in Arabic culture, says Barker, noting that her new fig formulations will be available in the United States only via internet sale.
Courtesy of Brook Harvey-Taylor, co-founder, Pacifica
This (facial mask) recipe is very Santa Barbarathe lavender, figs, and avocado are all very important here. At the farmers market, all of these ingredients are available almost all year.
Ingredients
1ripe fig, peeled
1tbs. honey, preferably local and organic
1tsp. avocado oil
a few drops of lavender essential oil
Preparation
Puree ingredients together and apply to face for at least 10 minutes. This will be sticky but well worth the results. Honey provides moisture and acts as a carrier for the nutrients in the fig. Avocado oil is full of skin-loving essential fatty acids. The fig will also act as a very mild AHA and will leave your skin smooth.
just calm down spas At-Home Fig Scrub
Courtesy of Tara Oolie, founder, just calm down spa
This facial scrub can also be used on the body if you increase the amounts of the ingredients, retaining the same proportions.
Ingredients
1cup brown sugar
1/8cup olive oil
1/4cup finely chopped figs
1/8cup oatmeal
1oz. vanilla extract
Preparation
Mix ingredients together, then massage onto skin for a few minutes. Rinse thoroughly
