Detox and Mineral Body Wraps

Detox wraps use a variety of products such as algae, seaweed, mud, clay, or gel to help rid the body of toxins. When the product is applied to the body, it's called a body mask. After the product is applied, you are wrapped in plastic and covered with a blanket for about 20 minutes. These products work by stimulating your circulation, drawing out impurities, and giving your body minerals it might be missing. Afterward, the body mask is washed off and the esthetician will apply lotion (though not through a massage).

Save the full-body wrap for when you are really making changes in your diet and trying to reduce your toxic load. These clays, muds, and seaweeds may be natural, but they are effective—and expensive. Don't have a detox wrap and then go indulge in a T-bone steak and drink four martinis. It will make you feel worse rather than better, and you will have wasted your money.

Hydrating Body Wraps

Hydrating body wraps use creams and gels to soften, soothe, and hydrate the skin. Again, it's important to get a body scrub beforehand so the rich cream doesn't sit on the outermost dead skin cells. Usually, the spa will use a super-luxurious body cream from its line. Generally, with a hydrating wrap, the therapist just massages in the body cream. You don't want to wash it off.

Hydrating wraps are great for the middle of the winter when your skin is dry and flaky. It's time to exfoliate and hydrate. Aloe vera wraps (popular in the Caribbean) can also help your skin recover from too much time in the sun.

Slimming Wraps

Slimming wraps are a labor-intensive specialty that isn't found everywhere. Suddenly Slimmer in Phoenix is one spa that specializes in them, hence the name. For a slimming wrap, each limb is tightly wrapped in Ace bandages that have been soaked in a high-concentration mineral solution to detox and remineralize the body. You look a little bit like the mummy once you're wrapped. You can walk around, exercise (Suddenly Slimmer recommends this), or spend some time in an infra-red spa. You are measured before and after so you can tell how many inches you lost. 

 

The effect is temporary, but it's good if you want to look fantastic for a wedding, for example. And if you get them once or twice a week, the effect is longer lasting.

What Happens During a Body Wrap?

A body wrap should begin with exfoliation, and a salt scrub or body polish is much superior to dry brushing. You lie down on whatever you will eventually be wrapped in—often plastic or mylar, but sometimes towels or sheets.