Before a butterfly breathes its first breath, it is incubated in a cocoon full of silk and nutritious blends of earth’s organic ingredients. What once began as a mere caterpillar, captured in the hands of nature, wrapped tightly in a cocoon of mother earth’s essences, transforms in time to a miraculous, effervescent, polychromatic butterfly. Your client’s body and skin, when treated with the right kind of earth’s cryptic love of ingredients, can transform from the most lackluster of beings to an incandescent individual. These naturistic transformations exist in today’s spa industry known as wraps. Here is a list of 10 things every skin care professional should know about wraps.
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You say wraps, I say cocoon. There is no difference of terminology when you are creating a new treatment. The terms are interchangeable; it can be called a wrap or a cocoon.
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Body wraps first originated in ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome. Wraps were used for medicinal purposes to help heal the body of any ailments. They were introduced in the United States as a luxurious service to be used a la carte, sequential to other body treatments such as massages and facials.
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When considering wrap treatments, there are many options. The three most common wraps are detoxifying, hydrating and cellulite. A detoxifying wrap usually involves ingredients that are herbal or clay based. Hydrating wraps will have more of the antioxidant rich properties. Whereas cellulite wraps consist of stimulating properties such as niacin, cinnamon, peppermint, et cetera.
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When a wrap is applied, the body is tightly cocooned with typically only the client’s head being exposed. Subsequently, people who have the tendency to experience anxiety due to being in tight quarters could experience a claustrophobic episode. To avoid these types of situations, make sure to fully disclose the details about the treatment to your clients while they are booking the treatment. That way, should an issue arise, you will be able to accommodate the client’s needs appropriately, also making sure the client understands that the adjustments made could alter the full wrap experience. Keep in mind that there are other treatments available that may be better suited to fit your client’s needs and most importantly, make them feel comfortable.
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There are many wonderful benefits to receiving a wrap. It helps to increase circulation, assists with acute lymphatic drainage, softens the underlying skin tissue (which we refer to as cellulite), and/or helps to tighten the skin.
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It is common for a client to react to a wrap. Each body is different due to genetics, diet and daily activity. The application of a wrap may contribute to a systematic response that might cause a burning or itching sensation. As a skin care professional, it is imperative that you make all of your clients aware of this possibility. Therefore, if a reaction does occur, your client will be prepared and they will immediately contact you so that steps can be taken to counteract the treatment.
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Wraps are best applied when the skin has been exfoliated and is hydrated. Prior to receiving a wrap, the client’s skin should be exfoliated with a scrub or a loofah. In addition, make sure your client has consumed plenty of water throughout the day. Water not only hydrates but purifies the body of toxins that will be released during the wrap treatment.
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If a person does not like being hot, then they will not like getting a wrap. The whole purpose of a wrap is to encompass the body in a tight, heating blanket for no less than 10 minutes and sometimes up to 40 minutes. The products applied to the body need an adequate amount of time to incubate on the skin in order to fully provide the best treatment necessary for your clients’ desired results.
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Shaving leaves skin vulnerable and extremely sensitive. As a result, make sure clients know to not shave the day of a wrap because it may cause a reaction on their skin, as well as discomfort.
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Consuming alcohol prior to a wrap treatment is not recommended as it may cause nausea or other adverse reactions. In addition, pregnant women and those in the care of a physician should seek a doctor’s approval before receiving a wrap.
Just like a caterpillar basks in its cocoon and then emerges as a butterfly, your clients should expect to feel rejuvenated from their wrap treatment when leaving the spa.
Amra Lear is a licensed massage therapist and aesthetician. She has been working in the spa industry for 16 years, working for two of the most prestigious spas in the world. Her clientele consists of stars, moguls and people alike. She has been trained by Japanese shiatsu masters and the founders who pioneered such wonderful modalities such as ashiatsu, mother massage and lulur. Skin is her ultimate passion to which she has been dedicating the last six years to research and education of biochemistry to better understand the biochemical response to products used on the skin. Lear has two children that are truly the apple of her eye and keep her busy and joyous with their kindred spirits.