Treatments featured in the segment:
Sand Hill Espresso Scrub
A skin-softening body scrub made from coffee grounds and aromatic plant essences is a traditional treatment that's used in Thai and Balinese spas, and it's a luxurious way to start the day.This recipe couples a rich, smoky coffee aroma with the sweet scent of peppermint -- known in Aromatherapy for its mentally stimulating, energizing properties. Thanks to raw sugar crystals and olive oil, which exfoliate and moisturize, your body gets a pick-me-up, too. It makes enough for two to three applications.
Tools and Materials
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup pure Turbinado sugar (also known as turbinated sugar, is made from sugar cane extract. It is produced by crushing freshly cut sugar cane; the juice obtained is evaporated by heat, then crystallized.
The crystals are spun in a centrifuge, or turbine (thus the name), to remove excess moisture, resulting in the characteristic large, light brown crystals.)
- 15 drops peppermint essential oil (Mentha Piperita)
- 1/2 cup used coffee grounds from a freshly brewed pot
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; using a fork, thoroughly blend. Transfer the scrub to a wide mouthed jar, and store in a cool place until ready to use. The scrub will keep for one to two weeks, longer if refrigerated.
- While showering, apply handfuls of the coffee scrub to wet skin in circular motions, starting at the feet and working up. The scrub contains oil, so it's best to do this over a rubber mat to avoid slipping. Pay particular attention to rough spots such as heels, ankles, knees, and elbows.
- After scrubbing, cleanse skin as usual using a mild natural soap or body wash. Pat skin dry with a fluffy towel, and follow with lotion to seal in the moisture.
- Olive Oil & Vanilla Extract - any grocery store
- Pure Turbinado Sugar - any grocery store
- Pure Aromatherapy Oil - $22 for 10ml at www.taraspa.com
- Used Coffee Grounds - from your coffee maker
Milk, which contains natural beta Hydroxy Acids, not only exfoliates old skin, it also soothes it. It's a natural way to eliminate old skin. Milk conditions skin so it is soft and glowing, not flaky.Rice or goat's milk and honey bath is a long-time favorite and the benefits to hair are many: Hair has scales on the cuticle that make it look dull.
Milk proteins close the cuticle to give it shine. Rice milk is fortified with nourishing calcium and vitamins A, D and E; bran is a gentle skin softener and polisher; honey is a natural antiseptic and holds moisture to the skin. Rice milk is an indulgent base for a tranquil bath, and soy milk is renowned for its strengthening proteins and amino acids, acting as a skin hydrator and promoting healthy new cells.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice Milk
- 2 teaspoons Honey
- 1 tablespoon Rice Bran
- 1 tablespoon rice bran oil (or any cold-pressed vegetable oil)
- Place in blender and process until smooth 1 cup rice milk, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 tablespoon rice bran, 1 tablespoon rice bran oil (or any cold-pressed vegetable oil).
- Add to warm bathwater.
- Rice Milk - any grocery store
- Honey - any grocery store
- Rice Bran - any grocery store
- Rice Bran Oil (or any cold-pressed vegetable oil) - any grocery store
Shea butter is extracted from the seeds of Karite Nut tree or Mangifolia tree, which is found in West and Central Africa. Like the other whipped body butters, Shea butter lotion also stimulates the skin and boosts its moisture level.
Shea butter is one of nature's greatest moisturizers and has a vast number of proven healing properties. The high levels of vegetable fats found in Shea butter contribute to its ability to heal burns and wounds and to promote cell regeneration and capillary circulation. It is commonly used in the treatment of eczema rashes and severely dry skin.
It also contains cinnamic acid, which provides natural protection against the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays. The daily use of shea butter on the body and face reduces sun exposure, which can delay the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and help prevent skin cancer. It also acts as a natural barrier against the elements of cigarette smoke, and harmful chemical pollutants and smog in the atmosphere.
It makes for a great skin moisturizer and also provides partial protection from the harmful ultra violet rays of sun. Body butters can be made from many types of butters, Shea butter, cocoa butter, aloe butter and mango butter to name a few. You can also use different kinds of liquid oils also, from Olive Oil, Almond Oil, Avocado Oil, etc.
Tools and Materials
- 1 and 1/3 Cups of Shea Butter
- ½ Cup Coconut or Olive Oil
- 1 tsp. Of Vitamin E Oil
- 10 drops Any Essential Oil
- Double Boiler
- Combine Shea Butter in a double boiler and heat until it melts into liquid form and then add in the olive oil.
- Mix well, and then add the Vitamin E oil & the essential oils of your choice.
- Let the mixture then sit and cool for about 30 minutes. Do not let it set fully back up because you will want to use a stick blender to whip the mixture until its very light in texture. It will give off a "mousse" like consistency.
- At this point you are going to add in the Vitamin E and the Fragrance Oil and fold it into the cream.
When you have reached the desired consistency you can spoon your finished product into any air tight container. Put your own label on it and gift it to you friends & family.
- Shea Butter - $9 for 4oz - any grocery store
- Coconut or Olive Oil - any grocery store
- Vitamin E Oil - any grocery store
- Pure Aromatherapy Oil - $22 for 10ml
The outer layer of the hair, the cuticle, covers the hair shaft and protects it like the bark on a tree. The cuticle is made of overlapping layers of long scales that lie along the surface of the hair like shingles on a roof.
It is the condition of the cuticle scales that determines whether you are going to have a bad hair day. When the cuticle is in good shape, is unbroken, and lies flat, your hair has a smooth appearance. When the layers of the cuticle are tightly knit together, the light is able to reflect off the cuticle and this is what makes hair shine.
The cuticle opens when we shampoo our hair. When the cuticle layers are open and not knit together, the hair will feel rough, coarse and brittle. The hair will absorb the light rather than reflect it, which gives the appearance of dull and lifeless hair.
Vinegar removes build-up and residue from hair shafts and closes the cuticles. Since residue coats the hair causing it to look dull, removing residue gives your hair more shine and body.
By closing the cuticles, the hair slides more easily and there will be fewer tangles. Vinegar has tonic like properties that promote increased blood circulation in the small capillaries that irrigate the skin. This is the perfect treatment before that holiday party or special event.
Tools and Materials
- ½ Cup White Distilled Vinegar
- ½ Cup Water
- Combine equal parts White Distilled Vinegar with equal parts Water.
- After shampoo and conditioning hair, rinse with mixture.
- White Distilled Vinegar - any grocery store
- Water - from the Tap
2895 Sand Hill Road
Menlo Park, CA
Phone: (650) 561-1580
Website: www.rosewoodsandhill.com
About Sense: Sense, A Rosewood Spa at the new Rosewood Sand Hill hotel in Menlo Park is a serene 17,000-square-foot spa offers an array of personalized services and revitalizing treatments that incorporate natural elements from the area.
The spa features 13 treatment rooms, a state-of-the-art fitness center, movement studio, Alex Chases Salon, courtyard relaxation lounge, Spa Café, and spa boutique.Treatment rooms overlook an enclosed garden and are adorned with soothing apricot wall coverings, woven raffia ceilings and warm walnut floors.
In addition to the multifunctional treatment rooms, the Duet Suites, and a Vichy Shower treatment room are designed to accommodate the Sense signature rituals.
The expansive Duet Suite allows for multiple treatments in one room and features a deep soaking tub for two, a revitalizing Swiss Shower with eight shower heads, private restroom, cozy relaxation area, and a private outdoor courtyard, complete with a private whirlpool.
About Rosewood Sand Hill: Nestled amid 16 acres, Rosewood Sand Hill melds the relaxed style and beauty of California Ranch architecture with fragrant gardens and stunning views of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Whether relaxing in the spacious guestrooms, indulging at Sense spa, or enjoying Madera's delicious offerings inspired by the freshest local ingredients, guests will experience unparalleled attention to detail and impeccable service at this urban oasis.
Rosewood Sand Hill's luxurious accommodations feature 123 elegantly appointed guest rooms, including 31 suites ranging in size from 527 square feet for the deluxe guestroom to 2,372 square feet for the two-bedroom Presidential Villa.
All guestrooms and suites offer private balconies or terraces with views of landscaped courtyard gardens, the swimming pool or the Santa Cruz Mountains.
For more information, visit www.rosewoodsandhill.com
About Melissa McMahon:
She brings an impressive background in the luxury spa and wellness industries to her role as Spa Director of Sense, A Rosewood Spa at Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, part of the distinctive Rosewood Hotels & Resorts collection of properties.
She most recently managed The Spa at Stowe Mountain Lodge® the preeminent, luxury mountain resort nestled in the green mountains of Vermont. McMahon's fascination with alternative therapies and wellness began when her sister became a two-time Olympic Luger. Initially broadening her interest in the health and wellness industry to include massage therapy, McMahon next became a certified esthetician.
She continued advancing her education by pursuing a STOTT PILATES instructorship, gaining experience as the studio director and master trainer at The Studio in Boston and as business manager and senior muscular/sports therapist at the Muscular & Sports Therapy Center in Marblehead, Massachusetts. At Rosewood Sand Hill, she oversees the 17,000-square-foot Sense Spa's daily operation as well as manage the spa's inspired treatment menu.
Her personal and professional goals are to ensure that each guest has a memorable experience, and to fulfill the spa's mission of creating treatments that incorporate indigenous elements from the coastal forests of Northern California and that honor local healing traditions. McMahon currently resides in Menlo Park, only minutes from Stanford University, her father's alma mater.
In her free time, McMahon pursues activities that reflect her love of the outdoors as well as her fondness for Codie, her 10-year-old yellow Labrador retriever.
