Summer is coming, which means we can no longer hide under our tights and boots, warm scarves and mittens, and comfy oversized sweaters. Soon the sunshine will be beating down and it will be time to shed those layers (I'm not talking about your clothes).
The first time I went to a Korean Spa was an experience to remember (burned in the back of my brain perhaps). I had been to countless spas all over the world, and was not expecting anything different from the norm. I checked in at the reception area and a lady walked me to the locker room. I opened my locker and thought, "the locker-robe-filler person must have skipped my locker." As I walked back to reception to let them know, I realized everyone was walking around in their birthday suits. I turned back around, grabbed a towel, and decided to use that as my robe. I waited in the locker room until it was time for my scrub, as soaking in a jacuzzi with ten other naked ladies did not seem appealing to me (call me crazy!). Trying to make myself look inconspicuous, I grabbed a magazine and pretended to read it. Then she saw me. She saw my makeshift towel robe. She saw the upside-down magazine I was 'reading.' The locker room attendee said, "you have half an hour before your scrub! You need to soak! Go! Go! Go!" And she snatched my "robe" while shoving me through the double doors toward the jacuzzi. Time stopped. Everyone stared. Yay for being inconspicuous.
I found the least visible shower stall to hide in and waited there for what seemed like eternity until my scrub time. Again, I was a bit surprised to see that the scrub would be done in a community treatment room. All of the scrub-bees were butt naked on their tables. All of the scrub-bers (who reminded me of my aunties) were wearing black lacy bras and black lacy grandma panties (except my aunties don't walk around wearing that). Definitely different. The treatment was a bit painful and I watched as dead skin pilled up on my table. I know. So gross. But I was glad that it was on the table and no longer on me. Afterward, my skin was the SOFTEST it had ever been since I was a wee little baby.
Korean spas are now my favorite. I try to go a few times a year, but it does require mental preparation for me as that first time was quite traumatizing. If you aren't able to go (maybe I scared you or maybe you don't live near one), try giving yourself a scrub at home!
Here's how:
1. Soak in the tub (or stand under a hot shower) for at least 15 minutes to soften your skin. (My Korean sister in law, who is an expert on this, says not to soap up before the scrub).
2.Use this Korean Scrubbing Glove to scrub scrub scrub your body with all your might. I wouldn't recommend using it on your face (ouch), but I do have friends who gently exfoliate their faces with it.
3. Rub a sugar scrub all over your body and rinse. Try our Capri sugar scrub (pure canes sugar + organic virgin coconut oil). It smells so good, you'll want to eat it (but please don't).
4. Continue with your bath/shower
5. Moisturize. A super easy recipe for coconut whip is coming soon, but try my go-to body lotion: Countermatch Adaptive Body Lotion.
Say 'hello' to soft skin!
