Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/430862
High-quality chocolate is made by combining both cocoa butter and cocoa solids with other ingredients like milk, sugar, and vanilla. Most American candy bars use cheap, lower-quality chocolate that doesn't contain cocoa butter. Instead, manufacturers mix cocoa powder with vegetable oil and bind it all together with emulsifi ers (typically soy lecithin and polyglycerol polyricinoleate, made from castor beans). For your chocolate-themed spa treatments, you can include cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and/or ready-made chocolate as ingredients. The Chocolate Spa Experience Whether it's in a mask, a scrub, a mineral footbath, or a fl avorful hot drink, chocolate does a body good—inside and out. Even the scent of chocolate has been shown to release serotonin and dopamine, helping relax the nervous system. When it comes to skin treatments, the fl avanols (antioxidants) in cocoa powder make it an excellent antiaging and anti-infl ammatory agent. Add cocoa powder anywhere you want to reduce swelling, rejuvenate appearance, promote healing, stimulate circulation, or enhance the effects of other treatments. For massage and body treatments, cocoa butter is beloved for its soothing and healing properties. Offering guests a beverage or snack before or after a treatment can be a simple step to generating repeat business—make it chocolate and they will fall in love with you! Jessica Wu, MD, dermatologist to the stars and author of Feed Your Face (St. Martin's Griffi n, 2011), recommends chocolate-covered roasted almonds for a nutritious snack that tastes amazing, fi ghts disease, and may even deter gray hair. Try the recipe for Chocolate Chai Sip (page 15) as a simple but deeply satisfying treat to offer your clients. Let's look at how two spas have successfully incorporated chocolate into their services. THE SPA AT CANYON OAKS The Spa at Canyon Oaks in Waco, Texas, offers several spa packages with edible themes. Their Ultimate Chocolate Indulgence package includes a 60-minute aromatherapy massage, a facial, a slimming body wrap, a manicure and pedicure (both including a chocolate buttercream massage), and lunch. "Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, which awaken the cells so skin can take in more nutrients," says spa owner Destiny Williams. "We use the Farmhouse Fresh product line. Our clients love that they can enjoy chocolate, even if they're on a diet!" Williams warns that if you want to provide real results, as well as a luxury experience, more cocoa is what you need. "Be careful when you're beginning to incorporate chocolate into your services—stay away from artifi cial ingredients and watch the cocoa content. Without actual cocoa, it may smell like chocolate, but it won't do you any good." THE SPA AT THE HERSHEY HOTEL Who can think about chocolate without mentioning Hershey? The Spa at the Hershey Hotel in Hershey, Pennsylvania, has six packages with a chocolate theme, ranging from a couple of hours to a full day of chocolate indulgence. Decadent treatment names like Fondue Chocolate Wrap and Whipped Cocoa Bath paint a vivid picture—you can practically smell it. This stimulating, hydrating mask opens pores and rejuvenates skin. It's safe to eat if it gets in the client's mouth by accident—or on purpose—and it tastes fantastic! 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 2 tablespoons plain yogurt 1 teaspoon honey Make a paste of all the ingredients and spread it on as a mask after cleansing. Avoid the eyes. After 10 minutes, remove with a warm, damp towel. 13 Swee t C o coa F a ce Mask