Hidden Wonders - Timeless Beauty Secret

Dead Sea Secrets
A new rival of the classic Thai herbal steam is the rassoul steam bath, offered in some hotel spas in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, with custom-designed, domed rassoul steam chambers inspired by the traditional Turkish bath or hammam. In a traditional hammam, the steam is followed by a Turkish massage given on a heated communal marble slab. Genuine rassoul is an organic volcanic mud from the fertile valleys of Morocco, rich in minerals and nutrients like silicium, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium and sodium. It has been used for centuries as a cleansing treatment to detoxify the body, beautify the skin, and also as a remedy for rough skin, psoriasis and dandruff. A traditional practice was to add ground rose petals to perfume the mud. In some modern spa treatments, it can be mixed with seaweed for increased detoxifying effect. Dead Sea mud and Dead Sea salts are renowned for their rich nutrients and potent detoxifying properties, and are used in many body wraps and scrubs at various spas around the country.

Royal Indonesian Beauty Rituals
Javanese lulur has been practised in the palaces of central Java since the 17th century and was given to Javanese brides as a purifying daily ritual for 40 days prior to the marriage ceremony. The ritual was administered to the bride by the womenfolk in the family, during which time they would pass down their wisdom to help her in her new life. The lulur ritual began with a floral-scented oil massage, followed by an exfoliating lulur scrub made of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, and jasmine flowers to gently scent the skin. The body was then coated in a cooling yoghurt mask to wash off the lulur scrub while nourishing the skin. This was followed by a flower bath laced with jasmine, rose and frangipani petals. In modern spa treatments, the lulur is sometimes followed by an application of moisturizer or a hair treatment. It is one of the most luxurious pampering spa treatments and is available in most the top luxury spas around Thailand.

In Thailand, spa-goers can experience Tibetan hot stone massage, Chinese abdominal massage, Indian Ayurvedic oil massage, Japanese shiatsu, and many more — sometimes within the same spa. At the core of their appeal, these treatments draw from ancient holistic medicine traditions that have been practiced and venerated for centuries for their real healing benefits — hence the fabulous relaxing and rejuvenating benefits that make the treatments so effective.

From beautifying to healing, to simple feel-good pampering, the myriad spa offerings in Thailand can leave a visitor trying a new and exotic treatment every day for weeks without repeating the same treatment twice — and then coming back for more.