Spa Maven via flickr.comWhat is vinotherapy?
Vinotherapy is an emerging spa trend where the residue of winemaking, the pips and pulp, are rubbed into the skin. This process is said to have excellent exfoliating qualities and helps reduce the problems associated with aging. Need I say more?
The origins of vinotherapy can be traced back to France in the early 1970s when a pharmacologist named Joseph Vercauteron revealed that grapes were a great source of polyphenols and provided beneficial and positive effects on our skin.
What makes grapes or wine so beneficial for skin health?
Vinotherapy has been shown to stimulate collagen synthesis while supporting capillary health and accelerating new cell growth. Using the wine by-products also soothes and promotes anti-inflammation of the skin.
One spa that offers vinotherapy, Waterstone Spa in Oregon, states that “polyphenols are 10,000 times stronger than vitamin E and 50 times more effective. They can reduce 80 percent of the free radicals which are responsible for wrinkles and skin aging and can improve circulation by strengthening blood vessels. There are also antibacterial and antiseptic benefits.”
So...where are the vinotherapy spa treatments?
Located in the The Meritage Hotel in Napa Valley, Spa Terra boasts the first spa located in a wine cave. The spa’s signature two-hour package is the Solo Vino, which begins with an exfoliating grape seed scrub followed by a jet shower rinse and body wrap with wine cave mud. It ends with a 50 minute massage and fruit and cheese platter. Enjoy responsibly!
The Raindance Spa is located in The Lodge at Sonoma. They offer a Girlfriend Getaway spa package that uses a myriad of Sonoma Valley spa products, including grape seed body scrub, olive oil and lavender massage oils. They had me at lavender!
Located in Lodi, California, this spa is perfect for that romantic getaway with your significant other. They offer a romantic package for two that includes two glasses of the hotel’s private label wine. Private label wine. Private. Label. Wine.
