Education

With Father’s Day fast approaching, I started to reflect on how the perception of men experiencing spa treatments has changed.

Oddly enough, my introduction to skin care and massage therapy was through a man- my Dad!  I think he may have been an original metro-sexual.  Now, even that term seems tired and silly, as culturally we’ve come to embrace that health and wellness are not reserved for the realm of one gender, but for both men and women.

Vancouver is one of Canada’s most progressive and modern cities and as such, there’s an increasing demographic of men taking part in spa treatments and skin care.

This is in part due to marketers realizing that men want to take care if themselves and they want products and treatments that are aimed specifically at them. As a result there is now a huge variety of skin care products targeting men which have popped up in the last few years.

Following suit, spas are now tailoring their decor and even the activities they offer to men. One Vancouver spa touts a lounge where men can play x-box while they get their pedicure done. Here at Spruce Body Lab, our focus has always been on creating a gender neutral environment where both men and women can feel comfortable.

Some of the ways we approach this is with our decor, which is modern and minimalist. We also choose skin care products that don’t lend themselves to one specific gender. When we choose to carry a product line, the smell, look and feel of the product needs to be something that both a man and a woman would feel comforatable to have in their medicine cabinet. With our client base at a very nice balance of 50/50 men and women, we must be doing something right!

As far as treatments for men go, we offer massage therapy which is easily a favorite of our male clientele.  Waxing for the back and shoulders, as well as chest and stomach, has become very popular in the last few years. And skin care treatments amongst our male clientele has steadily increased as well.

With regards to skin care treatments, our Customized Spruce Facial is a client favorite. Each treatment is tailored to each person’s specific skin condition and concerns.  For men, we carry the Dermalogica Shave line of products which offers a skin care regime that makes shaving a breeze instead of a burden.

Whenever I’ve treated anyone, male or female who has never experienced a skin treatment- the end result is always the same- “Why haven’t I done this sooner?” I think that fear of the unknown or misconceptions about what it means to get a skin care treatment is what holds most people back. Once they’ve had the experience, it opens up a whole new world of self care.

The last frontier in popularity of treatments for men is the body treatment. A body treatment is something that even women have a hard time getting their heads around.  Body treatments are a combination of the relaxation of body massage, with the skin smoothing and nourishing benefits of a skin treatment.  Put in such simple terms- I don’t think it will be long before these treatments are a man-favorite too!

It’s nice to see that men like my Dad are no longer an anomaly and that the spa industry has responded in kind. Happy Father’s Day and here’s to evolved men!

Spruce Body Lab Father’s Day In Store Specials:

• 25% off Dermalogica Men’s Shave Kits until June 21st, 2009.
• Book in for Full Physical Package: 60 minute massage and Customized Men’s Facial with Complimentary Infrared Sauna $169 (savings of $50)

With the impending fall weather comes the desire to be warm- scarves mittens, wool sweaters and tea come to mind.  Here at the spa, Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy starts comes to the forefront as a way to warm up and relax.

There are many different styles and types of stone massage out there. In fact, the majority of Vancouver spas have this treatment on their menu if they offer massage therapy.  If you’ve never tried a stone massage it  may seem like a strange and foreign concept.  Are the stones rough?  How are they applied to the body without bumping into bones?

You can lay these fears to rest if you confirm that your therapist has the proper training. When you’re in the right hands a massage with the use of stones can be one the most relaxing and transcendental spa experiences you’ll ever have.

At Spruce we offer Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy. What makes this type of stone massage unique is that we use both hot and cold stones in our treatment. Now you may be thinking- cold stones aren’t relaxing.  In response to this I would ask the question: “Would you spend an hour or more in a sauna?” I’m going to assume that in the interests of your health, the answer is “no”. Having a stone massage with hot stones for an hour is the equivalent of spending too long in a sauna.

When we consider our body, it needs to maintain a regular temperature of 38.6 degrees celcsius. When we have a treatment with just hot stones, it brings our core temperature up and our body has to work hard to bring it back to homeostasis.  I’ve received hot stone massages myself and I had completely mistaken the groggy feeling I experienced post-treatment to be relaxation. In fact, my body was drained from trying to cool down.

The feeling I’ve experienced subsequently from a Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy treatment has no comparison.  I feel a deep sense of relaxation that last for days longer than what I get from a regular massage. After a Geo-Thermal Stone treatment, I feel so relaxed and serene that nothing seems to phase me.

What happens during a treatment?

Your therapist applies a warm oil to allow the hot basalt stones to glide smoothly over your skin.  Once your muscles have been warmed up with the stones, your therapist does some hands on work with either therapeutic or swedish techniques.  After this work has been done, cool marble stones are applied to areas of tension.  The different temperature works with your body’s circulation to flush out stagnant blood and muscle aches from lactic acid build up.

Experience a Treatment

If you’re a fan of stone massage but you’ve never experienced alternating temperatures- then I would highly recommend trying a Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy treatment. The cold stones are a bit of a shock initially, but they actually feel quite soothing and relaxing after a few seconds. The alternating temperatures not only support your body’s core temperature, but they have far more benefits for the health of your skin, muscles and connective tissue than heat on it’s own.  While all of that is going on inside, you’ll be revitalized and rested on the outside.

Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy Treatments
Massage Therapy Vancouver

Have you had a Geo-Thermal Stone Therapy Treatment?  Share your experience here!