Maybe our Outside the Old House Front Door blog should be renamed “Inside” the Old House Front Door, because this adventure doesn’t require you to leave the Hotel at all. It starts “inside” at Ohspa, with my first and completely rejuvinating experience with Glacial Bay organic clay.
I am no stranger to body wraps of medicinal earth. The Dead Sea salt and mud in Israel were unusual, if not a little painful. The mud used in a five-star spa in the hills of New Mexico did have a wonderful cleansing effect, though I never should have booked the service with a friend. The sight of her wrapped in plastic with cucumber eyes sent me into hysterics. The clay another friend and I dragged from the riverbanks was really not good for body treatments, or for sculpting as it turns out! The list goes on.
Recently, however, I was intrigued by several conversations I had with people who had used a bit of the glacial marine clay. Their stories suggested that just a small amount yields a healing blow to shingles, acne, eczema and cuts. So, I booked a Glacial Clay Body Wrap with an open mind and quiet expectations. Long story short, I walked out feeling light, cleansed, and in a great mental and physical flow. And, rather than have the euphoric feeling slowly fade, it got stronger as the day went on.
The body-wrap process is unlike any other I’ve had. The use of minimal plastic and several blankets does not feel restrictive but rather like being wrapped in a huge hug. While letting the clay work its magic, a foot and head massage plunged me deeper into complete relaxation. (Thanks Jessie!) Washing off the clay in a steamy shower and with a larger-than-life cloth is half the fun! Or on second thought, maybe climbing back into the nest of blankets for an Eminence lotion treatment is even better.
You might ask, “What makes this hand-harvested clay so special?” This requires wearing your science hat for just a moment. As rare deposits of glacial clay travel down river to settle in estuaries along the coastal region of British Columbia, minerals are energized through hydrolysis. This creates a negative charge to which positively charged bacteria is attracted, making it ideal for deep cleansing and detoxification. And this is just scratching the surface of all its properties. As one concerned about protecting our beautiful marine environment, I wondered, “Can I feel good about using the product?” Turns out the answer is “Yes!” The company has self-imposed yearly harvestable quotas that do not exceed the natural replenishment rate. You can find out more about their practices here.
Right now, Ohspa is the only spa on the Island carrying this amazing product which gets magnified tenfold by the entire body wrap process. I never thought I’d like anything more than the Ohspa customized Eminence facial, but I have to say, I met its match! If you think you’re in for a little body mask, guess again, the Glacial Marine Clay Body Wrap is a total health and well-being escape. As for my own personal testimonial, just a small amount of this clay put on a skin tear and one blemish overnight results in remarkable healing the next day.