TIP TOE INTO SANDAL SEASON WITH A SPA EXPERIENCE AND PUT YOUR BEST BARE FOOT FORWARD

LEXINGTON, Ky. – If slipping on a pair of sandals makes you cringe and question if even professional help could save those toes, you may want to think about treating your feet to a spa experience – fast! Nothing can spoil your trendy spring and summer look like rough soles, cracked heels and dull nails. So, before you find yourself in a hydration crisis, take advantage of spa offerings that will allow you to put your best bare foot forward.

“More than 18 million American adults received a pedicure in 2006, making it the third most popular spa treatment,” said International SPA Association President Lynne Walker McNees. “Foot treatments are a great way to relax stiff, tired and achy feet. The benefits certainly don’t stop there – foot treatments also increase circulation into the extremities and improve movement, range of motion and function of the feet.”

As ISPA has 2,700 members in 75 countries, there are certainly many spas and product companies that focus on treating the feet. Here are the feet treats you can expect to see this spring and summer at your favorite spa:

• Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Ariz., is offering a Yamuna Pedicure, which involves soaking the feet in specialized salts and essential oils and applying pressure from the “foot walker,” a half sphere with knobs to stimulate the bottom of the feet.
• Cool down with an Ice Cream Pedicure from Watermark Hotel & Spa in San Antonio, Texas. Soak your feet in your choice of a flavored Me Bath ice cream scoop followed by a sherbet scrub and marshmallow crème mask. The treatment is finished off with Me Bath body icing and red nail polish for the cherry on top.
• Malie Kauai of Hawaii wants to take your feet on a tropical vacation with the Organic Spa Rescue Pedicure. The products used in this treatment are derived from the tropical rainforests and rich volcanic sole of the ancient Garden Island of Kauai.
• The RedRock Detox paraffin, offered as a new add-on to Exhale’s fusion pedicure, consists of a blend of 11 vitamins, the mineral selenium and detoxifying elements such as Arizona red rock clay and renowned green silts from Romania. The treatment specifically targets toxins that pool in extremities. Exhale has several locations throughout the United States.
• Designed with men in mind, Connecticut’s The Spa at Norwich Inn is introducing a new pedicure called “The Man Handlers” to soften and revive tired soles using alpha-hydroxy and glycolic acids. This 50-minute service includes nail shaping, cuticle grooming, exfoliations, callus removal and generous massage.
• In the Florida Keys, Cheeca Spa’s River Stone Pedicure uses warm stones to massage and rub out tension. A marine algae mask is applied followed by a paraffin foot treatment.
• And, for the girl who likes to run barefoot and feel the mud between her toes, the Jelly-bath pedicure is a must. Available at spas around the United States, this thick, hot, gelatinous foot treatment adheres to the feet and calves as it is absorbed into the skin by way of the pedicurist. It is available in an array of flavors and colors.

After you receive your foot treatment, extend your spa experience with any of these new products:

• Fusing fashion and comfort, Supracor’s new St. Tropez Spa Sandals are constructed with two layers of flexible honeycomb with a slip resistant bottom perfect for the spa or pool. The material is shock absorbent and massages the feet while walking to reduce fatigue.
• Golden Door Skin Care is offering a Bamboo Mint and Foot & Body Polish. This exfoliating scrub targets rough, dry skin revealing clearer, brighter, softer skin.
• Wisk away to sandy beaches with Colorado Clothing Company and their new Flip Flop slipper. The rubber sole gives a nice support, allows you to wear outdoors and is your feet’s saving grace after a long day of work.
• Oka b. is adding a touch of luxury to the thong sandal with metallic finishes, turquoise studs and jewels. Two new styles, the Savannah and the Amelia are perfect for showing off the pedicure.

(Editor’s note – A listing of ISPA members that have made the association aware of their foot care treatments and products is included below. ISPA is happy to put you in contact with members who could serve as interview resources. Please feel free to contact Debra Locker at the above contact details for ideas on members to accompany your piece.)

About ISPA

ISPA is recognized worldwide as the leading professional organization and voice of the spa industry. Founded in 1991, ISPA’s membership is comprised of more than 2,700 health and wellness facilities and providers from 75 countries. ISPA advances the spa industry by providing invaluable educational and networking opportunities, promoting the value of the spa experience and speaking as the authoritative voice to foster professionalism and growth.

Spa members:

Beach Plum Spa
Plymouth, MA
http://www.beachplumspa.com/

Canyon Ranch
Tucson, AZ
http://www.canyonranch.com/

Cape Codder Resort and Spa
Hyannis, MA
http://www.capecodderresort.com/

Cheeca Lodge
Miami, FL
http://www.cheeca.com/

Cherry Creek Country Club
Denver, CO
http://www.cherrycreekcountryclub.com/

Cranwell Resort, Spa and Golf Club
Lenox, MA
http://www.cranwell.com/

Dieci Lifestyle Spa
Livingston, NJ
http://www.diecispa.com/

Exhale New York
New York, NY
http://www.exhalespa.com/

Face and Body Day Spa
Frisco, TX
http://www.faceandbodyspas.com/

Gene Juarez
Bellevue, WA
http://www.genejuarez.com/

Golden Door
Escondido, CA
http://www.goldendoor.com/

Hibiscus Spa
Myrtle Beach, SC
http://www.csspagroup.com/

Hotel Crescent Court & the Mansion on Turtle Creek
Dallas, TX
http://www.rosewoodhotels.com/

Mandala MediaSpa, LLC
Sarasota, FL
http://www.mandalamediaspa.com/

N. Reagan Spa
Delray Beach, FL
http://www.nreagan.com/

Skin Deep, The Body Spa
Huntington Beach, CA
http://www.e-skindeep.com/

Spa Shiki
Lake Ozark, MO
http://www.spashiki.com/

The Heartland Spa
Gilman, IL
http://www.heartlandspa.com/

The Salon at Borgata
Atlantic City, NJ
http://www.theborgata.com/

The Spa at Norwich Inn
Norwich, CT
http://www.thespaatnorwichinn.com/

Total Serenity Day Spa
Philadelphia, PA
http://www.totalserenitydayspa.com/

Watermark Hotel & Spa
San Antonio, TX
http://www.watermarkriverwalk.com/

Wentworth by the Sea Hotel
New Castle, NH
http://www.wentworth.com/

Resource Partner members:

ALCANZ International LLC
Sausalito, CA
http://www.alcanz.com/

Aveda
Blaine, MN
http://www.aveda.com/

CA Botana International Inc.
San Diego, CA
http://www.ca-botana.com/

Colorado Clothing
Denver, CO
http://www.coloradoclothing.com/

Cosmopro Inc.
Daytona Beach, FL
http://www.cosmoprogroup.com/

erbaviva, LCC
Northridge, CA
http://www.erbaviva.com/

Jell-E-Bath, Inc.
Portland, OR
wwwjellybath.com

Malie Kauai
Kalaheo, HI
http://www.maliekauai.com/

Oka B.
Buford, GA
http://www.shoesthatloveyou.com/

Planet Botanicals
New York, NY
http://www.planetbotanicals.com/

Selona
Hartsdale, NY
http://www.selonabeauty.com/

Spongeables
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.spongelle.com/

Supracor, Inc.
San Jose, CA
http://www.supracor.com/

Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.yu-be.com/