Think twice before you go on your next beach vacation and let the sun work for you instead of against you. Get a professional spa to pamper your skin and fuel your body so your beach holiday turns into a beauty feast. IRMA visited the spa of the Château Saint-Martin & Spa in Vence in the south of France, which has been nominated as best spa by the World Luxury Spa Award Jury. Spa director Valérie Dalmayrac shares her tips for the best sun prep.
IRMA: What is the best beauty treatment/spa treatment during the hot summer months to enjoy at the Château Saint Martin & Spa?
Valérie Dalmayrac: We created the beauty programme to enjoy from head to toe by Sisley, Paris, to prepare your skin perfectly for the beach or poolside. A beauty experience to enhance your best features. A phyto-aromatic facial and a phyto-aromatic hand and foot treatment. Or if you can spend a whole day, we recommend a one-day detox spa day.
IRMA: A one-day detox spa day before a summer vacation has many good aspects. What are in your opinion the best ones you get from your spa?
Valérie Dalmayrac: A detox cure is a food cure – optionally either sports or treatment which helps detoxify the body. This is to get rid of toxic substances that have accumulated due to dietary factors and environment.
Some benefits follow a day spa detox and help prepare our body to enjoy the vacation time and combine relaxation and destress. You will get much more out of your holiday with a detoxed body system, like:
- Rebalancing the intestinal system
- Improving your mood
- Enhancing appearance
- Regaining vital energy
Those who follow a detox cure are less permeable to stress, sleep better, wake up early and are in great shape. A feeling of purity through Ayurvedic medicine and naturopathy. The cure “Saint-Martin Detox”, specially created for the occasion, consists of a carefully Ayurvedic 60 minutes. This massage with relaxing properties provides muscle tone, improves blood circulation and gives a feeling of lightness eliminating impurities from the body. The experience is combined with an additional 30-minute treatment of either reflexology, body wrap, or a shirodara. Note that the shirodara is a jewel of Ayurveda. This is a popular care given its simplicity and extraordinary effectiveness. It cleanses, refreshes and stimulates the elimination of toxins. It provides a deeply calming, gentle and non-intrusive treatment. Finally, it is a treatment particularly effective for beauty. It works on tired skin, soothing, regenerating and smoothing wrinkles. It embellishes skin by acting on irritations and impurities.
To take full advantage of the programme and its benefits, the chief executive, Jean- Luc Lefrançois, prepares a daily “Menu Detox”, bathed in sunlight and flavours to be enjoyed on the panoramic terrace or in the summer restaurant in the shade of olive trees. The principle of a detox menu based on food consumption that is easily digestible and has draining properties is to purify the body. To be happy, you have to take care of yourself, that is the objective of this proposed day.
IRMA: When is a good time during the day in your summer holiday to enjoy a spa treatment before or after sunbathing?
Valérie Dalmayrac: The best time to enjoy a treatment is before sunbathing to prepare the skin for sun exposure. A good scrub is also recommended. We therefore recommend the Phyto-Aromatic Exfoliating Body Treatment, a unique exfoliating treatment that combines aromatherapy and the effectiveness of an all-over reinvigorating body scrub for soft and smooth skin. Some customers prefer a treatment after exposure to just calm the effects of the sun. We suggest at that time a restorative after-sun care. The Phyto-Aromatic “After-Sun” Restorative Facial, a precious moment of relaxation for stressed or irritated skin, is incredibly gentle. Skin is soothed and regains its vitality.
IRMA: Your personal tip to protect your skin against sun and sun damage?
Valérie Dalmayrac: Sun exposure has positive effects on the body. It promotes the synthesis of vitamin D and causes tanning, a sign of good health in our society.
However, sun exposure can also have negative consequences: dehydration and accelerated skin aging which results in the appearance of deep wrinkles, loss of firmness and brown spots. These impacts can be minimized by using suitable sun care and wearing protective clothing.
Choosing a sun care will be based on two criteria: phototype (sun sensitivity) and exposure level. I never leave the house with my Sunleÿa G.E SPF 30, an age minimizing global sun care treatment to prevent wrinkles, brown spots, dehydration and loss of firmness, leaving the skin with a luminous and long-lasting tan. I love the combination of powerful active ingredients which help to protect the skin from photo-induced aging: anti Glycation active ingredient + anti-solar Elastosis active ingredient + combination of antioxidants + cellular DNA protection.
Back from the beach and after sun exposure, I apply Sunleÿa age-minimizing after-sun care. It combines the benefits of a repairing treatment with a high- performance, an anti-aging formula to help maintain younger-looking skin. It also prepares the skin for sun exposure the next day. I love its fine, refreshing and luscious texture.
At night, I use Supremÿa Baume. It is a great night anti-aging treatment specifically designed to meet the specific needs of naturally dry, drained by environmental conditions as sun damage Supremÿa Baume integrates intensive nutrient complex, regenerating and restructuring (hazelnut oil, butter Kokum, Macadamia oil).
IRMA: Which natural remedies do you suggest from nature for your beauty rituals during summer?
Valérie Dalmayrac: My special slimming detox water. My detox water is delicious with strawberries and kiwi fruit, it is the perfect drink for a good summer. I hydrate myself more by combining natural virtues. My recipe: 2 liters of water and some strawberries and 2 kiwis. I just cut kiwis and strawberries, which I add to the water and refrigerate for several hours. The kiwi contains vitamins A and E, which help rid my body of free radicals and eliminate toxins. Strawberries are perfect for my skin because they contain anti-aging properties and help fight carcinogens. I like to add more or less fruit to suit my taste preferences and vary with a sprig of mint to taste. I also like to practise yoga for 30 minutes every morning.
On the front slider: Straw hat MILOS lying on the carré Mythiques Phoenix, bracelet Medor Picnic Osier, Medor Picnic Machete Osier