Herbal Body Wrap
A short review by Al Hoagland & Victoria Easterbrook

Victoria and Al recently read a brief two page article in The Herb Companion; the February-March 2003 issue. It was written by Melinda Minton, MBA who is a licensed Colorado massage therapist, esthetician, cosmetologist and also a spa consultant-beauty expert. The article had the title: “BODY WRAPS.”

We will attempt “to capture” what was said in the article. It had a small side piece, entitled “Body-Wrap Herbs For Every Occasion” which we will present first; like having dessert first.

1. A Soothing Body-Wrap.  Use the following: Angelica root, calendula flowers, chamomile flowers, comfrey leaves, passionflower, horsetail, horse chestnut, yarrow flowers, cucumber, cornflower, clover and strawberry lettuce.

2. Dry Skin: Calendula flowers, coltsfoot, elder flowers, marshmallow root, sage leaves, rose petals, house leek, tomato, and yarrow.

3. Antioxidants: Comfrey leaves, ginseng root, orange peel, carrot, parsley, avocado, birch leaves, horsetail, and lemon grass.

4. Circulatory boost and skin firming: Hops buds, rosemary leaves, cypress, juniper, black pepper, dandelion, and pine.

5. Revitalizing/pore refining: Blackberry leaves, Our-Lady’s bedstraw, eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, southernwood, thyme, and horsetail. 

6. Sensual: Angelica, bay, lavender, gingerroot, and ylang ylang.

7. All-around winner: Pacific sea kelp, lavender, elder flowers, green tea, ivy, horse chestnut, licorice, butcher’s broom, and thyme.

TIPS for a body wrap:

1. Don’t shave your legs or underarms the day of your body wrap as the resulting skin irritation can cause discomfort.

2. Schedule a deep-muscle massage before or after the body wrap to enhance the inside-out feel of relaxation.

3. Many people fall deeply asleep during a body wrap.  Set an alarm if this doesn’t suit your schedule.

4. Drink plenty of water or cool herbal tea,  after the wrap, to replace fluid lost in perspiration.

RATIONALE  for a body wrap:

For pure self-indulgent pleasure, nothing is better than an herbal body wrap.  More  people are discovering the benefits of being bundled in warm, moist, herb-scented cloths / bandages, either at a spa or in the tranquility of their own homes.  Judging from the serenity that envelops people during a body wrap, the herbal treatment tones the body and calms the mind.  

Interest in health & fitness have led many to try herbal body wraps. This “new” body and skin care treatment is as old as Egypt’s pharaohs.  Thousands of years ago, the Egyptians, known for their skills in medicine, perfumery, pharmacology, and embalming, were conscious of the importance of health and hygiene.  Well-off Egyptians routinely enjoyed regular spa-like pampering, often using milk and honey for their natural soothing and hydrating properties.  Papyrus leaves, moistened with herb-infused water, served as soothing - healing compresses.  Cloths steeped in aromatic liquids played a prominent role in many facets of daily life, including childbirth, religious ceremonies, and the preparation of corpses for burial.

Today, body wraps can serve a variety of purposes:

1. Many clients enjoy the invigoration of a wrap at the end of a fasting period. 

2. Making a healthy lifestyle change such as giving up smoking, alcohol, or junk foods calls for       a soothing, calming wrap.

3. Wraps reinforces feeling of increasing well-being.

4. When people who have lost a lot of weight a day spa, it is often a well earned reward

5. Many are pleased to find that the gentle pressure of a body wrap leaves the skin feeling firmer and looking younger.

6. Helps to ease feeling that weight loss has resulted in sagging skin.

7. For a special occasion, an herbal body wrap is the perfect preparation for slipping into your     most fabulous dress. [ It gives an all-over glow, refines the skin’s pores, and dissipated the       two to five pounds of water weight that women often carry.  It is recommend a body wrap       using dandelion and lemon balm to achieve the look of overall health.  For an added kick,       moisten the wrap with an infusion of green tea leaves, black pepper, gingerroot, and coffee.       Combine herbs to suit yourself; whether relaxing or stimulation, any body wrap is a superbly    restorative experience.]

PREPARING for a body wrap:

Most people are more comfortable if they eat little or nothing in the three hours before the body wrap; the pressure of the wrap on a full stomach can be uncomfortable.  Some report that a juice fast on the day of the wrap is ideal, especially when the juice if freshly squeezed.

If you are a little claustrophobic, you may wish to substitute a cotton sheet soaked in the herbal infusion for the bandages.  You receive the all-over benefits of the herbal infusion without feeling restricted or confined.

For a body wrap at home, assemble your “cocoon” of heated blankets and plastic sheeting in the most comfortable place possible.  Use your sofa or bed; you may want to use a sunny patch of floor, or even a lawn chair on a secluded patio, weather permitting.

A “do-it-yourself herbal body wrap” is easy & not particularly time-consuming, but it is more fun to try it with a friend-or friends.  Invite your best friend over for a treat and brew up a special infusion for the body wrap.  Host a body-wrap party as a bridal shower, birthday celebration, or another happy event.  Try several infusions, and take turns wrapping one another as well as exchanging foot and scalp massages; then quietly luxuriate in the warmth of the wrap - and your friendship. ENJOY!

A thought: The Herb Companion subscription is a worthwhile investment.