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The Spa... Wellness and Healing
By Terry Ward
 Every great culture has its wellness traditions — from the Scandinavians’ penchant for plunging into freshly fallen snow after a sweat session in the sauna, to the Turks’ famous public baths, called hammams, where patrons emerged soaked and scrubbed to the core, skin all aglow. With its European links and worldly mentality, it should be no surprise that St. Maarten/St. Martin boasts several facilities throughout the island dedicated to improving the mental and physical health and beauty of visitors and residents alike. With a little guidance on where to go, it’s simple to find wellness destinations that consider a focus on nourishing your body and mind to be a part of a healthy vacation dedicated to that good-life combination of sun, sand and fun.
In St. Maarten/St. Martin, your well-being is a holistic experience that borders on an art form — a focus on a life well lived that carries through in even the most basic of daily activities. You can spend the morning walking on a beautiful beach before shopping for fresh fish and fruit at a waterfront market and relaxing by the sea with a healthy meal.
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 If beauty truly comes from within, then it’s important that even during your vacation you give your body the rest and nurturing it requires to keep you looking your very best.
And while many of the island’s most indulgent spa destinations are located inside its most luxurious properties, the good news is that in most cases you don’t have to be a guest of a particular hotel to visit its spa.
Ready to head out on a wellness tour of St. Maarten/St. Martin that’s sure to give you a “beachy” glow from within? Follow our lead to some of the island’s most sublime spa experiences.
First stop, the Good Life Spa in Maho, which continually ranks as the island’s top spa destination. Located inside the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino, the 4,500-square-foot facility is a bastion for natural wellness and healing where European elegance meets island charm in a setting that could just as easily be found in the finest Parisian hotel. The treatments list is diverse and dizzying. Get beach ready with simple treatments such as pedicures, manicures and waxing. Then go for an extra glow before you get into your bikini with a special body treatment designed to slough off those dead skin cells that can make your skin look dull — the process uses natural island ingredients, such as coconut flakes, coconut oil and shea butter, to give your skin vitality.
 Spa therapists know that the warm Caribbean sun can be hard for their clients to resist, so they’ve designed a menu that tackles problems related to sun exposure. If sunspots have you feeling self-conscious, consider the Good Life White Expert Facial, designed to target pigmentation and even out the color and brightness of the skin. Even for skin that doesn’t yet show signs of sun damage, all that UV exposure can be a painful experience. And that’s precisely why the Good Life Spa came up with one of its most simple, yet most satisfying, treatments: the Sunburn Aloe Vera Treatment. The perfect antidote for a day spent on the beach, it hydrates your skin and puts the kibosh on any burning sensations with a pure aloe-based lotion that’s applied to your body. Next, you’re wrapped in a material that encourages your body to drink up all that natural moisture. You’ll emerge feeling like a butterfly from a dry cocoon. If all you want from your spa experience is muscle relief, the Good Life Spa’s vast massage menu is right up your alley. You might be in the Caribbean, but massage and reflexology techniques from all over the world — including Sweden, Egypt, India and China — can be had here. And if you’re the tactile type, you won’t be able to resist the Four Hands Massage, where two therapists focus all their attention on you during a carefully choreographed massage that will leave you feeling like a million, well-massaged bucks.
 Like many spas on the island, the Good Life Spa makes a big deal out of bridal parties who opt for some pre-ceremony pampering, so be sure to let your therapist know if you’re celebrating a big day. In addition to his and hers treatments, the spa can happily arrange customized champagne flutes with your names and the date of your visit. Private parties for larger groups (with Champagne and healthy nibbles included) can also be organized.
Next stop on the Dutch side of the island is the Hibiscus Spa at the Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa, a destination that embodies that perfect mix of tropical appeal and European wellness prowess. If you’re going all out, perhaps while prepping for a wedding in paradise, consider indulging in the Heart of St. Maarten Package, which includes a 25-minute Swedish massage, traditional European facial and a full-body brush exfoliation that’s part of an aromatic Vichy shower treatment. Teenagers are also looked after here with special treatments designed just for their skin types and needs. The Aroma Discovery Facial, for example, incorporates scented herbs with healing qualities to keep young skin energized. |
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 If, like most people, your main focus is anti-aging, chances are you’ve been hitting the beach with the SPF 60 applied in thick streaks and a very wide-brimmed hat. Take a break from the sun for a day with a visit to the elegant Christian Dior Spa at The Cliff on Cupecoy Beach on the Dutch side of the island, where the focus is squarely on youthful treatments and ingredients with antiaging properties meant to smooth, stimulate, reoxygenate and tone mature skin. Beauty programs from the world-renowned Dior Institut in France are delivered in the spa’s unique Balneotherapy facility, home to a sauna and indoor jet pool where water-therapy treatments and special masks are administered. Get some help adding definition to your waist, thighs and buttocks with the treatment dubbed “anticellulite offensive,” the same treatment that gets guests runway-ready at the Dior Institut’s Paris outpost at the legendary Hotel Plaza Athenée. Your problem areas will be massaged to increase circulation, as well as treated to a mudpack and a special pulsating anticellulite zapper. Hey, whatever it takes to win the battle against unsightly bulges, am I right?
For spa indulgences on the French side of the island, head to La Samanna by Orient Express on the beautiful stretch of beach called Baie Longue. The St. Barths line of spa products used here sets the tone for over-the-top indulgence, with a treatment list that includes everything from aloe-infused sunburn rescue remedies to body treatments that target specific problem areas, such as saggy skin around the eyes, sun damage and lack of elasticity around the bust area. The spa also has a wonderful package designed for men. The three-and-a-half-hour Style for Men Treatment includes a French body polish, body wrap, 55-minute Swedish massage, a facial and a manicure. Even if he’s never been the spa type, this treatment is likely to convert even the most spa-cynical man.
 More European-inspired wellness pampering awaits at L’Aqualigne spa at The Villas in Simpson Bay Resort & Marina, on the Dutch side of the island. One of the original island spas, it was established 26 years ago by Belgian-born cosmetologist Marc Van Thielen, who uses a blend of science and natural alternatives in treatments that target both external and internal beauty and wellness issues.
Anyone who loves St. Maarten/St. Martin and appreciates the beautiful, natural appeal of the island will find it easy to get on board with Van Thielen’s holistic beauty philosophy. He believes that simply being on the island confers a therapeutic influence on people. And as you relax in the warm, clear waters of the sea and let the sun soak into your weary bones, it’s easy to imagine that soothing experience as a form of therapy in and of itself. But Van Thielen takes it to the next level for his clients by providing them with a well-balanced combination of medical science with attention to psychological, physical and mental harmony.
 Massage therapy at L’Aqualigne is approached from the standpoint that the art of massage is actually a natural and automatic reflex that humans use every day (whether you’re conscious of it or not) to soothe pain and induce calm. Massage therapies at the spa employ kneading and stroking techniques to stimulate blood circulation, warm muscles and kick-start the process of eliminating toxins from the body. Depending on the individual being treated, the masseuse may incorporate fingertip pressure, applied over the body’s meridians, to release tension and restore harmony.
If you prefer a facial to a massage, consider L’Aqualigne’s Facial Deep Cleansing Treatment, which involves a brush-centric cleansing followed by a gentle peel and thermal stimulation with hot and cold applications. The finishing touch is a massage and nourishing mask that will have people wondering just where you got that healthy glow and accompanying sparkle in your eye, as both are sure to linger long after you’ve left the island. Just tell them you took a break to nourish your own inner and outer beauty in St. Maarten/St. Martin, one of the most beautiful places in the world.
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Mad Dogs and Englishmen
By Pat Cantor
 The legendary Coco Chanel made the tan fashionable back in the early ’30s by soaking up the Riviera sun. While we all look better with a “bit of color,” be smart about how you partake of the sun... especially in the -Caribbean. Too much sun accelerates aging and causes skin cancer.
Start by limiting your time in the direct sun. Before heading out, lather up with sunscreen... a minimum of 30 SPF with both UVA and UVB protection. Reapply sun products at least every two hours for maximum protection. You’ll find great sunscreen products in most of the fabulous European-style pharmacies on the island: Check out Simpsons Bay Pharmacy and Friendly Island Pharmacy. Visit one of our spas for sun products. Tijon produces its own Caribe Baie Sun Care line. Protect every part of your body, including scalp, hair and ears. Or fake a tan using a good bronzer or self-tanning lotion. No one will know!
Sun damage begins early. According to the Skin Care Foundation, 54 percent of children burn or tan in their second summer, and 22 percent burn in their first year. Keep kids 6 months or younger totally out of the sun. Dress all kids in clothing that covers their head and limbs. After they are 6 months old, you can use sunscreens—but should still protect them with appropriate clothing.
Clothing and accessories offer sun protection. Consider loose dark garments that cover arms and legs. Look for sun-protective clothing that can block UVB and UVA rays. Wear a hat and sunglasses. Reflective sun is as damaging as full sun.
 The ultimate protection is to have regular skin cancer screening. Caught early, skin cancer is easy to treat.
Good sun sense will make your visit to St. Maarten/St. Martin even more enjoyable—year after year.
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