February has seemingly become synonymous with chocolate. It’s not only those heart-shaped boxes filled with little squares of bliss for Valentine’s Day, it’s also chocolate festivals, chocolate-themed travel packages and yes, chocolate spa treatments. It all sounds – and smells! – good to me. What better way to break up the monotony of winter than with a bit of creamy goodness?
Wherever you are in the country, most likely there is a spa near you that offers some type of chocolate-themed treatment, whether it’s a body wrap, a mud treatment, a facial or a massage. If you’re lucky enough to live near Hershey, PA, or plan to travel there, you’re really in chocolate heaven, in more ways than one. Not only can you do all the chocolate-related sightseeing you can handle, you can also truly indulge your love of chocolate at the Hotel Hershey with some very special spa treats.
Let’s take a look at the popularity of chocolate spa treatments, and then visit Hershey and find some ways to experience some cocoa-themed bliss in your own home.
For the Love of Chocolate
Most of us have heard that chocolate has some health benefits, especially dark chocolate. Studies show that eating chocolate can cut the risk of both heart disease and stroke by one-third. It’s thought that the antioxidants in chocolate can increase the body’s production of a chemical that improves blood pressure.
So chocolate is good for your insides; what can it do for your outsides? It all comes back to those antioxidants. They can absorb free radicals that cause damage to your skin; so it stands to reason that facials, masks and body treatments that use cacao, the main ingredient in chocolate bars, will improve the look and feel of your skin by increasing blood flow and giving your skin that wonderful glow that’s so welcome at this time of year. The caffeine in chocolate also helps to improve circulation, especially when used in a body scrub.
Cocoa butter has long been regarded as an excellent moisturizer and your skin will drink it in. Let’s also not forget that the scent of chocolate releases serotonin, which promotes feelings of happiness and reduces stress. It’s not only good, it’s good for you.
Many spas have jumped on this delicious and decadent trend. Chocolate makes you look good, feel good and smell good. Here’s where to enjoy it to the fullest.
Indulge in Hershey
It’s a chocolate- and spa-lovers paradise. The Spa at the Hotel Hershey, also known as the Chocolate Spa, offers a wide variety of chocolate-themed treatments. There’s everything from massages to facials to body treatments to hydrotherapy. You can choose from four differently scented experiences, but this month it’s all about the chocolate.
How do these treatments sound? To me, they sound good enough to eat! This one sounds perfect for this chilly time of year: the Chocolate Fondue Wrap. Your body will be covered in warmed moor mud and cocoa, followed by a body brushing. Then you’ll be wrapped in a warm blanket and can relax in luxury. Your finish with a rinse in a warm shower. Sounds like a great way to spend an hour to me!
You can even take this treatment a step further with a Strawberry Parfait Scrub or a Chocolate Bean Polish. Yummy.
If, like me, you’ve ever dreamed of taking a warm chocolate bath, you can do that here. The Whipped Cocoa Bath is a signature treatment at the Chocolate Spa. You relax for 15 minutes in a foaming chocolate milk bath, which softens and renews your skin. I would love to stay in that for even longer!
To get your face glowing, try the Cocoa Facial Experience. Your skin will benefit from the cacao fruit’s antioxidant properties to really fight the signs of aging and make you feel great. This is a decadent, 75-minute experience.
You can buy your treatments a la carte, or invest in a package to make an afternoon of it. Try the ultimate Chocolate Escape Package, which includes the Whipped Cocoa Bath, your choice of a Chocolate Bean Polish or a Chocolate Sugar Scrub, a Chocolate Fondue Wrap and a Cocoa Massage, followed by lunch in the Oasis restaurant.
Try Some Chocolate Treatments at Home
If you’d like to try a chocolate facial at home instead of at a spa, there are many recipes you can try. Here’s a good one, from Bliss Spa in New York City. It’s good for normal skin, with the cream and honey adding moisture and the oatmeal acting as a skin slougher. Plus, it smells great!
Mix together 1/3 cup of cocoa, 3 tablespoons of heavy cream, 2 teaspoons of cottage cheese, ¼ cup of honey and 3 tablespoons of oatmeal powder. Smooth onto face and let sit for 10 minutes; rinse with warm water.
If you liked the sound of the chocolate bath at the Hotel Hershey, try this bath at home. Stir together 2 cups of chocolate milk, 1 tablespoon of honey and 2 tablespoons of mild liquid soap. Pour under running water in your bathtub, and relax for about 20 minutes. You’ll exit the tub with soft and smooth skin.
There’s no better time to enjoy chocolate, either at a spa, at home or from a heart-shaped box. Enjoy the best of this sweet treat and its even sweeter treatments.
Photos by The Spa At The Hotel Hershey.