DAYSPA Magazine

Sustainable Sincerity

Our upcoming Green Scene ("Mayan Marvel," September 2010) contains helpful tips on how to detect greenwashing when perusing "organic" product labels. That's when companies try to unjustifiably tout a product's environmental virtues.

As John Vater, co-ower of Spa Adriana in Huntington, New York, warns, "The big print giveth and the small print taketh away."

Here's some information about avoiding this pitfall:

Read labels with a discriminating eye.
John and his wife, co-owner Adriana Vater, caution spa professionals against taking a product label at face value. "If the packaging claims it doesn't contain something, you should ask yourself what's there to do that ingredient's job," Adriana says. "Every component of a product has a purpose, and sometimes a so-called 'green' ingredient is just as offensive as the original."
Educate yourself.
The Vaters say it's important to develop an understanding of how product ingredients work. "With today's Internet access, you can quickly look up the chemical composition of any item," John says.

It's not always easy going green. How do you ensure that your spa's environmental initiatives result in real, positive change? Send your ideas to Katie O'Reilly, associate editor, at koreilly@creativeage.com.

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Spa Moves

Spa Openings
• Spa Villagio opens its doors this month at the landmark Four-Diamond Vintage Estate in Northern

California’s Napa Valley community of Yountville. Hotel guests and locals are welcome at the 13,000-square-foot sanctuary, featuring 16 treatment rooms and five personal spa suites. Separate wings for men and women provide lounges and relaxation rooms boasting wood-beamed ceilings, hardwood floors, Italian-style tile, wrought iron and crystal chandeliers, fireplaces and stone interiors. Signature services will include 3.5-hour “sensual journeys,” a 100-minute Aromasoul Mediterranean Ritual Massage and even “spa nail rituals.” The intimate retreat is designed to strike a balance between classic and contemporary.

• The Alvear Palace Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, has announced the opening of the Alvear Spa & Fitness Center. The 8,600-square-foot spa calls upon light, water and varieties of marble to create a sensuous experience for guests. The menu is wellness-focused, with many body treatments to accompany facials and hair and nail services. Steam baths, hydromassage showers and a vitality pool round out the facility. The spa’s Fitness Center is equipped with the Kinesis cable-stretching system unique to Latin America.

• Earlier this year, well-known Texas spa owner Renee Rouleau added a location to her 20-years-

strong, namesake spa in Dallas. The Renee Rouleau Skin Care Spa, nestled in the heart of the Dallas Arts District, will, as its name implies, focus entirely on helping women attain healthy and beautiful skin. To keep the operation running smoothly, a personal concierge will book all appointments.

Spa Moves

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