STAR TREATMENT: Balinese Boreh

After several rapturous visits to the Indonesian island of Bali and especially to its romantic spas and resorts, Carolyn Lee knew she had to bring the essence of her experiences home. That’s how Absolute Nirvana Spa & Gardens (absolutenirvana.com) in Santa Fe, NM, came to fruition.

Honored by Condé Nast as “one of the hottest new spas in the country,” Absolute Nirvana is housed in a Victorian mansion on one of the quietest streets in the city. Lee is determined to make her clients’ experiences as authentic as possible so naturally, Indonesia-influenced treatments dominate the spa’s menu. Lee’s most current trip to Bali inspired the recently added Balinese Boreh (120 min./$220).

THE PROTOCOL:

1) As with all Nirvana treatments, the therapist starts with an Indonesian ritual footbath.
2) The client receives an all-over body massage using organic oil blended in-house with an essential oil the spa calls Bali Spice.
3) An all-over body scrub is performed, using sandalwood and selected, freshly ground spices such as cloves, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander and turmeric, as well as brown rice powder to exfoliate, warm and stimulate the body. “This scrub heats up the whole body,” Lee explains.

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“It’s great for chills, colds, muscle aches and headaches. In Indonesia they use it for arthritis. If you like chai, you’ll definitely like this!” The scrub is rubbed into the body using hot oil as an agent.
4) The client is wrapped in a sheet, heated blanket and one more covering. The scrub absorbs while the therapist performs a foot massage.
5) The wrap is removed and the client goes into a private steam room to allow the scrub ingredients to penetrate further.

“I truly love this treatment,” says Lee. “I had a cold the day I received the treatment in Bali, and the next day, it was gone!”