Spa businesses in Zambia

Spa services are in high demand in Zambia for residents as well as visitors alike. Choose which one suits you and take time out to recharge your batteries. See also Zambia hair and beauty and Zambia accommodation providers for other health and beauty facilities. A day spa is a business that provides a variety of services for the purpose of improving health, beauty and relaxation through personal care treatments such as massages and facials. Some spas are associated with a luxury hotel or resort where one can enjoy a day of pure relaxation and pampering. Spa treatments are the services that a spa provides and the most popular spa treatment in Zambia, by far, is massage.

Spas in Zambia

In Zambia, most spas are attached to salons that offer additional services, like haircuts, colouring, styling, and makeup. Other popular spa treatments include facials and body treatments like salt glows and body wraps. Most spas have a nail salon offering spa manicures and spa pedicures. Some spas, especially hotel and resort spas, usually have signature services that might combine several different treatments: a body scrub followed by a massage and a mini-facial, for instance.

Spa treatments in Zambia

Spa treatments are presented in a spa menu that is basically a list of everything a spa offers. They are usually grouped together by the type of spa treatment, and most spas list the services by name, there are several categories you can expect to see.

Massage

The two most popular massages are Swedish massage and deep tissue massage. A Swedish massage typically covers the whole body with firm strokes but without much deep, focused work. Deep tissue massage will use firmer pressure and also include focused work on areas that are especially tight.

Another massage offering on most menus is an aromatherapy massage, which uses essential oils to achieve different purposes, most commonly relaxation. Sometimes the oils are created by companies to achieve different effects, and the therapist asks you to smell a few different oils to find out which one most appeals to you.

The hot stone massage is another massage found on most spa menus. Hot stone massage uses smooth, rounded basalt stones that have been heated in water and retains their heat well. The heat helps warm up your muscles and is very relaxing. The therapist uses the stones as an extension of her hand and may also place them on her belly, hands or back. When done well, hot stone massage is wonderful, but it is a special skill that not all therapists have, so quality can vary widely. If you don't like how it feels, you can always ask the therapist to use their hands to massage you and place the warm stones.

Most spas also have a room for a couples massage, where you can have any of the above massages with your favourite person alongside you.

Speciality Massages

Once you've tried the basic massage, you might want to branch out to different types of massage, which may or may not be available, like Thai massage or reflexology. These also require special training and might not be available everywhere. Sports massage is good if you're dealing with some pain or restriction due to your favourite activities. If you're pregnant, you need the prenatal massage because there are special training, techniques, precautions, and equipment for the mom-to-be.

Facials

Facials are the second most popular spa treatment, sometimes there are so many choices that it's hard to decide. Facials have the same basic steps including cleanse, exfoliate, extract, massage and mask. The main difference is the skincare products used in each facial, and most spas carry at least two lines. One might be more active, like Hydropeptide. The other might be more natural, like the yummy-smelling Eminence line from Hungary. Facial extras might include a gentle peel, an ampule of a special serum, more time for scalp and foot massage, or special equipment like LED light therapy.

Body treatments

The basic body scrub exfoliates your outermost, dead skin cells with a salt scrub (rougher), a sugar scrub (gentler) or some other exfoliant, like coffee grounds or fruit enzymes that gently loosen the inter-cellular bonds. It is usually followed by a shower and an application of lotion. A body scrub can be a stand-alone treatment, but it is often combined with a body wrap that is either hydrating (adding moisture to the skin) or detoxifying (anything with clay, mud or seaweed).

Once you've been exfoliated and showered off the salt or sugar, you get back up on the table and lay down so the cream, clay, mud or seaweed can be applied. Then you're wrapped up and kept warm for about 20 minutes, hopefully getting a head massage at the same time.

If it's a hydrating treatment, you don't want to rinse off the cream. If it's clay, mud or seaweed, you go back into the shower, then come back for a quick application of lotion. Body scrubs and wraps often show up in longer treatments called rituals or signature treatments.

Remember, the most important thing you can do to enjoy your trip to the spa is arriving at least 15 minutes before your treatment is scheduled to begin. That way you can check-in, change into your robe, and start to relax. If the spa has facilities like a sauna, steam bath, or hot tub, arrive even earlier.