Aloe and Lavander body Wrap

Aloe is grown and used in abundance in Indonesia, its long, spiny leaves cut and squeezed to release a sticky juice, ideal to pacify upset skin, stimulate the scalp and add fullness and lustre to hair.

While aloe is a major ingredient in all kinds of sensitive skin products, there is nothing more seductive than a coating of aloe, lavender and banana leaves, offered in this wrap at the Spa at Jimbaran, Four Seasons Resort Bali.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon - fresh aloe
• To cover body - aloe vera gel (store bought)
• A few spritzes - lavender essential oil mixed with distilled water
• 12 pieces- banana leaves (approximately 20 cm x 10 cm)
• 4 - lemons or limes, cut in half
• Few drops - lavender essential oil
• Generous amount - lavender body lotion (or your favorite)

Steps

1. Stir the fresh aloe into the bought aloe gel and smear the mixture over the body, but first rub it between your palms to take off the chill.With a good gel, this feels wonderfully soft and slippery, rather than sticky on the skin.
2. Spritz the lavender essential oil in distilled water over your body for a heady fragrance.
3. Place the banana leaf patches over the top of your body and round your arms, so that all limbs are loosely covered.According to Balinese tradition you should not lie on top of banana leaves as this denotes part of the ritual that prepares a body for cremation.While banana leaves are not beneficial to the skin in themselves, they do help to take the heat from the body.They feel gentle and soothing on the skin without feeling cold.A cotton sarong can be placed on top to keep the leaves in position. Lie still for 20 minutes.
4. As the wrap is conditioning and relaxing the skin, this is the ideal moment for a head massage from a friend or loved one!
5. Remove leaves and shower; then douse your body with warm water infused with the juice of the lemons or limes and a few drops of lavender essential oil.Together these rinse and soothe the skin. 6 Finish with lavender body lotion.