Welcome to the Spa Blog!

  I am a full-time wellness writer and editor, and several years ago, when I first moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, I took a part-time job at one of the most renowned spas in the US – Ten Thousand Waves. I still live in Santa Fe where, if you

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woman having stone massage in spa salon

I Got (Hot) Stoned

I got up off the table after my 90-minute hot stone massage, and I was so woozy it’s a miracle I was able to stand up. Now I know why they have mirrors in the treatment rooms. They’re to make sure you don’t leave with your underwear on the outside.

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Oils, soap, bath salts, flowers

The Nose Knows: Are Aromatherapy Massages Worth the Cost?

Last week, I touted the deliciousness of all things crème brulee. Today we’ll discuss the aromatherapy massage. Last year, at Mohonk Mountain House, in New Paltz, New York. I chose the 50-minute “aroma massage,” where I was given the choice of which essential oils I wanted rubbed on me. The

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I planned written in sand

Spa Travel on a Budget

Spa lovers who want to nab those massages, facials, scrubs, and jetted tubs without having to auction off your firstborn must read this. I’m going to save you money doing what you love most, and you can thank me by sending a treatment to me, Val the Spa Gal. (Or,

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Hooray for Creme Brulee

I am consumed with all things creme brulee. Whether it’s the one the Santa Fe Italian bistro Pranzo serves, with a perfectly browned paper-thin crust that conceals the warm licentious cream underneath, or whether it’s in my shampoo, body scrub, or hand lotion—doesn’t matter. Even as I write this blog,

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