Holistic Spa Wisdom from Cygalle Healing Spa

By Beth Shapouri

Just like with food, when it comes to beauty and skincare products, fresh is always best—I mean, no one really wants to deal with synthetic preservatives if they don't have to, right? So that's why I was excited to hear all about the newly opened holistic Cygalle Healing Spa at the Casa de Campo resort in the Dominican Republic, which emphasizes chemical-free luxury with "live products." The translation: Beauty potions that are made from all natural, locally grown ingredients, just moments before they go on your body. Just picture it—during your treatment, you can literally hear your masseuse whipping up your oils and masks in a back room right before she applies them to your body. Talk about luxury....

Of course, not everyone can jaunt down to the D.R. for a weekend at the spa. And it's also the rare women who has the patience to whip up all her own beauty products. But I figured there must be a way for the rest of us to get in on the "live" fun. So I picked the brain of...well the brain behind the spa, Cygalle Dias, for some of the ingredients that makes her spa experience so nourishing. You can simply add them to your own lotions and potions or just be on the lookout for products that contain these nourishers to up your overall wellness benefits. Here are just a few of her favorites:

Coconut oil
She calls coconut oil the "all-time favorite moisturizer," and is a big believer in its soothing properties. And there's a great reason why-studies show that it's an effective and gentle hydrator. In fact, in a 2004 study, it was found to be as safe as mineral oil on the skin and was successful when used as a topical moisturizer for moderate xerosis (a fancy term for dry skin). Plus it contains a fatty acid called monolaurin, a natural antibiotic that helps speed wound healing. And of course, coconut oil smells absolutely amazing.

Ylang Ylang
She uses this spicy-yet-light-smelling oil in her products to help set the right mood for some full-on pampering. Aromatherapists believe that it's a calming scent that enhances mood and sharpens alertness. And it might not be all hocus pocus. One Thai study found that after smelling the oil, participants actually showed a decrease in blood pressure and pulse rate along with an increase in attentiveness. So basically, it clears your mind and makes you bliss out, kind of like inhaling a massage.

Oatmeal
Dias was sure to have an oatmeal cleanser at her spa for sensitive-skin types, since this ingredient is renowned for soothing even the biggest of skin flair-ups. For instance, in a study backed by Johnson & Johnson (the company behind Aveeno's line of oatmeal-based lotions), oats were found to alleviate severe dryness without causing irritation.

Vitamin E
She's a big advocate of this potent antioxidant, slipping it into several of her skin concoctions to leave behind a serious glow. Along with busting free radicals, this vitamin has been touted for its skin restoring and protective properties. A 2005 study showed that it actually prevents inflammatory damage caused by sun exposure, meaning it actually stops aging in its tracks.