Skin Alive

Skincare retreats in picturesque locales leave you looking better than simply well-rested

- Kate O’Brien

For many years spas were typically rated on the basis of a standard massage. Now skin-centric treatments are coming to the fore with latest statistics from the Global Wellness Institute indicating that the beauty and anti-ageing sector represents over a quarter of the total US$4.2 trillion wellness economy.

Japan’s hot springs have been known as ‘the waters of youth’ for centuries with ritualistic bathing helping to rejuvenate skin and restore its radiance. Those who have visited know just how seriously this tradition is taken. In the Hakone region for instance, an estimated 25,000 tons of hot spring water gushes forth from 17 hot spring sources everyday. They are a rich source of sulphur that treat irritations and infections like rashes and eczema, as well as dry scalp. Japanese-style skin retreats mean daily immersion in these restorative waters.

Europe too enjoys a rich thermal spring water tradition. One of the best places to experience cutting-edge therapies is Stanglwirt, a slick retreat centre in the Wilder Kaiser Mountains, close to Kitzbühel in the Austrian countryside. The revamped spa is hushed, but its new look bright and vibrant. The brainchild of the owner’s daughter, Maria Hauser, the space is decked out with reclaimed wooden ceilings, stone grottos, clean white walls with living moss climbing the entrance.