Commentary

Luxury Spa Finder

I can only imagine the freebies handed out to the editors and contributors of Luxury Spa Finder magazine. The question remains, though, as to whether taking the freebies creates an objective magazine, which relaunched last year as a niche luxury glossy going up against high-end travel and beauty books.

The spring-summer issue features the latest news about the ultimate in self-indulgence and back-to-the-land wellness. Discoveries are a aplenty in the pages. For instance, therapists at the Golden Door Spa in Boulder, Colo. exfoliate their patrons with Hopi blue corn meal that contains ionized mineral turquoise. During the process, those receiving the treatment are asked to meditate on "the personal power" of the stone while shaking a rain stick made from the arm of a saguaro cactus; they are then rubbed down with farm-raised Arizona honey. I also discovered that the new trend in gold dust wraps offered at -- where else? -- the Trump Spa, has no skin benefit whatsoever.

At a time when escaping to a spa, especially one that offers an "authentic" environment, is the answer to the over-processed and over-stressed American way of life, finding a good spa has become an art form. At its best, the magazine reviews these experiences with a focused expertise. At its worst, it falls back on too many lifestyle design and photographic clichés that makes it feel like an expensively produced airplane magazine.

Sections like "Spa Style Sheet," "Spa Travel," and "Spa Trend" cover all angles of the industry, though the difference between the ads and the features can be hard to distinguish. A travel feature about a spa in Phuket, Thailand emphasizes privacy as the most noble of luxuries, but the writer doesn't begin to describe the place until the fourth paragraph and oddly, there is no mention of the tsunami that recently hit the exact area.

Also included is a selection of reviews of new spas around the world, a health-focused look at new spa cosmetics and treatments, and a profile of Sylvia Sepielli, the guru of the spa world. Probably the best and most useful element of the magazine is a feature on home spa design, which includes illustrated maps of dream home spas and reviews of construction materials.

Overall, the magazine lacks the all-important point of view and, more importantly, offers little irony or cultural commentary regarding why we are now seeking such levels of hedonism or why today's culture believes the answers are to be found among these ancient traditions.

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