When it comes to strange spa treatments, overpromising skin care products and trendy workouts, there’s not much that I wouldn’t try in the name of beauty (and journalism, of course). I’ve electrocuted my body while exercising (hey, it promised toned muscles), lasered my face, dyed my hair blue, and even done IV therapy. So, while on the hunt for the next big beauty booster, I discovered a spa treatment that promised to reduce cellulite, diminish stretch marks and burn 3,000 calories in just 60 minutes. Needless to say, I knew I had to try it.
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After coordinating a date and time for the treatment, I headed to DAPHNE in New York and checked in for the French Sudatonic Slimming and Detoxifying Body Wrap, hoping to emerge a bit more slender and detoxed after a particularly indulgent week.
As all spa treatments generally begin, the aesthetician told me to strip down and lay on a massage table. Once she returned to my room, she began rubbing my body down with two specific creams from Sudatonic—one to increase circulation and reduce cellulite and the other to reduce fat and improve the effects of infrared heat. This part felt awesome, just like any regular massage would, with an added stomach kneading moment to improve digestion and stimulate my intestines. Once I was all oiled up, the aesthetician wrapped me in plastic wrap and placed a infrared blanket around my entire body, exposing only my face to the fresh air. At first, it felt like laying in a warm, snuggly bed—I even dozed off for a minute or two—but that relaxed feeling quickly ended.
After about 15 minutes, the aesthetician came back in with water and a straw for me to rehydrate. At this point, I was sweating, but not to the point where it was unbearable. However, once I approached the last 10 minutes of the treatment, things quickly took a turn. I began profusely sweating all over my body and face and fixating on the clock in the corner of the room, wishing the hands would move across the face of the clock faster. I felt like someone had wrapped me in tinfoil like a hot potato and then shoved me into an oven that had been cranked up to 400 degrees.
Finally, the treatment came to an end and the aesthetician returned with more water, towels to dry off, and a tiny bowl of cellulite-reducing cream to coat my body with. After refreshing and getting dressed, I evaluated my body, and that’s when it hit me: I felt incredible. All the bloating I had felt from a week of happy hours and junk food had completely left my body, giving me a lightweight feel and a svelte physique.
As I left, the aesthetician reminded me to have only a smoothie for dinner rather than a big meal so that the results would carry over to the next day. While I didn’t exactly listen to the post-treatment instructions (I felt too starved afterward), I still enjoyed the effects of the treatment over the next few days.
So, would I do this again? Short answer: it depends. I loved how I felt afterward, and if I had an extra $195 laying around for the treatment, I would probably book myself another session. It’s an awesome way to de-bloat before a special event or a beach weekend, and I truly felt renewed. However, for those who are sensitive to heat, claustrophobic or looking for a long-term weight-loss solution, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this one to you. Nonetheless, it’s definitely worth looking into.
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