How To Pamper Your Skin Using A Body Wrap

As the name suggests, the process involves literally wrapping your body with plastic sheets or thermal blankets to detoxify, rejuvenate and moisten the skin. Some wraps are also said to reduce inches off your body—but that's just temporary.

Any body wrap begins with skin exfoliation. Then, the product is applied and you're eventually wrapped (torso, legs, arms and legs) with plastic, towels or thermal sheets. There are several types of body wraps—detoxifying, hydrating, slimming etc. to name a few. So, the products vary accordingly. You relax with the wrap on and once the time is up, you're unwrapped. Then, either a lotion is applied or take a shower.

Body wraps offer a wide range of benefits. Detoxifying body wraps are done with a variety of ingredients like clay, seaweed etc. These ingredients help draw out impurities and toxins from your body. Hydrating body wraps use creams and gels to add intense moisture to your skin. The thermal sheets/plastic/towels help these ingredients penetrate deep into your skin. When it comes to cellulite reducing, slimming body wraps, the parts of your body are tightly wrapped with the plastic such that you sweat. Remember that these are just temporary benefits and only your water weight will reduce. Basically, they won't burn fat. These are perfect to do if you're attending a wedding or function.

There's a bunch of different recipes that you can try out at home. You will need a lot of cling wrap, and might have to keep the body wrap on for a longer time (overnight) as opposed to the time they wrap it in spas. For a hydrating wrap, rub a generous amount of coconut oil on your body and the wrap is using the cling wrap. You can do the same using a clay concoction for a detox wrap. Some of the most popular ones are chocolate wraps, herbal wraps, paraffin wraps etc. These can get really messy to do at home, so it is recommended to try the easier ones at home— for example, coconut oil or any other hydrating oil.

1. Start with exfoliating your skin—especially the areas where you're going to use the wrap. You can use your regular exfoliant or a dry brush. The idea is to make sure your dead skin cells are completely removed.
2. Take some warm coconut oil and add a few drops of your favourite essential oil in it. We love our all-time favourite—lavender essential oil!
3. You can add some fine coffee grains to the mixture as well (this step is optional)
4. Use a loofah or your hands to spread this mixture on your skin—make sure you're massaging it well.
5. Take the cling wrap and start wrapping the areas where you applied the mixture. Make sure it's not too tight—but tight enough to make you sweat.
6. Leave it on overnight (this can be uncomfortable to sleep in)
7. Unwrap it the next morning and hop into a nice, hot shower!

Image credits: genesysmedical