The Thighs Have It - a visit to the Ojai Valley Inns and Spa, and a fight against cellulite - Brief Article

Vegetarian Times, Sept, 1999 by Janet Charatan

Like many women, I had noticed cellulite on my thighs--pesky, irritating stuff that refused to budge no matter how much I exercised. So when I recently spent a weekend at the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa in Southern California, I jumped at the chance to try the spa's green tea cellulite wrap.

The first thing I was told was that cellulite forms when excess fat, fluid and toxins build up beneath the skin's surface (most commonly in women's thigh and hip area). Green tea contains powerful antioxidants that help neutralize those toxins. Based on this notion, the spa developed a green tea cellulite wrap, which is actually a full-body bentonite clay treatment with green tea extract mixed in. As the clay sets, it tightens the skin and supposedly gets rid of cellulite.

Entering the spa, I found a peaceful haven filled with Spanish-style fountains, colorful mosaic tiles and the scent of lavender in the air. Ken, my therapist, began by dry-brushing my skin with a loofah. "This buffs away all the dead skin cells," he explained. He then massaged a sweet-smelling gray mud--the magic green tea clay--into my limbs, torso and back. As I waited for the clay to dry, Ken applied the finger-pressure therapy known as Shiatsu to my head and face. "Since the wrap is a Japanese treatment, we use Japanese massage," he said.

Thirty blissful minutes later, I was directed to the shower to scrub away the hardened clay. A moisturizing green tea lotion, followed by an intensifying spray to tighten the skin, ended the treatment. My skin felt incredibly smooth and soft, and I thought my thighs did look just a tiny bit firmer. But the best--and most long-lasting--result was the feeling of utter and complete relaxation.

Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, Country Club Road, Ojai, California 93023; (888) SPA-OJAI. Web site: www.ojairesort.com. $80 for 50 minutes. Or call Spa-Finders at (800) ALL-SPAS or (212) 924-6800 for a spa in your area.