If you've never offered mud at your spa, here are some basic treatment options for your menu:

Mud Facials (including décolleté)

Frequency – once per month at the spa and every week at home
Most frequently asked question – Will this help my wrinkles?
Answer – Yes. Hungarian mud contains more than 60 percent silicon dioxide, which is an essential component to building collagen. Some folks use
Botox… I use Hungarian mud. Sometimes I mix a bit of mud with warm water – just enough mud to cover the area between my brows where the "frown" can't hide and I make the mud consistency thicker than for a full facial. I leave it on for 20 or so minutes, rinse, moisturize, and move on. You can also achieve exceptional results with mud as an acne treatment.
Supplies – 3 teaspoons of mud, 3 teaspoons of purified or distilled water
Steps – Add water sparingly until the desired consistency is achieved similar to a thin cake batter. If it's too thin, it will drip down on the client and make a mess. Blend well and apply to cleansed facial, neck, and cleavage area. Let dry for 15 to 20 minutes. The mud facial will benefit all skin types and is excellent for acne. I suggest attending a facial class or even referring back to your textbooks to better understand the variables of facial skin and the importance of lymphatic drainage massage. Consider individualizing facials at your spa as a once a month treatment and sending your clients home with retail mud for a weekly home regimen.

Mud Body Wraps

Frequency – once per month or every other month
Most frequently asked question – What's the purpose of a full body wrap?
Answer – Overall skin detoxifying and nourishment will revitalize dull skin to a healthier, smoother complexion, even out tones, and help to heal skin blemishes. It will also help to melt away your day's troubles. Simply put, you feel and look better!
Supplies – aesthetic bed, water supply, shower facilities (if available), dark colored or disposable robe, medium size bowl, body application brush, double size heating blanket, pillow, double size sheet, all-purpose plastic sheet, approximately 6oz to 8oz mud of choice, essential oils may be added to further enhance the treatment
Draping – Note: The heating blanket, sheet, and plastic should almost reach the floor on both sides of the bed to ensure that the client will be completely covered. First, drape the heating blanket over the aesthetic bed from head to toe, leaving excess blanket hanging over each side of the bed. Position the pillow at the head of the bed underneath the blanket. Then drape a sheet of the same size over the heating blanket. Finally, drape a plastic sheet over the existing sheet and heating blanket. It must be large enough to cover the entire body from the neck area down to and over the feet.
Mixing – Note: Ensure you apply the mud to the client when the mixture is warm by preparing it just prior to application. Applying cool/cold mud may give your client an uncomfortable and unpleasant experience. In a medium size bowl, add six to eight ounces of Mud. Add three to four ounces of very warm water little by little to the mud mixing as you add. If too much water is added, your mixture will become too watery and will require extra mud added. A soft, smooth, silky texture is what you want to achieve. Experienced practitioners of essential oils may wish to add oils of their choice to customize at this particular time.
Steps – Note: Offer your client the option of wearing disposable undergarments, an old swimsuit, undergarments, or remaining in the nude for their treatment. Start the treatment by turning the heating blanket on so that it begins to warm the sheets on the bed. With the sheet and heating blanket underneath the plastic, begin your treatment by having your client lay face down. Using your applicator brush, apply the mud in a thin layer from the feet up to the back of the neck. Then, have your client turn over onto their back and apply the mixture to the entire front side of the body in the same manner. Begin to immediately wrap the client in a snug-like manner. Start by firmly wrapping the client in the plastic from the neck down by tucking in all sides. This step must be performed as quickly as possible to prevent the client from becoming cold. Follow with the sheet and then the heating blanket in the same manner. Next, apply mud to the face with a smaller application brush or your fingers to give greater care to the more delicate facial skin tissues. Allow the client to relax in this position for 20 minutes. After their relaxation period, begin to unwrap the client. Have a dark colored or disposable robe on hand. Help the client into the robe and show them to the shower room. Explain to them that no soap is needed to rinse off the mud. Using only water allows the skin to keep its cloak of minerals and prolong the penetrating osmotic effects of the active ingredients in the mud. Rubbing the mud gently while rinsing in the shower will aid in exfoliating the skin. The water should be lukewarm, not hot! Once the mud has been completely washed away, it is preferable that the client rinses their entire body in cool water to restore the normal body temperature. Have a bottle of hydrating lotion available in the shower room. Advise the client to use it on their full body including the face following the shower. Advise the client that if at all possible a 20 minute rest should follow their treatment. Have a glass of refreshing mineral water ready for your client.

Mud Cellulite Treatments

Frequency – Every two weeks for six months with a maintenance program of once per month
Most frequently asked question – How long will it take for results?
Answer – That all depends on how "deep" the situation is. If someone's had problems for a couple of decades, it will take longer to achieve great results, but they should see and feel a difference within the first six treatments. The mud cellulite treatments will help the body to eliminate toxins and wastes by its abilities to stimulate circulation. Combined mud and massage efforts will help to break up fat deposits and get them flushed out of the body. –We should all be aware that there are no miracle cures for cellulite. Success can be achieved to measurable degrees if a proper eating habit is followed, regular cardio and strength training exercise is performed, along with regular detoxifying massages and mud treatments. The key to greater skin, and to a healthier sense of well-being, as always, is to work on preventative measures from an early age.

• Supplies – same as Mud Body Wraps
  
• Prepping – You may follow similar instructions for prepping as the full body wrap even if you are doing only the lower part of the body.
  
• Steps – Where the treatment will differ is in the application of the mud. You will want to heat the mud to approximately 104-107 Fahrenheit. The mud should be of a thick cake batter consistency. Apply the mud to the target area. Then move on to wrapping the areas covered with the mud. Be sure to cover the full body so that they don't get a chill as they rest. Let the client rest for 20 minutes before removing the mud. Immediately send them to the shower or wash off with warm water and cloth. The mud is easily removed by applying wet cloths to rehydrate the mud and then wiping it off. Keep their body covered as you wash area by area to keep the chill away. You can complete this treatment by performing a cellulite massage to the treated area with a stimulating massage lotion. Again, have a glass of refreshing mineral water ready for your client.

Now for 'my personal favorite'.

Mud Baths

Frequency – once per week or as needed
Most frequently asked question – Will the mud harm our bath and our pipes/drainage?
Answer – I can confidently speak for Hungarian Wellness Mud from years of experience… NO.
Steps – Caution: Your client may need to rest for 10 to 20 minutes after their escape in a mud bath treatment; unless they can get home to rest afterwards! If your spa has the luxury of spa baths, consider adding one to two cups of mud to the water for your clients. Let them soak in the benefits of all of the rich essential minerals our bodies crave – to soothe and relax their tensed muscles, tightened ligaments incurred from overactive daily responsibilities, and to allow the natural holistic approach to envelop and enrich their overall sense of well-being. This is a great opportunity to retail some of that "escape magique" to your client. They can recreate the same experience in the privacy of their own turbo-bath or in just a regular bath. Light a few candles, put on some music of personal choice, fill that tub with steamy hot water, and up to two cups of mud (entirely up to their willingness to splurge). Get ready to say goodbye to the stresses of the day and goodnight to the thoughts that are trying to take space in the comforts and privacy of the mind.

Luxury or Necessity – You be the Judge

What if you found a unique – but established – alternative methodology to using mud as a real pain management program, what would you do? Would you consider expanding your menu to include a whole "new life to mud"? It could be another reason for your consideration…
Mud has potential to become a number one choice for natural health care by today's modern family across North America! And that's where the Hungarian Wellness Mud comes in to play.

Mud for Managing Pain

Pain management and therapy of the joints can be performed by a licensed massage therapist or licensed practitioner of physical therapies. As with implementing anything into your spa, training is essential to provide effective services to your clients.

Mechanical Therapy - The weight and density of the hydrated mudpack is used as a hot/cold compress over affected areas of the body. The weight of the mudpack will assist the penetration of minerals and/or the stimulation or decrease in circulation of affected areas.
Thermal Abilities - The composition of this therapy pack is comprised of minerals (60 percent silicone dioxide) that have cold/heat retaining abilities to reduce swelling and/or encourage blood circulation more effectively than traditional cold/hot packs used in clinics today.
Mineral Absorption - Due to the increase of blood circulation during the therapy, minerals can be absorbed through the layers of skin. These same minerals have the ability to assist the blood vessels in flushing out toxins from the muscle fibers and are subsequently carried through the circulatory system to be deposited to areas devoid of minerals. The outcome expectations may leave a client with less pain and swelling over affected areas of the body.

Men Love it Too

Our guys are raving beyond their regular and taking advantage of everything we have to offer them in the spa.
The mud has been a big hit with men after all they have skin issues too.
From basic skin care, preventative anti-aging, and preventing ingrown hairs on the face, back, and chest, men can't get enough of mud masks. We love to use the mud after sugaring treatments, facial and body masks, and baths for the guys too!
…So go ahead and make that addition to your menu and watch your clients (and your bottom line) reap the benefits.

Lina Kennedy, president of Alexandria Professional headquartered in Welland, Ontario Canada. For more information, contact her at 800-957-8427, or www.alexandriaprofessional.com.