The New Little Black Dress: How to Incorporate Himalayan Salt into Your Practice

By Ann Brown, LMT
October 7, 2015

The New Little Black Dress: How to Incorporate Himalayan Salt into Your Practice

By Ann Brown, LMT
October 7, 2015

Salt therapy has been around for thousands of years, but not until recently has the spa industry started to embrace its use and incorporate Himalayan salt into their treatments — and for good reason. Himalayan salt has a variety of health benefits for both the client and practitioner.

About two years ago, I began offering Himalayan salt treatments in our spa menu and it's been a big hit. More and more clients are looking for services that go just beyond the scope of a traditional massage. They want to see immediate results and experience multiple benefits in just one treatment. Adding Himalayan salt into your offerings will give them more of what they are looking for.

Himalayan salt has 84 trace minerals, and depending on how it's applied, those minerals absorb into the skin balancing the body's PH, aiding proper metabolism, helping with gastrointestinal issues, improving circulation and respiratory issues, and many other health benefits.

Spa Nordstrom recently introduced Himalayan salt stone massage in all of their locations in the United States. They not only added Himalayan salt stone massage, but also have been very successful adding Himalayan salt stone massage as an add-on to any type of traditional massage (Swedish, Deep Tissue). Spa directors across the country are raving over the therapeutic benefits, quality and are receiving positive feedback from clients. According to Leo Tonkin, co-founder of the Salt Therapy Association, the health benefits of salt therapy are really being recognized in the United States and the industry is growing at a rapid pace.

The types of Himalayan products and services available range in price, but there's plenty to choose from so you can expand upon the services you offer. Here are a few ways you can incorporate Himalayan salt into your business.

Himalayan Salt Scrub

Salt scrubs can be incorporated into any body treatment including pedicures, a facial and body exfoliation. The abrasive action of the salt will help exfoliate and improve circulation, giving the skin a natural glow. We've added a detoxifying wrap that includes massaging the salts into the body and following it up by wrapping the client into a heated infrared blanket to further assist the absorption of the salts. Clients get additional heat to allow the organic trace minerals to penetrate into the skin and body which, in turn, allows their body to rest, repair and relax.

Foot/Hand Domes

These warm, smooth slabs of salt are a great addition to manicure stations and relaxation areas in resort/day and destination spas. It's a soothing way to warm your feet or hands, grounds the client, releases negative ions in the air, and can serve as a lamp when it's not in use.

Himalayan Salt Stone Massage

Spas have been offering hot stone massage for years but we have been using handcrafted Himalayan salt stones in replace of the traditional stones. A new technology "green" warmer heats the stones to 115-130 degrees, does not need water, uses only 100 watts of power and LED lights, and does not produce an electromagnetic field. By adding Himalayan salt to a full-body massage, clients get additional heat to allow the organic trace minerals to penetrate into the skin and body, which in turn balances the client's central nervous system. Best of all, the therapist gets benefits from holding the Himalayan salt stones while performing the massage.

Sole

A Himalayan salt and water mixture (sole) is known to improve energy and circulation, balance the body's PH, help with skin conditions, regulate sleep and balance sugar levels. We offer sole after a massage, giving the client something tangible to walk away with and more for their money at little cost to you.

Detoxifying Bath

A 30-minute salt bath is a great way to detoxify the body. When taking a sole bath (adding two pounds of salt into a bathtub) the skin is absorbing the minerals and balancing the bio-energetic weak points, thus activating the body's energy flow. A great book on the benefits of Himalayan salt and other salts is, Water & Salt, The Essence of Life, by Dr. Barbara Hendel.

Salt Caves/Rooms

Dry salt therapy comes in many forms. Salt caves and salt rooms have been a common and natural treatment used worldwide. The use of a halo generator turns a room into an oasis helping with health issues such as respiratory problems, and skin diseases. It also provides anti-inflammatory benefits, cleans the airways and improves sleep.

The generator is easy to use, is non-toxic and self disinfecting. It uses less electricity, making it eco-friendly. Some spas charge $45 for a 15-minute session. They add decor and architectural appeal by building salt walls and having fine and coarse salt on the floors for additional benefits.

Himalayan Salt Bed

Another form of dry salt therapy, these enclosed beds offer a personal, comfortable and nurturing environment for the clients who are inhaling the air and being exposed to the salt's healing properties. These beds are easily fit in a typical size treatment room and allow the client to lie on Himalayan salt while pure sodium chloride is added to the airflow by a small halo generator that allows these tiny particles to be taken in by the lungs, benefiting the body and helping multiple ailments.

Dry Salt Sauna

Any traditional sauna can be easily converted using blocks of salt. Negative ions are emitted from the warmed salt reducing oxidation stress on the body. It's a great way to take that underutilized space and add value to the client and to add architectural/decor appeal.

Retail Offerings

Clients can easily take home a variety of stones and other retail items so they can continue their treatment after a visit to the spa. Crystal salt lamps not only provide a relaxing glow, it releases negative ions into the air. A Himalayan salt stone can be used as deodorant, to rub on the skin after a shower, put into the freezer or even heated on a burner to apply to areas of the body.