Spa Trends for 2012 ~ Mode et Style de vie

SpaFinder today released its annual Spa Trend Report forecasting the global trends and ideas that will reshape spa and wellness in 2012. Here's the top 10 fancy treatments you can expect to see come January and beyond.

Healthy feet treatments. Whether your feet ail you from injuries or wearing high heels, pampering your tootsies will become a high priority, with spas specializing in podiatric remedies.

Cold and Ice Treatments. From saunas to steam rooms to hot stone massages, spas have traditionally turned up the heat. But while heat promotes relaxation and detoxification, the benefits of icy therapies--including better circulation and reduced inflammation of muscles and joints--are finally getting their due.

Wellness and Beauty Coaching. Health coach. Sleep coach. Eyebrow coach. Coaching is gathering steam at spas, and with good reason. While isolated treatments have their benefits, spas are in a unique position to help people make the kind of lifestyle changes that lead to long-term health and well-being. With the word "spa" increasingly evoking an entire lifestyle, it is only logical that coaching will become a fundamental part of the spa philosophy.

Online Wellness Gaming. Half a billion people worldwide play online games for at least an hour a day, and gaming’s addictive features--points, challenges, rewards, social interaction--are uniquely suited to making healthy lifestyle changes stick. Pioneers in the wellness gaming space include early entries, such as the meditation game Leela, from mind-body guru Deepak Chopra, and MindBloom’s Life Game, which rewards members for achieving well-being goals and has the backing of insurance giant Aetna.

Vibration, Sound, Music, Light and Color Therapies. Spas have long used sound and light as ambient accessories. Now, new scientific evidence revealing the physical and emotional benefits of frequencies and vibrations has inspired an explosion of approaches based on the idea that various systems in the body vibrate at different frequencies, and disruptions can affect health.

The glam factor. Who doesn't love 10-minute manicures, blow dry bars, and walk-in makeup applications? Next year fast and affordable treatments will be be even more glitzy with Swarovski manicures, intricate braiding, colorful extensions, and lash tints on the rise.

Spa, Wine and Dine Packages. Although many hotels and resorts have long offered both very fine food and very fine spa, the two weren’t traditionally paired together as a package. That’s changing in a big way, as fine dining and spa-ing are being aggressively paired, packaged, curated, marketed and savored together as never before. Creative culinary-plus-spa experiences have become a massive trend because they’re massively appealing: a logical, sensory, “lifestyle” combo for both pleasure seekers and true connoisseurs.

Spa Evidence. Does a massage really boost your immune system? Does acupressure really work? This new site explains the science behind treatments from the mundane to the hippie dippy. You can also expect to find more spa treatments and wellness approaches prescribed by doctor. We can only hope one day insurance will cover facial.

Spas Become a Family Affair. As more families travel with children to spas, the industry is evolving to accommodate the under-18 set--from opening kids-only spas to offering services focused on everything from childhood obesity to the development of lifelong wellness practices.

The "wow" factor. Scented candles and plush robes aren't enough these days. Amusement park spas are on the rise with tube slides, bubble baths, and dozens of creative saunas. New rocking massage tables make clients feel as though they're floating on air.

Healthy feet treatments. Whether your feet ail you from injuries or wearing high heels, pampering your tootsies will become a high priority, with spas specializing in podiatric remedies.

Cold and Ice Treatments. From saunas to steam rooms to hot stone massages, spas have traditionally turned up the heat. But while heat promotes relaxation and detoxification, the benefits of icy therapies--including better circulation and reduced inflammation of muscles and joints--are finally getting their due.

Wellness and Beauty Coaching. Health coach. Sleep coach. Eyebrow coach. Coaching is gathering steam at spas, and with good reason. While isolated treatments have their benefits, spas are in a unique position to help people make the kind of lifestyle changes that lead to long-term health and well-being. With the word "spa" increasingly evoking an entire lifestyle, it is only logical that coaching will become a fundamental part of the spa philosophy.

Online Wellness Gaming. Half a billion people worldwide play online games for at least an hour a day, and gaming’s addictive features--points, challenges, rewards, social interaction--are uniquely suited to making healthy lifestyle changes stick. Pioneers in the wellness gaming space include early entries, such as the meditation game Leela, from mind-body guru Deepak Chopra, and MindBloom’s Life Game, which rewards members for achieving well-being goals and has the backing of insurance giant Aetna.

Vibration, Sound, Music, Light and Color Therapies. Spas have long used sound and light as ambient accessories. Now, new scientific evidence revealing the physical and emotional benefits of frequencies and vibrations has inspired an explosion of approaches based on the idea that various systems in the body vibrate at different frequencies, and disruptions can affect health.

The glam factor. Who doesn't love 10-minute manicures, blow dry bars, and walk-in makeup applications? Next year fast and affordable treatments will be be even more glitzy with Swarovski manicures, intricate braiding, colorful extensions, and lash tints on the rise.

Spa, Wine and Dine Packages. Although many hotels and resorts have long offered both very fine food and very fine spa, the two weren’t traditionally paired together as a package. That’s changing in a big way, as fine dining and spa-ing are being aggressively paired, packaged, curated, marketed and savored together as never before. Creative culinary-plus-spa experiences have become a massive trend because they’re massively appealing: a logical, sensory, “lifestyle” combo for both pleasure seekers and true connoisseurs.

Spa Evidence. Does a massage really boost your immune system? Does acupressure really work? This new site explains the science behind treatments from the mundane to the hippie dippy. You can also expect to find more spa treatments and wellness approaches prescribed by doctor. We can only hope one day insurance will cover facial.

Spas Become a Family Affair. As more families travel with children to spas, the industry is evolving to accommodate the under-18 set--from opening kids-only spas to offering services focused on everything from childhood obesity to the development of lifelong wellness practices.

The "wow" factor. Scented candles and plush robes aren't enough these days. Amusement park spas are on the rise with tube slides, bubble baths, and dozens of creative saunas. New rocking massage tables make clients feel as though they're floating on air.