Kismet Inn's Signature Exfoliation

I went to visit my daughter in L.A for two weeks and had a wonderful time. During my visit we went to a Korean Spa which was simply great, hot pools, cold pool, infrared sauna, heated floors to lie on, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, towels, exfoliation and massages. It was indeed impressive. I thought the exfoliation would be just like the one I offer at the inn ... it is at the same time it is not. The differences are quite a few, it is in the attention an individual receives, the ingredients I use, the setting, the intimacy and relationship I build with the guest which goes both ways, it applies to the guest building up the relationship with me. I speak English so I am able to explain the ritual to the guest, the guest does not lie down on a bench or bed to get exfoliated but sits up on the tile made bench conversing with me while the exfoliation is being done. It is done in a private bathroom, the bathrooms are beautifully tiled. And above all I use absolutely no synthetic ingredient for the exfoliation. the Korean spas use synthetic, cheap mittens, they also don't use any exfoliant to exfoliate the skin. To me when one is cleansing it means one is getting rid of all the pollutions of everyday life, how can one cleanse if all the synthetic stuff touches ones body.

The mitten I use is made with goat wool, the exfoliante is made of sheep fat and beach sand, the pumice is natural volcanic rock. The guest keeps all these ingredients after the exfoliation is done plus a bottle of sesame oil which is all organic and locally produced in Maine by Avena Botanicals. The process takes a few hours which relaxes the muscles, helps the blood circulation and dead skin comes off rolling in big, fat inches leaving the skin soft, silky and smooth, the body simply relaxed.

I also serve tea with some confections/pastries/cookies I make myself. The tea also is a ritual making sure it is not tea bag, it is good tea brewed to the right taste without tasting bitter. The goodies are made with highest quality ingredients. All this is served after the exfoliation while most guests opt to have dinner which they enjoy eating it over couple of hours or longer.

I do try very hard to bring a sense of the Old World where nothing was rushed, pushed or hurried. Life was set at a pace that you could live, learn and enjoy. This kind of bathing and exfoliation was done in a setting as such which also brought about much healing. I try to offer just that.