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Recreating Le Terme della Regina Isabella
by Jessica Skropanic
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"The result was skin so smooth I could hardly believe it, No tightness or feeling of residue, and I wasn't even sure I needed moisturizer! "
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The Regina Isabella Hotel on the island of Ischia, Italy, is home to a premier medical and resort spa: This means there are all of the benefits of a complete medical staff in an environment that pleases the eye, pampers the body, and feeds the spirit. Now spa lovers can bring home a little portion of what makes this resort so special. (See our article on Regina Isabella in the September/October 2007 issue of WSR at www.spareviewmag.com/21 )
The spa's line is made up of the same seemingly magical products used in their treatments that charmed me when I visited the spa. In a matter of days I had become quite accustomed to the light scents and clean hydrated feeling - basically happy skin - I experienced while enjoying my treatments. I hated the thought of leaving an entire island made up of healthy, rejuvenating earth and water. A visit to the spa store soothed my separation anxiety. I left with a suitcase full of fabulous spa products with instructions and ingredients in both English and Italian.
The first thing I noticed was the easy code to tell me which products were for me. 00 indicates a product for all skin types, 01 is for sensitive skin, 02 for dry dehydrated skin, 03 for combination or oily skin, 04 is specifically for oily skin, and 05 is for mature skin. Every product has a number or multiple numbers on it to tell you for whom it's designed.
Fab Facial
I began with the spa's Purifying Cleansing Milk (Latte Dermopurificante), number 00 for all skin types. This is the same cleanser available in every hotel room. So pleasant-feeling and nourishing was this cream that, while hurrying to breakfast one morning, I accidentally used it as a face moisturizer, and did not notice my error until I got back to my room an hour later. It feels like a light face cream. (This time I was careful to read the bottle when I was not so hungry.) I applied the product - morning and evening - in circles per the instructions, rinsed it off, and felt my face. It was very clean with not even a hint of tightness. It actually did seem to moisturize on its own, but cleaned up every bit of excess oil and make-up.
D Aqua Day, the spa's Hydrating Day Cream, number 00, was the perfect end to my evening regime. Smooth and perfect for night as well as day, it is loaded with the mineral-rich waters of Ischia which the product label says encourages hydration into the deep layers of the skin. "The Melissa extract stimulates collagen synthesis and softens the skin." They even added vitamin C. I went to bed with my face feeling soft and healthy, but the true miracle was that I woke up still looking hydrated and fresh. My face and neck felt smooth and healthy.
The Nourishing Face Mask (Maschera Nutriente), number 02-05, is very different from most masks I've sampled. It behaved much more like a weekly moisturizer, penetrating deeply. It combines the rich volcanic mud with Vitamin C and shea butter to protect skin from cell oxidation and dehydration, the common effects of pollution and weather. I left the mask on for 15 minutes - the instructions say 15-20 - and wiped off the excess with a clean cotton cloth. My skin really looked radiant! At the end of the day my skin still looked hydrated and healthy, and we experienced 100 degrees in the shade that day.
 The package of four Vitamin E Phials for skin type 02-05, but especially effective for mature skin, is exactly the amount recommended by the spa for a four weeks' supply, equaling one cycle of treatment. The product is used daily in the evening on clean skin. Be careful when opening: Do NOT throw away the little white cap. After removing the circular wrapper, push down on the white Îbutton' top to release the active ingredient, shake the orange bottle, and then take off the white top and put on the orange top. Now you're ready to shake out some drops of this wonderful anti-aging formula that goes very deep into the skin to repair and renew. There was a bit of a tingling sensation on my face after I applied it, but it wasn't unpleasant. The spa suggests use with the Vitamin Cream for deep hydration, so I did so. These products work great together.
The Vitamin Cream (Crema Alle Vitamine), for skin types 02-05, is a daily morning face cream with vitamins A, E, B6 and C. It is designed to protect skin from free radicals, hydrate, and encourage cell regeneration. I confess: I cheated and used it in the evening instead. It only took a tiny bit to cover my face, but I was amazed to see the havoc caused by a dry summer day in inland California simply fade from my face in a matter of seconds. My skin looked hydrated and Îplump'. It also felt incredibly soft to the touch.
Body-Conscious
 Upon my return from Ischia, the first body-care product I tried was open almost before I set down the rest of my luggage, the fabulous clay from deep in the volcano. I loved my mud treatments so much and they were so effective in detoxifying, I just couldn't wait to try the Spa Clay (number 00 for all skin types).
The instructions say to apply the mud to clean dry skin and massage. It is supposed to be especially effective on cellulite. Frankly, my body was so hungry for the mud treatments it was missing, I squirted out a nice little palm-full. It doesn't take much. I was covered from neck to foot. The familiar light earthy scent made me relax immediately.
The description of this product, that it encourages the reduction of water retention and fatty deposits (yup, cellulite) is a great understatement: The antioxidant power is amazing. I'd had a 90-minute deep tissue massage and, while I'd consumed a lot of water and felt good, I noticed a slight burn from released lactic acid and waste products: In other words, I was a bit sore. This clay took away most of my soreness as effectively as a detox Epsom salt bath, but unlike the latter, left my skin looking and feeling clean and smooth. The backs of my thighs did appear smoother after only one application. Earth from the Garden of Eden: Heavenly!
After rinsing off the mud, I applied a little of the Hydroactive Body Cream (Crema Idroattiva, Corpo) for all skin types (number 00). This is also available in the hotel rooms at the Regina Isabella. It is a light, smooth cream that penetrates quickly, leaving the skin refreshed but not weighed down. Excellent for everyday use, it's also the perfect follow-up to the resort's wonderful bath foam.
One of the nicest products was the Exfoliant (Fango Esfoliante) for all skin types. Made from the same volcanic clay, this product is nothing short of miraculous. I should explain that exfoliating has traditionally been a bit hazardous for me: I have extremely sensitive skin. At best, it is usually a boring but necessary step until I get to moisturizing. Not this time. The clay felt smooth and creamy, more like a moisturizing mask with little bits of exfoliants - very tiny. The result was skin so smooth I could hardly believe it. No tightness or feeling of residue, and I wasn't even sure I needed moisturizer!
 Last I tried the Crema Specifica, a cream for delicate skin or delicate parts of the body (neck, d collet , etc.). It's designed for all skin types. Because I have sensitive skin pretty much all over my body, I tried it everywhere. I was amazed at how smooth my skin felt, without any residue, and it penetrated so fast. My skin stayed smooth and hydrated for the rest of the day. Lovely.
Even with my temperamental - okay, sensitive - skin, I had no unhappy reactions: I'm really thrilled with these products. They seem to be made especially for me. But that's the same comment uttered by many a guest at Le Terme della Regina Isabella. In other words, there is healing for just about everyone.
Their product line also includes a men's line and a sun protection line. All of their products utilize the unique mineral-rich waters, and most include the spa-grade clays of the volcanic island of Ischia.
To purchase from the spa or reserve room at the resort hotel, visit www.reginaisabella.it.
or contact the spa at:
L'Albergo della Regina Isabella
Piazza Santa Restituta, 1
80076 Lacco Ameno - Ischia (Napoli), Italy
Ph. +39 081 99 43 22
Fax +39 081 90 01 90
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