Spas are going back to nature with treatments made from whole foods. Is the greener than thou attitude merely a gimmick, or does it have some benefit for the consumer? Many beauty professionals have gone the fresh route because it guarantees that there won't be any additives in their products. These are known to cause allergic reactions and suspected of doing even worse. Donna Perillo, owner of Sweet Lily Nail Spa, explains that "so many companies add color and unnecessary chemicals - a seaweed face mask tends to have green dye in it. Those chemicals get absorbed through the skin." Even necessary, FDA recommended chemicals such as preservatives can be bad for sensitive skin.
At Sweet Lily, Perillo prides herself on making almost every product by hand. She concocts a grapefruit and sugar scrub for the feet that is beneficial because of sugars exfoliating properties and the natural AHAs in grapefruit. Also from the Sweet Lily kitchen comes a mask for the feet that's made from honey, brown sugar, ground walnuts and almond oil.