Futurism and AI Meet Ancient Practices in 2024 Spa-Style Self-Care Trends
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The month of December brings thoughts of holiday celebrations, ringing in a new year, and Caribbean getaways for those who can afford the travel.
Model Angelina Kendall takes us poolside, in these new Winter 2023 swim and beauty looks from Zara, lensed by Carlijn Jacobs [IG]./ Hair by Joseph Pujalte; makeup by Siddharte Simone
Zara [IG] knows that many health and wellness services can be enjoyed at home in our own cities and towns, even if we are a bit jealous over the monied set jetting off to St. Barts.
The latest trends in spa treatments or relaxing getaways bring a host of scientific and technology innovations very different spa visits past.
Beyond Pampering to Wellbeing
The concept of holistic wellness has significant traction in the spa industry, evolving far beyond the original purpose of pampering clients.
Holistic wellness emphasizes a mind-body-spirit approach, recognizing that true well-being is achieved when all aspects of an individual are in balance.
Creating a state of relaxation and ‘letting go’ remains a core purpose of spas and wellness retreats. But now the menu of services also includes practices that promote mental clarity, emotional healing, and spiritual growth.
Expect to see an expansion of offerings such as mindfulness meditation sessions, guided visualization exercises, energy healing modalities like Reiki or crystal therapy, and sound baths.
Spa menus will feature more holistic services tailored to address specific concerns like stress management, sleep enhancement, and emotional well-being.
Even these elements of the spa experiences are not new, depending on where we live, and our access to cutting-edge spa services.
The End of One-Size-Fits-All Treatments
Today's discerning spa-goers seek customized and individualized therapies that cater to their unique needs. This trend towards personalization stems from a growing understanding that each person has distinct preferences, concerns, and goals when it comes to self-care.
Spa experiences can become a form of self-discovery as well. Depending on our own level of knowledge and spa experiences, many of us are open to radical explorations, while others are seeking a familiar harbor experience.
Customized Spa Experiences
Spa establishments are responding by offering tailored experiences that address these specific requirements, with customization being an integral part of the spa experience.
This might include choosing specific aromatherapy oils, adjusting pressure levels during massages, or even designing entirely bespoke treatment packages.
Creating the bespoke spa experience will increasingly be tied to science and AI — even if the actual treatments and experiences involve rituals thousands of years old.
Technology and Science Meet Ancient Traditions
In the near future, spas are expected to embrace artificial intelligence [AI] and virtual reality [VR] to create immersive and personalized wellness journeys.
AI-Powered Spa Experiences
AI-powered systems can provide intelligent recommendations based on individual preferences, health data, and desired outcomes. These systems will enable spas to tailor treatments and services with precision, ensuring that each guest receives a truly customized experience.
One can’t fully escape from our mulitasking world — even on a list of spa options. Today’s clients are looking to address multiple wellness concerns in one treatment. AI can be a great assist in understanding the individualized goal and quickly suggesting a spa services menu.
From suggesting the most suitable massage techniques to recommending personalized skincare routines, AI will revolutionize how spa-goers engage with treatments.
Virtual Reality-Driven Spa Services
Virtual reality is another emerging technology that is set to transform the spa landscape. By transporting guests into serene virtual environments, VR experiences can enhance relaxation and provide an escape from everyday stresses.
Imagine unwinding on a tropical beach or immersing yourself in a tranquil forest while receiving your massage – VR has the potential to transport spa-goers anywhere we desire.
It’s not the case that spa-goers are only having an ancient treatment in a virtual reality experience. With an extended spa stay, the VR experience might include our participation in ancient collective, community-focused rituals that exist to inspire us but also to educate us on ancient civilizations with an abundance of knowledge about the mind-body-heart relationship
Enter Augmented Reality [AR] Aromatherapy
Using AR devices or smartphone apps, advance planning allows spa clients to explore a vast array of essential oils virtually.
Detailed information on each scent’s properties and benefits helps guests create personalized scent blends that cater to their well-being needs. As if we’re on own perfumer, an AI system can also intervene to suggest that the combination of certain scents together sounds like a great idea, but the result might not be so life-enhancing. Then we learn why our idea might be disruptive to our wellbeing.
My current experiences with AI are highly interactive. Perhaps my skills get the most out of a system, but I am in awe of AI’s capacity to increase my intellectual skill set.
Biometric Monitoring of Vital Statistics
Throughout spa treatments, wearable monitors and sensors discreetly track real-time biometrics such as heart rate, skin temperature, and stress levels.
Self-reporting does not have the highest credibility in health and wellness research.
Of course, we want to listen to our bodies and develop instincts on what treatments are beneficial and which are not. Increasingly, though, clients will have the benefit of biometric monitoring as a second check on how our bodies really are responding to spa treatments and practices.
These devices will confirm the state of our vital functions — apart from our own mental and emotional conclusions about the spa experience. AI will jump in and say “well —whatabout this idea?”
All of these changes and many more are coming our way in 2024 spa experiences. What intrigues AOC about this evolution is the growing respect that ancient traditions are manifesting in our futuristic world.
It’s the middle that is vanilla pudding. Tying these two seemingly opposite poles into an integrated, customized experience for spa goers promises the best health and wellness adventures going forward. ~ Anne
