Spa Utopia: True beauty lies in the spirit of giving...

Giving back to the community has always been a priority for Spa Utopia. Employees, spa guests, shareholders and owners alike believe in the spirit of giving and reaching out to help others in their time of need. Just knowing that their contribution provides a better life for another person or persons in some small way is not to be overlooked. To this end, in 2006, we established The Utopia Foundation which to date has raised over $250,000 for global and local charities

Last week, the Utopia Foundation presented $6,500 to each of three local Charities—Canuck Place Children's Hospice, BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre, and the Rick Hansen Foundation. 

Money is raised by volunteer staff who provide services outside of regular spa hours during our Days of Giving. Our staff and students volunteer their time, and Spa Utopia and Utopia Academy donate 100 percent of the proceeds from services and retail purchases. More funds are raised by staff organizing activities such as potluck lunches, bake sales, lunchroom "snack shacks" and donation boxes.

The owners of Spa Utopia and Utopia Academy would like to thank all involved for so generously volunteering their time and expertise to make these donations possible. This—and you—are truly appreciated.

More about Canuck Place Children's Hospice: Canuck Place encourages each child to ‘embrace life’ and believes in enhancing the quality of whatever time a child may have left by empowering them to live fully and joyfully.

At the moment, there are about 400 children and families from across British Columbia in the Canuck Place program. Their current budget allows them to provide in-hospice care for up to nine children and four families.

In addition to their core services in the Hospice, they provide consultation and education services to care providers and families. Because of the generosity of donors and volunteers, all of their services are provided free of charge.

More about BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre: BC Women's focuses its research, teaching and care on women's health and the health of their families, including their emotional, mental, social, spiritual and physical well-being.

The direct focus on women has allowed BC Women's to pioneer the creation of specialized programs designed to meet the health needs of women and their families. Donations enable them to give vital and appropriate care through: •Advanced diagnostic and other essential equipment  •Primary women's wellness initiatives throughout the province  •New and innovative preventative health programs  •Research that will inform all their programs and treatments •Recruitment of the brightest lights in women's health care.

More about the Rick Hansen Foundation:  Twenty five years following his legendary Man In Motion World Tour, Rick Hansen’s journey to realize his dream of a world inclusive and accessible to all, continues. Building on a lifetime of extraordinary accomplishments, Rick believes his best work is still in front of him; challenging us to dream extraordinary dreams, to focus attention on accessibility and to remind everyone that when we remove barriers, anything is possible.
 
The Foundation is dedicated to finding the cure for spinal cord injury and making communities fully accessible and inclusive.

Introducing Spa Utopia 100% Organic Moor Mud

Throughout recorded history, various civilizations have understood the therapeutic and beauty benefits of applying mud to the body. Not the mud you'll find on the riverbank, of course, but mud derived from specific areas rich in organic elements that smooth, soften, detoxify and revitalize the skin. The ancient Romans, Turks, Celts and Wappo Indians were particularly enamoured with bathing in mud, understanding its remarkable ability to heal wounds, soothe aches and pains, and restore radiance to the skin.

Mud baths are therapeutic, healing treatments that help relax the body and restore the soul. Immersing yourself in a mud bath will draw toxins from the skin, ease tense muscles, alleviate inflammation and soothe arthritis-related joint pains.

One of the most beneficial muds, Moor Mud originates from moorlands that, over the aeons, have become exceptionally rich in organic elements. One of the best sources of Moor Mud is Canada's own Outaouais region, in southwest Quebec. The high humic acid* content of Moor Mud enhances its natural anti-inflammatory abilities, helping to reduce pain and muscle aches, minimize joint inflammation, and smooth the bumpy appearance of cellulite. Over 1,300 natural, organic plant enzymes, minerals, trace elements, amino acids and vitamins have been identified within the mud. Many of these elements increase metabolism and provide a natural ion exchange that results in detoxification. The mud also possesses natural astringent qualities to help eliminate bacteria and fight infection.

Moor Mud also contains natural cell-regenerating properties, and is a powerful antioxidant, fighting aging, and alleviating acne and eczema. This highly-beneficial mud is also recognized for its ability to naturally balance the hormones, as it is also a rich source of phyto-hormones (plant-based hormones).

Enjoy the Moor Mud experience at home

Spa Utopia™ Moor Mud products make it possible for you to savour the benefits of this unique mud at home. The Organic Mud Bath comes in two delectable scents, Chocolate and Pine both recognized for their sensory appeal. (The Chocolate is hydrating and the Pine energizing. You may wish to use both according to your mood and needs!) All of our Moor Mud products are free from unnatural ingredients such as parabens, TEA, mineral oils, propylene glycol, etc. and are not tested on animals.

Available from our spa locations are the following Spa Utopia™ Moor Mud products:


•  Organic Moor Mud Natural Mask (with essential oils of lemon, rosemary and sage)
•  Organic Moor Mud Bath (hydrating Chocolate, or energizing Pine)
•  Organic Moor Mud Body Scrub  (with essential oils of lemon and rosemary)
•  Organic Moor Mud Silhouette Cream (with essential oils of lemon and rosemary. Perfect for smoothing cellulite before summer!)

*Humic acid is produced when organic components of soils decompose. It is considered one of the most beneficial naturally-occurring substances.

Spa Utopia Guests may use Pan Pacific Pool Amenities

Have you ever wished you could prolong your experience at our Pan Pacific spa location by going for a dip in the hotel's beautiful saltwater pool? Well, now you can!

Spa Utopia guests at the Pan Pacific can now enjoy the pool, relax in the adjacent Jacuzzi, or simply lie back and enjoy the warmth of the sundeck overlooking the panoramic North Shore mountains.

Use of the Pan Pacific pool amenities is available to you on the day of your service only and restricted to spa guests undergoing a treatment. (We recommend that guests enjoy these amenities prior to their spa experience, so as not to wash off any of the professional skin care products or oils used during their treatment.)

Spa Utopia is pleased to be able to provide our guests with this extra amenity and know you will enjoy the pleasure of an extended relaxation time in these beautiful surroundings.

Spa Utopia Wedding Packages

Your wedding day...

It will likely be the most exciting day of your life—the end of a courtship and the beginning of a new journey together as husband and wife.

Of course, you want this very special day to be perfect in every way, and for you and your wedding party to look and feel their very best.

Sometimes, all the planning involved can be overwhelming and it is good to know that help is at hand to ensure that you will be the most beautiful, relaxed bride ever! In fact, we believe that Spa Utopia is where "happily ever after" should begin...

To help make your wedding as magical as can be, we have introduced new wedding packages that will help you look every bit as wonderful as you feel.

                                                     

Brides-to-be are very special guests at Spa Utopia! For the bride herself, the Beautiful Bride Package is the perfect way to begin the wedding celebrations.

Slip into a fluffy bath robe, take a well deserved break from all the planning in our fully-appointed lounge, then relax completely as you experience our Utopia™ 75 minute Signature Facial, Classic Manicure and Classic Pedicure. This package also includes trial day hair and makeup, to ensure you feel completely confident with how you'll look, as well as hair and makeup and add-on lashes on the actual wedding day. And as our wedding gift to you, Spa Utopia will provide a choice of a complimentary Perfect Sense Paraffin treatment for the softest hands and feet, or complimentary Smile FX Teeth Whitening Treatment.

For the wedding party, Spa Utopia is offering the Picture Perfect Bridal Party Package, complete with your own coordinator to make sure your "spa day with the girls" will be fondly remembered as a special part of your wedding celebrations. This package includes a Classic Manicure and Classic Pedicure, as well as wedding day hair and makeup. And, as Spa Utopia's gift to those special women in your life, all will receive complimentary add-on lashes and a choice of lip gloss or nail polish for last-minute touch-ups.

Finally, a Spa Utopia wedding package for the groom, and perhaps the best man and fathers too! On your wedding day, all eyes will be looking at the beautiful bride, and her own eyes will be resting on the man with whom she will spend the rest of her life. Of course, you will want to look your very best for her...

The 'Groom'ing Essentials Package includes an Equalizer Facial, a Classic Full Body Swedish Massage and Nail Grooming for the hands and feet. You will also receive a complimentary Perfect Sense Paraffin treatment for the hands and feet or a complimentary Smile FX Teeth Whitening Treatment.

With so much to do and think about, it is all too easy for the bride-to-be to overlook the importance of scheduling time for herself. For optimum health and beauty, we recommend regular treatments beginnng six months prior to your wedding day. Consider scheduling a facial, massage and pedicure every six weeks. For natural nails, we recommend a manicure every two weeks. And for healthy, beautiful hair, it's important to find a stylist you can trust and who understands the look you wish to achieve on your special day.

To learn more about Spa Utopia Wedding Packages, please visit our website.

Spa Utopia Mother's Day ideas

She's one in a million, a very special lady, and you want to let her know that in a meaningful way...

If there is one thing a mother wants (most say more than flowers and chocolates), it's to feel physically and mentally pampered. In fact, most moms agree that "pampering" has become not a luxury but a necessity in their stress-filled days.

Moms-to-be need that special time for themselves too. Pregnancy is both a joyful time and a tiring time as baby grows bigger and moving around with ease becomes more difficult. (Hint! Moms-to-be love a pedicure because reaching those toes is no longer an easy task.)

Spa Utopia offers a number of treatments specifically for moms-to-be and new moms, as well as for "established" mothers and grandmothers! Also popular for Mother's Day is the Spa Utopia gift certificate, beautifully enclosed in a signature red envelope.

Spa Utopia Healthy Pregnancy series consists of five (5) 50-minute treatments or five (5) 80-minute treatments that combine massage, specific exercises and hydrotherapy techniques. (Treatments may also be purchased individually.) Treatments in this series are designed to promote the health and stability of the body as it adjusts to the changes that pregnancy brings. You can choose from five different treatments, designed for each stage of this miraculous journey. (Treatments include: Pre-Pregnancy, First Trimester, Second Trimester, Third Trimester, and Post-Partum.)

Spa Utopia Healthy Breast Care series may be purchased as a package of five (5) 50-minute treatments or five (5) 80-minute treatments. (Treatments may also be purchased individually.) These treatments are designed to relieve the breast pain that many women experience some time during their lives. Treatments include therapeutic massage that improves blood and lymphatic circulation to the breast. The first visit includes a consultation with a senior Registered Massage Therapist to develop a breast care treatment plan.

Other breast treatments are available, including General Health Care for the Breast, and Post-Surgical Breast Care. You can read more about breast care treatments on our website.

During her visit to Spa Utopia, the very special mom in your life will change into a snuggly white robe, sip a glass of white wine or our signature alcohol-free Rooibos Cocktail, and put her feet up before enjoying the relaxing Spa Utopia treatment you have given her. She'll be pampered and cared for in that unique Spa Utopia way that says, "Thank you for being such a wonderful presence in my life."

This Mother's Day check us out on Facebook and Twitter for your chance to win a Spa Utopia Gift Card for the special 'Mother' in your life.