You’ve spent all spring dusting, vacuuming and tidying up your home after a long winter — now it’s time to concentrate on giving yourself a little buff and polish.
Sacred Hour Wellness Spa in Lakewood opened its Steam & Scrub Bungalow in February to help slough off that dry, winter skin. Owner Tabitha Baker, who has visited Korean-style bathhouses in New York and Los Angeles, puts her own spin on the ancient technique by offering guests a private modern oasis where they can pamper themselves.
“To exfoliate the entire body, removing the dead skin, the water, the steam — it’s ritualistic,” says Baker. “It’s removing what’s old and bringing new skin to the surface.”
The Steam & Scrub Bungalow, a former chiropractic office Baker renovated next to her Lakewood location, features calming gray subway-tiled shower rooms and a peaceful waiting area filled with wicker furniture and fluffy faux fur blankets.
Guests begin with a quick rain shower to moisten and clean their skin. A private steam room, where temperatures reach 112 degrees, not only helps eliminate toxins but also lets guests relax their muscles and mind. After about 20 minutes, guests are led to a massage bed where a practitioner dons traditional Korean scrubbing gloves to gently exfoliate the entire body. If you want to spoil yourself even further, add one of Sacred Hour’s massages to the end of your scrub.
The treatment isn’t just for relaxation — it has many more physical health benefits. “The removal of dead skin allows for the elimination of cellular waste, improves circulation, improves metabolisms and aids the body in its natural detoxification process,” Baker says.
The only tradition Baker didn’t apply to her bungalow is the amount of privacy found in Korean bathhouses. Typically, they hold a large number of people at one time, making it less intimate. “The beautiful thing about our space is it’s private and intended for one or two guests at a time,” she says. 17917 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216-228-9750, sacredhour.com
