Aesthetic treatments with chocolate

Ingredients may be used in procedures for hair, moisturizers, against cellulite and even for tanning

by Julia Reis, Sao Paulo iG

Beauty salons and clinics are offering treatments using chocolate, famous enemy of the diet, as an ally of aesthetics. In Sao Paulo, spas like the Renaissance and Cattel offer procedures with ingredients that help in procedures, such as exfoliation, massage and application of a cream with the texture of chocolate mousse, enhanced with a thermal blanket. In the Chocolate Spa, Arthys Clinic, in Rio de Janeiro, the whirlpool bath is more like a dessert, with cocoa, powdered milk and almond oil.

"The asset used is powder extracted from the fruit kernels of cocoa rich in flavonoids and is a potent antioxidant, fighting free radicals and promoting hydration," explains dermatologist, Roseli Andrade. According to her, treatments with tonic lotions, facials and body treatments, massages and bubble baths slow the aging process and bring brilliance to skin and hair.

According to Adriana Oliveira Fanaro, clinical nutrition specialist and professor of aesthetic techniques, ingredients such as chocolate act on molecules that participate in the inflammatory process, reversing the flow of LDL ("bad cholesterol") while protecting the body from free radicals. "It is noteworthy that the result depends on what creams and treatments the professional will apply," it was pointed out.

Manu Spa performs procedures focused on the feet and hands with exfoliation, reflexology and paraffin moisturizing with chocolate. They also offer body masks with chocolate fondue, honey, oats and other natural ingredients.

For those who want to treat the face with chocolate, Vitalle promises good results with the procedure of exfoliation or crystal peeling, which removes dead cells, and moisturizing with cocoa and chemical peels. According to the medical cosmetologist, Juliana Moraes, chocolate nourishes, leaves your skin smooth and prevents aging due to its composition of calcium, magnesium, minerals, iron, phosphorus, protein, fats and vitamins.

"The application of food on the skin, especially the face, rescues the freshness, allows an excellent renovation of the cells, fights the signs of age and prevents the formation of wrinkles," he says. The chocolate facelift of the Bella Linea clinic also includes facials and microcurrents, which help to drain and tone the facial muscles, improving the sagging of the face and softening expression marks or acne.

But chocolate is not only used for treatments. In Olympia Spa, tanning jets provide the essence of chocolate and leave skin browned for up to 14 days. For hair, chocolate appears in products for restoration of the hair. In the Complexion Esthétique et Coiffeur lounge, São Paulo, there is a treatment for damaged hair "White Choco." After washing, a cream is applied, activated by a blue light.

According Roseli, chocolate treatments are best suited for those with dry and devitalized skin and hair. In other cases, it may increase oiliness. A homemade mask that can be made weekly to hydrate and restore the luster of the skin: two tablespoons of cocoa powder, one cup of yogurt and two teaspoons of honey. The mixture should be kept 15 to 20 minutes on the skin and then be rinsed with cold water.

Translated from the Portuguese version by:

Lisa Karpova

Pravda.Ru