steams as the acidity is thought to help the skin absorb the other herbal ingredients faster. Traditionally, wet tamarind was used as a beauty product: its high AHA content makes it an effective natural exfoliator and it was put on the face and body to brighten and smoothe the skin.
CAMPHOR (Cinnamomum camphora)
Extracted and processed from the camphor tree, kalaboon is a white powder-like substance with a cool, refreshingly minty smell used to ease and soothe respiration. The powder is used as an ingredient in Thai herbal baths and the leaves of the camphor tree are a vital ingredient in traditional herbal steams.
CUCUMBER (Cucumis sativus)
This crisp, refreshing vegetable has been used for hundreds of years as a face mask ingredient to help tone and moisturise the skin. Because of its high water content, chilled cucumber slices placed on the face provide immediate relief on a hot day.
ALOE VERA
(Aloe vera syn. Aloe barbadensis) Thais call this plant the 'crocodile tail plant' due to the appearance of its tapering, spiky leaves. When the leaves or stalks are pierced, a refreshing, healing gel oozes out. If applied to the skin, it soothes burns and is also a natural skin softener. Aloe gel is an effective natural sunburn soother and it is also good for moisturising dry or flaky skin.
herbal heat
The unique Thai herbal steam is one of the best known of the traditional therapies. It traces its roots back to ancient times; formulae differ from region to region, as individual healers have their own recipes based on their own knowledge of local plants and their benefits. Furthermore, different healers have formulated specialised treatments to cure various health conditions.
What is common to all herbal steams, though, is that they have fantastic therapeutic effects on your body. All you do is step into a dreamy, misty, heavy-scented room, lie back, and let the steam vapours do their work. As they penetrate the skin's open pores and enter the lungs, the molecules from the medicinal herbs are absorbed into the body. It's a real vitality boost, and also helps you to relax and clears the head. A totally self-indulgent treat is to combine your herbal steam with a massage. The heat from the steam room warms and relaxes your muscles in preparation to be thoroughly stretched by the masseur. A herbal steam is also good before a body wrap, as ingredients put on the body will be more readily absorbed by steamed, softened skin.
Afficionados swear by the Tamarind Retreat steam on the island of Koh Samui. Built into a crevice between two boulders on the spa's hillside property, the cave-like steam room is a dreamy place to soothe the body and clear the head. Guests enjoy alternating warming bouts in the steam room with refreshing chilly dips in their cold plunge pool.
The numerous tamarind trees that are the spa's namesake provide plentiful leaves—one of the key ingredients in their herbal steam. Other ingredients include lemongrass for its antiseptic properties; prai to moisturise the skin, ease sprains or muscular pain; turmeric to relieve itching and cleanse wounds; camphor leaves for their respiratory benefits; Kaffir lime leaves and fruit to clear dandruff; beach morning glory to clear skin inflammations and allergies; and tamarind leaves to speed the absorption of herbal ingredients in the skin.
The folks at Tamarind Retreat claim that their steam treatment aids respiration, relieves sinusitis, bronchial asthma, general stuffiness and stimulates circulation. It is also good for aches and pains and it cleanses the skin's pores. Above all, it relaxes body and mind.
The elegant lines of the black marble steam room at the Aman Spa, Amanpuri, Phuket provide an ultra-stylish setting for steam sessions. But the herbal steam comes with a word of warning: It isn't safe if you have hypertension or heart problems, and it's advisable to drink lots of water before, during and after the steam.
Ready-made preparations of dried ingredients can be bought in health stores around Thailand.
tangy citrus bathing
It's only one step from the traditional Thai steam therapy to the herbal bath, as many locally-grown herbs work well in water too. Inspired by the fabulous healing properties of Thai herbs and their ability to treat the body and revitalise the mind, the Banyan Tree Spa has come up with this herbal bath treatment to relax and cleanse your entire body. Here's how.
The ingredients used in this easy-to-make recipe can be found in any Thai kitchen—all you need is a piece of muslin cloth big enough to hold all the ingredients in a bundle.
| Quarter cup | dried Kaffir lime peel |
| Quarter cup | dried ginger powder |
| Quarter cup | dried galangal |
| One cup | fresh pandanus leaves |
Thai Kaffir lime is inedible, but the fragrant fruit and leaves have medicinal properties used in body and hair treatments. The peel contains oil that softens and moisturises the skin when used in hot herbal baths.
Using a mortar and pestle, crush the pandanus leaves well until the leaves become damp with their own juice. Mix all the ingredients together and wrap them into the muslin cloth to make a herbal pack. Tie the pack tightly with a cotton string.
Place the herbal pack under the running water so that the herbs soak in the water and fill the bathtub to the desired level. Shower and scrub your skin before stepping into the bath, then luxuriate in the scented water for 10-15 minutes. Afterwards, rinse off again under the shower and moisturise the skin with your favourite scented moisturising lotion.
Alternatively, you could try this traditional Thai steam with 3 or 4 Kaffir lime leaves, 2 tablespoons Kaffir lime zest, 2 slices prai, 6-8 stalks of sliced lemongrass, 1 sliced galangal root, a handful of tamarind leaves and 1 tablespoon camphor powder. Clean all the herbs and bring them to the boil in a rice cooker. When the steam starts to form, gently open the lid and sprinkle in the camphor powder and wait a few minutes. When more steam arises, sit opposite the cooker and cover yourself and the cooker with a blanket, all the while inhaling the aromatic vapours. Stay in your steam tent for 10-15 minutes. With repeated use, you'll notice a clearer complexion and less nasal congestion.
The popular herbal bath treatments offered in most Thai spas is a variation of the traditional herbal steam concept, and uses many of the same ingredients, such as lemongrass and Kaffir lime.
deep heat, thai-style
In Thailand, the round cotton bundles containing herbal mixtures were once the secret tools of ancient healers, and up until recently, could be obtained only from traditional healers or from the Thai massage school at Bangkok's Wat Po, or Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Nowadays, though, you can make your own with various combinations of herbs—for deep heat soothing of muscle aches and pains.
The origins of the Thai herbal heat compress are obscure, but it's known that such compresses were used to soothe the aching muscles of war-weary soldiers during the Thai-Burmese battles of the Ayutthaya period over 200 years ago. Such compresses were also popular in neighbouring Burma, Cambodia and Laos, though the formulae differ from region to region, depending on the local plants and herbs.
With the recent back-to-nature trend among stressed and health-conscious urbanites, these herbal compresses are now packaged and sold commercially