Featuring CBD-rich skincare products, the treatment can help minimize aches, boost skin health, and ease stress.
A conventional Bodywork treatment at the Spa at Equinox is designed to provide hands-on relief from physical discomforts and mental ones, too. To deepen that calm, customize your next session with a CBD Enhancement.
It’s an add-on that taps into cannabidiol’s “broad spectrum of benefits that all relate to wellness, from improving skin health, relaxation, and stress reduction, to reducing pain and inflammation and improving sleep quality,” says Equinox Senior Director of Spa James Gu.
The treatment is just like a typical Bodywork experience, but your licensed massage therapist will combine the traditional massage techniques used with a full-spectrum CBD hemp oil or cream. Choose between a full-body or a targeted Enhancement, in which a more highly concentrated CBD product is strategically placed in areas of discomfort, like a tense shoulder or aching hip, says Gu. (Gu emphasizes that the CBD in the Spa’s products is derived from hemp, so the concentration of THC — the mind-altering substance in cannabis — is less than 0.3 percent.)
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CBD — a biologically active, non-psychoactive compound found in Cannabis sativa — has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. As such, it’s shown promise as a potentially beneficial topical treatment for acne, eczema, and inflammatory conditions, as well as enhancing skin barrier function. Other research suggests a pain-relieving effect; in a small 2023 study of former elite athletes suffering from chronic pain, participants saw significant improvement in self-reported pain levels after applying a topical CBD treatment twice daily for six weeks.
While the full-body Enhancement can be beneficial for anyone, Gu particularly recommends it for members experiencing high stress levels. “Bodywork by itself [can] release endorphins and dopamine and improve your mood and make you feel better, and adding the full-body CBD Enhancements will magnify that effect,” he adds.
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Research on the mental health effects of topical CBD is limited, and more studies with larger clinical samples are needed before drawing conclusions. But one small investigation found that people who thought CBD could minimize anxiety were more likely to experience that effect when they ingested hempseed oil they falsely believed to contain CBD. In other words, the placebo effect could be used to your advantage.
The treatment is also ideal for folks looking to give their oft-neglected below-the-neck skin a boost, too. “CBD has been shown to have a lot of essential fatty acids and antioxidants that help nourish and hydrate the skin,” Gu says.
You might notice an improvement in your mood, less discomfort, and a glowy complexion after a single session, but Gu encourages members to make the CBD-enhanced Bodywork treatment a routine self-care practice. “You'll see more benefit with consistency,” he notes. “...It's when you are regularly incorporating this into your routine that you'll see a longer-term, cumulative effect.”
Book your Bodywork session with a CBD Enhancement at your Club’s Spa now.