Poker Facials

AFTER A DAY FILLED WITH HIGH STAKES, RELAX AT ONE OF BILOXI’S TOP SPAS.

BY DONNA HARRIS

You don’t have to double down, pull sevens or roll craps to hit the jackpot at Mississippi Gulf Coast casinos. Just head to the spa for a guaranteed winning hand, or, in this case, pair of hands, and indulge in some serious pampering.

At Beau Rivage Resort & Casino Spa and Salon (www.beaurivage.com; 228-386-7444) in Biloxi, start at the top and work your way down. A lavender and mint mask soothes skin and infuses it with nutrients, while the caviar and crushed pearls facial rejuvenates and hydrates. Move on to the body with a Mississippi Sand Scrub and the Magnolia Massage. The scrub restores your natural glow with sea salts and essential oils, while the massage uses a blend of silky lotion and essential oils to soothe those achy muscles. Or get cocooned—while your skin is purifi ed—with any of the body wraps, which include seaweed, pine-enriched black magma and green coffee.

Sauna at Beau Rivage
Resort & Casino Spa and
SalonBellissimo means “beautiful” in Italian, and total beauty from the inside out is the goal at Bellissimo Spa & Salon at The Grand Biloxi (www.harrahs.com; 800-946-2946), where the spa professionals promise to calm and revitalize you in an oasis designed for a sense of escape, relaxation and renewal. Its complimentary pre-appointment ritual begins as you inhale the relaxing eucalyptus fragrance of the steam room, and continues with trips to the sauna and bubbling immersion tubs. A scented salt-scrub shower completes the therapeutic indulgence. Once you’re thoroughly relaxed, it’s time for a hydrating body wrap, water therapy treatment, cleansing facial or mask, or massage.

The spa at Imperial Palace is the perfect place to relax with your special someone. At Senses Spa & Salon (www.ipbiloxi.com; 888-946-2847), the Two Senses experience is offered in a luxurious couples suite, complete with a lounging daybed, soaking tub and rain shower for two. A light lunch is served with the IP’s yummy signature SpaTinis—a mixture of apple, cranberry and pineapple juices.

Relax and recharge at Isle of Capri Casino’s The Spa at the Isle (www.isleof.capricasinos.com/Biloxi; 228-436-7801), offering an extensive collection of spa and beauty treatments designed to help you fi nd balance and tranquility. The warm stone massage eases tension by gliding a black ocean rock—which absorbs and retains heat—across your skin. Or, rejuvenate from a hard day at the gambling tables by taking a dip in the multilevel infi nity pool on the sundeck.

Whether you’re looking for a simple massage or are in need of an all-day pamper session, the reward will be a jackpot of rich experiences.

HOMEMADE SPA

Your vacation may be over, but you can bring some of the luxury home.

Frozen Egg & Honey Facial Mask

Good for dry or sunburnt skin

What you need:
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (but not hot)
1 tbsp honey
1 empty toilet paper roll

STEP 1: Beat the egg in a small bowl until frothy. Slowly add coconut oil and honey, beating until the mask is the consistency of mayonnaise.

STEP 2: Take the toilet paper roll and set it on end in a bowl. Spoon mixture into the roll, and store it (still in the bowl) in the freezer overnight.

STEP 3: To use, peel away just the top 1/4 inch of the cardboard roll and smooth the frozen stick over your face. Leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse off with warm water. To save, just cover it with plastic wrap and freeze it between uses.

Recipe courtesy of www.spaindex.com