World Wise Beauty Rituals & Tips: ‘BALI’ in the ‘Culture Wise’ Spotlight

World Wise Beauty: ‘BALI’ is a 95-mile-wide island located in the Indian Ocean , only two miles east of the tip of JAVA and west of Lombok and Flores. Bali is a part of the Indonesian archipelago known as the Lesser Sunda Islands north of Western Australia. Most people who live in Indonesia are Muslim, but a majority of those on Bali practice the Hindu faith. The island is a mixture of two worlds, as there is a great Islamic influence alongside a strong Hindu pull.

Beauty Staple: Massage. A Balinese massage is a full-body, deep-tissue, holistic treatment that combines acupressure, reflexology, stretching and aromatherapy. The world renown spa treatment is The Royal Lulur, an intensive body scrub, mask, and moisturizing massage series, traditionally done before one’s wedding. The extensive use of flowering plants, rice and coconuts throughout the lulur ritual and wedding ceremony is symbolic as well as fragrant and beautiful. For the wedding, the jasmine “melati” flower is essential, and adorns both bride and groom as a symbol of love and fertility.

Beauty Food: Ground turmeric is a powerful antioxidant and spice believed to have protective and anti-inflammatory powers, is blended into the above mentioned mask to give the bride’s skin a much-desired golden glow.

Beauty Wisdom: Inside Out Beauty–JAMU a holistic herbal healing system with recipes that date back to Java more than 1,200 years ago (some liken it to Ayurveda). Used to address everything from insomnia (nutmeg mace) to coughs (onion, honey, local lime) to weight gain (turmeric, tamarind), Jamu is often brewed at home using raw ingredients, or bought ready-made from healers or even street peddlers.