Off to St Barth’s for a Healthy and Sunny Escape
Saint Barth’s is home to breathtaking beaches, everlasting sun, and a view of the stars that simply cannot be beat. All who travel here experience a vacation nothing short of magical, but that is not just because of its stunning scenery. The island is also a treasure trove of healthy places to make your stay there not only relaxing, but also energizing and delicious.
JUICES, SUPERFOODS AND OTHER HEALTHY EATS
So Cuisine is a wonderful juice bar and takeout eatery that offers a unique selection of organic raw dishes, desserts and superfoods. Its friendly owners are passionate about nutrition, and carefully craft healthy delicacies for you to enjoy. Their delicious cold-pressed juices, lunch boxes, veggie sushi, and colorful salads are changed daily, so you can enjoy a new menu with every visit.
Located across from St. Jean’s beach, after the airport.
Tel: +590 690 67 8288 Closed on Tuesday.
Kiki é Mo is the island’s natural food pioneer! We love to stop here for a juice, smoothie, acai bowl or their fantastic vegan antipasti and prepared salads. Everything is super tasty and made daily! Their nice, shady terrace overlooking the busy street is perfect for people watching, as well.
Located across from Nikki beach in St. Jean.
Tel: +590 690 67 8288. Open daily 7am to 9pm.
Maya’s to Go is another long-time favorite. As the takeout offshoot of the famous Maya’s restaurant, it offers a vast choice of prepared salads, and many flavorful and nutritious vegan options.
Located at Les Galeries du Commerce in St. Jean.
Tel: +590 590 29 8370. Open 7am to 7pm. Closed on Monday.
La Plage (on St. Jean’s beach) makes freshly squeezed beet, carrot and green juices at the famed beachfront bar and restaurant. Enjoy a glass of goodness facing the sea, or take a bottle with you for the yacht or for the villa!
Tel: +590 590 52 8133. Open daily 7am to late.
Le Rendez-Vous is an organic grocery store with inside and outside seating for enjoying your choice of organic, raw gourmet specialties, and made-to-order smoothies, teas, and coffees.
Located at Les Mangliers, St Jean.
Tel: +590 590 87 0543. Open 8am to 7pm. Closed on Sunday.
Tom’s Juice Bar was founded by a family who lived in Byron Bay, Australia for two years. There, they discovered the Byron Bay Ginger Drink, a popular, fresh beverage with many health benefits. Upon returning to St. Barths, they found that their daily staple was unavailable, so they began its production. The drink was a success, with nearly 3,000 bottles being distributed around the island each month. Visit Tom’s to discover just how amazing this drink is.
Located in the heart of Gustavia.
Tel: +590 690 51 6627. Open daily 8:30 am to 6 pm
Le Ti’Marché is the best-kept secret location for buying fresh, exotic fruits, juices and fresh coconut water.
Located in Lorient. Open only Friday-Saturday and Sunday.
BEAUTY
Françoise Vendeughen was trained by renowned skincare specialist Joelle Ciocco, and does the best facials on the island. She not only uses Joelle Ciocco for the face but also uses our favorite nail polish Kure Bazaar for manicures. (Tanagra Esthetique: +590 590 27 99 77)
Spa L’Oasis offers a full menu for all your face, hand and body needs while you are on the island. Spoil your muscles, relax your skin, and get in tune with your physique just in time to take a relaxing stroll on the beach.
FRENCH PHARMACIE BRANDS
Do not forget your French Pharma essentials! Click through the images to see my favorite Parisian pharmacy brands and discover where to find them in the U.S too!
Homeoplasmine is a vaseline-like ointment meant for skin irritations, but it is also a life-saver for dry, winter-ravaged skin. Even major supermodels use this staple for their chapped lips. Plus, it doesn’t have any glossy pigment, so you can apply any lip color on top.
Bioderma Crealine H2O Micelle Solution is a great, easy way to remove your makeup that leaves behind neither scent nor dryness. Use it after cleansing milk or foam to rid your face of any leftover product. All it takes is a few swipes! It’s unscented, doesn’t dry your and gets rid of all your makeup with a few swipes.
Embryolisse is a light, mild moisturizer that has been a cult backstage favorite for years. It doesn’t contain much fragrance, and the milky texture makes it soothing to all skin types. You won’t regret sticking this must-have essential into your purse.
Any French drugstore will also have a very extensive range of La Roche-Posay products. As the number one brand in pharmacy skincare, its mineral rich formulas have proven to be effective. One of the powerhouse products to zoom in on is their SPF 50 sunscreen. It has a creamy texture that blends easily into the skin without pilling, and its matte finish allows you to apply makeup afterward, without you looking like Casper. Another favorite is their natural stick deodorant.
Avène Cicalfate is a must have in your vanity cabinet. This cream can repair any skin irritation in both adults and kids.
Leonor Greyl hair products, especially the Hair Mask with Jasmin, make showering a heavenly experience.
Institut Esthederm’ sunscreen is unique in that it comes in a range of different formulas that take into account how age and season change affect the skin.
WELLNESS
Excellence des Sens
Christophe Marchesseau is a licensed masseur-physiotherapist and founder of the Physio-Spa concept. He is the first to marry traditional spa wellness treatments with the therapeutic treatments typically found in doctors’ offices. His label, embodies the concept behind the Physio-Spa, a place where educated professionals treat the whole body. Come explore all that he has to offer you; your body will soon thank you.
Their Posturo Workout improves blood and lymph circulation while strengthening your muscles, easing inflammation, and calming your nervous system.
The Gyrotonic Expansion System® takes holistic approach to movement designed to meet the needs of people of all ages and abilities. Some of the benefits of Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis® exercises include increased strength and flexibility, renewed energy and vitality and a general sense of calm and well-being. Their Posturo Workout improves blood and lymph circulation while strengthening your muscles, easing inflammation, and calming your nervous system. This soothing experience will reduce your stress and keep both mind and body in healthy balance.
Ultimate Center
Olivier Toussaint is a personal trainer who opened this wellness center in February 2016. We asked him a few questions.
BWB: Tell us more about the new technologies used for fitness and well being in your facility.
Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) works with harmless low frequency pulses that allow the muscles to contract and react in a dynamic way. What you achieve training for four hours at a regular fitness center can now be accomplished in twenty minutes.
EMS is recommended for men and women who wish to tone and shape their silhouette, for athletes who wish to improve their performance, and for seniors who wish to maintain muscular strength.
In addition, each session is supervised by a state licensed sport coach. EMS is recommended for men and women who wish to tone and shape their silhouette, for athletes who wish to improve their performance, and for seniors who wish to maintain muscular strength. Benefits include reduction of fat mass and weight loss, visible decrease of cellulite after a few sessions, progressive defining and structuring of the silhouette, increased strength and stamina and better mobility.
BWB: What are the benefits of the VITAL Dôme?
VITAL Dôme helps to eliminate toxins, activate blood circulation, boost the immune system, re-invigorate the skin, lift your mood, gives you more energy and improves your overall well-being. The Dôme uses infrared therapy and works by using resonance frequency directly on the cellular membrane, which provides an in-depth detoxifying effect. The temperature is generally set between 120°F and 160°F or 50°C and 70°C, contrary to conventional steam saunas whose peak temperatures go up to 220°F or 105°C. The technique is used widely in Europe, and is ideal for people who cannot handle the heat associated with traditional saunas. The therapeutic infrared Vital Dôme also does not present any medical contra-indications or possible medical side-effects typical of treatements that warm the body using the air.
At the end of the session, you may enjoy a drink of fresh fruit juice served by one of our charming hostesses while you relax on a lounge chair with a magnificent view on Les Trois-Ilets.
BWB: What is the ideal program for our readers who wish to spend an afternoon in your center?
The ideal program would be to start with a BIODY XPERTZM health-check in order to know your body composition and design your training session. You can then have sport session with EMS supervised by our licensed coach. After, try a Vital Dôme treatment to detoxify the body. At the end of the session, you may enjoy a drink of fresh fruit juice served by one of our charming hostesses while you relax on a lounge chair with a magnificent view on Les Trois-Ilets.
HOTEL SPAS
Keep an eye out for the following featured products at these beautiful island hotel spas: Clarins at le Guanahani, Sisley at Hotel Christopher, Guerlain at the Isle de France Cheval Blanc, La Mer at the new hotel, Le Barthelemy, and Sothys at Le Sereno.
Photography Ultimate Center by Christian Lange
Lani Allen is a graduate of Columbia University’s Non-fiction Creative Writing program. After serving as Vice President of her class for two years, she contributed written pieces and illustrations to many on-campus publications. As a writer with a passion for beauty, Lani enjoys capturing the stories of innovative thinkers and risk-takers shaping the industry as we know it.
