What is Body Polishing?
Body polishing is a luxurious two-stage spa treatment that combines deep exfoliation with rich moisturizing to leave your skin radiant, soft, and visibly more even-toned. Unlike a standard scrub, polishing uses finely-milled exfoliants — typically a blend of sugar, salt, finely-ground walnut shell, or rice powder mixed with botanical oils — that polish away dead skin cells without scratching the underlying healthy layer. The result is skin that quite literally shines.
At Hana Spa in Palisades Park we customize each polishing blend to your skin type and the season. In winter we lean on richer almond and shea-based polishes, while summer treatments use lighter coconut and citrus-infused blends. Sensitive skin types receive a gentler oat-and-honey polish that calms while it exfoliates. Every treatment ends with a luxurious lotion or oil application that locks in moisture for days afterward.
Benefits of Body Polishing
- Removes dead skin cells, revealing the smoother, brighter layer beneath
- Improves overall skin texture and reduces the appearance of dryness
- Boosts circulation, giving the skin a natural rosy glow
- Minimizes ingrown hairs after waxing or shaving
- Helps even out skin tone and fades superficial discoloration over time
- Enhances absorption of moisturizers, sunscreens, and self-tanners
What to Expect During Your Session
Your body polishing treatment at Hana Spa lasts approximately 60 minutes and takes place in a private, candle-lit room. You begin with a warm rinse — many guests choose to add our Table Shower as a hydrotherapy prep — to open the pores and prepare the skin. Your therapist then applies the chosen polishing blend in long, fluid strokes from your feet upward, using just enough pressure to gently slough away dead skin without irritation. Special attention is given to rough areas like elbows, knees, and heels.
After the polish has been worked over your entire body, you'll enjoy a brief warm rinse and then a light, soothing massage with a custom moisturizer. The combination of fresh skin and rich hydration is unmistakable — your skin will look brighter and feel softer than it has in years. We recommend avoiding the sun and hot tubs for 24 hours afterward to let your freshly polished skin settle.
Who Should Get Body Polishing?
Body polishing is ideal for anyone with dull, dry, or uneven skin — which is most of us by the end of a New Jersey winter. It is particularly popular before special events like weddings, vacations, anniversaries, and milestone birthdays, when you want your skin looking its absolute best. Brides often book a polishing session a few days before their wedding to enhance the way their skin looks in photos and against their dress. Many of our regulars from Edgewater, Fort Lee, and Englewood schedule a polishing treatment monthly as part of an ongoing skincare routine. Pairs beautifully with a Body Wrap immediately afterward — the wrap penetrates much more deeply on freshly polished skin — or with a Body Scrub for ongoing maintenance.