Spas seemingly carry the reputation as being places we go to spend money on frivolous feel-good treatments. And in the midst of the current economic downward spiral, forking over a Benjamin for a 60-minute massage may not seem like money well spent. Kaatee Kemper, owner of Enderbodies Day Spa in Wailuku and a woman who radiates wellness, just might change your mind.
At the helm of a successful spa business that caters to locals, Kemper certainly understands that a visit to the spa is often more about health than indulgence. And after six years in the business, she is more than familiar with the vital role spa treatments can play in healing the body, maintaining good health and preventing disease.
At its inception, Enderbodies focused on offering its clientele a sublime cellulite-busting treatment called “endermologie”—an advanced technology developed in France that, while doing all sorts of other good-for-you stuff like increasing circulation and lymphatic flow, effectively eliminates stubborn cellulite by manipulating the body’s connective tissue. And although Kemper still specializes in this treatment, she had dreams of growing her business into a full-scale spa with a variety of wellness treatments. “I had a vision of a creating a spa that could touch the whole body,” Kemper recalled.
Now, with the support of a staff of nine, Kemper offers a myriad of services in her new, amenity-laden spa. Open in its new location as of April 2008, Kemper’s list of services has grown to consist of colonics, massage, acupuncture, facials, derma-polish facials, scrubs, wraps, liver cleanses and, of course, endermologie and its facial counterpart, “cosmecanique.” Plus, Enderbodies is now a bonafide spa, providing its patrons with a spacious terme facility. Amenities include a plunge pool, steam room, a kinetic shower, a conventional sauna, and an infrared sauna, in which you are able to sweat 20 percent toxins and burn up to 900 calories in 30 minutes.
The synergetic team often shares clients in order to create optimal wellness plans, and many patrons choose to follow a customized program for an overall healthier lifestyle. Colonic Hydrotherapist Robin Christoph explained, “We design detox programs with the simple tools we have here. It’s not only about beauty and pampering, we help people detox and get to the root of their problems. But it takes effort on the part of the client, because we use natural processes. They have to be willing to go through the fullness of the process to get the results.”
The staff’s collective healing mindset is obvious. Acupuncturist Tim Chung explained, “I love the Enderbodies team. We all have the common desire to promote health from a holistic approach.”
And, although Principal Massage Therapist Susan Welck admits that her therapeutic deep massages are hard work, she said, “I love putting my hands on people! Instead of a luxurious massage, I work layer by layer and can get really deep. My clients walk out looking like different people.” And a sample massage from Welck allows me to attest, as a frequent deep-tissue massage receiver, that my muscles have never been quite so well manipulated.
Enderbodies also makes it part of their mission to educate their clients. In addition to directing patients toward optimal health during appointments and consultations and providing them with educational materials, Enderbodies uses their space for various classes and presentations. Kemper has brought in renowned health experts and even offered raw food cooking classes. “I intend to bring more speakers over so that we can really reach the community with health education and creating a healthy lifestyle,” she said.
Also of great importance to Kemper is Enderbodies’ affordability. “Our prices are really reasonable,” said Kemper. “I want to keep it affordable for people in the community who can’t pay the prices at the Grand Wailea, for example.”
Enderbodies’ price list certainly reflects this. Treatments are refreshingly inexpensive, most not even half of what a luxury resort spa charges. Furthermore, in gesture toward the community’s health, Kemper offers to extend a complimentary weight analysis to spa goers—detailing your body mass index including fat percentage, fat-free mass and water weight.
“I’d love for more people to discover us,” Kemper said, “and for them to be able to take a journey to wellness with all the services we have to offer.”
To learn more about Enderbodies Day Spa, visit www.mauisbestdayspa.com. To make an appointment, call (808) 242-7644.
