Property Profile: Ska:ná Spa at Turning Stone Casino
We love working with spas with a rich cultural history. Turning Stone Resort is one of those properties with deep cultural roots. Turning Stone is owned by the Oneida Indian Nation, who fought with the colonists during the American Revolution.Body Bliss recently had the chance to catch up with Turning Stone’s spa director Shane Bird, a longtime Body Bliss client. Shane is in charge of two spas— Ska:ná Spa at The Lodge & Ahsi Day Spa & Salon.
BB: Shane you have been our client for more than six years; please share with us how you were introduced to Body Bliss?
SB: I was introduced to Body Bliss founder Nick James by my former Canyon Ranch colleague Diane Trieste. I was looking for an aromatherapy line to tell the story at Aji Spa at The Sheraton Wild Horse Pass. Wild Horse Pass has incorporated the cultures of two indigenous Native American tribes, the Maricopas and Pimas. I wanted to create a spa menu at Aji that told the story through the products and treatments. Nick studies the land and we developed a menu based on desert ingredients such as cedarwood and sage oils, creosote bush, local honey, olive oil, and azulene.
BB: Tell us about your vision for Ska:ná Spa
SB: As you know, Turning Stone is owed by the Oneida Indian Nation. Ska:ná is the Oneida word for peace. The goal was to combine modern amenities with American Indian cultural themes.
When I thought of what I wanted to create at Ska:n á, I thought of the story I wanted to tell. I’m a big brand guy – the menu and vendor partners I work with have to make sense. After our mutual success at Aji, of course I thought of working with Body Bliss on this project. Aromatherapy is an ideal way to tell our story.
BB: How did you and Nick go about creating the signature scent for Ska:ná Spa
SB: We started at the cultural center. White pine is on the signal on The Oneida Indian Nation flag, and sage was a natural. In Oneida tradition, sage has long been used for its ability to bring about clarity and deep relaxation. The white pine is the Great Tree of Peace and is the most valued botanical for healing fatigue and mental exhaustion.
Ska:n á’s signature scent is unisex, and speaks to the story and why the tribes revered these plants for their healing properties. The signature scent is featured in all our back bar products and amenities. We also offer Body Bliss Native Botanicals branded-line--Turquoise Sage products are a ‘no-brainer’ for us.
BB: Anything about Body Bliss creations that you want to share?
SB:We always reach out to Nick when we want to try something new. Recently, our spa team identified strawberry as an indigenous ingredient that would be great for seasonal treatments. Nick confirmed that the fruit enzymes in Strawberry contribute to exfoliation, so he developed a Strawberry Scrub for us.
The process is always productive and collaborative: we share our vision, Nick comes back with suggestions and ‘voila’—we have a new product. We appreciate Body Bliss’ responsiveness and creativity. Knowing that Nick has a Masters in Botany from Oxford certainly lends to the company’s credibility. He is known as the Aromatherapy Guru!