New Age indulgence
Pamper yourself with newly designed spa treatments that are the latest buzzwords in wellness, says Chitra Anand Papnai
Spa junkies rejoice. For, your spa experience just rebooted and how! Hot stone massages, Thai and Swedish massages are yesterday's news as spas are now offering novel treatments like the lava shell and rope massages. Spa menus are also rejuvenating with thalassotherapy, water bed therapy and even salt cave therapy. So, what are all these new-fangled treatments? It's time you made that spa appointment. "Clients look forward to new therapies and so spas must update themselves regularly," says Rekha Chaudhari, Mumbai-based wellness and spa expert and co-founder of Caressaa Day Spa and JCKRC Spa Destination (Spa solutions providing company). "Many new therapies are gaining ground because of the health benefits associated with them," adds entrepreneur Priyanka Sarna, co-founder of Delhi-based Salt Room Therapy.
Here's a curtain-raiser....
-
Salt room therapy
Salt Room Therapy
This is a different kind of spa and the therapy has been inspired by The Salt Cave, a chain of 'salt' clinics across UK. Arun Sarna and his wife Priyanka have tied up with The Salt Cave and opened Salt Room Therapy in Delhi based on similar lines.
This therapy is delivered in a special room using a patented, state-of-the-art device called Halo-generator.
The Halo-generator, in which the salt is fed according to the requirement of the client, turns salt into minute particles which are inhaled. These particles dissolve and attract small impurities from the lungs, which are later coughed up or leave the body through metabolic processes.
Benefits: Respiratory illnesses benefit from this treatment.
Price: Rs 2,700 per hour-long sitting.
Lava Shell Massage
-
Lava shell massage
This massage — offered by Caressaa Day Spa — is based on heat therapy and is done using polished tiger-striped clam shells from Philippines. Discarded clam shells are collected, polished, glued shut and packaged.
To heat the shells, Lava Gel — a product from the US which is a blend of natural minerals, dried sea kelp and algae — is poured into the shell through a hole. To this, the Activator — an infusion of salt water and an essential oil — is added. The hole is then sealed. Heat is generated when the contents mix inside the shell.
"Massage with these heated shells helps push lymphatic fluids and toxic wastes out of the body," says Chaudhari. The Lava Gel comes in Comfort Blend Medium Heat for facial massages and Comfort Blend High Heat for full-body massages.
Benefits: The treatment relaxes the muscles and helps alleviate chronic stress.
Price: The hour-long Comfort Blend treatment is priced at Rs 2,000 while the 90-minute Deep Heat Blend costs Rs 4,000.
Water Bed Therapy
The therapy is administered on an ergonomically designed, hot water mattress placed in a room with computerised (and calming) coloured lights. As you lie down on the bed, the heat from mattress has a relaxing effect on the muscles (on the side touching the bed) while the therapist gives you the massage — Balinese, Swedish or Lomi Lomi. "As the therapist massages your body, a reverse pressure from the bed results in the body being massaged from both sides making the therapy doubly effective," says Siddharth Shankar, founder and director of Mystic Spa.
Benefits: Relieves muscle pains and arthritis while colour therapy helps relax the mind.
Price: Rs 3,000 (taxes extra) for 90 minutes.
The Novel Rope Massage
-
The novel rope massage
The Novel Rope Massage is one of Rekha Chaudhari's patented massages. Unlike other massage techniques, the therapist uses his/her feet in sweeping movements over muscles and ligaments. Chaudhari has designed equipment which has ropes suspended from parallel wooden bars positioned above the massage bed. The therapist 'walks' on the client's body holding the ropes to administer the right pressure.
This massage starts with stretching and loosening the muscles that's followed by an exfoliating scrub. Hot stones are also placed on the body to balance the chakras. An essential oil is applied on the body before the rope massage.
Benefits: Improves blood circulation, removes excess fluids and relieves tired muscles.
Price: Rs 2,800 for an hour.
Thalassotherapy
In Greek, 'thalassa' means 'sea' and this treatment uses ingredients right off the sea. At the Leela Kempinski Gurgaon, thalassotherapy begins with a 30-minute, full-body polish with a scrub made up of jojoba beads, rosemary and sage. Exfoliation is followed by an anti-stress seaweed bath which throws in ingredients like seaweed, algae extract and pine needle essential oil which are all rich in vitamins and amino acids. Pressurised water jets in the tub work on the body and that along with the goodness of the ingredients in the bath rejuvenate and re-energise the body.
Benefits: Thalassotherapy helps blood circulation, stimulates metabolism and promotes detoxification.
Price: A 45-minute session costs Rs 3,500.
-
Thalassotherapy