Top 5: Spa Treatments to Try This AutumnBy Roberta Lister
This autumn’s best beauty bookings are breaking the mould of the traditional treatment menu. Whether you’re after a sociable evening with the girls, a dose of re-wiring relaxation or a game-changing facial, we’ve got enough tried-and-tested winners to keep you going through to spring. Read on for our round-up of the finest pampering sessions to book now.
1. For the Relaxing One: Brown’s Hotel
What: The Spiezia Mindfulness Ritual, which launches exclusively at Brown’s Hotel this month.
Why: Because the effects will last so much longer than the blissful 50-minute treatment. Developed by Cornish beauty brand Spiezia Organics, the Mindfulness Ritual is a masterclass in total relaxation. All too often, it seems that a massage session is over before you’ve truly settled down, so this treatment aims to target the emotional signs of tension as well as the physical.
It begins with breathing techniques designed to quieten the mind and soften the shoulders – a clever trick that ensures you’ve left all stresses on the streets outside. Once suitably soporific, you’ll be treated to a firm yet soothing back, face and scalp massage using personally selected oils – there’s a different blend to indulge each mood. Consider it the perfect way to end a hectic week.
Price: £100
Where: Brown’s Hotel, Mayfair. 33 Albemarle St, Mayfair W1S 4BP.
2. For the Decadent One: Ham Yard Hotel
What: Temple Spa’s brand-new Champagne and Truffles Deluxe treatment has just launched in London’s ultra-cool Ham Yard Hotel.
Why: Because it’s the most indulgent way to prep for the impending host of festive events. Billed as the crème de la crème of facials, this serious session begins with expert lymph drainage techniques and a Triple Infusion Alginate mask to tackle fine lines and conjected areas. Firming massage strokes work to tone the jawline, while cold stone therapy puts puffiness to rest. And the icing on the cake? The brand’s just-launched Trufflesque mask, which is infused with a host of beautiful ingredients: there’s gold to tackle free radicals, black truffle to brighten, champagne extract to exfoliate and pearlescent pigment to leave behind a lit-from-within glow. Oh, and if you still aren’t sold, there’s a flute of bubbly waiting for you at the end.
Price: £150
Where: The Ham Yard Hotel, 1 Ham Yard, London W1D 7DT. (Also available at other Firmdale locations.)
3. For the Sociable One: Mondrian Hotel
What: The sublime Tom Dixon-designed Agua Spa at the Mondrian Hotel continues its Spa Social nights on the third Tuesday of every month.
Why: Because it’s literally the most fun you can have on a Tuesday night. Think fluffy robes, mud packs and steam-room soaks with your favourite pals, accompanied by a nutritious dinner from Sea Containers and a flute or two of Skinny Prosecco (if you don’t know, get to know). The dreamy relaxation room is transformed into a soothing social area, complete with roaming massage therapists, and you’ll leave feeling pampered to perfection.
Price: £65
Where: Agua Bathhouse and Spa, Mondrian London, 20 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD.
4. For the Hair-Transforming One: Sense Spa at Rosewood London
What: Revered hairstylist Matthew Curtis opens his eponymous hair salon in the prestigious Sense Spa at Rosewood London this month.
Why: Because Curtis’s client list reads like a who’s-who of the fashion industry. A seasoned session stylist, he prides himself on making high-fashion hair a wearable feat, and his perfectly curated treatment menu encompasses expert techniques and innovative finishes. Pop in for a freehand balayage session, opt for an frizz-taming nanokeratin treatment (this one is a real game-changer), or treat yourself to a styling tutorial from London’s most trend-savvy styling team.
Where: Matthew Curtis at Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN.
5. For the Legendary One: Vaishaly
What: The inimitable Vaishaly salon in Marylebone is home to one of the most transformative facials in the business.
Why: You’ve probably head of Vaishaly Patel: she’s been heralded as the A-list’s go-to facialist and brow shaper for years. Her namesake salon in Marylebone is home to some of the most skilled skincare experts in the business – every one hand-picked and trained by Vaishaly herself – and their bespoke Signature facials are literally the stuff of legends.
The change of seasons is sure to have upset your skin in some way or another, and a truly results-driven facial is the best way to sort things out in time for party season. While facials generally fall into one of two camps; soothing or scary, Vaishaly’s team uses a blend of relaxing rituals and high-performance techniques, leaving you both slack-shouldered and perfectly glowing. Expect a proper cleanse, precisely performed extractions, microdermabrasion, and high-frequency technology to kill bacteria from deep within the pores.
Price: from £65, or £250 with Vaishaly herself.
Where: Vaishaly, 51 Paddington St, London W1U 4HR.
