Spa gifts for the season of love

What kind of spa treatment do you gift your loved one? How do you choose a massage or face treatment that will wow him or her?

BDLife spoke to Petra Somen, the managing director of Serenity Spa, Christine Karanja the founder of Primp & Coddle Beauty Bar and Susan Rodriguez of Revitalise Wellness Centre.

They offer a pampering guide if you want to gift your loved ones during Valentine's Day. The spa treatments range from Sh3,500 to Sh9,000 for one hour.

a) Facial for men

This one-hour deep-cleansing facial turns a man's skin back in time. The treatment starts with double cleansing to remove impurities and eradicate shine.

Thereafter, the face is toned, scrubbed to remove dead skin and steamed to open up the pores. On the clean face, a serum-infused charcoal face mask is applied. The mask makes the skin smooth and stubble-free.

b) Fig and vanilla salted body scrub

During this 30-minute body scrub, a masseuse uses both course and finely milled sea salts and organic coconut oil to gently exfoliate and polish the skin. Rich in Vitamin E, it is great for promoting healthy skin cell renewal and the coconut oil helps in hydration.

The scrub is followed by a 60-minute deep tissue massage to crush muscle knots and tension.

This treatment removes dirt and skin debris leaving someone feeling clean. It also smoothens, nourishes and evens out the skin tone and improves blood circulation.

c) Pre-natal massage

Pregnant? Valentine’s Day is for you too. Pregnancy comes with body aches and pains. This massage is therapeutic. It is done on the upper and lower back and the legs using thumb-needing techniques and V-movements. Special care is taken when massaging the back of the knee and the toes as these are sensitive areas.

The massage is done while one is lying on her side, propped up by soft pillows for comfort. Prenatal massages boost blood circulation, reduces oedema, relieves backaches, stiff pains and leg cramps. It also reduces pressure on weight-bearing joints such as the knees, enhancing their functions.

The one-hour session also uplifts moods.

d) Nibusu

This facial skin care treatment uses high frequency electrical currents to ensure that one ages gracefully. The treatment begins with a double cleanse to remove unwanted impurities, followed by scrubbing and steaming. Steaming opens up the pores to ease extraction of black and white heads leaving the skin fresh. High frequency treatments work by stimulating the entrance of the oxygen molecules into the cells of the skin, pushing out unwanted toxins. A collagen-rich mask is applied on the face and lastly, a moisturiser to lock in moisture, leaving one’s face hydrated.

The high frequency facial which enhances skin texture is said to treat stubborn acne, shrinks enlarged pores and reduces sagging.

e) Essential oils treatment

This treatment uses fragrances and essential oils. The fragrances paired with essential oils calm the mind and bring the body to a state of relaxation. Because smell evokes memories, the treatment boost mental health.

It starts with a hot bath using 11 types of pure essential oils like lavender and eucalyptus. This is then followed by a holistic massage where a hot active oil blend is applied over the body and the therapist skilfully uses the elbows, hands and forearms to massage. This treatment improves blood circulation and eases muscle tension and spasms.

f) Power muscle release

The good, old deep-tissue massage has always been the go-to treatment for active men to relieve pain, ease muscle tension, promote relaxation and improve blood circulation. Highly recommended for the man with muscle pain after working out in the gym, sat in the office for long hours or has strained a muscle or two.

It starts with a foot massage for relaxation, followed by dry skin brushing for exfoliation. The brushing stimulates the nervous system and blood flow. The hand movements and blends of essential oils soothe the body.