Style: September 01, 2017

STYLE | beauty 51
SPA
INDULGENCE
The lure of alpine air and the promise of relaxation
proved irresistible to Naomi Spinsby-Wild.
Just arriving in Hanmer Springs makes me
instantly feel at ease; whether it is due
to the fresh mountain air, the complete lack
of traffic, or the many reminders of family
holidays past.
The Spa at Hanmer Springs takes this
experience to another level however,
offering a wide range of indulgent pampering
treatments for both men and women.
On my mid-week break from the city, I was
immediately welcomed into their relaxation
area, and soon found myself clad in a robe and
slippers, ready for a day of pampering.
Having never experienced a hot stone
massage, but been filled in on its many
benefits, I decided to use the opportunity
to try it out for myself. The stones used,
I discovered, are smooth volcanic ones –
basalt to be exact, sourced from within New
Zealand.
The stones are first soaked in hot water
to absorb the heat, which they then release
slowly and evenly into the skin throughout the
course of the treatment. While this creates
a sense of calm in the body by gradually
permeating the layers of muscle and tissue to
release tensions and ease aches, it also has
tangible health benefits, too. The gentle heat
helps boost circulation by expanding the blood
vessels, increasing blood flow throughout
the body.
In a variety of sizes, each stone is selected
for use on a specific part of the body. The
largest stones work the core muscles around
the spinal column itself, while mid-sized ones
are perfect for working the upper back and
shoulder areas where people commonly
carry a lot of tension, often without realising
it. Finally, the smallest, pebble-like pieces are
used to gently knead and relax the delicate
muscles of the feet.
The hot stone treatment The Spa offers
is 90 minutes in duration, making it a truly
indulgent and thoroughly relaxing affair.
In quite the zen state after my stone
treatment, and not quite ready to return to
the real world, I finished up my spa experience
with a 50-minute facial, formulated specially
with sensitive skin in mind.
For those of us with skin sensitivities, it’s
important to know that products used won’t
cause any undue irritation. Using products
selected exclusively from Sothys Paris, the
treatment includes a deeply nourishing hydrasoothing
face masque, formulated with Belgian
Thermal Spa water to restore mineral balance
to sensitive skin. Working in tandem with this
to hydrate and calm the skin are the comfort
cleanser and lotion, which focus on removing
daily impurities from the skin while keeping
natural lipid levels in balance.
The main event of this particular treatment,
however, is a facial massage using cool
porcelain spoons. As unconventional as it
may sound, the treatment in fact utilises
temperature in a similar but contrasting way
to the hot stones. While the stones boost
and invigorate blood flow, the refreshing
coolness of the porcelain helps counteract
inflammation, meaning that it is deliciously
soothing on areas of the face prone to
puffiness, such as the delicate under-eye
area. The petite nature of the tools used also
means they’re perfect for ensuring the nose,
mouth and brow areas feel the benefits of the
treatment.
To finish up, a super-nourishing SPF30
sunscreen was applied to the face, meaning
my skin was ready to brave the real world,
even if I myself was not quite ready to leave
the cocoon of calm.