Cruise away the years
Despite the economic downturn, cruising’s popularity continues to grow with onboard spas becoming ever more extensive and sophisticated. Pampering and cosmetic services are increasingly part of the affluent consumer lifestyle; so the expectation is for them to be offered on cruise holidays too. Innovative treatments and medi-spa services such as botox and facial fillers, gold facials, tooth-whitening, micro-dermabrasion, anti-cellulite and acupuncture are now available across a broad range of cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club, Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) and Princess Cruises. Cruising can be rejuvenating in more ways than one!
Some cruise lines have developed their own bespoke spa concepts featuring high profile or innovative spa ranges such as Fred Olsen who offer organic spa brand O SPA London, while Princess Cruises’ Lotus Spa & Fitness offers Asian influenced treatments. NCL is launching the Norwegian Epic in June 2010, which will host the largest spa at sea at over 31,000 square feet.
Hot New Facial
The Lava Shells Therma Facial - the latest innovation in hot massage, launches at salons and spas in July 2010. This deeply hydrating facial uses Spa Find natural mineral therapy products, and is perfect for delicate and dehydrated skins, renewing and reviving the complexion leaving skin radiant and glowing.
The face, neck and décolleté are deeply cleansed and polished to prepare the skin for a specialised massage using a self-heating Lava Shell. This is used at a lower, more comfortable heat for the face than the temperature used in the Lava Shells body massage. The natural mineral heat from within the Lava Shell helps the Spa Find products penetrate into the skin and is instantly relaxing. The facial massage is followed by application of a mineral mud mask and a scalp massage. The combination of the massage, heat and concentrated Dead Sea minerals in the Spa Find products tone and firm the skin.
The Lava Shells body massage uses recycled tiger clam shells from the South Pacific and is available in 350 spas and salons nationwide including Urban Retreat at Harrods, The Grove, Ragdale Hall, Calcot Manor, Marriott Hotels and Dove Spas to name but a few.
The new Lava Shells Therma Facial takes 60 minutes and costs £55.
For more information visit
www.sharedbeautysecrets.com 01869 338890
Retreat to the Maldives
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, is home to one of the Indian Ocean’s leading ayurvedic centres offering 7, 14 and 21-day retreats in its beautiful Spa and Ayurvedic Retreat. All Resort guests are invited to have a free ayurvedic consultation and the option of dosha-specific menus throughout their stay.
This year, the Resort is running a series of 5-day retreats facilitated by yoga experts Denise and John Leicester, founders of ILA-SPA, an organic skincare company dedicated to bringing purity, energy and balance into everyday life.
The Zantaa Nidraa (Peaceful Sleep) Retreat (from 3 to 8 August 2010) explores the concept of natural healing and uses the natural wilderness of the island to promote better sleep. The Retreat focuses on relaxing and purifying the nervous system by balancing the sleep centre of the body, the throat charka, which is governed by the space element. It will also showcase ILA-SPA’s exclusive Zaanta Nidraa dreamtime ritual: a delicate yet powerful eight-step journey that addresses every level of healing.
Couples Connect Retreats (26 – 31 July & 11 – 16 October) offer a nurturing and intimate space in which couples can rediscover the joy of their relationship. Focusing on the sacral/swadhisthana charka – the body’s pleasure centre, governed by the water element – the Retreat encourages better communication and helps couples deepen their bond. The Retreat also includes yoga, meditations and sensuous spa rituals that nourish and heal the internal being. The island’s beauty, stillness and purity promote intimacy and is the ideal setting in which to transform ‘me’ and ‘you’ into ‘us’.
5-night Peaceful Sleep Retreat costs US$5,695 per person, US$8,390 per couple
5-night Couples Connect Retreat costs US$8,390 per couple
For further details and information visit
www.fourseasons.com/maldiveslg
Treatments range from authentic Swedish massage to facials and hot mud baths. The Duo Spa Package costs £176.50 per person per night and includes accommodation in a double room with breakfast, three-course dinner with table water and coffee, lunch on day of departure, entrance to the spa and refreshments and a 60-minute treatment for two, group activities and use of gym and tennis courts. 
The Better Ageing Programme is designed to revitalise mind and body, reverting the detrimental effects of everyday life through a personalised plan and specialist treatments, including full consultations with the spa’s medical spa team. Prices on application. 
The women-only Sanctuary Spa in London’s Covent Garden is branching out onto the high street with a series of day spas around the UK. The first will open in Cambridge’s Grand Arcade in July, followed by day spas in Richmond and Bristol. 
The Good Spa Guide, an independent guide to UK spas (see our review in Previous Books) has announced the winners of their first Good Spa Awards. From over 700 UK spas on the guide’s website, 35 were short listed across seven categories. The winners and categories are: 
