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chelsea day spa

Facial and Aromatherapy Massage at The Chelsea Day Spa

The Blurb:

The Wandsworth Bridge Road branch of the Chelsea Day Spa opened in September 2012 and is the latest addition to the two existing locations on the King’s Road and Hollywood Road. I paid a visit on a chilly Wednesday afternoon to enjoy a facial and full body aromatherapy massage. The boutique was very quiet so we had plenty of time and a relaxed atmosphere. This was perfect for me, being casual (read lazy) in my regular beauty regime and hence apprehensive about my first ever facial. The entrance area is welcoming, bright, and there are complementary biscuits.

The Process:

The treatment room smelt divine and once I had settled down on the heated massage table, we kicked off with the facial. Sharon, a senior beauty therapist, was chatty and friendly, and explained each step to me clearly. First I had a yummy orange scented double cleanse, then exfoliation. She applied a toner, then shone a bright light over my face to assess my skin type, make some recommendations about my skincare regime, and undertake some ‘extraction’ (don’t ask). This part wasn’t too comfortable, but things perked up again with the final application of moisturiser and eye cream, which were gently massaged in.

Then on to the massage. At this point Sharon told me to just relax (i.e. stop asking so many questions) and I concentrated on my inner calm. And it really was lovely; Sharon’s movements were smooth and maintained a great pressure all over. She worked on my front then back, working from the legs upwards and finishing up on my neck, shoulders and head – at which point I drifted off to sleep, waking myself up with a little snore (yes, a bit embarrassing, but I’m sure Sharon gets it all the time. Right?).

The Result:

My skin was left so soft I was stroking it all the way home. My only constructive comments would be that the background music was a slight distraction, due to the inclusion of some odd covers (Coldplay tunes in a cappella, anyone?), and I would have liked some more exotic smells during the massage (beyond lavender) – but now I’m being picky. Sharon put me perfectly at ease and was extremely responsive to my requests about preferred pressure and areas of high tension. She also offered a well-pitched level of advice on everyday skincare to provide useful take-home lessons but without being patronising. All in all, for a personalised service in a luxurious but unpretentious and relaxed environment, it was pretty close to pampering perfection.

The Chelsea Day Spa offers at at-home service to local residents.

The Chelsea Day Spa, 186 Wandsworth Bridge Road, London, SW6;
 www.thechelseadayspa.co.uk; 020 7731 8810

Tried & Tested |