Sep

19

Bath Salts

September 19, 2011 | Leave a Comment

In our ongoing look at beauty through the ages, and in honour of Body Café launching it’s own range last week, I thought this was the week to tackle bath salts.

When my sister and were little we used to pretend that bubble bath was for kids and bath salts were for princesses.  At Christmas time, good old Santa usually remembered our preference for bath salts.  The little cubes would dissolve away, and we’d soak away our 5 and 6 year old worries in luxurious bliss between Christmas and New Years when the cubes would invariably run out.

Where did bath salts originate from?  Imagine my surprise when I found out it wasn’t Ancient Egypt!  Thank goodness for that.  China lays claim to having developed bath salts in 2700BC.  Bath salts mimic the properties of natural hot springs.  They can leave the skin soft and supple, and often aid in exfoliation.

 

Hamilton’s own Body Café has launched bath salts as part of its new line of products.  With sleek, stylish and understated packaging, Body Café’s bath salts have an exquisite coconilla fragrance, and are sure to help you soak away the stresses and strains of modern life.   A large bottle will set you back just $19.  Go on, you deserve it!

If only Body Café’s version had been around when I was 6.

YM

Sep

4

Hot Stone Massage

September 4, 2011 | Leave a Comment

Aww, I was hoping that the next blog in this series of beauty through the ages would move on from ancient times but oh no…I’m STILL stuck there.  Groundhog Day.

Besides Egypt, the people of ancient China, Japan, India and Greece also practiced massage.  The Chinese are credited for developing hot stone massage.  Best. Invention. Ever.  Well played ancient China, well played.

Last week, my friend Janine (who took the gorgeous photo above) and I booked the double room and had a hot stone massage together (as in two of us, two separate beds and two therapists).  Janine's therapist was Tara who she generally sees for all her beauty treatments at Body Café, and Stephanie was my therapist for the day.

Tara and Steph gave us a moment to strip off our tops and we were told to lie face down on the scrummy, comfortable beds.  A towel was provided for modesty and warmth.

I am not a touchy feely person.  My last massage was forced upon me by my sister in Bali for a birthday many moons ago.  Admittedly, it was lovely back then, but not as divine as the hot stone massage I received from Stephanie.

Stephanie was so adept, that it times it felt like there were two pairs of hands working on my tired old body.  Every so often I could feel new, warm massage oil being applied to my back, but how it got there, I’ve got no idea because Stephanie’s hands never seemed to stop moving. 

The room was so silent.  Exquisite background music was playing, but not the type of trickling stream music that makes you want to powder your nose.  It was just the restful sounds of nature including tweeting birds and rustling leaves.

I nearly fell asleep, and that’s saying something.  Being a highly-strung non-touchy feely person (HSNTFP for short), who would have thought that a hot stone massage would make me so relaxed? 

The one thing that kept me awake was the thought that I could never, ever perform massages for a job because I’m sure my tummy would rumble or my shoes would squeak or my earrings would jangle or something! Honestly, there wasn’t a sound.  It was completely blissful.

I cannot recommend a hot stone massage enough.  I’ve even talked my Mum into having one and she’s a HSNTFP too!  And, if you’re slightly nervous about it, book the double room at Body Cafe and take a friend with you.  It’ll be the highlight of your week.

 

YM


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