The reluctant pa’s pampering

VitaMan Signature De-stress Facial, BalanceWellness Spa

I was told that BalanceWellness Spa’s VitaMan Signature De-Stress Facial treatment combines effective masculine products to cleanse and rejuvenate your skin with VitaMan’s unique male-specific massage techniques to de-stress the shoulder, neck and jaw areas.

The always-smiling therapist, Mithun Raj, assured me that it would make my skin glow. I took this hard sell cynically. But then he ushered me into the softly lit therapy room done up in warm brow hues, with relaxing oriental music setting the mood.

I refused the offer of some ginger tea; I just wanted to get this over with. I was then asked to relax on a stone recliner with a heated collar around my shoulders. I refused.

Then I was taken into the massage room and asked to sit with my feet planted in a bowl of warm water. “This is the way we used to welcome guests in ancient India,” the ever affable Mithun informed me. He massaged my feet for a few minutes and, sceptical though I was, I have to admit that I was beginning to relax.

Next I stretched out on the comfy bed and Mithun got to work, his mellow voice describing the various phases of the facial. “This is essentially a deep-cleansing and exfoliation treatment,” he said.

First it was steaming time, and Mithun applied the steamer to my face for a few minutes.

Pores unclogged, he spread cleansing milk, composed of rose essence, coconut milk, and argan (tree) oil. After removing it, my face was exfoliated with a scrub made of honey, red sand and rose extract.

“All from the Himalayas,” Mithun said. He used to work at a spa in the Himalayan foothills so he should know. Then came a massage with a cream of sage and pfaffia – essentially a Vitamin E concentrate – followed by a clay face mask.

Next it was skin-tightening time with a toner made of rosewater “from the Himalayas”, naturally. The treatment ended with a moisturising white lily cream.

I must confess I fell asleep at one point during the treatment. Talk about being relaxed! Mithun had to wake me up to show me the results: glowing skin and better than that, a totally relaxed mind.

After the treatment I was invited to relax on a heated stone recliner with a lovely ginger and honey tea. This time I accepted. They obviously don’t believe in rushing things at this spa. Highly recommended. Details: Dh250 for 60 minutes Contact: 04 384 7010; email info. balance@cplmg.com; or visit www. balance-wellness-centre.com