SPA WATCH | Elemis Winter Warmer Delight

The ever intrepid Julia Rebaudo submits to the hands of yet another beauty therapist all in the name of research for beautywoome.com. Find out what she thinks of Elemis's Winter Warmer Delight...

EVER SINCE my highly successful Modern Skin Facial I’ ve been a huge fan of Elemis and was impressed to see they have tailored a spa therapy treatment specifically for these grim winter months. An hour and 45 minutes of blissful pampering at this bijoux spa in central London frequented by the likes of Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Denise Van Outen and yes, even the BBC’ s Loose Women? I’ d have been a fool to say no.

As I probably mentioned before, just walking through the front door of the Elemis flagship spa is a pleasure; scented, warm and populated with pretty therapists padding around in perfectly manicured bare feet. Welcomed and offered green tea by my therapist Amy, I’ m taken upstairs for my treatment into a room with sliding doors that makes up one half of a couple’ s treatment room – couples treatments are very popular Amy tells me, although I wouldn’ t be able to drag my other half into spa in a million years.

Anyway, a quick chat about my skin and massage needs and then I’ m getting undressed and slipping into those little black paper pants, you know the ones, except, thoughtfully, Elemis offer both the g-string and brief variety depending on how modest you’ re feeling. I’ m usually not bothered, but for some reason I go for the comfy big briefs.

THE DETAILS

First up, body brushing with a special Elemis brush, while I lie melting into the heated bed, followed by Frangipani oil rubbed all over my bod and then a lime and ginger salt scrub. I’ m so cosy and warm and my winter skin is feeling fresh and invigorated. I wash it all off in the shower then lay back down for the hot stone body massage which is quite simple divine. Special attention is lavished on my laptop-tense neck and shoulder muscles. Then my face is treated to a soothing facial not too far removed from the afore-mentioned Modern Skin Facial, lots of nourishing Visible Brilliance serum – basically just all the nice cleansing, nourishing, massaging bits of a facial, none of the extraction pain. At this point, predictably, I’ m nearly asleep.

Final touch is a mini manicure with Essie products. I got for the moody Smokin’ Hot colour from the winter collection, a beautiful sultry grey-purple, and am super impressed with the result aided by the Nail Corrector Pen and Quick-e drying drops.

THE RESULT

Skin is super-soft and fresh-feeling, face is looking plumped and moisturised, neck and shoulders are relaxed and nails so beautifully manicured that everyone is commenting.

Elemis Winter Warmer Delight, 1hr 45mins for £125. Available until 31 January 2011 at Elemis Day Spa (2-3 Lancashire Ct, London W1S 1EX, 0870 410 4210). Find other locations here.

Check out Julia on her blog Stylonylon.com.

SPA WATCH | Elemis Modern Skin Facial

Beautywoome.com's intrepid beauty reporter Julia Rebaudo is on the London beat this week, testing out Elemis's Modern Skin Facial....

DESCRIPTION: Elemis – Modern Skin Facial The Facial

Not an anti-aging treatment, Elemis’ new Modern Skin Facial is designed for the younger lady, in her 20s and 30s, who’s skin suffers from the stresses of living in a polluted city environment, enduring the woes of public transport and of course the unavoidable post-work drinks, patchy diet, snacking on the go and detrimental sugar hits. Claims to raise mineral levels, regenerate skin cells, re-balance sebum levels, reduce rosacea and boost radiance.

THE TREATMENT

It takes a few minutes to adjust to the relaxed pace and comforting but hushed tones of the Elemis Day Spa just off bustling New Bond Street (bustling all the more due to a mobbed sale at the Mulberry store…). A refreshing water in a bowl-like cup in hand, I fill out a form detailing my skincare habits and lifestyle before the Sicilian Lola does a complexion analysis of my face in a futuristic-looking white machine.

The scan charts spots and small blackheads (all 14 of them I’m surprised to note, as they are really not visible to the eye, phew) wrinkles, texture, pores and UV spots. I’m slightly horrified by the UV exposure, as I’ve been panicking about burning my face a few weeks ago in LA, but unfortunately the analysis does not detail sun damage. Lola says overall I’m in good shape and takes me up to the darkened, sleek treatment room. I change into a robe – this always makes things feel so much more luxurious and relaxing – before slipping between the patterned blankets.

And what can I say, I am then subjected to one of the most glorious facial experiences ever. At first I’m a little put out there is no extraction (I always feel a little cheated without blackhead removal) but I quickly realise this facial is not about pain or feeling uncomfortable. My face is cleansed and toned before being expertly and lengthily massaged and then toned some more with one of my new favourite Elemis products -- the Papaya Enzyme Peel.

Next up another new favourite, the Visible Brilliance Radiance Serum (which I have successfully incorporated into my daily skincare by slipping on before my regular moisturiser) is applied before the Mineral-Rich Peel Off Mask and a delicious dry scalp massage. More toning, Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsule and then another mask, the Exotic Cream Moisturising Mask accompanied by a blissful neck and shoulder massage. Lola wraps things up with an eye serum and moisturiser. She also tells me I have excellent skin texture.

The procedure may sound quite straightforward but it was executed with such confident expertise and real, genuine care that I was gutted to leave. Also the products themselves must be pretty special given the excellent result (see below).

THE RESULT

First off I check my face out in a handheld mirror while still lying down. I’m struck by how balanced the tone of my skin looks. I’ve never seen it look like this without makeup or a tan. I leave the spa without applying any makeup whatsoever. I meet a friend an hour later in Covent Garden, she immediately says how good I look. Result. I’m thrilled. I check myself out in a pub mirror and am really pleased at how fresh and radiant my skin is looking. Then as we leave the pub, a young man comes up to me and asks if he can take me out for a coffee, “You look so pretty!” he says. Double result. Graciously I decline, but you are now looking at an Elemis Modern Skin Facial superfan. I can’t wait to have another.

This is a perfect pre-special-do facial as you will be left looking refreshed and fabulous with no risk of redness or outbreaks.

Available at the Elemis spas and salons nationwide from: £50-£90 for 60 mins www.elemis.com

JET-SET BEAUTY | Elemis Custom Flying Facial

BRITISH AIRWAYS Elemis Travel Spa at Heathrow's Terminal 3 is – if you can find it – an oasis of calm just steps away from the retail overkill that now typifies the captive experience on this side of airport security. It has an otherworldly, serene atmosphere as soon as you step through the threshold, and I am immediately handed a cucumber-infused glass of water by a soft-spoken receptionist who simultaneously and deftly helps a relaxed male passenger checkout (clearly, he'd just finished up at the spa).

The pint-sized treatment rooms here are separated by diaphanous (yet still opaque enough) curtains, each equipped with an Intelligent Massage Chair and the undulating walls and gently flowing coloured lights (in calming hues) of a real, luxury spa.

My chair is fully reclined, massage setting turned on (heaven on the calves before several hours of sitting) and the therapist spends a very relaxed 15 minutes cleansing, massaging and moisturising my skin so much so that it remains plumped all the way to JFK. A few sample tubes make their way into my carry-on too. If you plan ahead (booking in your own 15-minute treatment), you'll be able to ditch the dopp kit in your checked baggage instead of lugging it around the airport because Elemis will arm you with the requisite beauty weapons to battle cabin dryness.

All treatments are just 15 minutes so you won't accidentally miss a flight mid-massage. I suppose if you're really jet-set, you'd simply prop yourself up at your airline lounge bar having missed a flight, champers in hand, and wait for the next one. Or you could circle back to the Elemis Travel Spa for a second treatment on the very Intelligent Massage Chair.

Experience the Custom Flying Facial at Elemis's Travel Spa in Heathrow Terminal 3, Terminal 5 and JFK (Contact individual travel spas for pricing).