A love of tradition
As a self-confessed massage junkie, we’re never really sure about scrubs, wraps and rituals. They sound fabulous, but they rarely offer the same deep level of relaxation experienced from having our aches and pains pounded out on a massage table.
We were forced to eat our words last week though when we tried the new Hammam Ritual Promotion (which includes a free hour-long facial) at ESPA at The Yas Hotel.
New to the whole hammam experience, we were a little concerned about baring all and laying on a marble slab like a piece of meat, but we needn’t have worried. In our robe, armed with our trusty paper underwear, we were suitably impressed by our therapist’s ability to put us at ease as she made us lie down on the aforementioned slab.
To our delight we found it was actually quite comfortable to lie on, and as the gentle heat from the stone relaxed our tired limbs we began to lose our initial inhibitions.
Our therapist swiftly covered our body in warm water, a traditional part of the cleansing ritual, she explained. Next it was a body polish of delicious Moroccan spices, which we found was the precursor to the scrub – with an ingenious mitt.
Now, we’ve had some pretty rigorous dead-sea salt scrubs before, but nothing topped the smoothness of our skin after this treatment. Initially the mitt was a little abrasive, but once we got used to the sensation we found ourselves revelling in the thought of all the layers of dead skin (and grime) it was getting rid of.
Next we were covered in a wonderfully rich soap that worked up a satisfying foamy lather, which was then rinsed off with warm water.
The therapist even washed our hair. We’d never felt so clean, and the constant steam of the hammam had left every muscle in our body feeling soothed.
We were ready for our facial!
We opted for the Oil Controller Facial, using tea tree and thyme oils, as we were in the middle of our monthly breakout.
Our therapist talked us through the treatment while she bathed our feet, then revealed our problem areas with an ultra-violet mirror – a slightly scary experience if you have any sun damage.
It was then straight in with a gentle cleanse, tone, exfoliation and extraction, followed by a soothing masque. Each stage was as relaxing as the next while our therapist’s deft strokes eased away any remnants of tension.
This is truly a wonderful end to the hammam treatment, and the perfect way to relax body and mind. You’ll leave feeling soothed and cleansed from tip to toe.
Megan Wynes
What? Hammam Ritual Promotion
Where: ESPA at The Yas Hotel
Cost: AED 345++; this offer is valid Sunday-Thursday inclusive, until 31st August 2011
We say: Two hours of total bliss
Contact: 02 656 0862
