MIND & BODY
Wax works It’s not just for setting a romantic mood and keeping your mini Babybels fresh, wax is increasingly being used in spas for its skin-softening properties. We put two treatments to the test
“At one point we were fairly sure, through the towel over our eyes, that we were being straddled by our diminutive male therapist ”
The Paraffin Therapy Pedicure
Candle massage THE SALES PITCH
When it comes to ultimate THE SALES PITCH wax sets and then the therapist relaxation, the idea of having hot Hot paraffin adds that extra peels it off in a very pleasing wax poured all over your body element (no, not terror) to your manner, which might invoke a probably isn’t the most enticing nail treatment, with feet dipped flashback to peeling glue off your prospect we could list. Unless into the liquid wax, which is hand in art lessons. The pedicure you’re a particularly self-punishing blended with essential oils, to then resumes with a polish. candle user, it sounds better suited moisturise hard or cracked skin. to a gangster movie torture scene. THE VERDICT Never fear, though, because Man/ THE THERAPY The therapist promised this Age’s massage doesn’t use any Your pedicure starts much the treatment helps with calluses old candlestick. Instead you’re same as any other, with clipping, (sadly callousness isn’t treatable at slathered with the heated residue exfoliating, rubbing and the like. The Nail Spa) and, while it took of a massage oil candle created Then the wax arrives, in something longer than your usual pedicure at by skincare specialists Yon-Ka, that looks like a toaster, and your around 80 minutes, the time was chock full with anti-oxidants, antitootsies are briefly submerged well spent. We left the spa with the aging ingredients and more. Our three times to coat them. Fear not, feet of a painted newborn. therapist’s English was patchy, but it isn’t as hot as it looks. Your feet The Nail Spa, Mercato Mall, Beach we can tell you that it’s designed are then wrapped in cling film and Road, Jumeirah, Dubai. Tel: (04) to encourage ‘a perfect meditative popped into toweling booties, the 3497766. www.thenailspa.com state of relaxation’.
THE TREATMENT After a rousing round of inhaling the oil’s vapour from our therapist’s hands, warm waxy oil was incrementally poured all over our back, legs, arms and chest, then 86 WHAT’S ON JUNE 2011
vigorously massaged in. Thankfully, the initial heat subsided almost instantly, leaving only pleasing warmth. The candlelit atmosphere turned the vibe a touch ‘romantic dinner’ and at one point we were fairly sure, through the towel over our eyes, that we were being pretty much straddled by our diminutive male therapist. But there’s no denying that the hot oil melted away our aches for an hour, even if we didn’t quite reach a higher meditative plain.
THE VERDICT Still coated in a fine layer of wax, we leave feeling a little like a Madame Tussauds model, glassy stare included. This is a good treatment for the evening, when you can return home to your sofa – it’s far too relaxing for a lunchtime appointment. Man/Age, Arjaan by Rotana Dubai, Dubai Media City, Dubai, 10am to 10pm, Dhs350 for an hour, Dhs120 for 30 minutes. Tel: (04) 4370868