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Welcome

IAccor’s global vice president Well-being Emlyn Brown, to find out more about the group’s exciting new Health to Wealth concept and hear his view on the power of wellness as a key pillar of future hospitality (p26).

Elsewhere, we go behind the scenes at Fairmont Windsor Park, UK (p16), and learn about Movementum, an innovative new partnership between Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London and wellness expert Stephen Price (p78).

Looking ahead, our Summer Skin special feature (p46) complements a selection of new product and treatment launches in On the Menu (p60), while innovative spa equipment is brought to the fore in Spa Specifier (p108). We also explore how the use of sound in spas can add to the guest journey (p88).

More sound advice comes from our expert columnists. PR expert Tracey Stapleton presents her top online spa marketing tools (p76); wellness guru Iain Bell asks us to embrace 360-degree wellbeing (p106); and spa consultant Kirsty MacCormick highlights the value of menu engineering to maximise the potential of your spa’s performance (p56).

Thank you all for your stories, news and incredible contributions to help us make this issue shine. We hope you enjoy reading about the great brands, people and innovators making a difference to the spa and wellness world.

Image: We list 11 of the most exciting spas set to open in the coming months (p32)

Sarah Camilleri Founding editor & publisher sarah.camilleri@spapublishing.com

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LIGHTWEIGHT, FAST-PENETRATING

Meet the team

European Spa is the essential magazine for spa business and wellness leaders. Our mission is to support industry growth, innovation and wellbeing

David Fagan

Production editor

A respected magazine editor with 30 years’ experience, Sarah founded European Spa in 2007 to help the spa industry grow and flourish. An influential voice in the global wellness community, she serves on the advisory board of the British Beauty Council and supports the Global Wellness Institute’s Living Well From Within coalition.

A well travelled and influential spa writer, Mark has contributed beauty and wellness news to European Spa for nine years. He also regularly visits spas to interview experts in their field, and contributes weekly online brand news to europeanspamagazine.com. Mark recently launched his Kalm Horizons meditation concept.

A passionate beauty blogger and business journalist, Lauren recently joined European Spa as online news editor for europeanspamagazine.com. In our Spring issue, she brings us a host of new and innovative leading-edge technology as well as ideas on how to create stylish spa interiors in our Spa Specifier section.

Having been with the magazine for more than eight years, our production and sub-editor

David helps keep everyone’s print and online copy on track and word-perfect. In this issue he has delved into the world of sound, to find out how spas and their suppliers are adding sonic elements to deliver added wellness benefits for guests.

Founding editor & publisher

Sarah Camilleri

sarah.camilleri@spapublishing.com

Art director

Richard Page richard@spapublishing.com

Production editor

David Fagan

david.fagan@spapublishing.com

Beauty and wellbeing editor

Mark Smith

mark.smith@spapublishing.com

News editor

Lauren Heath-Jones

Lauren.hj@spapublishing.com

Subscriptions manager

Angela Sharpe

subscribe@spapublishing.com

Accounts manager

Julie Jones accounts@spapublishing.com

Tracey Stapleton The Spa PR Company www.thespaprcompany.com

Kirsty MacCormick The Spa Consultancy www.thespaconsultancy.com

Mark Smith Beauty and wellness editor

Lauren Heath-Jones Online news editor

Aurelio C. Hammer Svaram www.svaram.org

Wendy Golledge Wellness journalist wendygolledge

Emlyn Brown Accor www.all.accor.com

Iain Bell Executive Fitness Foundation www.ef1.com

Sarah Camilleri Founding editor & publisher

Mark Hutchison Hutchison Technologies www.hutchison-t.com www.uk.linkedin.com/in/wendygolledge

www.globalwellnesssummit.com

A striking TEMPLESPA image reflects our Summer Skin special (p46), which aims to help businesses create a successful seasonal skincare strategy

26

88

108

INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE

26 EMLYN BROWN, ACCOR

The global vice-president Well-being at Accor assesses key wellness trends for spas in 2022 and previews the group’s forthcoming Health to Wealth concept

32 11 BEST NEW SPAS FOR 2022

European Spa brings you the lowdown on some of the key spa and wellness projects that are set for completion over the next 12 months

88 A WORLD OF SOUND

European Spa explores how incorporating sonic elements into the spa journey can add a whole new sensory dimension to your guests’ experience

100 WELLNESS MATTERS

As evidence grows of the health benefits of tea, our round up of the key wellness modalities looks at how incorporating tea rituals into your spa offering can also enhance your guests’ wellbeing

108 SPA SPECIFIER

We spotlight the best spa equipment, products and interior design, including the Wellness Coach entertainment system from Italian company Starpool

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

56 HOW TO ENGINEER YOUR SPA MENU TO BOOST BUSINESS

Your spa services menu is the most important selling tool for your entire operation. Kirsty MacCormick explains how to make it work most effectively for you

76 9 TOOLS AND APPS TO REFRESH YOUR SPA MARKETING

Tracey Stapleton shares some of the most invaluable digital resources, many of which are free, that are guaranteed to add value to your marketing strategy

106 CREATING A WELLNESS TOOLKIT FOR YOUR TEAM

As the spa industry faces a recruitment and retention crisis, Iain Bell sets out the compelling case for implementing a 360-degree wellness policy in your business

76

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info@gerrardinternational.com

SUPPLY & DEMAND

46 SUMMER SKIN

European Spa talks to leading industry experts about how and when to plan your spa’s seasonal strategy to make this summer a skincare success

54 DECLÉOR: GET THE GLOW

Spring is in the air and spa brand Decléor is celebrating its Green Mandarin range. We find out more from Beauty Botanist and brand expert Jennifer Hirsch

58 TEMPLESPA: SKINCARE WITH WELLNESS AT HEART

Liz Warom, co-founder and managing director, and Sarah Ronchetti, head of spa at TEMPLESPA discuss the brand’s heritage and what it takes to be a great spa partner

60

60 ON THE MENU

Our round up of the latest product and treatment launches begins with expert advice on how the booming home-scent market could provide a revenue boost and enhance the spa guest journey

64 MURAD: TARGETING

THE SIGNS OF AGEING

The expert skin health brand has launched a new Targeted Wrinkle Corrector that has been clinically developed to provide an alternative to traditional fillers

70 THE ORGANIC PHARMACY: THE ORGANIC TOUCH

The eco-conscious brand’s co-founder Margo Marrone discusses the benefits of its new Pro Formula range for spas everywhere

SPA SPOTLIGHT

16 FAIRMONT WINDSOR PARK, UK

European Spa reports exclusively from the Accor-run luxury destination where traditional spa experiences blend with a clinical approach to transformative wellness

78 MOVEMENTUM AT MANDARIN ORIENTAL LONDON

The international hotel group’s UK flagship celebrates the launch of a powerful new wellness concept that aims to take spa services to the next level

64

www.esseskincare.co.uk

Fit for a queen

European Spa reports exclusively from Fairmont Windsor Park, UK where a blend of traditional and clinical approaches is raising the bar for transformative experiences

REPORT BY MARK SMITH

Situated a short walk from Great Windsor Park and Windsor Castle in Berkshire, UK, Fairmont Windsor Park is the latest opening for Accor in Europe. Built on the site of the Saville Court Hotel, formerly part of the MacDonald Group, the existing hotel was demolished to make way for the new building, which broke ground in 2017.

Built and owned by The Arora Group, a UK-based business with property, construction and hotel divisions, Fairmont Windsor Park’s development has been spearheaded by the group’s founder and chairman,

Surinder Arora. It is the latest addition to a portfolio that boasts 12 hotels, including ten airport hotels and its most recent acquisition, Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa.

Fairmont Windsor Park is operated in partnership with Accor, the largest hospitality company in Europe, and the sixth largest worldwide. Accor has 40 hotel brands in 5,199 locations in over 110 countries. Fairmont, one of its luxury marques, boasts 82 hotels in 30 countries with 26 new hotels in the pipeline.

“We are delighted to welcome guests to the spa at Fairmont Windsor Park – a place of great restoration,

healing and tranquillity that adds a brilliant new facet to the Fairmont portfolio,” says Emlyn Brown, global vice president Well-being, Accor. (see interview on p26).

Wellbeing at the heart of hospitality

The hotel’s design draws inspiration from the Jacobean architecture of the former building, adding two floors, a new wing and the 2,500sqm Fairmont Spa & Wellness facility, conceived by Lisa Barden, group director of spa and wellness at the Arora Group. The interiors of the hotel are elegant and modern as is the spa, enhanced with design cues taken from the hotel’s woodland setting with leaves, bark and dew-drop motifs lining the walls of the reception and relaxation areas.

“We wanted to create the ultimate wellness experience within our facilities, one that transpires throughout the entire hotel and offers our guests an

“Our spa and wellness facilities and services elevate the UK as an international wellness destination and is a crucial part of our overall hotel guest experience.”

Ryan Nicholls General manager, Fairmont Windsor Park

unparalleled opportunity to focus on the balance of body, mind and spirit,” explains Fairmont Windsor Park’s general manager, Ryan Nicholls.

“Our spa and wellness facilities and services elevate the UK as an international wellness destination and are a crucial part of our overall hotel guest experience.”

Active wellbeing is a core element of the brand’s key pillars and this is evident in the concept and design for Fairmont Spa & Wellness at Fairmont Windsor Park.

Above from far left: The Jacobean-inspired entrance to Fairmont Windsor Park; hand-carved marble loungers by Fabio Alemanno line the 20m indoor pool; a refreshing experience shower in the comprehensive thermal suite

“The spa is transformational, authentic and community-based for people that are focused on becoming the best versions of themselves.”

Lisa Barden Group director of spa and wellness, Arora Group

Authentic experiences

“The spa is authentic and community-based for people who are focused on becoming the best versions of themselves,” explains Barden. Expectations were set to the highest level with high-net-worth individuals and royalty expected as guests, says Barden: “Surinder asked me to create something that is different to the competitor set and must be fit for kings and queens.”

The vision for the project was to bridge the gap between a traditional pampering spa experience and a clinical wellness offering. A key goal was to be authentic and offer transformative experiences for members and guests. “Our goal is to aid better sleep and improve mood with inspiring food and increased movement,” says Barden. “We have created a world-class facility to provide a place of recovery and rehabilitation for the mind, body and spirit.”

“The spa is currently open to hotel guests as well as members who pay an annual subscription fee. Member numbers are expected to settle around 300, but this will be driven by the guest experience,” says Barden.

From

“We see the local membership model and destination wellness programming becoming a leading component of the hotel experience and key revenue driver,” adds Brown.

Designed as a day spa, guests wanting to visit in this way will have to wait a while longer until the final soft furnishings have been installed and the spa team is fully operational. Barden is currently recruiting to boost the ranks of her 31-strong team and reach a full complement of 62 people dedicated to spa and wellness.

Partnering for perfection

Integrating luxurious spa services with a sharp focus on health and wellness requires planning, research and in this case a commitment to sustainability, with a focus on eco-friendly policies. La Sultane de Saba, which enhances the hammam experience and offers its Akwaterra massage, is expected to have broad appeal to both European and Middle Eastern guests.

Meanwhile [comfort zone] provides a European massage and skincare concept with proven green credentials, and Mauli Rituals elevates the spa rituals. “We wanted to offer an Ayurveda experience and Mauli Rituals ticks all the boxes you would want,” says Barden. “Delightfully decadent, they take it to another level.”

left: The cherry blossom centrepiece of the thermal suite; Sommerhuber infrared loungers in the therapeutic Himalayan salt room

Ayurveda is a recurring theme through the treatment menu and this will work in synergy with Green’s Café, which has smoothies designed to pair with treatments and each person’s particular dosha. For example, a kapha stimulating smoothie or a pitta pacifying smoothie. These are currently offered alongside wellness bowls with recipes such as the golden beetroot, hazelnut and pear salad. The café’s offering is scheduled to be enhanced with a fully Ayurveda-inspired menu that will promote wellness through healthy eating.

To educate and inform guests, this space will also host a series of wellness talks with visiting experts. These will complement the work of the wellness hosts, who offer body analysis in the 4D.Me scanner, consultations and targeted programmes to achieve individual goals. The plan is to introduce residential retreats within the first year of opening, from short three-day escapes to immersive two-week transformative programmes.

Health and aesthetics

The team at Fairmont Spa & Wellness take a 360-degree approach to health and wellness. Resident GP, Dr Raj Arora conducts health checks, consultation services,

blood tests, IV infusions, smear tests and prostate check-ups. Her work is complemented by that of a specialist osteopath, a nutritional therapist, an acupuncturist and a colon hydrotherapy expert.

With an office in the spa’s facial aesthetic clinic, known as The Face Bible, Dr Arora conducts invasive facial treatments, including anti-wrinkle injections, dermal fillers, sculpting, non-surgical rhinoplasty and lip fillers. CQC-compliant, the high-tech, results-driven treatment menu includes some of the latest laser and sculpting equipment on the market. High-tech skin health system HydraFacial is offered alongside micro-needling by Skin Pen to help reduce wrinkles and improve hyperpigmentation and redness. The Harmony XL Pro system also provides a range of skin rejuvenation therapies that can additionally facilitate tattoo removal.

The menu in this part of the spa specialises in an array of facial peels from leading doctor-led brands including AlumierMD, Dr Schrammek and Obagi. Guests can

also access Aqualyx fat-dissolving injections, laser hair removal and Profhilo injectable skin remodelling treatments to boost collagen and address ageing skin.

Across the corridor, Truefitt & Hill, said to be the oldest traditional gentlemen’s barber and perfumer in London, offers barbering services for discerning gents. A hair salon opposite attends to high-level coiffuring with resident stylists using Davines professional products.

From above: Luxurious curved day beds are perfect for poolside relaxation; a range of mani-pedi services are available in the finishing studio

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Next to this is a dedicated manicure and pedicure area offering Nailberry and Evo gel treatments.

Into the spa

Beyond reception, the guest journey leads to the electric Mecotec Cryo Chamber, a popular addition to the menu. The multi-person experience offers guests a three-minute burst of ultra-cold air to a temperature of -110°C. The session is said to boost metabolism, reduce migraines and muscle pain, enhance energy and athletic performance, and improve both sleep and mood. It’s already a best-seller, especially with members, and

currently sits at number two in bookings, just behind the popular bamboo massage.

Large changing rooms lead onto a 20m indoor pool under natural daylight and lined on one side with bespoke hand-carved marble heated loungers designed by Fabio Alemanno, which create the illusion of floating on the water. The space includes a Jacuzzi and a series of curved day beds offering an element of privacy from neighbouring guests. Each is fitted with electric sockets and USB phone-charging points.

At the end of the pool, in the shadow of an artificial cherry blossom tree, the thermal suite features a Finnish sauna, a steam room, experience showers, an ice fountain, a Japanese Ashiyu foot ritual bath and an open-sided heated tepidarium. “The concept behind the Ashiyu foot bath was to create a thermal experience that was inclusive for all,” says Barden. “People with certain conditions can’t enjoy the sauna and steam room, but this enables everyone to enjoy the thermal suite and remain sociable with their party.”

Treatments, fitness and wellness

For guests who have booked treatments, the facilities continue in a separate wing of the spa and include

This page from above: A view of the thermal suite, located at the end of the indoor pool; natural motifs adorn the décor of the spa reception area

a Himalayan salt room with Sommerhuber infrared heated loungers, an outdoor hydrotherapy pool, a hammam, relaxation areas and a tea station offering bespoke Camellia’s Tea House infusions. A deep relaxation space is equipped with Gharieni Evo beds, cocooned in purpose-built pods each has its own weighted blanket to aid post-treatment relaxation.

All 18 treatment rooms are designed to create a harmonious experience for the guest and feature Florence treatment beds by Lemi, while the comfort of guests is improved by BC Softwear’s bespoke spa slippers created from coconut core and hessian, which are recyclable and compostable.

A VIP spa, called the Salutaris Suite, meaning ‘health giving’ in Latin, offers all spa services in the utmost comfort and seclusion, including therapeutic, aesthetic and wellness treatments. The suite boasts a hot tub, a steam room, day beds, changing rooms and private access to the hammam.

SUBLIME SKIN

Left: The Technogym-equipped Cycling Studio is proving a popular attraction for guests looking to maintain their fitness

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On the lower ground floor, fitness and movement are key priorities. Members receive four free 4D.Me body scans per year to help set goals and achieve personal health and wellness outcomes supported by the wellness team. At 272sqm, the Wellness Suite has been designed by industry experts and is equipped with the Technogym Artis cardio and strength range. UK gym specialist Jigsaw Fitness have also contributed their expertise as well as a bespoke gym rig, outdoor gym, and other specialist equipment. A Mind & Body Studio focuses on mind-to-muscle connection with hatha, aerial and hot yoga, mat-based Pilates and meditation. The Reformer Pilates and Cycling Studio are also proving popular with guests.

SPA STATISTICS

Fairmont Windsor Park

www.fairmont-windsorpark.com

www.thearoragroup.com

Owner: The Arora Group

Hotel general manager: Ryan Nicholls

Group director of spa and wellness,

Arora Group: Lisa Barden

Spa size: 2,500sqm

Treatment rooms: 18

Staff: 31

Architects: The UNUM partnership

Interior design: Margaret Morgan, Arora Group

Thermal Suite: Barr + Wray

Equipment: Lemi, Gharieni, BC Softwear, Sommerhuber, MESOTEC, Spa Vision, Comphy, 4D.Me, Fabio Alemanno

Fitness: Technogym, Jigsaw Fitness, Hyperice

Product houses: [comfort zone], Mauli Rituals, Evo and Nailberry, Davines, 72 Hair, Camellia’s Tea House, Truefitt & Hill, La Sultane de Saba

Facial aesthetics: HydraFacial, ABC Lasers, SkinPen, Emsculpt Neo, Profhilo, AlumierMD, Melanostop Peel, Mesoestetic, Dr Schrammek, Obagi, Cosmelan Peel, ZO Skin Health, Soprano Titanium, Aqualyx, Harmony XL Pro System

Right from top: Soothing dark tones in one of the spa’s treatment rooms; the Mind and Body Studio is set up for an aerial yoga class; traditional gentlemen’s barber and perfumer Truefitt & Hill offers services for discerning gents

Thought Leadership Emlyn Brown, Accor

Health to wealth

Emlyn Brown, global vice president Well-Being at Accor, assesses key wellness trends for spas in 2022 and reveals the group’s new Health to Wealth series, which is set to launch in the spring

SMITH

Travel is back. Hospitality is back. Health and wellness, in a brand-new post-pandemic context, is definitely back. After two full years of restrictions, lockdowns and health system overloads, many for whom travel is an essential part of life are now emerging wiser, stronger, and more committed than ever to protecting their health and ability to move freely in the world again.

If there is one person qualified to shed light on how this development is affecting global hospitality offerings, it is Emlyn Brown, global vice president Well-Being at Accor, who has more than 25 years’ experience in the design, implementation and management of corporate wellness provision across Europe and Asia.

In an exclusive interview with European Spa, he discusses how the international hospitality group’s soon-to-be-launched Health to Wealth concept aims to meet the evolving demands of its guests.

How has wellness provision changed for hotel operators since the pandemic?

As hoteliers and wellness providers, we are eager to respond to the pent-up global demand for travel and wellbeing experiences. Wellness has become a dominant global consumer value and an unmissable opportunity for us to truly touch the hearts and spirits of our guests.

The shift toward more holistic modes of wellness was a movement already well underway prior to the pandemic. Take Accor’s Swissôtel Vitality concept for example; it led the industry in infusing every part of the guest journey with wellbeing considerations – from fitness, menus and spa treatments to mindfulness, meetings, guestrooms and hotel design. Swissôtel was one of the

“At Accor, our brand portfolio is one of the most diverse in the world and our spa and wellness offerings reflect these distinctions”

Emlyn Brown

Global vice president Well-Being at Accor

Thought Leadership Emlyn Brown, Accor

INTERVIEW BY MARK

This page: Accor’s portfolio includes, clockwise from top, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, US; Raffles Maldives Meradhoo Resort; and Mövenpick BDMS Wellness Resort, Bangkok, Thailand

first brands to bring exercise into guestrooms and introduced everything from circadian lighting to enhanced showers and ergonomic furniture.

However, the pandemic has served as a major accelerator and we are now experiencing a profound global push towards healthier living with a greater recognition than ever before that mental and physical fitness are essential to a higher quality of life.

Has the concept of wellness now expanded beyond the spa?

This idea that ‘health is wealth’ now underscores nearly all areas of business in hospitality, from operations to marketing, from design to food and beverage, and most certainly in our spa programming. In all areas, we consider how we can contribute to our guests’ and employees’ physical health, mental wellbeing, nutrition and immunity. The integration of wellness, once confined to the spa, is now imperative in our planning of the entire guest journey among all of Accor’s brands.

As hotels around the world jump on the wellness bandwagon, however, the key caveat is that programming must be authentic. Younger demographics are especially savvy. Having grown up amid immersive technologies and social media, they have a finely tuned sense of what is real and what is mere image. Authenticity requires us to be congruent with our brands.

At Accor, our brand portfolio is one of the most diverse in the world and our spa and wellness offerings reflect these distinctions. We may rely on the same six wellness pillars – nutrition, holistic design, movement, spa, mindfulness and digital presence – yet

we deliver on these with tactics that are faithful to each brand experience.

Tell us about Accor’s upcoming Health to Wealth concept?

This spring, we will launch our new Health to Wealth series, which will explore the world’s state of wellbeing and some of the defining issues of our time. Expertly curated by our global wellbeing partner Well Intelligence, led by Anni Hood, the multi-faceted series will deep-dive into areas such as wellness, psychological and physiological health, societal structure and responsibility, global shifts, responses and predictions.

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How does this care extend to the group’s teams?

We truly believe that we cannot be leaders in wellness, without ensuring the wellbeing of our people. Accor’s promise to its team members, ‘Be Limitless’, embodies what it means to work at Accor: limitless development opportunities, an inclusive culture that is open to all, engaging experiences with an emphasis on physical and mental wellbeing.

This promise to our teams, whatever their brand, wherever they are, in headquarters or in hotels, is our number-one priority, particularly as we emerge together from one of the toughest periods in recent history.

How is Accor leveraging digital platforms to engage its guests?

Connectivity through social media and digital apps is now an essential part of the business strategy for our health, fitness and spa programmes. Social media and digital apps connect us

FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR SPA OFFERING

1. Find your tribe Create memberships to connect locals and returning guests

2. Partner up Collaborate with like-minded brands to broaden your reach and connect with new people

3. Extend the journey Offer playlists, take-home kits and F&B to go

4. Friend and follow Use social media to share expertise, tips and support and build the profile of your team’s expertise

with our guests in the planning of their journey, during their stay and even once they return home.

We have established partnerships that amplify our digital capabilities, such as Pullman X Les Mills, where guests participate in challenging and fun fitness classes on and off-property.

We’ll also leverage partners to connect with guests, fans and followers through expert tutorials, live chats, music playlists and webinars, encouraging guests to continue their self-care rituals at home. This idea of extending the guest journey beyond the stay also appeals to locals, who can pop in for spa take-home kits and healthy food and beverage take-aways.

How else is wellbeing being elevated?

Drawing in local clientele with food and beverage as well as spa programming

5. Be well together Reward, celebrate and support your team with innovative wellness programmes

contributes to a mix of guests with great energy and experiential possibilities. This is where membership opportunities for spa and fitness are key. At the new Raffles London at The OWO, we’ll bring in an elite-level membership club to add that special mix of luxury brand collaboration.

In 2022 and beyond, our role as wellness leaders is vital. We will manage our teams to ensure that the wellness goals and expectations of our guests are not only met but exceeded. This is the truest measure of our company’s success – elevating the wellbeing of our guests – passionately, positively and consistently.

www.all.accor.com

Clockwise from top left: Hydrothermal facilities and a fitness class at Sofitel Mexico City Reforma; guests hit the road for a Fairmont fitness class

The

THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT: 11 NEW SPAS FOR 2022

As demand for wellness soars, European Spa shines a light on 11 new spas set to debut in the next 12 months

REPORT BY WENDY GOLLEDGE

Two years on from the most significant event in recent history, we are witnessing a powerful wave of innovative new spa developments and wellness concepts that pay testament to the strength and resilience of our industry. The pandemic may have forced spa doors to close and seen investments put on hold, but as the restrictions on travel and hospitality are lifted, a wealth of new projects are set to debut across Europe.

The sheer number of new hotel and destination spas being announced as a must-have component for top hospitality projects indicates that a post-pandemic spa boom is starting and the resurgence is bold and exciting.

In this special report we have selected 11 outstanding pipeline spas that reflect the trends for innovative partnerships, sustainable design and experiential wellness concepts.

From leading hotel and spa chains to boutiques and independents, operators are now investing to deliver the very best experiences to an evolving guest market that is demanding authentic wellness services. Spa gardens and the great outdoors are increasingly taking centre stage, bespoke and unique offers are at a premium, and facilities are upping their game to include everything from Roman baths to heated pebble beaches and gigantic glitter balls, with treatment concepts strongly centred around results and reconnection.

Please enjoy European Spa’s top 11 spas to watch in 2022 – a collection of new openings planned for the coming year that are inventive, visionary, sustainable and above all proof that the importance of spa and wellness as a key driver for hospitality and leisure.

Six Senses Rome, Italy

Urban wellness in the Eternal City

The latest addition to Six Senses’ global portfolio, Six Senses Rome is one of four confirmed openings for the brand in 2022. Constructed in a restored palazzo in the centre of the ancient city, the resort is the newest in Six Senses’ urban collection. The ground floor will be a designated ‘social floor’ for dining and gathering, with the first floor home to the Six Senses Spa and Roman baths. The crowning glory will be a large rooftop terrace offering 360-degree views.

With five treatment rooms (four single and one double with adjoining relaxation space), the 960sqm spa will feature a unique Roman bath including a laconium, caldarium, tepidarium, solarium, hammam and relaxation lounge. This will be complemented by a gym and a studio dedicated to body-toning Electrical Muscle Stimulation. Personalised assessments and training will be combined with mind-body therapies like yoga with the aim of replacing short-term goals with long-term fitness.

In the resort’s Alchemy Bar, therapists will guide guests through locally sourced ingredients and products, encouraging them to feel textures, smell aromas and create their own scrubs, hair or face masks, herbal poultices or steam bundles to be used in treatments.

In-room wellbeing services

“Six Senses Rome will showcase our new take on urban hotels with in-room wellness programmes and the ability to order an infrared blanket, acupressure boots, massage guns and even an inverted chair if you prefer to hang upside down after you wake up,” says Anna Bjurstam, Six Senses’s wellness pioneer. “We will launch an exclusive membership club, with access to our rooftop terrace, and of course personalised wellness programmes through our biomarker screening and expert coaching.”

Other new openings planned in 2022 include Six Senses Kanuhura in the Maldives, Six Senses Crans-Montana in Switzerland and Six Senses Southern Dunes on Saudi Arabia’s west coast.

SPA STATISTICS

Six Senses Rome

www.sixsenses.com

@sixsenses

USP: With guests indicating how much they value precious time spent with family and friends, Six Senses Rome will have a strong focus on reconnection

Spa size: 960sqm

Lanserhof Sylt, Germany

An exclusive European island retreat

Renowned health resort leader Lanserhof is scheduled to open an all-new €120m [£100m] wellness retreat in ‘the Hamptons of Germany’ on May 1. Located on an island in the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site long heralded for its healing and restorative climate and sea air, Lanserhof Sylt will combine the group’s trademark cutting-edge diagnostics and naturopathic healing methods with programming focused on cardiological rehabilitation for acute or chronic diseases, as well as treatments for respiratory and skin diseases.

Services on Sylt will include medical consultations and individual therapies, as well as CT and MRI scans, and the brand’s signature LANS Med Concept, which offers a medically supervised and highly personalised programme.

Framed by nature

Constructed using entirely sustainable, non-emitting materials, the medical spa has been designed to ensure its magnificent setting takes centre-stage. Facilities include saunas, steam baths, a relaxation area, interconnected indoor and outdoor saltwater pools with a counter-current system and a sun terrace among the dunes.

The new development is the latest in Lanserhof’s expanding portfolio, which includes properties in Austria, Bavaria and Hamburg in Germany, and London. Highly exclusive, rates at Lanserhof Sylt will start from €7,120 [£6,044] per person for a seven-night Lanserhof Cure Classic.

“Surrounded by the unique and ever-present nature of Sylt, the new health resort awaits guests, combining cutting-edge medicine with state-of-the-art equipment and alternative naturopathy,” says medical director and cardiologist, Dr Jan Stritzke. “For this new Lanserhof experience, we’ve built a great team of physicians, therapists, sports and nutrition scientists and beauticians. I can’t wait to introduce it to our guests. This is something very unique.”

SPA STATISTICS

Lanserhof Sylt

www.lanserhof.com/en/lanserhof-sylt @lanserhof

USP: Combines cutting-edge medicine with state-of-the-art equipment and naturopathy

Resort size: Combined guest area of over 20,000sqm with a spa treatment area of 5,000sqm

Suppliers and product partners: BWT Pool & Water Technology, hsb Germany, KLAFS, KG, KONE, ELIN

Architect and designer: Christoph Ingenhoven for Ingenhoven Architects

Spa at Cashel Palace, Ireland

Sustainable luxury and wellness on the Emerald Isle

Opening this month in Ireland’s Golden Vale, this sumptuous standalone property is owned by the Magnier family – also part-owners of Sandy Lane in Barbados – and is the newest member of the Relâis & Chateaux family.

A restored Palladian manor, built in 1732 in the shadow of the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary, Cashel Palace will offer a multi-million-euro spa, the vision of Mrs Magnier herself, created in conjunction with London-based designer Emma Pearson and spa consultant Greg Payne.

Facilities will include a light-flooded 17m swim-out pool as well as two outdoor seaweed baths. Three hot and cold experience showers, a hot tub, a KLAFS starry sky-ceiling steam room and a bespoke Himalayan salt wall sauna enhance the offering. Facilities extend to a fully-equipped gym, hair salon and yoga studio, as well as a relaxation room and outside spa terrace overlooking the gardens.

A blueprint for green spas

Sustainability and the environment have been central to all decisions and, where possible, everything is eco-friendly and recyclable, with best practices in construction, restoration and energy followed to ensure its blueprint for sustainability stands up to the highest scrutiny.

Cashel Palace’s director of spa and wellness, Tara De Courcey, and her team will offer Bamford’s signature body and face experiences across four treatment rooms. The Irish spa also exclusively offers Skin by Olga facials.

“It’s a great privilege to be a part of such an amazing project – a spa designed to provide the best possible guest experience,” says De Courcey. “The purpose-built facilities overlook the historic mulberry trees and iconic Rock of Cashel; it’s an incredibly tranquil area, filled with natural light that encourages an oasis of calm for the body, mind and soul. Guests will also have the opportunity to relax in our pristine pool and al fresco baths – it really is a perfect place to rejuvenate.”

SPA STATISTICS

Spa at Cashel Palace

www.cashelpalacehotel.ie @cashelpalace

USP: The only luxury spa in Tipperary and within 50 miles

Spa size: Approx. 350sqm

Suppliers: Bamford, Voya, Skin by Olga

Experience, Valmont

Product partners: NOHrD by WaterRower, Kenko, Hennessy Hair & Beauty, Gharieni, Xpert Professional

Designers: Emma Pearson Interior

Design, spa consultant Greg Payne

Construction: Mulcahy Construction

Architect: Reddy Architects and Smallwood Architects

The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat, UK

Unrivaled relaxation surrounded by nature

Few spas can boast a mesmerising glitterball towering over a Roman bath swimming pool, complete with built-in fireplace! And unique touches don’t stop there at The Galgorm Collection’s newest offering, The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat. This dramatic refurbishment is the result of a £10 million [€12 million] investment in the 33-bedroom boutique hotel and spa in Templepatrick, Co Antrim.

More than £2 million has gone into the outdoor spa experience, with attractions including the Roman bath, a Swedish sauna, hot tubs, a halotherapy salt chamber and an aroma steam room. A first for Ireland, The Relaxation Burrow offers a heated pebble beach with lakeside bar; cabanas with heated waterbeds; and a sunken lounge for laid-back luxury.

Many environmentally friendly details are in-built, from the use of locally sourced food and drink to 100% waste and water conservation, LED lights, refillable bathroom supplies and wireless heat systems. Plans are currently progressing to install new liquid pool covers to conserve water and heat in the Roman baths and hot tubs.

Environmentally friendly exercise

Construction of a £250,000 state-of-the-art fitness suite is underway, scheduled to open later this year. In homage to its woodland surroundings, The Rabbit will be the first spa hotel in Ireland to exclusively stock NOHrD gym equipment, manufactured in Germany using sustainable materials.

Four treatment rooms are due to open in the summer, offering personalised facials from IMAGE Skincare and nurturing body treatments by Germaine de Capuccini that focus on serenity, detoxing and energising.

“Following a £2 million investment in an outdoor spa area, the final phase of the Relaxation Burrow outdoor spa is soon to complete,” says Lynsey Gordon, general manager at The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat. “Our unrivalled facilities include our showstopping Roman baths, tranquil halotherapy chambers and lakeside beach complete with heated pebbles.”

SPA STATISTICS

The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat

www.rabbithotel.com

@therabbit_hotel

USP: An open-air spa with a unique heated pebble beach, the only one of its kind in Ireland

Suppliers: Germaine de Capuccini, IMAGE Skincare

Product partners: NOHrD

Designers: Galgorm Collection

Architect: Cheath Roth

Construction company: Hugh J O’Boyle

Inhale at Inhabit Queen’s Gardens, UK

A spa that treats wellness as a way of life

For those in charge at Inhale, wellness is not simply a physical state, but a way of being, so it will champion social connectedness, intellectual expansion, environmental responsibility, physical and emotional wellness and occupational enrichment.

A tranquil new treatment space will blend contemporary Scandinavian inspiration and eastern philosophical awareness with quintessential British design. Two treatment rooms will be complemented by a sauna, a yoga studio and a fitness suite offering an Eco-Natural Prime Line Treadmill and free weights as well as a Peloton Bike. The studio will host a programme of daily activities, including Vinyasa flow, transformational Hatha and Yin yoga, Pilates and complimentary morning meditation. A series of regular workshops, lectures and events will be curated by head of wellness Maria Tsiarta to help guests recharge, invigorate, connect and learn.

Partnering for success

Inhale is the first London hotel spa to offer GAIA treatments, including the GAIA Poultice Massage, using a herbal compress to heal, soothe and increase the flow of chi. The soothing signature GAIA Raindrop Therapy at Inhale is an exclusive, 120-minute full body and facial therapy that incorporates raindrop techniques to the back, spine and feet.

Mindfully designed, Inhabit Queen’s Gardens has a commitment to the environment and meaningful community partnerships. The hotel has pledged to work with 100 social enterprises and small, socially conscious businesses. There will be no single-use plastic across the whole hotel.

Spa consultant Eleanor Jeffrey says: “Inhale at Inhabit is a thoughtfully curated space centred around inner wellbeing as a way of life. Inhale allows space for meditation, reflection and calm, and provides restorative therapies to enhance equilibrium for both body and mind. The space at Inhale is simply an extension of our commitment to holistic health seen and practiced throughout all areas of the Inhabit hotel.”

SPA STATISTICS

Inhale at Inhabit Queen’s Gardens

www.inhabithotels.com

@inhabit_hotels

USP: Treating wellness as a way of life

Spa size: 94sqm

Suppliers and partners: GAIA, Eco-Natural

Designers and architects: Holland

Harvey Architects, Caitlin Henderson

Design, Culture A

Holte Spa at The Swan, UK

Traditional bathing inspired by The Lakes

Nestled in the heart of the Lake District, Holte Spa at The Swan Hotel is the result of a recent £7 million [€8.3 million] investment. Opened at the end of February, the spa was masterminded by Kirsty MacCormick of The Spa Consultancy, to create a sustainability led, multi-sensory wellness experience.

Six treatment suites offer authentic bathing traditions combined with contemporary spa experiences inspired by the Lake District. Outdoor hot tubs in the spa garden are complemented by a chemical-free indoor/outdoor vitality pool in addition to a woodland plunge pool, a Finnish sauna, a steam room, waterfall showers and a relaxation space.

Rituals from Ground Wellbeing, created by the brand’s Cork-based founder Peigin Crowley, will include The Comforting Ritual, created specifically for pregnant women, and The Balancing Ritual to empower and support women in perimenopause and menopause. [comfort zone] has created exclusive treatments, including a Walker’s Massage, while OTO will offer a series of sensory CBD-infused experiences that combine CBD massage oils with the use of sound therapy. The spa will also be the first in the Lake District to offer a new Ritual Facial Experience treatment by OTO.

Away from the mainstream

The hotel has been expanded to include 30 new spa bedrooms and the ‘SOLE’ (sustainable, organic local, ethical) restaurant and café.

“The spa is unique and quirky, just like the Swan,” says Kirsty MacCormick. “For me, the spa was all about authenticity and ensuring nothing is faddy. The thermal journey is a circuit and we recommend a specific sequence for every guest so they enjoy benefits tailored for them.

“We’ve carefully chosen product partners and suppliers with a similar ethos, such as OTO, one of the most sophisticated beauty CBD brands out there, along with BackLabel for uniforms and local Cumbrian brands such as Bathhouse and Agnes & Cat.”

SPA STATISTICS

Holte Spa at The Swan www.swanhotel.com

@swannewbybridge

USP: Authentic experiences and treatments with a focus on sustainability

Spa size: 743sqm

Suppliers and partners: Ground Wellbeing, [comfort zone], OTO, Gharieni, REM, Unique Pool, Finnmark Sauna, BackLabel, Bathhouse, Agnes & Cat

Architect: DLG Architects alongside specialist contractor Medlock

Designers: Fiona Parke of Johnston Park Interiors

Guerlain Spa at Raffles London, UK

A vision for world-class wellbeing

Set in the grandiose building that was once Churchill’s Old War Office, Accor has confirmed that Raffles London at the OWO will comprise an iconic 120-room and suite flagship hotel, as well as a world-leading destination spa, exclusively partnering with French brand Guerlain and movement specialist PILLAR. Set to open in late 2022, the grade II listed destination is being restored and redeveloped by the Hinduja Group and its joint-venture partner OHLD. It will be Raffles’ first opening in London.

“Serenity, harmony, relaxation, recovery and pleasure are touchstones for wellness at Raffles Hotels & Resorts and immersed in every inch of the Guerlain Spa at Raffles London,” says Emlyn Brown, global vice president Well-Being at Accor. “With societal habits shifting and wellness taking on new and further-reaching meaning in a post-pandemic world, true luxury is not about what you do, but how you feel.”

Flagship facilities

The new Guerlain Spa at Raffles London features nine treatment rooms including a barber and salon, beauty treatment spaces, a Guerlain boutique, a separate VIP area and two couples’ suites.

The active wellness spaces, created and run by PILLAR, will offer an extensive gym and yoga studio, a juice bar, a 20m swimming pool with a vitality pool, and steam and sauna rooms. This new wellness destination will be open to guests at Raffles London, residents of The OWO Residences by Raffles, as well as spa members and day guests.

Philippe Leboeuf, managing director at Raffles London, says “Raffles London at The OWO is committed to bringing together the best talent and partners, raising the bar for wellness experiences in the capital. Working with a heritage brand such as Guerlain alongside contemporary health and movement specialists PILLAR perfectly mirrors our vision of providing a world-class destination for our residents, members and hotel guests.”

SPA STATISTICS

Guerlain Spa, Raffles London at the OWO

www.theowo.london

@theowo.london

USP: A world-class wellness sanctuary in the heart of the city

Exclusive partners: Guerlain, PILLAR

Designer: Goddard Littlefair

Suppliers and partners: tbc

Lesante Cape, Greece

Five-star bio-fuelled spa and wellness facilities

Opening in late May, Lesante Cape is the new property in the Lesante Collection, a family-owned group of five-star abodes on Zakynthos. The village-style resort’s Armonia Wellness & Spa will be uniquely powered by an onsite bio-farm.

Based on the three core principles of ‘unwind, restore, elevate’ the 400sqm spa is billed as an ‘oasis of tranquillity to relax, pamper and rejuvenate’. Healing treatments and therapies will be inspired by ancient Mediterranean healing practices, using natural and planet-friendly products.

Facilities will include four treatment rooms (one suite) and a massage space, as well as a sauna, a hammam, an adventure shower and an indoor hot tub area. The indoor pool is inspired by ancient Greek architecture and is complemented by an open-air relaxation space. A fitness centre completes the offering. The resort will comprise 55 guest suites and ten villas with private beach access.

SPA STATISTICS

Lesante Cape

Gleneagles Townhouse, Scotland

A dedication to treatment and therapy

Astate-of-the-art wellness space, The Strong Rooms will be housed in the old bank vault in the 33-room Gleneagles Townhouse, a hotel, restaurant and member’s club coming to Edinburgh’s St. Andrew Square this spring. Designed by Ennismore Design Studio, the dedicated treatment and therapy space will provide two treatment rooms offering a curated selection of Gleneagles Signature Treatments as well as offerings from partners Dr. Barbara Sturm and Tata Harper.

The holistic wellness offering is enriched and enhanced by the latest technology, with cryotherapy and infrared saunas. Alongside this, a fully equipped gym space, providing an ultra-modern, holistic fitness experience, will also offer an immersive programme of al fresco wellbeing and fitness classes as well as experiences including regular running and cycling clubs. A virtual platform will bring an immersive audio-visual dimension to the Townhouse’s class studios.

“The intention for The Strong Rooms and our wider wellness offering is to create a hugely progressive, first-of-its-kind wellness experience curated by local, best-in-class practitioners,” says Gleneagles’ director of leisure Colin Farndon.

SPA STATISTICS

www.lesantecollection.gr @lesantecollection

USP: The spa’s three-element philosophy is ‘unwind, restore, elevate’

Spa size: 400sqm

Architect and designer: Ioannis Kyratsous

The Strong Rooms at The Gleneagles Townhouse www.gleneagles.com/townhouse @ thegleneagleshotel

USP: Bringing the Gleneagles’ spa offering to the city Spa size: 544sqm

Suppliers and partners: Dr. Barbara Sturm, Tata Harper

Designer: Ennismore Design Studio

7Pines Sardinia Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino

Scenic splendour and holistic purity

This July, a Pure Seven Spa is coming to the new 7Pines Resort Sardinia, the latest Destination by Hyatt property. Billed as ‘a sanctuary of wellness and relaxation, laid out around a courtyard oasis’, its five treatment rooms for individuals or couples will be complemented by a relaxation area, a steam room, a sauna, an experience shower, an ice room, a gym and outdoor Kneipp therapy areas.

Taking inspiration from its sister spa at 7Pines Resort Ibiza, Pure Seven’s holistic approach to physical and mental wellness will be influenced by Sardinia’s scenery and culture. Located at the epicentre of the resort, treatments, beauty services and contemplative mindfulness sessions will combine advanced and ancient practices. All products, yet to be disclosed, will be organic, vegan and paraben-free.

Alessandro Ferino, director of sales and marketing at 7Pines Resort Sardinia, says: “Pure Seven Spa at 7Pines Resort Sardinia will be a haven of wellbeing on the island, inspired by the Mediterranean lifestyle and uplifting culture of Sardinia with a mission to reconnect individuals to themselves in mind and body. We are very excited to launch this new wellbeing concept here.”

SPA STATISTICS

7Pines Sardinia

www.7pines.com/en/sardinia

@7pinessardinia

USP: A holistic approach to physical and mental wellness inspired by Sardinia’s uplifting scenery and culture

Spa size: 800sqm

Suppliers and product partners: Gharieni

Designers and architects: Piazza Martiri 7

A wellness resort with something for everyone

Mandarin Oriental’s first Greek property will open in Spring 2023 – a beachfront wellness sanctuary on Costa Navarino, the popular tourist destination on the south-west coast of the Peloponnese.

The resort will offer 99 guest rooms and an extensive spa and wellness centre, with ten treatment rooms, including a couple’s suite and a VIP suite, a 25m indoor-outdoor pool and a menu of Mandarin Oriental’s signature wellness rituals and therapies.

Facilities will also include a relaxation and tea lounge, a 168sqm indoor fitness centre, 90sqm of outdoor yoga and meditation areas and a four-station Mandarin Oriental beauty salon. These will be complemented by an experience shower, a sauna, a steam room plus a hammam suite with heated loungers, a vitality pool, a cold plunge pool and a sun deck.

The spa hotel is in partnership with high-end tourism developer and operator TEMES S.A, which has also recently announced the opening of the W Escape and W Costa Navarino.

Jeremy McCarthy, spa director at Mandarin Oriental, says: “This will be an incredible getaway with something for everyone... it is a perfect wellness destination with serene natural surroundings and soothing views as well as world-class spa and fitness facilities.”

SPA STATISTICS

Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino

www.mandarinoriental.com

@mo_hotels

USP: A wellness getaway with something for everyone at Mandarin Oriental’s first property in Greece

Spa size: tbc Suppliers and product partners: tbc

Summer skin

As summer approaches, now is the perfect time to plan your spa’s seasonal skincare strategy. We speak to leading industry experts who reveal their top tips for success

REPORT BY MARK SMITH

As the seasons change and summer draws near, spa guests will be thinking about renewing and refreshing their skin and bodycare regimes. With thoughts turning to holidays, your spa marketing and sales strategy should incorporate the essentials, such as nails, tanning and lashes, but also focus on treatments that present additional retail opportunities, such as rejuvenating and lifting facials, and exfoliating and slimming body treatments.

Post-holidays, skin can be dehydrated, sun-damaged or suffering from dry patches and inflammation, so professional advice and care from trained skin therapists is essential to help relieve and remedy these issues. Spas need to position themselves as experts in the delivery of professional skincare regimes, both in-spa and at home, to ensure clients choose your business over another location to redress the imbalances in their skin.

A time for teamwork

Now is the time to educate your team about the importance of booking clients on courses of treatments, not only to enhance the benefits for guests, but to increase revenue and add additional opportunities to

boost retail-to-treatment revenue.

Working closely with your therapy team, take this opportunity to sharpen up pre- and post-treatment consultation techniques as these are the cornerstone of establishing a rapport with clients. Savvy spa directors will also be striving to ensure the team’s product and treatment knowledge is completely up to date.

Spa reception members should be focused on the main merchandising points within retail areas, perhaps working with product partners to create engaging point-of-sale material. Many brands run seasonal promotions and offer gifts with purchases, so ensure that these are fully maximised and promoted via all channels.

Summer also brings the opportunity to introduce new treatments, and with guest expectations increasing, high-tech facials and machine-driven technology can offer the instant results that are now often expected.

Seasonal facials, a recent innovation from some brands, have also become increasingly popular. These offer the chance to excite and engage customers in new conversations, and can form the basis of wider campaigns through email marketing, social media and themed workshops in the spa.

Facials for summer

From limited-edition seasonal offerings to high-tech treatments, facial skincare should be at the top of your sales and marketing agenda for 2022

As summer approaches, skincare routines must be adapted and updated to meet the demands of clients’ skin. Summer is one of the most vital times as pre-holiday skin can be renewed and refreshed with high-tech hydrating solutions that prepare clients for long days in the sun. Post-holiday, the focus shifts to repair and revitalisation courtesy of deeply hydrating formulas and results-driven treatments.

“Our skin changes during different seasons, and in the summer months it must adapt,” explains Clare Bradley, trainer EMEA at HydraFacial. “As it starts to adjust to warmer air and humidity this can lead to more oil getting trapped on the surface. Because of this some people may notice their skin feels heavier and experience more breakouts and congestion.”

High-tech solutions

Summer skin requires different approaches, technologies and ingredients. “When it comes to the summer months the skin experiences changes in texture and complexion,” says Krystina Dwyer, head of treatment and onboard development at Elemis. “We need to work on hydrating, helping minimise clogged pores and ensuring we have a radiant glowing complexion fit for summer.”

Offering a comprehensive approach that draws on various modalities, the Elemis Biotec 2.0 system combines a range of technologically advanced skin concepts into one machine.

Harnessing the

power of advanced cold therapy with subzero CryO2 therapy, advanced light therapy, microcurrent, an ultrasonic peel and galvanic infusions, the updated machine offers cutting-edge treatments that deliver clinically proven results. Its Pro-Glow Facial menu delivers a range of benefits including lifting and firming, resurfacing, brightening, blemish reduction, skin-soothing, hydration and nourishment in one facial.

From above: Germaine de Capuccini’s Anti-Fatigue Treatment with Vitamin C aims to restore luminousity; Sothys offers seasonal facials bi-annually

CACI recently introduced its Synergy+, which combines S.P.E.D quad probes, LED micro probes, a wrinkle comb, an ultrasonic actuator, an orbital abrader as well as ETR and LED hydratone face rollers. This unique antiageing lifting facial is ideal for guests before their holidays.

Elsewhere, HydraFacial uses patented technology to cleanse, extract, and hydrate with super serums made from nourishing ingredients to leave skin hydrated and glowing.

DermaOrganic has introduced a new range of non-invasive, active treatments in the UK this year, combining transdermalporation technology with the brand’s highly concentrated active products to deliver long-lasting results after a single treatment.

High-touch seasonality

In the spa, Decléor offers its Face Workout, a hands-on massage concept that is a good option pre-holiday, offering a lifting, sculpting and

facial-contouring style of massage that can be tailored to the guest’s needs.

Meanwhile, targeting dehydrated and stressed skin, Germaine de Capuccini’s Anti-Fatigue Treatment with Vitamin C draws on the ingredients from four products to restore luminosity in dull and stressed skin.

French skincare brand Sothys was one of the first to pioneer seasonal facials and continues to offer new innovations twice a year. In 2022, its facial is designed to oxygenate, protect and revitalise the skin with kiwi and pineapple.

Natural Spa Factory has also offered is spa partners seasonal treatments, from facials to body therapies, based on ingredients and protocols to help renew and rejuvenate.

Esse Skincare has adopted an innovative approach to engage clients with its skincare concept, which is suitable for a summer skin reset. The

Clockwise from left: Synergy+ from CACI is an ideal pre-holiday skincare option; Esse’s Rewild Your Skincare Challenge encourages clients to go back to basics; Thalgo adds a sense of ritual to summer skincare routines

brand’s 30-Day Rewild Your Skincare Challenge focuses on taking the skin back to basics, undoing the impact of ‘astringent’ skincare products and restoring a lifestyle that reconnects people with their natural environment.

Upselling add-ons and courses

There are many simple and effective ways to upsell to clients by offering add-on services that address their needs.

“For summer bolt-on services, try a cooling touches menu,” says Gina Baker, training manager at Germaine de Capuccini. “This can feature extending a facial massage by including cold onyx stones or an iced Gua Sha massage. Try adding a cooling leg massage to a facial. Use a product with ingredients such as mint and camphor, perfect for heavy tired legs on a warm day.”

Therapists play a vital role when it comes to facilitating skincare advice, but the whole team should be tasked with smart goals to upsell clients to courses.

“Talking to clients is key; understanding their lifestyle, needs and expectation of results – do not underestimate the power of a good consultation,” says Laura Miles, education manager for Decléor.

Taking a global view of the customer journey, Babor’s Fabienne GuichonLindholm adds: “Upselling a series of treatments should always be teamwork. It starts at booking while on the phone or online. If on the phone, the spa receptionist should tell a story to the guest about newness.” The messaging should be consistent from arrival at reception through to pre- and postconsultation with the therapist, and again as the guest leaves.

www.hydrafacialemea.com

www.dermaorganic.co.uk

www.elemis.com

www.caci-international.co.uk

www.decleor.co.uk

www.germaine-de-capuccini.co.uk

www.sothys.com

www.naturalspafactory.com

www.esseskincare.co.uk

www.babor.com

Get ready to boost your retail

The founder of Jacqueline Ross Spa Consultancy offers seasonal sales advice

Change your mindset

Use different language to achieve better results. As the skincare expert, you recommend and introduce products, you don’t sell or retail.

Perfect your consultancy

An informed consultation with your client gives you key information to introduce a product to support them. For example, if they are lacking energy, recommend an exfoliator or bath salts.

Be confident in your product knowledge

Continue to take the initiative to update yourself on new product innovations, benefits and ingredients.

Be consistent in your efforts

Commit to carrying out a consultation on every client, every time.

Complete the circle

Recommend products your client needs, not what you have used in their treatment. Never give up recommending so that you give your clients the choice to buy.

www.jrspaconsultancy.co.uk

Jacqueline Ross

Clockwise from left: Spa brands including DermaOrganic, CACI, Decléor and Elemis offer support for businesses looking to boost their summer revenue

skin health. personalised. Tailored experiences for multiple skin types. emeacorproate@hydrafacial.com

To learn more about adding HydraFacial to your spa menu, please scan the QR code or contact: emeacorproate@hydrafacial.com

Beautiful bodycare

Targeted sales and marketing can elevate body treatments to the same level as massage, enabling greater opportunity for increasing retail to treatment revenue

Bodycare treatments are perfectly suited to the summer months as people prepare for a break in the sun. However, in the spa they can be overlooked by guests in favour of traditional massage. With clever marketing, strong communications and a clear sales strategy within the team, it can be easy to introduce more innovative treatments to guests so they can experience the soothing effects of massage with the additional wellbeing benefits of total body wellness.

“Promote the spa rituals as wellbeing experiences rather than just an alternative to massage,” says Thalgo’s lead trainer, Rachael Green. “Explain that the spa rituals or body treatments have specific massage movements that may be quite different to a Swedish massage.”

Add-ons and expertise

Spa menus should include body treatments as part of day packages to broaden guests’ experiences, with incentives for rebooking. It’s also possible to create promotions with some shorter taster treatments to introduce them.

“Educate the reception team to always ask ‘would you like to have an exfoliation before your massage?’,” says Gina Baker, training manager for Germaine de Capuccini. “Once the team gets used to offering add-ons it becomes second nature and begins to increase bookings overall.”

To secure a sale it’s important to have testers available for guests to try after the experience. And ensure that product knowledge among the team is up to date. “Offer additional incentives focusing on the ritual ranges, such as a gift with a purchase or a mini-sized product to take away,” adds Green. “A return voucher for a retail purchase also works well.”

The allure of the new New products are always sure to grab the attention of spa guests and this year Babor has launched energising oceanbased body-shaping treatments that take guests on a relaxing journey that fuses soothing massage techniques, gentle textures and aromatic fragrances.

Elemental Herbology has a 75-minute Back, Scalp & Feet Retreat to soothe the mind and melt tension, while Natura Bissé’s Diamond Well-Living combines textures, scent and unique gestures in a comprehensive body offering.

Thalgo’s Mers des Indes is an Ayurveda-inspired Marma therapy treatment with Hatha yoga stretching and meditative music, supported by four retail body products.

www.thalgo.co.uk

www.germaine-de-capuccini.co.uk

www.elementalherbology.com

www.babor.com

www.naturabisse.com

A menu for summer success

OTO’s head of spa, Helen Cain, on boosting body treatment revenue

Add something extra

Upgrade a massage with a paraffin wax foot or hand treatment. Kept within the allotted massage time this is ideal to boost revenue.

Take-home treasures

Introduce manicures and pedicures where guests take the full-size nail polish home as part of the treatment, allowing for a refresh through the summer.

sore muscles but prepping the skin to be sun ready.

Treat the whole person

Create a top-to-toe spa day that includes three to four add-ons to a massage treatment, such as nail painting, paraffin wax, body scrub or wrap to enhance the massage experience.

Tantalise with treatments

Find winning combinations

Devise a 60-minute massage and wrap combination that allows for shorter versions of both treatments, treating not only

Create a summer ‘aperitif’ menu with add-ons at the beginning of the full spa menu that can only be purchased if a full priced treatment is booked. www.otocbd.com

Helen Cain

Get the glow…

Spring is in the air with Decléor’s Green Mandarin collection. We find out more about this glowing range from Beauty Botanist and brand expert Jennifer Hirsch

For nearly 50 years, French skincare specialist Decléor has delivered spa products that elevate the experience of caring for the skin from routine to ritual, with measurable results. Remaining true to its professional Parisian heritage, a popular part of the brand’s Essential Oil Skincare collection is the Green Mandarin range. Comprising extraordinary formulations to promote healthy, glowing skin and combat the first signs of ageing, the heroes of the range – Green Mandarin Vitamin Glow Cream, Glow Aromessence Oil-Serum and Bi-Phase Peel – have been formulated to deliver an instant glow to all skin types.

“Decléor’s commitment to natural ingredients, in particular essential oils, sets its products apart,” says Beauty Botanist and brand expert, Jennifer Hirsch. “We have a devoted following because this approach delivers results, and Green Mandarin is no different.

“Glow-getting effects are paired with improvements in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in an approach to addressing the first signs of ageing that answers the demand for immediate change.

“It’s easy to build good skin habits when products have an uplifting effect and deliver joy in every use.”

Glow and vitality

Extracted from the rind of unripened green mandarins, the essential-oil star of the collection is highly hydrating and its uplifting citrus essential oils help to reduce fine lines and provide a glowing reboot to tired, needy skin.

Decléor’s new Green Mandarin

Vitamin Glow Cream offers a 98% natural-origin lightweight formula, designed for daily use, that delivers vitamin CG (ascorbyl glucoside), hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to smooth the appearance of fine lines.

Active ingredient humectant hyaluronic acid draws moisture from the environment as well as from within the body. Once applied to the skin, it forms a film that keeps water on the surface, slowing evaporation and promoting intense hydration. The result is stronger, softer and more radiant-looking skin.

Restoring radiance

The brand’s Green Mandarin Glow Aromessence Oil-Serum is also enriched with green mandarin, lemon and sweet orange essential oils, to revive skin glow and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Another product to give skin a fresh, glowing appearance is the Green Mandarin Glow Bi-Phase Peel. This gentle exfoliator is enriched with green mandarin essential oil, glycolic acid and natural fruit acids to restore radiance and revitalise the skin. Designed to kickstart skin glow as a 28-night course, the formulation gently removes dead skin cells to reveal glowing skin beneath.

“Decléor’s Green Mandarin range has been formulated with highly active and efficient natural origin ingredients, luxurious aromatics, and sensorial textures to moisturise and deliver smooth skin with a healthy glow,” adds Hirsch. www.decleor.com

The power of Green Mandarin

GREEN MANDARIN VITAMIN GLOW CREAM

Use daily. Suitable for all skin types.

KEY BENEFITS

n Reduces appearance of fine lines

n Revives radiance n Intense hydration n Skin feels healthier

RESULTS

71%

agree fine lines appear attenuated*

78%

agree their skin seems strengthened*

*Consumer test performed on 49 women

84%

agree their skin feels healthier*

GREEN MANDARIN GLOW AROMESSENCE OIL-SERUM

Just three drops daily revives your skin glow.

KEY BENEFITS

n Skin is immediately hydrated and revitalised n Skin texture has an improved quality n Skin looks less tired n Appearance of fine lines is visibly reduced n Skin looks smoother and younger

RESULTS:

98%

98% of women agreed their skin looked re-energised*

women noticed this serum provides a healthy glow

GREEN MANDARIN GLOW BI-PHASE PEEL

* Self-assessment test on 50 women after four weeks

Use as a 28-day course every night for glowing and radiant skin. Then ‘top up’ when skin needs revitalising.

KEY BENEFITS

n Gives skin a natural glow n Helps to reduce the appearance of first signs of ageing n Skin looks smooth and radiant n Skin looks less tired n Skin texture appears refined

RESULTS

100% 100%

found this product provided a healthy glow

*

women found their skin looked smoother**

Self-assessment test on 53 women after 28 days of use

Self-assessment test on 53 women immediately

100%

women found their skin looked revitalised*

How to engineer your spa menu to boost business

Your spa services menu is the single most important selling tool for your entire spa operation. Of course it features beautiful images and enticing words but underneath it needs to be a well-designed, structured document that maximises your bottom line.

Your spa menu should represent your spa concept, style and philosophy. Is there a focus on wellbeing, authenticity or beauty services? Does the menu need to focus on health and results or are your guests coming for enjoyment, a great treatment and a glass of fizz?

challenging they will get fed up or end up picking up the phone to ask questions. Generally speaking, I would recommend around 24 treatments categorised into massage, facial, wraps, scrubs and rituals.

Get smart in your operations

Kirsty MacCormick

CONTRIBUTOR

With over 30 years’ experience in the spa and wellness industry, Kirsty MacCormick is the founder of The Spa Consultancy. Her expertise includes development, pre-opening project management and operational set up of a range of spas from commercial hotel and day spas to luxury five-star hotels and wellness destinations. www.thespaconsultancy.com EXPERT

When developing your menu, take into consideration your guest mix and what you need to sell as well as specific revenue streams. For each treatment, understand the associated range of costs and true profit margin to enable you to maximise the booking of high-margin services. Time is money in spa services and in a busy spa driving your yield through creating opportunities for upgrades and retail conversion is essential.

Guide your guests

Your menu needs to cater to all types of guests: someone looking to reach a quick decision wants to find what they are looking for easily, while those who are yet to decide need to be offered descriptions that include accurate benefits and results that will be delivered to meet their expectations.

The length of treatments is also important to enable guests to schedule their stay and not end up running late.

For a typical spa operation without beauty services, separate treatments under categories that make them easy for the guest to find. If it’s too

Look to use revenue management and dynamic availability techniques to maximise high-margin services at peak times, as this can have a dramatic impact on profitability. Consider the breakdown of your treatments to a price per minute and cost of delivery (ie. the products used). This is always surprising as usually we think of our longer, more expensive treatments as the most profitable when in fact it’s the shorter, simpler treatments that will bring the highest profit.

Annual performance audit

Each year, I would recommend spas undertake a menu engineering exercise. Break down the spa’s performance – peak and off-peak hours, daily, weekly, monthly and seasonally. Examine if the menu worked for you and see if you managed to maximise higher-margin treatments at peak times. Look at the performance of each treatment – are you keeping a service that didn’t sell, and do you have product sitting unused on your shelf? Is there something missing from your menu, or do you need to get clever with seasonal and off-peak promotions? Almost universally, the most popular service is massage, it’s also the most profitable at around two per cent cost-of-product. Having add-on services, such as hot stones or an

LED mask, available for your therapists to upgrade to will provide incremental revenue that is almost all margin. This also keeps the therapist engaged in the overall guest experience.

Make the experience easy

These days we all want to drive guests to book online as this makes it easier and faster to book and cuts down the number of calls made to the property. When structuring your menu take this into consideration and decide what information you need to provide to enable the guest to book without calling. Some guests like to browse through the menu so having a downloadable menu is usually a good idea.

Always include your opening hours, facilities, spa policy, cancellation policy,

contact details, information on how to spa and what to bring with you, and also information on the products and brands used.

Once your menu draft has been created, share it with others, especially those not used to visiting a spa. You may love the way it’s been written but it might not be practical for the non-spa user. Your menu, once completed, should be displayed and easily available in the spa café, locker room, waiting room and relaxation room, and if in a hotel displayed in the guest rooms.

Spa menus can be found in all shapes and sizes but they are the first impression of a spa, whether online or in-house, and they can be a deciding factor in whether the guest will book or not.

The pathway to profit

How to engineer your treatment menu for the best business results

n Consider your target audience and guest mix, and highlight services you want to sell more of.

n Don’t make it too complicated or have too many services as this demands too many choices.

n Make sure you have contact details and policy information in an easy to find area.

n If you want to drive online bookings, ensure you don’t have services that have unanswered questions as your guests will only end up calling you.

n Offer add-on services as these are an opportunity for staff to upgrade and create higher margins.

n Refresh your menu annually, analyse what’s selling and what’s not, and decide what you want to focus on.

Skincare with wellness at heart

Liz Warom, co-founder and managing director, and Sarah Ronchetti, head of spa at TEMPLESPA discuss the brand’s heritage and what it takes to be a great spa partner

Since launching its professional spa offering at Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa, West Sussex in 2000, Temple Spa has expanded its network to include 140 spa partners in 12 countries. Its treatment portfolio includes 45 professional options, from facials and body treatments to VIP upgrades and iconic experiences. Offering 80 retail products, the brand maintains longstanding relationships with its spa partners and works in collaboration to curate exclusive opportunities for them.

We asked the brand’s co-founder and managing director, Liz Warom (LW), and head of spa, Sarah Ronchetti (SR), what makes Temple Spa such a unique spa partner.

Tell us about Temple Spa’s ethos

LW: The Temple Spa story began in the Mediterranean, 23 years ago. We were inspired by the warmth and vibrancy, the wonderful, nutritious indigenous ingredients and the love of living life to the full. This excited us and is still what drives us today. Temple Spa is all about creating exceptional results-driven skincare and experiences that make a real difference to your skin and soul health.

What makes it a great spa partner?

SR: We have a top-to-toe portfolio of products and 45 treatments that include skincare, bodycare and wellbeing, all of which can be tailored to suit our spa partners’ individual needs. Our range of award-winning products cover every touchpoint of the customer journey from arrival to in-room spa amenities, changing rooms and turn-down treats. We also

“We offer a tailored approach with exceptionally strong treatment margins and aftersales opportunities.”

Liz Warom Co-Founder, Temple Spa

offer outstanding treatment and retail training, as well as highly competitive commercial and treatment costings.

What makes the brand’s professional offering unique?

SR: Our exclusive protocols are written and taught by us to include opening and closing rituals with touches of unique wellbeing care – attention to detail is paramount. These are flexible and adaptable to suit all spas’ needs and meet their clients’ expectations of an exceptional experience.

What new treatments does Temple Spa have in the pipeline?

SR: We are releasing a CBD massage and facial very soon, which will

incorporate the overall skin and body benefits of CBD and the wellbeing benefits of massage.

Also, we recently partnered with The Amethyst Trust to create a specially adapted menu of treatments that are suitable for clients who are medically frail, recovering from illness, immunocompromised or recovering from cancer.

In addition, in May we will be launching a new vitamin C serum and a transforming vitamin C facial that resurfaces, revitalises and leaves skin radiant, clear and fresh.

How does Temple Spa support spas in their sales and marketing?

SR: We offer a tailored approach for each partner with exceptionally strong treatment margins and commercial aftersales opportunities. Also, our educational workshops help everyone find their ease in selling with a generous incentive scheme for therapists. Our pre- and post-consultation techniques facilitate some of the best retail-to-treatment revenues in the industry, and we provide free testers and flexible merchandising displays that work in any space.

How is is the brand evolving its services and approach to business?

LW: We have exciting plans to expand our spa portfolio outside the UK in 2022, including the Maldives. Sustainability is also high on our agenda, as is the development of our wellness offer, including the imminent launch of our own guided visualisation, called MEDitation Escape. www.templespa.com

On the Menu

OUR PICK OF THE LATEST PRODUCT LAUNCHES AND TREATMENT INNOVATIONS

Edited by Mark Smith

The scent of things to come

With the growing home-scent market reporting double-digit growth in 2021, we ask leading brand experts how spas can maximise the retail opportunities this presents

Sales of prestige home-scent products grew 95% in 2021 compared to 2019, according to market research company

The NPD Group. The sector became a key focus for wellness brands during the pandemic as people isolated, creating mini self-care spa rituals at home. Drilling down further, sales of candles and diffusers increased 164% and 31% respectively.

“With more and more people having worked from home and continuing to do so, there has been a significant increase in sales of home fragrance products,” explains Sarah Ronchetti, head of spa at Temple Spa. “It is one of the sales opportunities that the pandemic has created and that spas should be monetising.”

Amanda Winwood, founder of Made for Life Organics, concurs: “There has been a substantial increase in awareness of self-care as a result of the pandemic. Europe is leading the trend within the home fragrance market and discretionary spend on products that promote wellbeing is a major growth area.”

Sales engineering

A few tweaks to your spa journey, some clever scent positioning and signposting in touchpoints can maximise retail opportunities during this boom, says Carolyne Beck, general manager of Elemental Herbology: “Offering home scent as part of your retail offering adds to a truly immersive spa experience,” she suggests.

Daniel Golby, managing director of ESPA adds: “The opportunities to market home fragrance within the spa environment are vast. From scenting guest areas with appropriate essential oil blends through candles and diffusers, to spritzing treatments rooms and linens with atmospheric mists, fragrance completes the sensorial journey for guests.”

The key is to create positive connections,

says Anna Teal, CEO of Aromatherapy Associates. “Spas should create spaces to showcase the diversity that scenting creates. For example, create a reviving aroma at reception to start the wellbeing journey, then a more relaxing scent in post-treatment lounges where a guest unwinds before heading back out to the real world.”

Taking treatments home

In the treatment room, therapists can inform and educate guests about the specific aromatherapy oils used and take it one step further. “Spas can focus sales efforts on home fragrance by recommending products with the same scents used throughout treatment,” explains Golby.

“Have a candle burning at reception with some point-of-sale material next to it that invites guests to take the scent of the spa home with them,” Ronchetti adds.

In terms of new product development, Aromatherapy

Associates introduced The Atomiser last year, bringing automated dosed aromatherapy to the spa and home. Temple Spa has a comprehensive luxury home fragrance collection of aromatherapy candles, diffusers and sprays to create a cocooning scentscape for any occasion.

Meanwhile, Made for Life Organics offers a new diffuser and signature candle based on a relaxing combination of ylang ylang, lavender and geranium. Elemental Herbology has added a new diffuser to its Harmony collection, and Voya has launched a Coconut and Jasmine Candle as part of its home retail range. FInally, ESPA offers an Aromatic Essential Oil Diffuser as well as candles, mists and diffusers in many of its key signature blends.

www.templespa.com | www.madeforlifeorganics.com

www.elementalherbology.com | www.espaskincare.com

www.aromatherapyassociates.com | www.voya.ie

Clear and fresh

Elemis has added two new skin-clarifying products to its comprehensive collection of spa skincare.

Clarifying Clay Wash is a purifying kaolin clay-based facial wash that deeply cleanses to lift away excess oil and makeup while visibly reducing the look of blemishes and blackheads.

Specifically formulated for oily or blemish-prone skin, the non-drying formula soothes and visibly improves clarity.

Boldo leaf extract helps purify the skin while improving the appearance of pores, while hawthorn extract balances the microbiome of blemish-prone skin, leaving it feeling soothed and purified.

Promising clearer skin in two weeks, the lightweight, soothing Clarifying Serum is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of blemishes, visible pores and blackheads.

Ideal for oily skin, this balancing formula helps to visibly clear the appearance of blemishes without causing dryness.

Willowherb extract calms and soothes, boldo leaf extract helps purify and improve clarity, and prebiotic gluco-oligosaccharide finely balances the skin’s natural functions, leaving it clearer and more even with improved texture and smoothness. www.elemis.com

The Hydration Edit

Elemental Herbology’s Hydration Edit is a collection of the brand’s new and best-selling products to moisturise and hydrate the skin.

Developed to create an at-home spa experience, the discovery-size products provide haircare as well as skincare for the face and body.

Presented in a limited-edition reusable drawstring bag along with a luxury towelling headband, The Hydration Edit includes Hyaluronic Booster, Cell Plumping Moisturiser, Soothe Bath and Body Oil, Neroli and Bergamot Shampoo, and Neroli and Bergamot Conditioner.

The brand’s hero Cell Plumping Moisturiser works to plump, hydrate and nourish dry skin while improving the skin’s natural barrier, reducing sensitivity and increasing elasticity with royal jelly, co-enzyme Q10 and evening primrose.

Based on the five elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine – wood, fire, earth, metal and water –Elemental Herbology products are formulated free from artificial colours, mineral oils, SLS and parabens. www.elementalherbology.com

Super serum

Natura Bissé has introduced Diamond Extreme Serum, an energising rejuvenating skin serum, formulated with Smart Energy Complex.

The innovative complex includes artemia salina, a marine ingredient obtained from plankton, which is capable of withstanding the most extreme conditions, and peony root extract, which helps revive the appearance of the skin. The serum is reinforced with ingredients that complement the skin’s own natural cycles of rebalancing during the day and replenishing at night.

ChronoSkin helps to redress the negative effects that altered circadian rhythms can have on the complexion, caused by external and lifestyle factors such as stress, blue light from digital devices, health issues or lack of sleep. Mastic crystal tear oil, obtained from drops of resin from trees that only grow on the Greek island of Chios, and the peptide ingredient peptixyl proyouth help skin to recover its youthful-looking appearance.

The formula is boosted with a prebiotic and antioxidant cocktail that helps maintain the hydration barrier. The result is flawless, luminous, firmer looking skin with fewer visible lines and wrinkles. www.naturabisse.com

The perfect lift

Inspired by medical-cosmetic lifting techniques, Biologique Recherche has developed Platysma, a facial contour lifting mask.

Designed to act on sagging skin, double-chins and cutaneous ptosis, or eye-lid droop, the mask is infused with a formula of highly concentrated lifting and firming active ingredients, including sweet white lupin peptides, helichrysum stoechas extract and marine exopolysaccharide from the Iroise Sea. These work to improve structural and functional support of the skin tissue, balancing volumes and redefining facial contours.

Black crowberry plant juice and rye extract stimulate the synthesis of essential components of the extracellular matrix, improving the skin’s biomechanical properties and restoring elasticity and firmness. Red seaweed, tara fruit complex and cassava extract are said to offer a real tightening and lifting effect and the facial features are said to be left immediately firmer with contours visibly restructured.

The mask’s fabric is universal in shape and stretchable, ensuring it suits a range of face shapes and perfectly adapts to the area under the chin. www.biologique-recherche.com

Targeting the signs of ageing

A clinically developed Targeted Wrinkle Corrector from skin health expert Murad promises instant results for spa therapists and their clients

Founded by dermatologist and pharmacist Dr Howard Murad in 1989, pioneering American skin wellness brand Murad offers results-driven products as part of a ‘whole body’ skincare philosophy.

Dr Murad’s approach to total skin health is based on four key principles: ‘nourish your skin’ with hydrating ingredients that support its barrier function; ‘eat your water’ in the form of water-rich fruits and vegetables that enable nutrients to be better absorbed; ‘awaken your body’ through exercise to promote circulation; and ‘be kind to your mind’ to reduce emotional distress that can lead to signs of unhealthy skin.

Renowned for a dedication to clinical research-led innovation – it currently holds 19 dermatology-related patents – Murad’s high-performance

technologies and formulas aim to deliver hydration to the skin at a cellular level, using professional strength ingredients to deliver noticeable skin health results.

Targeting wrinkles

One of the brand’s latest products aims to provide clients with an alternative to traditional fillers when looking to smooth and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Murad’s Targeted Wrinkle

Corrector is a powerful peptide-meets-hyaluronic treatment that visibly and instantly* smoothes the skin. After one use, the treatment’s soft-focus complex helps blur and smooth, so wrinkles appear

filled in. Then over time, its hyaluronic acid and plant-based squalene hydrate to further reduce their appearance.

“With the continued demand for results ‘now’, Murad is extremely excited to announce the launch of Targeted Wrinkle Corrector, which offers instant blurring effects of lines and wrinkles,” says the brand’s professional sales director, UK and Ireland, Victoria Mountford. She adds:“This powerful peptide-meets-hyaluronic treatment offers accumulative benefits along with that instant plumping effect.

“It is a fantastic product to work alongside injectables, in between treatments or for those seeking an alternative approach.”

A powerful formula

Formulated with no parabens, sulphates, phthalates, gluten, mineral oil, formaldehyde, oxybenzone, animal ingredients or petrolatum, the product includes acetyl hexapeptide-8, which boosts the skin’s elasticity to help prevent the formation of wrinkles due to repeated facial expressions.

Bioavailable hyaluronic acid intensely hydrates the skin to plump, smooth and reduce wrinkle intensity instantly, while plant-derived squalene prevents moisture loss to further help the skin resist future wrinkles.

In tests, 90% of those taking part showed improvement in the appearance of forehead wrinkles and 100% showed improvement in the look of glabella lines.

Support for spa partners

Murad’s highly flexible treatments allow therapists to personalise their client’s experience to provide maximum satisfaction. This attention to detail extends to post-facial services in the form of a recipe and Dr Murad

insight card to help clients continue on their path to healthy, beautiful skin.

The brand’s extensive range of results-driven and award-winning products to suit every skin concern can also boost spa retail revenue.

In addition to an ever-evolving product portfolio, Murad’s spa partners benefit from effective marketing and communications collateral and a wide range of samples and testers to attract

new clients and provide at-home spa experiences. Regular promotions and the creation of gift sets for key retail periods provide further ways for spas to ensure satisfied guests increase their spend and return time and again.

To further maximise the efficacy of its offering and deliver outstanding and measurable results across multiple roles and capabilities, Murad’s education provision is second to none. Four Murad Method Academies in England, Scotland and Ireland provide commercial and practical skills training, along with videos and print material to support the development and confidence of its spa partners. Responding to the changing requirements of businesses since the pandemic, Murad has also pivoted to offer a range of virtual training solutions where required.

To find out what Murad retail products and facial treatments can bring to your business, email: newpartner@murad.co.uk www.murad.com

*Instant results are not permanent

Supplementary health

ESPA has developed a range of wellbeing supplements created by nutritional experts, dietitians and biological studies. The phyto-active, vegan-certified ESPA Supplements range includes one powder and three elixirs that mix into water, smoothies and recipes to nourish the body, boosting natural beauty and calm from within.

Active Nutrients Pro Glow Beauty & Wellbeing Powder contains copper, vitamins A, C and E and ashwagandha, which protect cells from oxidative stress, helping to promote a radiant glow.

Active Nutrients Hydration Shot Beauty & Wellbeing Elixir contains aloe vera, grapeseed extract, hyaluronic acid and coconut water. The elixir also includes bio-ferment, vitamins and minerals to improve psychological function.

Resilience Skin Defence Beauty & Wellbeing Elixir contains riboflavin to fortify the skin, vitamin B12 to support immunity and pantothenic acid to help reduce fatigue. This elixir also contains inulin for healthy digestion and resilience.

Regenerating Skin Renewal Beauty & Wellbeing Elixir is a supplement targeting the visible signs of ageing with a clinically proven complex for a brighter and illuminated complexion featuring vitamin C, zinc, hyaluronic acid, grapeseed, and melon. www.espaskincare.com

Marine magic

Thalgo has added a new range of marine cleansers to its popular Éveil à La Mer collection, formulated with micronised marine algae filtrate, a complex that includes nine marine minerals and trace elements, and five essential marine micronutrients to revitalise skin on a daily basis.

Reviving Marine Mist draws on the benefits of seawater, boasting 92 minerals and trace elements to replenish, hydrate and fortify the skin. Marine Algae Solid Cleanser combines micronised marine algae to cleanse and purify, with softening, soothing and antioxidant calendula oil. Foaming Cleansing Lotion features micronised marine algae extract to gently cleanse and refresh skin with aloe vera to hydrate and soften.

Velvet Cleansing Milk includes micronised marine algae extract and grape-seed oil to thoroughly remove make-up and comfort even reactive and sensitive skin.

Beautifying Tonic Lotion has a slightly gel-like texture with a subtle marine fragrance to suit all skin types. Micellar Cleansing Water refreshes and revitalises skin in one step, while Micellar Cleansing Eye-Gel offers a fragrance-free fresh gel-in-water texture that is suitable for contact lens-wearers and those with lash extensions.

www.thalgo.co.uk

Sot hy S organic S ™ . HARVESTING NATURE’S DYNAMICS.

SENSORIALITY NATURE

“EFFI S CIENCE” CERTIFICATION

In the heart of the Corrèze, through our Advanced Research Laboratory, Sothys has created the Sothys Organics™ line, the perfect combination of organic skin care and advanced efficiency.

Sothys is partnering with Plastic Bank and has made its Sothys Organics™ range plastic neutral.

www.sothys.com

Cleansed to perfection

OTO’s is releasing a new innovation for stressed skin that is currently available exclusively in the UK as part of signature facials at Montcalm East, Nàdarra Spa at the Coniston and Holte Spa at The Swan, which recently opened in the Lake District. The unique dual-purpose Cleansing Jam Exfoliator works to exfoliate, cleanse and nourish without stripping the skin’s delicate barrier. The product features hemp-seed oil, which works to nourish and lock in moisture within the skin. Rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, it protects and soothes, balancing sebum production to prevent breakouts.

Rosemary and holy basil oil target impurities, while jojoba seeds and AHA fruit extract help to unclog pores and remove dead cells. www.otocbd.com

Intense nourishment and protection

Developed to improve chronically dry skin, Sothys’s Intense Nutrition line aims to balance the skin barrier and help ease skin tightness, redness and discomfort.

The line includes a number of nature-derived ingredients, including organic argan oil, rich in omega 6 and 9 and vitamin E; grapevine flower plant stem cells; and phytosqualane derived from olive oil. These work to rebuild the protective barrier and offer comfort by restoring a good quality hydrolipidic film on the skin.

Ultra-lipid SOS Serum, with its dry texture, immediately soothes and restores balance to the skin’s ecosystem. The ingredients are boosted by the addition of pollen extract, wheatgerm and phytosqualane.

Nutritive Replenishing Rich Cream and Ultra Rich Cream rebuild the protective barrier, protect the skin microbiota and comfort the skin with shea butter, centella asiatica and phytosqualane. www.sothys.com

The organic touch

Drawing on over 20 years of experience in spa and wellness, Margo Marrone, co-founder of The Organic Pharmacy, discusses the benefits of its new Pro Formula range for spas everywhere

For more than two decades, The Organic Pharmacy has been at the forefront of innovation in the organic health and wellness market. Available in 49 spas throughout 45 countries, the company also has four of its own stores, offering a holistic approach to health and beauty that combines the latest evidence-based research with a truly natural approach to living.

Exclusive to spas and salons, its team has now introduced the Pro Formula range, bringing to market potent science-led pro-ageing formulations with clinically proven results. We talk to the brand’s co-founder, Margo Marrone, about the new launch and what it offers spas and their guests.

Why did you develop Pro Formula? It was developed because I believe that treatments are a core part of wellbeing and in the hands of experts – and with the right advice – we can transform how people look and feel.

What can spas expect from the new collection?

We have drawn on 20 years of research and product development to create our most potent science-led formulations to target pro-ageing. Exclusive to spas and salons, the Pro Formula range is 100% biodegradable and features active formulas that offer clinically proven results. The products have

an exquisite texture, feel and scent, as we believe these elements are an essential part of the wellness journey.

What do the Pro Formula treatments offer clients?

The main professional treatments are the Cryo Lifting and Sculpting Facial, which is a relaxing but extremely results-driven facial, and the Sculpt and Lift Body Treatment, as well as key massage treatments through the massage line.

What products make up the new offering?

The Pro Formula collection includes a number of hero serums,

the Four Acid Peel, Hyaluronic Acid, Antioxidant Face Serum, Antioxidant Face Gel and Gene Expression Serum. These all deliver really powerful results in the treatment room.

What support do you offer to spas to promote this to their guests?

We support spas with influencer visits, events, in-room sampling and brochures as well as point-of-sale material and ongoing therapist development.

What are the retail opportunities?

All the products are available for retail exclusively through spas. The curated line is very simple but very potent.

www.theorganicpharmacy.com

Lavender haze

Voya’s Lavender Body Wrap is a soothing spa treatment that offers a full-body sensory experience exciting the senses of smell, touch and taste with a lavender scrub and body butter, and concluding with calming tea. The treatment begins with a deep body-brush exfoliation to remove dry cells and stimulate the skin, leaving it looking renewed, radiant and velvety soft. For spas with a wet room, there is an additional lavender and seaweed sugar scrub. The experience then features a warm application of lavender body butter before the guest is cocooned in Voya’s organic muslin cloth for a relaxing head massage. To conclude, a calming tea is offered, allowing the guest to fully immerse themselves in the present moment. www.voya.ie

The circle of hydration

Dermalogica has introduced an innovative new hydrating serum to address lifestyle factors that cause the skin to be parched and dehydrated. Circular Hydration Serum takes a whole-skin approach to moisturising, delivering hydration and replenishing the skin from within. Its unique formula also works to prevent future moisture evaporation.

Hyaluronic acid offers deep hydration to create more supple, radiant skin over time. This enhances skin moisture levels for greater resilience while minimising the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is paired with an algae extract-infused moisturising matrix to provide immediate and long-lasting hydration, improving the skin barrier and reducing transepidermal water loss.

Polyglutamic acid derived from fermented soy germs improves skin hydration from within, trapping water on the skin`s surface, and helps improve the appearance of firmness. Plant-derived sugars and a blend of amino acids also help to deliver long-lasting hydration.

www.dermalogica.co.uk

Smart skincare

Swissline has added Smart Rich Cream to its Cell Shock Age Intelligence range. This super-hydrating day cream features a velvety texture designed to envelop and cocoon the skin with hydration while boosting the integrity of its barrier function.

The formula includes a vegan alternative to animal-originated squalene, believed to be the most important fatty acid present in human sebum. Ceramides are natural lipids that help to strengthen the epidermal barrier against transepidermal water loss. Madecassoside and ectoin ease stress-induced conditions and restore the skin’s ability to repair itself, while adenosine triphosphate boosts cellular energy and improves the skin’s metabolism.

NMF (Natural Moisturizing Factor) combines active ingredients including amino and fatty acids, triglycerides, urea, ceramides, phospholipids, sodium PCA and sodium lactate. This premier complex also contains arginine, aspartic acid, PCA, glycine, alanine, serine, valine, proline, threonine, isoleucine, histidine and phenylalanine to mimic the skin’s own hydration functions. www.swissline-cosmetics.com

Awaken, brighten, refresh

Awaken tired eyes with NEW energising eye-roller serum, infused with a powerful blend of patented actives and botanics to brighten, hydrate and de-pu the delicate eye area.

A season of new beginnings

Mii Cosmetics’ New Beginnings collection draws inspiration from the spring, a season of renewal, to incorporate a fresh and lively, natural colour palette. The range echoes freshly emerging buds, earthly awakenings and the world coming back to life, with names designed to inspire and capture the essence of the shade.

“The collection, like spring, is to provide a sense of excitement that should accompany any new beginning. Each colour represents the start of your story and aims to evoke a different feel and offer a different direction for the wearer,” says Paul Gerrard, head of brand communications at Gerrard International.

The collection includes: Stranger Than Truth, a mysterious powder blue with a grey undertone; All Eyes Fell Upon Her, a wonderous peachy pink; She Humbled Him, an empowering soft pale lavender; Her Intentions Were Clear, a no-nonsense cotton candy pink; Careful. It’s Loaded, a dramatic, yet elegant soft lilac with a grey undertone; and The World Swiftly Changed, a dusty rose pink offering endless possibilities.

The colours will be available in 9ml, 14ml retail sizes and a 13ml professional-only Statement Gel option. www.miicosmetics.com

Hebridean heaven

ishga has introduced a retail Seaweed Bath that offers a relaxing and remineralising way to create an at-home spa bathing experience. Drawing on its brand heritage, wild fucus serratus seaweed is hand-harvested from the pure, pristine waters of the Hebrides, ishga’s home.

Calming and relaxing, ishga’s Seaweed Bath helps to soothe aches and pains and can also benefit skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and acne.

Rich in polyphenol antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and bioactive polysaccharides, Hebridean seaweed is a healing, skin-nurturing plant that remineralises the body, leaving the skin and hair hydrated. Naturally occurring magnesium and iodine offer anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties. Helping to fight damaging free radicals and skin ageing, seaweed also helps to improve skin elasticity.

Organic hyaluronic and alginic acids help to strengthen the skin’s connective tissue and attract moisture, enabling the cells to lock in hydration, giving a plumping effect. www.ishga.com

European Spa selects the best professional product launches for spas. Contact mark.smith@spapublishing.com

We nurture your whole wellbeing, bringing you world renowned naturally powered treatments. Your wellness partner for 30 years.

enquiries@espainternational.co.uk

To find out more, please contact us at enquiries@espainternational.co.uk

www.espaskincare.com

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9 tools and apps to refresh your spa marketing

What tools do you use for your marketing activities?

Tracey Stapleton

After a decade and a half in consumer public relations, 16 years ago Tracey Stapleton began to specialise in spa and wellbeing. Now managing director of The Spa PR Company, she offers a targeted range of PR and marketing services to spa and hotel operators as well as beauty and wellbeing product brands and services.

www.thespaprcompany.com

Today we are spoilt for choice when it comes to digital resources that can help us run our businesses more efficiently and effectively, and there’s always something new or trending to discover. So I’ve gathered together some of my favourites, some of which are free and all of which are guaranteed to add value to your marketing strategy.

Canva

This has been revolutionary in making it quick and easy to design anything. It’s great for flyers, spa menus, social posts and presentations. The ‘pro’ version, which opens up premium tools and content, including a wider image bank, costs around £100 (€120) a year and is great value. It also gives access to your team and other Canva users so you can share documents.

zones. It’s also useful for making business decisions, such as which keywords/phrases to prioritise on your website, and for SEO.

AnswerThePublic

Free image banks

Generally I’d recommend using your own images and video wherever possible, but occasionally you need a specific shot that you just don’t have. There are a wealth of free image banks to choose from, including Unsplash, Freepik, Pexels and Pixabay, covering a wide range of spa and wellness topics. These enable you to use their royalty-free images or videos often with just a credit to the photographer or content creator.

There are over three billion online searches made each day and gaining access to this data provides a fantastic insight into consumer thoughts. AnswerThePublic tunes in to autocomplete data from search engines like Google, then cranks out every useful phase and question people are asking around your keyword, so you can shape your own content to appeal to them. Simply type in your subject, brand or product and you’ll be presented with a web of words.

Thought Leadership Tracey Stapleton, The Spa PR Company

active, the posts that get the most engagement and the best hashtags to use. Simply type in your own and your competitors’ social channel and you’ll have access to the insights for free. For the full suite of tools there is a choice of plans and prices.

Ahrefs

One of the most popular tools used in digital PR, Ahrefs is an all-in-one SEO toolset. It can help you optimise your website, analyse your competitors, study what your customers are searching for, learn from your industry’s top performing content and track your ranking progress. What’s more, you don’t have to be an SEO expert to use it!

You may not consider your spa software to be a marketing tool but having the right cloud-based package, can help you create much more strategic campaigns. Industry leaders such as Trybe, Premier Software and Zenoti can give you a holistic view of your operations and customers in real time, so you can drill into this data and use their marketing automation tools to target them accordingly

Online travel agents

Don’t underestimate the digital marketing prowess of online travel agents. While you may not need to use them all the time, spa specialists such as SpaSeekers and Spa Breaks have huge spa-customer databases and can put your business in front of thousands

of new clients. With SpaSeekers recently signing contracts with Tesco Clubcard and O2 Priority, this extends their outreach to millions.

Mindfulness and meditation apps

Not really marketing tools per se, but meditation and mindfulness apps such as Calm, Headspace and Buddhify can help create space in your mind. This ‘head space’ is really important when it comes to being able to perform well, particularly when you are trying to come up with new creative ideas.

Sign up for The Spa PR & Marketing Insights newsletter at www.thespaprcompany.com

Thought Leadership Tracey Stapleton, The Spa PR Company

A plethora of online resources are available to help improve your spa marketing exercises

The power of movement

As Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London celebrates the launch of a new wellness concept, senior director of spa and wellness Jamie Pagan and Movementum founder Stephen Price talk to European Spa about how movement health can take spa services to the next level

REPORT BY SARAH CAMILLERI

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London has always been a trailblazer for exceptional service and innovation. During recent lockdowns, the team of this beloved UK flagship of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (MOHG) used their time to progress its wellness services, and have announced the launch of ‘a new category in wellness’ this spring. Aiming to help people take control of their health through the power of

movement, Movementum has been developed by fitness expert and founder of SP&Co Group, Stephen Price, with the backing of Jamie Pagan, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London’s senior director of spa and wellness.

The new concept will offer hotel guests and members a personalised blend of fast, accessible fitness studio programmes and specially developed spa treatments and products delivered by its own in-house Movementum team. Movementum’s supervised in-person fitness and

spa programming, delivered in a dedicated studio as well as in the spa’s own treatment rooms, is supported by on-demand virtual sessions designed to give guests confidence and connection to the Movementum digital community. The concept is also supported by recovery tech company Hyperice and Castore sportswear.

Discussing the development of this innovative ‘movement health ecosystem’, Jamie Pagan tells European Spa: “I had been talking to Stephen Price about developing the fitness offering here for some time before the pandemic, and Movementum is the first concept I have ever come across that genuinely integrates spa and fitness and draws on a strong evidence base of movement health.

“In fact, the beauty behind this concept is the sheer volume of medical research and expertise that underpins every aspect of its execution. Stephen’s expertise, together with that of a whole host of industry professionals from the wellness and medical industries, really does allow my team to deliver fully integrated spa services and fitness under one roof.”

A marriage of medical and spa

Stephen Price founded SP&Co 20 years ago and works in three distinct strands of health expertise: clinical, hospitality/spa and personalised lifestyle performance. As well as running his own private wellness clubs, including BodySPace in Knightsbridge, which provides its members with the highest level of personalised support, including health, performance, nutritional and CAM support, Price’s rehabilitation and clinical care background gives him a unique take on health optimisation. Inspired to create a brand new concept based on movement health, he is passionate about helping people to help themselves.

“I have always been fascinated by how we can work with complementary therapies to promote, support, and create beautiful wellness experiences,” he says. “A hospitality setting like Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London gives me the environment, service and delivery standards, whereas my clinical work brings the chance to work with an evidence-based medical approach, which, professionally, is incredibly rewarding. Also, my own

brands, which include BodySPace and FitSPace clubs, allow me to have the autonomy to create new concepts and develop our own take on health and wellbeing.”

He continues: “Movementum is based on one simple philosophy: to connect people with the power of movement. I have been lucky enough to work with Jamie and have his full backing to be creative. Jamie’s background in spa and physical activity means he has been very open-minded about trialling and supporting every aspect of delivery. He also fully appreciates that the product and the person delivering the treatment must transcend the treatment room, and that his spa therapists have the trust of guests. So, it’s in the treatment room that we can really integrate the message and seed the idea.”

Confidence and motivation

Movementum, according to Price, has universal appeal for guests and members of all ages and fitness levels: “It’s designed for absolutely everyone from 18-80 years old and can be used for many different goals, whether it is rehabilitation or just to find the confidence to start, right through to priming for higher athletic performance.

“Movementum is the first concept I have ever come across that genuinely integrates spa and fitness and draws on a strong evidence base of movement health.”

Jamie Pagan Senior director, spa and wellness, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London

“It is designed to give motivation and confidence and to help people explore and enjoy their physical capabilities,” he confirms. “Movementum is about doing something for yourself every single day. It is a foundation for health that everyone can benefit from.”

According to Price, if you follow the Movementum programme daily it will have a profound effect on your health. “Movement health is a science but it is often overlooked as many of us in our personal and professional lives like to explore and overcomplicate things. It is abundantly clear to me now that some of the simple strategies we deploy in clinic and guest situations are the most impactful.”

Below from left: One-to-one functional treatments aim to help guests improve their mobility and range of movement in order that they may move more effectively

Moving the dial forward for spas worldwide

Wellness expert Stephen Price explains what makes Movementum a perfect spa partner and how it has potential appeal for guests at all fitness levels

Movementum is based on the power of movement – it not only benefits your physicality and biochemistry, but the aim is to show how physical activity can have hundreds of other positive effects on your overall psychology. Protecting and improving our mental wellbeing is a key to the philosophy behind the concept. I wanted to create a process that wasn’t complicated and would work well for spas. It’s a physical product rather than just a human proposition. The message of Movementum is very clear: it is about promoting mental and physical health through the power of movement –little, often and every single day. This is the primary strategy we adopt, using traditional modalities including breathwork or visualisation, not to reflect but to create momentum to ‘do more’.

A variety of active movement techniques used in the classes are designed to prime you to get to the start line, then to motivate you to try hard when you are there and training. Finally, at the end, we work to put you in the right mental and physical space to start again the next day and every day.

Motivate for change

We know that above all other strategies, consistent and frequent daily movement in the short and medium term has the biggest impact on health-rated quality of life. It strengthens your pre-disposition against illness but is also where your confidence comes from. Motivation and behaviour change your longevity. Hopefully, when you move and make these shifts it will lead to other things.

If we concentrate on the default setting of movement in spa this is where all the results are. Movement might not be the most glamorous part

“Through

Movementum we are allowing our spa therapists and gym instructors to become catalysts for health change.”

Stephen Price Founder, Movementum, SP&Co Group

of the offer but it really is the foundation. Movementum also sits beautifully alongside other complementary treatments and lifestyle programmes offered by spas. Every spa should be thinking about a foundation of movement on the menu. Without it you are actually creating vulnerability. If the pandemic taught us one thing it is that everyone needs to move. Those who did discovered that they were more mobile than they realised, how easy it was to feel better.

At Movementum we are actively encouraging spas to consider making movement a health foundation, to help create exploration, interest, passion, and new directions for guests.

For more information visit: www.movementumuk.com

Stephen Price

With this in mind, Price and his team have devised a concise menu of Movementum signature Studio Classes designed to focus, prime and regenerate participants. “Our studio classes can be the whole piece, if you are coming back to movement for the first time, or utilised as a ‘priming’ or ‘finishing’ activity,” he says. “It’s attractive, too, because they are very short and simple – just 15 minutes to top and tail training each day gives you a scientific way to warm up or cool down, designed to bring you into a calmer and more mobile state.”

Movementum treatments

The initiative also offers three spa treatments that can sit well next to established brands. These focus on guided breathwork, lymphatic drainage, soft tissue and trigger-point massage along with assisted stretches. All three of these treatments are designed to prepare mind and body for optimal movement and they are supported by a capsule range of Movementum products used in treatment and available for retail.

“It was really important for me that the treatment protocols were simple and they can encourage guests to go in one or two directions. The idea is that treatment time should be a pathway to lead somewhere else in the model of care we can offer in spas,” says Price.

“The touchpoint with a guest is usually in the treatment room and this can lead them to take a Movementum class. This way we have moved them forward to start enjoying movement and its benefits.”

The creation of the Movementum treatments and studio classes has involved a wide range of specialists, including yoga instructors, breathwork specialists and medical experts to really strengthen the language and delivery of movement. “Everything is underpinned by a base of evidence or clinical knowledge,” confirms Price. “Whereas the studio work we do brings alive the heritage of our movement expertise, my goal was always to top and tail the spa experience. I want to teach spa therapists and gym instructors – rather than physios and personal trainers – that they can really deliver impactful moments that lead to other moments, and if we tag moments together through movement we can genuinely say we are changing someone’s health.”

Above: A guest experiences a Movementum class in the dedicated studio space at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London

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During the training process, Movementum was given the seal of confidence by Jamie Pagan and his team. “When we first presented the Movementum treatments our therapists were less comfortable with the functional aspects of the treatment delivery,” admits Pagan. “However, they fully embraced this once they understood the benefits and why the movements were significantly different. It was very satisfying to get this feedback from my team, who are very experienced – at their level, they can take apart any treatment and know if it is great or not. They also helped to finesse the treatments so it was incredibly rewarding when we went into training and preparing for launch.”

Wellness wisdom

Through the fusion of real-life and virtual sessions Movementum offers has also opened up the potential for Pagan’s team to deepen their wellness expertise and skills. “Movementum has given us the framework and education for our team to really develop themselves and their specialisms,” he says.

“For example, our therapists can now be trained to deliver highly functional treatments and also have the opportunity to move out of the treatment room into a fitness environment. This will allow us to elevate them as individuals on our team into personalities and experts in the hotel for our guests to appreciate.

“Also, importantly, it also allows us to start building

Below from left: Treatment rooms are a vital touchpoint for spa guests and are therefore a great place to encourage movement; following the Movementum programme daily is said to have a profound effect on health

a wellness community for all Mandarin Oriental colleagues, which meets one of our key objectives as a business,” he says. “For me as the team leader it really is attractive to have the opportunity to progress our team development and our offer here as part of Mandarin Oriental in future.”

Price is keen to help more spas embrace movement health by offering Movementum as a meaningful integrated wellness offer: “In the clinical world we can’t create so much impactful change as the people we are seeing are not very well, whereas spa can really support people’s lives. There is a huge opportunity for spa therapists to take their expertise and training beyond the treatment room environment.

“When you look at our spa therapists they are beautifully trained in the delivery of treatments and appreciate the honour of having their hands on someone. In many ways they develop trust and connection with guests that our gym instructors can’t achieve in the same way. Through Movementum we are allowing our spa therapists and gym instructors to become catalysts for health change.”

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Moving forward

Always looking to the future, and at the bigger picture to frame its wellness initiatives, Movementum dovetails with MOHG’s new Intelligent Movement programmes which are currently being introduced across all its spas worldwide.

“As a group we are super proud of Stephen’s offering as it’s a real showcase here in London of what we are striving to do with movement health, exercise integration and spa treatment fusion,” says Pagan. “The mission for the coming year is to shout about Movementum – to really tell our guests and members how they can benefit from it.”

“To launch our first studio and product range at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London is a gamechanger,” adds Price. “Having been at the forefront of wellness innovations for quite some time, their holistic approach to wellness truly sets them apart.”

SPA STATISTICS

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London

www.mandarinoriental.com/london/hyde-park

Vice-president, operations and general manager: Torsten van Dullemen

Senior director, spa and wellness: Jamie Pagan

Movementum director: Stephen Price

Spa size: 950sqm

Spa team: 35

Wellness specialists: physiotherapy, TCM, skin expert, chakra and energy healing specialists, reiki, craniosacral therapist, myofascial release practitioner

Treatment rooms: 10 single treatment rooms, one couples’ suite, BGA Pedi:Mani studio with two beds, wellness treatment room

Hydrothermal facilities: 17m indoor pool, two saunas, two steam rooms, two vitality pools

Product partners: Oskia, Nescens, OTO, Aromatherapy Associates, Biologique Recherche, Movementum

Spa suppliers: Technogym, Hyperice, Castore, KLAFS, Gharieni, EMS Bodytech

Spa Spotlight Movementum at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London

Right: Billed as a ‘new category in wellness’, the science-based Movementum classes and treatments at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London have been designed to enable guests to reach a calmer and more mobile state

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For 4 5 years, the Biologique Recherche Methodology has a reputation of expertise based on a clinical and personalized approach in their beauty treatments. Using pure, concentrated and active ingredients within their products, as well as innovative protocols and specific manual techniques adapted to the different Skin Instants© it offers the best solution to building better skins.

For 4 5 years, the Biologique Recherche Methodology has a reputation of expertise based on a clinical and personalized approach in their beauty treatments. Using pure, concentrated and active ingredients within their products, as well as innovative protocols and specific manual techniques adapted to the different Skin Instants© it offers the best solution to building better skins.

HIGH-END PERSONALIZE D BEAUTY CARE

For 4 5 years, the Biologique Recherche Methodology has a reputation of expertise based on a clinical and personalized approach in their beauty treatments. Using pure, concentrated and active ingredients within their products, as well as innovative protocols and specific manual techniques adapted to the different Skin Instants© it offers the best solution to building better skins.

A world of sound

European Spa explores how incorporating sonic elements into the spa journey can add a whole new sensory dimension to your guests’ experience

REPORT BY DAVID FAGAN

Sound plays an integral part in everybody’s daily experience whether we realise it or not, from the ambient noise of the appliances in our homes and workplaces to the chatter of people in public spaces and the music we play to switch off, concentrate or energise ourselves.

In recent years there has been a rapid evolution in the sophistication of how sound can be used to enhance wellness. The advent of online and wireless technologies has made it ever easier to access sources of music and other sound-based content. This has been driven by major global streaming services such as Spotify, which has a vast library of wellness-oriented content, from ethereal orchestrated music to nature sounds such as ocean-wave recordings. The BBC’s Sounds app also offers a myriad of wellbeing-enhancing mixes for listeners to stream.

A proliferation of mindfulness apps including Headspace, Calm and Wave provide invaluable resources to help individuals perform fitness activities or meditate, while businesses can also harness their offerings to complement a range of activities such as yoga.

The benefits of sound in spas

Sound has been shown to have a wide range of healing effects on the human body, from helping to reduce pain, stress, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, to lessening mood swings and improving the quality of sleep. Consequently, spa and wellness providers are increasingly incorporating sonic elements into their guest offering.

Carefully orchestrated soundtracks are being used throughout spas to help guests decompress during their journey; instruments of sound are being incorporated into more and more treatment experiences; individual and groups of spas are evolving their menus to provide immersive sensory experiences; and spa product and equipment partners are providing new ways to enhance the spa experience through the use of sound.

We have researched the growing use of sound in the wellness arena, seeking out experts to share the latest ways it is being used to enhance the spa experience and contribute to the delivery of fully immersive treatments.

Creating a sound journey throughout your spa

How to help your guests decompress and enhance their relaxation experience

Sound has always been used to help spa guests open up to the benefits of their stay. However, the programming and delivery of sound within spas can vary, and with it the effects on guests.

“Sometimes sound in a spa isn’t thought through, which can lead to complaints from both staff and guests,” says Rob Wood, creative director and founder of Music Concierge, a company that provides signature soundtracks for high-end brands and spaces, including a wide range of spas and hotel chains.

“Repeating the same playlist or using individual iPods or CDs in treatment rooms – or leaving it to staff – can lead to the sound going off brand,” he says. “A consistent sound that can reflect the spa concept or brand values is beneficial, but this needs managing properly.”

The use of sound in a spa requires careful consideration if businesses are to maximise guest satisfaction. The aural

journey must complement and enhance the design of the overall spa experience. “If it’s a relatively small operation then you have to think about the sound journey a lot less than a more extensive spa,” says Wood.

Creating the right energy

“The way we think about it is from the guest’s perspective and what they are trying to get out of that experience,” Wood adds. “Typically, the relaxation

journey should begin when you walk through the entrance, but it has to start off at the right level. You have to create the right energy.”

The sound journey in a spa should be staged to follow the guest’s journey into a relaxed state in which they are more receptive to the benefits of the treatments they receive.

“Reception is one level, but when you get changed, for example, or go into a consultation room, the music will be more relaxed,” Wood says. “Ultimately you will be in the treatment room and in that state between sub-conscious and semi-conscious. That is where the music really has to be carefully toned and with the right energy level for relaxation, taking into account the rhythm of tracks, how densely the music is constructed and what the overall emotional feeling is.

“Any signature spaces along the way might require something different. You may have a pool area with a quirky USP where you can use music in a very different way, and in fitness areas people obviously require stimulation.”

Rob Wood

From top: Ragdale Hall Spa in Leicestershire, UK offers guests a Sensory Journey;

Bringing sound to life in the spa environment

Mark Hutchison Hutchison Technologies

Mark Hutchison, technical director at Hutchison Technologies, which provides audio-visual experiences to the health and fitness, hospitality and leisure sectors, offers advice for spas looking to enhance their offering through the use of sound.

Due to the nature of spas, there are a lot of hard surfaces as well as mechanical and electrical infrastructure to consider. This often results in poor baseline acoustic comfort. Vibrations from the pool plant, ventilation systems, etc. are all aspects that can detract from the desired calming experience visitors expect from a spa.

Look at ways to control the acoustic comfort of the spa through architectural design. Staying away from large open-plan spaces, and instead opting for half-height or full-height dividing walls can enhance both acoustic and visual aesthetics.

This also allows the fine-tuning of speaker and lighting placement in order to create a more intimate, subdued and softer

From top: Naturally sound-absorbent materials at Six Senses at The Alpina Gstaad; gyms, such as in the Three Graces Spa at Grantley Hall, should be filled with energising sound

atmosphere than can be achieved in a large-scale open space.

Also consider investing in acoustic-friendly materials, such as rugs, pillows and non-permanent installations.

To enhance the overall experience, consider using environmentally friendly sustainable and renewable materials. Eco-walls are a great option with a characteristic style, and the density and porosity of some of the stone materials, also offers sound-absorbent qualities.

Subtle and discreet

Use a distributed audio solution to ensure an even coverage throughout your spa. Consistent, non-intrusive background music is key to delivering a five-star experience, allowing the sound to become a subconscious element.

As well as providing aesthetic benefits, installing invisible speakers can improve the quality of sound in an acoustically challenging environment. High-quality products should require little to no maintenance and can be protected from moisture-heavy environments behind a barrier of plaster and paint.

Immersed in sound

Underwater sound is becoming a popular way to create an immersive experience, so consider the use of speakers in spa pools.

Good quality water-resistant speakers are also vital to extend your sound delivery into saunas and steam rooms. Speakers like these must be calibrated precisely to perform well in each individual environment, so audio engineers should be involved in the setup of the space.

www.hutchison-t.com

Mark Hutchison

Going deeper into sound healing

Aurelio C. Hammer Svaram

Sound healing has a tradition that stretches back thousands of years to some of the world’s most ancient cultures. One person who has attempted to harness its fundamental benefits is Aurelio C. Hammer, mentor and founder of Svaram, a community of artisans, designers, healers and sound enthusiasts in the southern Indian experimental township of Auroville.

The organisation provides sound-based wellbeing experiences and journeys in a range of indoor and outdoor environments, including corporate wellness events for companies including Microsoft.

“I find the wellness sector at this moment very interesting because it is exploring new modalities,” says Aurelio. “It is much more open than medical science, which is almost stuck in a materialistic dogma and doesn’t

allow anything that cannot be measured on their instruments. In the wellbeing sector there is strong demand for experiences and for a shift in the state of people, however they are feeling. There is a longing for harmonisation.

A room full of sound Svaram produces a variety of more than 100 musical instruments, some of which are made by its craftspeople and nowhere else. These are used in a range of ways to provide healing experiences, but perhaps most impressively as part of its Sonorium – a collection of instruments that aims to transport clients on a primal journey using a strong combination of harmonic and chaotic sounds.

“The Sonorium uses what I call ‘tuned’ sounds, but they are polarised with elemental, primal sounds – the sound of thunder or a waterfall, the sound of stone used as a friction instrument,” says Aurelio.

“What the Sonorium offers is a complete immersion in sound. If you are surrounded by a few singing bowls it is fine and beautiful, but the Sonorium is full of

massive instruments. We have tubular bells and the gong may weigh 25-30kg, and the person is lying on a bed that has 50 strings underneath, so its can be quite powerful.”

Just as you can play a wine glass with a wet finger, so you can play one of Svaram’s stone instruments, except these can weigh up to 80kg. “Think of the sound that an 80kg wine glass would make if you rubbed it,” says Aurelio. “It actually can be quite overwhelming. It definitely has a strong and immersive effect.”

Therapeutic benefits

Aurelio believes the clash of harmonic and primal noises that the Sonorium provides plays a vital role in delivering a deeper level of sound therapy. “At the core of most chronic diseases there are usually traumatic experiences, and if you are not tapping into these you will not get to the root cause of the disharmony,” he says.

“The sonorium’s combination of harmonic, tuned sounds and primordial elemental sounds create a polarity in that field which surprises people. It can shake people up.”

www.svaram.org

Aurelio C. Hammer

Clockwise from above right: Aurelio leads a sound healing class using instruments made by Svaram (and below right); the Sonorium is an immersive sound healing installation

Sonic instruments of wellness

Sound-based spa therapies using singing bowls and gongs

Sound healing has long been a part of spa treatment menus, but recent events have seen a sharp growth in this due to its ability to calm and relax guests.

“Spas can be very clinical and sound healing brings in more holistic aspects.” says Jill Russell, who was drawn from a career in spa operations to become a full-time sound healer two years ago.

“Sound therapy is essentially a massage of sound,” she says. “We are all energy, we are all sound. When you get into the quantum physics of it all, matter doesn’t exist, we are all singing our own song in our own individual frequencies.”

Also known as ‘the Gong Whisperer’, Russell is a devotee of what the instrument can offer. “Gongs are so powerful and all encompassing – your brain cannot fight the vibrations they create,” she says. “You may have your ‘monkey mind’ for a while, and everybody struggles a little, but the next moment their chests are moving differently and I can see they are in a nice relaxed state.”

“Sound healing can also be used within other treatments, especially through the use of Tibetan bowls,” she adds.

Tibetan singing bowls are something of a traditional sight in spas and are used as part of the Sensory Journey offered at Ragdale Hall Spa in Leicestershire, UK; the bowl’s vibrations flow into the body to cause the emission of alpha and theta brain waves which help to restore, optimise and balance the flow of the client’s energy.

Mark Smith, founder of immersive wellbeing brand Kalm Horizons, is another advocate. His ocean-based meditations culminate in the use of a Full Moon Tibetan Singing Bowl, hand made in Nepal, to bring an extra vibrational element to the practice. “The ‘singing’ sensations have a mesmerising effect on participants.,” he adds.

Spa operators building on sound foundations

How wellness providers are adding sound to their treatment offering

Expanding the use of sound to enhance the delivery of relaxing and healing experiences within spas is leading to many innovative collaborations.

At Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel and Spa in Glasgow, DJ Brian d’Souza (aka Auntie Flo) collaborated to create a biophilic sound meditation soundtrack that is used in a ‘forest bathing’ room within the hotel.

Known as La Chambre Verte, this is an immersive experience exploring the psychological and physical benefits of biophilic design and therapeutic sound in a room filled with plants, which can be enjoyed alongside CBD rituals from product partner La Rue Verte.

Elsewhere, luxury wellness brand Six Senses offers a range of sound-based therapies at its resorts around the world.

At Six Senses Douro Valley, Portugal, a 20-minute underwater sensory experience called Float Your Troubles Away has guests supported on the water

Clockwise from top: La Chambre Verte at Kimpton Blythswood Square was created in collaboration with La Rue Verte (below); Six Senses Dubai offers a dedicated sound suite

Thanks to our experts:

www.musicconcierge.co.uk

www.kalmhorizons.com

www.facebook.com/thegongwhispererinfo

www.ragdalehall.co.uk

www.kimptonblythswoodsquare.com

www.lrvskincare.com

www.sixsenses.com

www.corinthia.com

www.espaskincare.com

www.sound-health.ie

www.soulmedicine.ie

www.lottenypalace.com

www.grantleyhall.co.uk

www.oetkercollection.com

www.oneandonlyresorts.com

www.voya.ie | www.ila-spa.com

Sound in the mix with spa treatments

Brian d’Souza, Swell

Following his collaboration with La Rue Verte at Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel and Spa in Glasgow, award-winning DJ Brian d’Souza of music strategy developer Open Ear discusses his new sound-based programme, called Swell.

Tell us how Swell developed. For the past 15 years, Swell’s parent company, Open Ear, has worked with thousands of hospitality and leisure companies, many of which were hotels with a spa offering. The music used in the spa was often an afterthought: laughed off as ‘whale sounds, tolerated as generic ‘spa music’ and delivered via very basic loudspeaker set-ups, leading to an underwhelming sonic experience.

Swell was created as a response to this, to help elevate the sound within spa and wellness environments and allow it to become a positive sensory experience for customers and therapists alike.

How do spas go about using the service? Swell is available as a mobile or browser app with a monthly subscription. We know that every spa has different requirements, so we offer a free consultation to help get spas optimised for sound and to tailor an audio experience that will really enhance their spaces and treatments.

What is special about the sonic experience that Swell provides? We’ve spent years developing a novel approach to how sound can be created for the spa environment, bringing together the psychology of music, sound therapy techniques, healing sounds from the natural environment and award-winning music composition to offer a range of signature Swell sound treatments. These are tailored to match the type of protocol and also the product being used.

What can Swell add to treatment menus? Swell introduces the potential for a new

range of sound treatments, delivered with or without a therapist, adding fresh revenue streams. These are therapeutic sound experiences similar to a sound bath or gong bath, developed by the Swell team to work in headphones and mixed in Dolby Atmos surround sound, delivering a deep relaxation experience.

Which spas are partnering with Swell? We’re about to launch with IHG UK spas – in Scotland at Kimpton Blythswood Square in Glasgow and Kimpton Charlotte Square in Edinburgh, which will have its own dedicated Swell Room; and voco St David’s in Cardiff, Wales. We will also be launching with Coworth Park, UK, part of the Dorchester Collection, in April.

In addition, we are partnering with ishga to develop bespoke massage treatments. This has involved a trip to the Hebrides to record a unique sense of its products, using cleansing water sounds and traditional instruments to make a range of therapeutic experiences to be rolled out across its partner spas.

www.swellstudio.io

Brian d’Souza, DJ and founder of Swell

while listening to a range of sounds passed through it. Meanwhile, Six Senses Dubai offers a Sound Suite, which allows guests to rest on a vibro-acoustic lounger that carries musical vibrations directly into the body.

Sound also plays a central part in the Tibetan Healing Retreat at Six Senses at The Alpina Gstaad, Switzerland. On the second day of the three-day experience, sets of Tibetan singing bowls are placed around guests and on parts of their body – one is even big enough that the guest literally steps into it. Other instruments include a gong, tuning forks to work on the chakras, chimes, koshi and tingsha bells, rainsticks and ocean drums.

“Our mental, emotional and physical body, which often carries blockages, responds greatly to the healthy energy flow that is created through the singing

bowls and sound healing equipment,” says sound healer Antonis Sarris.

Telling a story through sound “Some properties want to innovate through sound and go beyond just music tailored to a treatment,” says Rob Wood of Music Concierge. “Sometimes we work with composers to create a completely unique piece of music to go with that treatment. We have even gone beyond that to create soundscapes

for different areas of a spa. This is like telling a story through sound and can incorporate found sound, sound effects, music or spoken word.

“We work with sound designers to create a whole sonic experience that can be activated in different parts of the spa. Not just in the treatment room but in other areas.

“We have also been asked to put together guided meditations that can be activated in a treatment setting. Beyond the spa itself we are using wellness related music concepts in guest rooms.”

Music Concierge’s work with ESPA

Life at Corinthia London is a good example of the depth and variation of the application of sound in spas.

“We provided music in all areas and a choice of music in treatment rooms and also in the pods within the spa,” says Wood. “Because they are in London they wanted a sense of Britishness to come through some of the music ideas, so we used a spoken word element with pieces of literature set against classical music.”

From above: Sound healer Antonis Sarris performs a sound healing treatment at Six Senses at The Alpina Gstaad; Music Concierge worked on sonic staging with ESPA Life at Corinthia London

BOOK NOW FOR SpaFest 2022

SpaFest 2022 – CORNWALL, SEPTEMBER 26-28

To be held at Landal Gwel an Mor resort, Portreath, Cornwall

FIVE REASONS WHY THIS IS A ‘MUST-ATTEND’ EVENT

l Keynote speakers addressing people, planet and health

l Immersive wellness workshops to nurture the spirit

l Meaningful conversations with no sales agenda

l Education, inspiration and personal development

l Rebuild and re-energise your personal and professional potential

DON’T MISS OUT IN 2022!

To book your ticket please visit www.spa-fest.com

Spa partnerships based on sound principles

How wellness brands are adding a sonic dimension to their products and treatments

While spas are bringing elements of sound into more aspects of their operations, spa brands and suppliers are also incorporating sonic elements into their treatments and product offering.

When it comes to bathing, Irish seaweed-based skincare brand VOYA has been encouraging the physical practice since it was founded, and its dedication to immersion now stretches to sound bathing. A collaboration with sound therapist Andrew Tyler led to the creation of an online sound bath similar to those Tyler runs at the Salt & Soul Studio in Strandhill, Ireland.

“Sound bathing allows people to tap into the sense of relaxation and meditation that water bathing can give you, but via an alternative sensory experience whether it’s in a physical or mental sense.” says Gretta Salter, brand manager for VOYA.

The brand encourages its customers to stream the sound bath video at home after creating a cocooning

atmosphere through the use of candles and natural fragrances, as well as products such as its Mindful Dreams Body Oil and Lazy Days range.

Soul Medicine

Bringing a personal touch to the use of sound, ila founder Denise Leicester has been recorded chanting as part of a soundtrack that also features music written, played, produced and engineered by composer Tom Simenauer.

Part of the Soul Medicine project to bring vibrational remedies to spa clients, the 432 music – so-called as it is performed at 432Hz, which is said to be ‘the frequency of harmony’ – is played during ila treatments at all of its partner spas.

The Lotte New York Palace, US and The Lanesborough and Grantley Hall in the UK also include the brand’s 432 Singing

Clockwise from above: Gharieni’s Welnamis bed provides four new sound-based programmes; sound healer Andrew Tyler has collaborated with VOYA (below); Nature’s Resonance from ESPA harnesses the power of vibrational energy

High-tech vibrations

Bowls as part of their treatment offering.

Meanwhile, ESPA has partnered with One&Only Resorts to deliver a holistic experience based on the concepts of eco-therapy and vibrational energy, to restore internal balance by bathing people in sound, vibration and nature.

Available as a 30-minute stand-alone experience or as part of 60 or 90-minute body and face-and-body rituals, Nature’s Resonance uses binaural beats. This auditory therapy delivers different tonal frequencies into each ear to affect the client’s vibrational energy, aiming to reduce anxiety, increase focus, lower stress, promote creativity and even help to manage pain.

Bringing a high-tech approach to the use of sound vibrations in the treatment room, Gharieni has unveiled the successor to its SpaWave treatment bed, Welnamis. A touchless treatment experience that combines the positive health benefits of vibration with sound therapies designed for the delivery of specific brainwave frequencies, it provides four new programmes. Stress Relief is recommended for first-time users to foster a deeply relaxed yet present state of mind; Mindfulness encourages creativity, insight, dreams and light sleep, often associated with REM sleep; PowerNap fosters a regenerative state associated with deep sleep, which is the most restorative part of a person’s sleep cycle; and Awareness is said to create conditions for increased perception, learning and problem-solving as well fast and efficient thinking.

The human touch

While Welnamis is innovative for being a non-touch treatment facilitator, as with everything spa-related, the human touch

plays a vital role in delivering a tailored and effective use of sound.

“We don’t use any algorithms, its all human-based curation,” says Music Concierge’s Rob Wood. “In our music team we have about eight people in the UK and others around the world, and they are our music gurus, as it were.

“The real skill in those people is to be able to understand what a brand DNA might be, understand an audience, understand the space and its design, and then match that to music and how you want to make people feel. Its a very unique skill.”

Likewise, sound healer Aurelio C. Hammer, founder of sound research organisation Svaram, also believes a personal touch is essential to a deeper sound healing experience.

“I worked for many years in academic studies in music therapy, and basically what really makes the difference in healing, the most important factor, is actually the human element,” he says. “Music therapy involves a relationship between two beings and what happens between them.”

Above right: Soul Medicine allows clients to tune in to ‘the frequency of harmony’

WellnessMatters

EUROPEAN SPA SHINES A LIGHT ON THE LATEST GLOBAL WELLNESS TRENDS AND MODALITIES

Edited by Mark Smith

EDITOR’S PICK

It’s time for tea

As evidence of its health benefits grows, we look at how incorporating tea rituals into your spa offering can also enhance the guest experience

Tea rituals can play an important role in the guest journey in spa and wellness operations. From a welcoming beverage on arrival, to a calming post-treatment infusion with their inclusion on spa café menus, hydrating and health-giving teas can nourish the mind and infuse the spa experience with warmth.

“Traditional tea and herbal teas contain active chemical compounds such as phenols, flavonoids and tannins, which are released into an infusion after brewing,” explains Ajit Madan, founder of UK brand Camellia’s Teahouse. “These provide the much researched health benefits of tea and herbal tea.”

Drinking tea can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart attacks and much more, as dietitian and Tea Advisory Panel member, Dr Carrie Ruxton, explains: “There’s emerging evidence that tea-drinking (black and green) could help to reduce stress, the risk of dementia and cognitive decline.”

Tea ceremonies date back thousands of years in Japan and China, and as our understanding of the health and mindfulness benefits of tea increases, its role in the wellness experience is growing.

“As spas position themselves as places to help support health and wellness, integrating and synchronising tea into rituals goes well beyond the idea of its being just a complimentary beverage after a treatment, which has been the historic approach,” says Sarah Strang, founder of Tea & Tonic.

Blending tea into the spa experience

Integrating tea therapy can holistically enhance the spa journey, especially when the choice of tea enhances the benefits of the treatments on offer.

With this in mind, many spa brands have introduced spa teas into their wellness retail offering. ESPA has developed a collection of Vegan Society certified wellness teas to enhance the uplifting

benefits of the aromatherapy products in its Signature Blends collection: Restorative, Restful, Soothing, Fortifying and Connection feature teas including ginger, lemongrass, rooibos, black tea, apple and cacao nibs.

Thalgo’s infusion teas combine herbal and botanical ingredients with brown alga fucus vesiculosus and alga ascophyllum nodosum for their slimming and draining effects. Meanwhile, Voya’s organic seaweed-based teas are based on peppermint, camomile and fennel, helping to calm and sooth the mind, settle digestion or detoxify and slim. Tea & Tonic’s wellness teas, served as part of spa journeys, combine black, green, white rooibos, turmeric, ginger, peppermint and other herbal infusions.

Mood-boosting infusions

Camellia’s Teas has recently introduced Therapy Teas, developed to support the body and mind during periods

of ill health, chronic disease and change. The organic brews offer anti-inflammatory properties and contain medically and scientifically reviewed ingredients. Relax and Recover, Digest and Energise, and Refresh and Rebuild come with daily dosage guidelines advised by professionals in botanical therapy and chronic diseases.

“Asking guests to take five minutes either before or after a treatment is all that’s required for them to experience the incredible benefits of a meditative tea ritual,” says Madan. “Adding this to your spa journey gives your customers an extra layer of care and attention, especially if the tea being selected complements the treatment they are taking or their mood at that time.”

www.camelliasteahouse.com | www.teaadvisorypanel.com

www.teaandtonic.co.uk | www.espaskincare.com

www.thalgo.co.uk | www.voya.ie

Fount drinks offers botanical hydration for the spa and wellness market

Fount Drinks has introduced a range of botanical and vitamin-enriched concentrates that can be added to water to boost hydration and health. The blends of fruit, botanical ingredients, vitamins, minerals and amino acids are made in the UK with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners, flavours, colours or preservatives.

The concentrates are carefully formulated by expert nutritionists and herbalists to address particular wellness concerns: Refresh & Revitalise contains raspberry and green tea; Cleanse & Detox includes ginger and lemon; Stress Relief combines apple and elderflower; and Heart Health includes red berries and hibiscus.

“The opportunity for integration into a spa menu or for retail is huge. Fount can be a personalised beverage offer suitable for the clients’ needs,” says spa consultant and founder of SHC, Shelley Hepburn.

Each 50ml bottle of Fount provides 25 servings and to create a spa-ready drink, just add 2ml of the preferred Fount to a 250ml glass of water.

“It comes in cute recyclable glass bottle and is a concentrate, so its environmentally friendly. The four-pack is presented in its own little display box,” adds Hepburn. www.fountdrinks.com

Dutch wellbeing brand The|Tides Wellness makes its UK debut at Birch

The|Tides Wellness has launched its wellbeing therapies and organic selfcare products at Birch, a hotel and wellness retreat in Hertfordshire, UK.

Founded by Annemarie Wortman and Kimmo Jacobs, The|Tides Wellness concept addresses the physical and mental concerns faced by urban living, digital overload and environmental pollution.

Said to recognise the mind’s role in ultimate relaxation, the brand’s BrainBody Wellness Signature Treatments aim to relieve fatigue, recharge energy, boost immunity, restore hormonal imbalance and improve sleep quality.

The treatments combine a range of holistic therapies including: face, scalp, and body massages, trigger point, meridian, and acupressure work, vagus nerve toning, breathwork, sound therapy, clinical stretching, mobilisation and traction, craniosacral and myofascial release, cupping, gua sha and cryotherapy.

The treatment menu at Birch now includes BrainBody Hacker to destress the mind; Back to Brilliance, a grounding body therapy; and Ocean Deep Recovery, a recharge treatment to promote sleep.

www.thetideswellness.com

www.birchcommunity.com

Sensate wearable app provides immersive relaxation experience

UK-based sound therapy innovator Sensate has updated its high-tech sensory device and audio app to create an immersive wellness experience.

The original device was designed to calm the ‘fight-flight-freeze’ response through non-invasive sound vibration technology. The palm-sized wearable device and audio app uses infrasonic waves to resonate through the body, targeting the vagus nerve and strengthening the nervous system. The waves are said to encourage relaxation and improve resilience to stress over time.

The latest version of the product, Sensate 2, is said to provide a more immersive experience, emitting infrasonic waves that are synchronised and in harmony with specifically composed soundscape sessions, available on the Sensate App, which is free to download. The low-frequency resonance, felt as vibrations aims to calm the vagus nerve’s autonomic response.

The soundscapes can cater to personal goals; whether that is to promote sleep, gain an energy boost in the morning or recharge during a break between meetings. Users can adjust both the volume and intensity of the sounds and resonating vibrations, respectively, for a customised experience. www.getsensate.com

Hyperice delivers wellness in-room and in-spa at Fairmont Windsor Park

Hyperice, a global high-performance wellness brand specialising in percussion, dynamic air compression, vibration, thermal technology and contrast therapy, has become the official recovery technology partner of Fairmont Windsor Park, UK.

Guests in the hotel, spa and wellness centre will have access to Hyperice products, including in the comfort of their own rooms, to ensure their overall health, performance, recovery and self-care are maintained throughout their stay.

Products available for guests and members include the Hypervolt Bluetooth, an easy-to-use warm-up and recovery percussion massage device; the Vyper 2.0, a unique foam roller featuring three speeds to prime and warm up the body with a powerful vibrating massage; and the Hypersphere, a vibrating massage ball that helps to pinpoint tension areas with precision to release pressure.

In the wellness centre, guests and members have access to these products as needed before or after their workouts, to warm muscles and ease tension. The Hyperice devices can be delivered to guest rooms to offer private muscle relief in comfort.

www.hyperice.com | www.fairmont-windsorpark.com

Preview: SpaFest 2022

Book now to recharge at SpaFest

The spa industry’s best kept secret, SpaFest returns to Cornwall on September 26-28. We ask event founder Amanda Winwood why it’s the ‘must-attend’ event of 2022

Since it first took place in 2017, SpaFest has established a reputation as a unique and intimate gathering for aspiring leaders in the spa and hospitality industry. The annual not-for-profit event takes place in Cornwall on September 26-28 and the team is also launching SpaFest Gives Back at Carden Park in Cheshire, in June. As European Spa gears up to return as media partner for the event, we spoke to its founder, Amanda Winwood, to find out more.

How would you describe SpaFest to someone who hasn’t been yet?

SpaFest is relaxed, with no sales, allowing leaders who run supply companies and operators to engage, have a voice and get involved in strategies that promote sustainability and wellbeing. SpaFest also allows plenty of opportunities to actually immerse yourself in effective wellness experiences during the event.

What were your highlights from last year? Mainly it was the fantastic reconnection of people from across the spa and wellness industry after two really tough years, both within the discussions and panel presentations, but also in the immersive workshops. The pledges that industry leaders made on the final day were truly honest, inspiring and moving.

What can people expect from SpaFest 2022?

Reflections and learning on the latest trends with interviews and insights led by European Spa, and insightful speakers, including Iain Bell, director of the Executive Fitness Foundation.

This year we will discuss research on the integration of complementary practice with healthcare services and the issues of inclusivity and mental health. There will be opportunities to experience new innovations and treatments, plus natural external workshops including forest bathing and sound therapy. Kalm Horizons, which launched at last year’s event, will be leading on the healing power of the sea and integrative meditational practice.

SpaFest will this year return to Cornwall, allowing spa suppliers and operators the chance to shape a sustainable future for the industry

“This year we will discuss research on the integration of complementary practice with healthcare services and the issues of inclusivity and mental health”

Amanda Winwood Founder, SpaFest

What is the purpose of SpaFest Gives Back?

SpaFest has always been about giving back, but on June 14 we will launch SpaFest Gives Back in partnership with Carden Park in Cheshire. Eighty guests living with cancer will experience a one-day wellness event with inspiring speakers and workshops, and the opportunity to experience the healing power of Touch Therapy. The event is supported by the British Beauty Council and UKSA and there will also be a twilight wellness session for 40 guests, adding a new dimension to the spa experience for those in attendance. www.spa-fest.com

LIMITED PLACES REMAINING: Book now for SpaFest 2022

The cost for SpaFest this year is £350+VAT for the full programme including:

• Day One and Welcome Dinner

• Day Two and SpaFest Celebration

• Day Three and lunch.

• All refreshment breaks, including two lunches, two dinners and a goody bag. To apply for your place book online at https://spa-fest.com/shop/

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Creating a wellness tool kit for your team

As the spa industry faces a recruitment and retention crisis, Iain Bell sets out the compelling case for implementing a 360-degree wellness policy in your business

TIain Bell

Iain Bell is founder of the Executive Fitness Foundation. His global expertise spans over 30 years in wellness, health innovation and spa consulting. An expert wellbeing facilitator, educator, international speaker and writer, his passion is to connect holistic health with modern medicine.

iain@ef1.com

his is an unprecedented boom time for our industry with research indicating real growth through to 2030. But the outlook isn’t totally positive. Speaking to a number of operators, it is clear that there are now some major issues that are common across the spa, hospitality and leisure sectors – a combination of operational, staffing and customer concerns. In addition, many of us are still finding our feet as the pandemic eases and the global mental health crisis starts to increase in both visibility and impact.

The dilution of morale coupled with increased absenteeism places considerable strain on spas as they shore up to increased demand and business momentum with a predicted growth rate between 5-10% year on year. This places pressure on operators and managers to deal with day-to-day running and somehow maintain their value proposition and offering in a booming market. In an all-too-familiar response, many tend to focus more on market growth than fostering the human dynamics essential to maintain and drive business forward.

Protecting human resources

Reports also indicate customers displaying a post-pandemic anger, and how our industry deals with conflict depends on experience and training. Many spas have recruited a new generation of young therapists who need time to nurture greater emotional intelligence and hands-on experience. This clearly dictates the need for a

clear policy around negative customer engagement and how we best nurture and navigate our teams within a five-star hospitality environment. We need better conversations and more practical methods to build a positive and resilient working culture. Our human resource strategy must be to protect and keep our teams intact with a positive mindset. We have always left much of this responsibility to our owners and operators. It’s now the collective responsibility of the individual and community. This is central to providing 360-degree wellness. It is the new reality and long-term resilience builder.

A wellness roadmap

We know our customer base has become more demanding and diverse. Spa and wellness have become essential for people taking a greater interest in wellbeing and there has been a surge in the connective nature of wellness apps, trackers and online exercise and nutrition. It’s a bigger business game and more diverse. To move strategically within this complex sphere we need real wellness boosters that cultivate a positive working environment in the right direction. We are on the very edge of a massive cultural shift and everyone needs to be on board.

Working towards wellness

The world is moving into increasingly diverse working patterns but in the hospitality and spa world this is not a choice. While other industries benefit

Case study: Wellness tool kit

“As the pandemic took hold, the Executive Fitness Foundation was asked to deliver online wellness workshops to drive knowledge and transform ideas into positive outcomes.

“We were asked by the medical and surgical fields to create a bespoke experiential kit. The brief was to combine essential practical elements with a rolling education programme. All bespoke and client-centred.

“The kit recognises the effects of a medical working environment and how to tackle and reverse negative outcomes. It shows how fatigue, dehydration and muscle stiffness can be treated, and how to utilise scent and VR technology to boost meditation and ensure a focused, stress-free mental state.

“It lends itself perfectly to alleviating the pressures of a fully functioning booked out spa environment.”

from flexible hours and workloads, we are 100% people-based. We show commitment and resolve day in, day out in a people-centric business. Therefore our teams need more support and direction to harness wellness tools. To get ahead, we must engage in communication about mental health, and the pursuit of a healthy, dynamic working culture

It’s best practice at work and best practice at home – this is how a 360-degree approach works. When we talk about the value proposition in a growing market, this drives revenue and ROI. It also drives our teams to an essential release from the stigma around mental health and anxiety.

n Empower all colleagues to converse, nurture and treat mental ill health. There should be no ambiguity in working towards a culture of mental health confidence.

n Boost and post interdepartmental knowledge about workplace wellness. Knowledge is power.

Together we can drive wellness through knowledge and education. In turn, this cultural shift decodes wellbeing and creates an open, level playing field. Our teams buy in, our customers benefit and our business thrives. It’s a new approach to team building. www.ef1.com

n Wellness functions on an open forum, through employee support networks and campaigns. These drive accountability and cohesion.

n Champion your business through staff wellness. Celebrate it and invest in it. It’s a clear business strategy.

n Show the positive culture to your teams and members.

n If you are investing in buildings and facilities then automatically invest in wellness for teams. It’s core to business strategy. Shore up your people first.

n Within hospitality, leisure and tourism we are marginalised in working from home – we are frontline, person to person. This is how our wellness strategy must work

n Promote digital wellness where apps provide practice and accountability. This boosts peer-to-peer engagement and dials up cultural change.

Throw those spa doors wide!

Premier Software announces a new partnership with Made for Life Organics to offer spas Cancer Touch Therapy training European Spa reports

Joining the mission make all spas cancer-friendly and welcoming to all, Premier Software, a supplier of business management software for spas, has announced a new partnership Cancer Touch Therapy training provider Made for Life Organics.

Throughout 2022, any spa operators that use or purchase Core by Premier Software – the brand’s flagship business management solution – will be offered a 25% discount on Made for LIfe’s Cancer Touch Therapy qualification in a bid to make spas more accessible.

The partnership seeks to make spas more inclusive for people living with and beyond cancer, as many UK spas are still unable to offer cancer-safe treatments due to insurance reasons. Made for Life’s Cancer Touch Therapy training removes this issue, enabling spas to offer holistic therapies to those who need it most.

Accredited by the Complementary Medical Association, CIBTAC, BABTAC and the Standards Authority for Touch in Cancer Care, Made for Life’s Cancer Touch Therapy provides a deeper understanding of the disease and equips therapists with the knowledge, skills and techniques to deliver cancersafe treatments, including massage,

“This joint initiative underpins our vision – and Premier’s –that, in the future, all spas will have trained therapists able to welcome everyone and make a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing.”

Amanda Winwood, Managing director, Made for Life Organics

facials, hand and foot rituals.

“We feel incredibly grateful that Premier are partnering with us to promote training that simply throws those spa doors wide to all. This joint initiative underpins our vision – and Premier’s – that, in the future, all spas will have trained therapists able to welcome everyone and make a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing,” said Made for Life Organics managing director Amanda Winwood.

“At the heart of Made for Life, there has always been the profound belief that wellbeing should be accessible for all. Over the past decade Made for Life has provided training which has enabled therapists, spas and salons to confidently welcome everyone, including those diagnosed with cancer,” she added.

Laura Meeson, corporate manager at Premier Software (pictured top, right), said: “We’re very pleased to be partnering with Made for Life to help make spas a more inclusive environment.

“Spas are a vital space for relaxation, recuperation and wellbeing. We believe this should be accessible to everyone. Through our partnership to offer Cancer Touch Therapy training to all Core clients, our aim is to make spas more accessible to those diagnosed with and recovering from cancer.”

To learn more about Made for Life’s Cancer Touch Therapy training, click www.madeforlifeorganics.com/foundation

Click below to find out more about Core by Premier Software

www.premiersoftware.uk/products/core/

Below: Made for Life’s Cancer Touch Therapy training enables therapists to offer safe treatments to clients with cancer including foot, hand, massage and facial rituals

www.premiersoftware.uk/made-for-life

SpaSpecifier

SHOWCASING STYLISH EQUIPMENT AND LEADING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY

Edited by Lauren Heath-Jones

Wellness Coach Starpool

Italian spa equipment supplier Starpool has launched a new entertainment system designed to enhance wellness experiences in spas.

The Wellness Coach system, which consists of a mounted tablet paired with Bluetooth speakers or headphones, gives users access to an extensive content library.

“In a world that spins fast, we create wellness oases where time slows down,” says Starpool CEO Riccardo Turri. Divided into three categories of

Meditation, Breathing and Music, the content library features a wide range of options, including guided meditation sessions, developed in partnership with neuroscientist Nicola De Pisapia to target specific wellbeing goals; breathing sessions created by freediving record-holder Andrea Zuccari; and relaxing audio tracks featuring slow and gentle sounds from nature.

“We are proud to present Wellness Coach as an innovative solution

to make wellness accessible and effective in many different situations of daily life.” adds Turri. “Because making people feel better is all we wish for. We have designed an interactive system to fulfil the desire of people to feel good and fit.

“Wellness Coach allows you to theme rest moments, transforming them into actual experiences of deep regeneration.”

www.starpool.com

Exerceo Training System

Exerceo

Exerceo Training is a workout system that uses electro muscle stimulation (EMS) to deliver a time-efficient, high-intensity workout that can be offered in spas.

Mimicking the signals that the central nervous system sends when we lift weights, electrical impulses are transmitted via electrodes in the pads of a state-of-the-art training suit, resulting in a more intense workout as muscles are stimulated at a much higher rate than can be achieved with traditional exercise.

The brand claims that one 20-minute session burns more than 500 calories and leaves users feeling stronger, leaner and fitter. The system can also help repair and strengthen muscles and can be used in rehabilitation training as no strain is placed on the joints.

“Exerceo EMS Training provides the benefits of a 90-minute gym workout in only 20 minutes, leaving plenty of time to relax and indulge in the other highlights of visiting a spa,” says CEO Lewis Thompson. www.exerceotraining.co.uk

Wellsystem Spa

JK Group

Germany’s JK Group has created Wellsystem Spa, a contact-free spa treatment bed that combines dry hydrotherapy massage with a sensory experience combining sound, light, colour and scent.

The touchless treatment bed offers a range of massage programmes that can be adapted to suit the user, and features a soft, ‘natural’ surface.

Throughout the treatment, warm water massage jets hit the underside of the surface which ergonomically surrounds the neck and shoulders, allowing the jets to massage the entire shoulder area.

The bed offers several LED colour light programmes, each offering its own benefits, and the experience is completed by relaxing music and aromatic scents.

“Wellsystem Spa has truly broad guest appeal that requires no staff upskilling or direct staff costs, yet can be a significant revenue generator,” says JK Group CEO Gary Lipman. “As a touchless service, it can help introduce new guests to the spa.” www.wellsystem.com

PRODUCT INNOVATION

Mind-Sync and NuWave loungers

Living Earth Crafts

Premium US spa and wellness equipment manufacturer Living Earth Crafts has launched the Mind-Sync Harmonic Sleep lounger (below) and the NuWave spa lounger (right) in markets worldwide.

The zero-gravity Mind-Sync uses clinically tested vibroacoustic resonance therapy to reduce stress, ease anxiety and improve sleep quality. Offering six immersive programmes, the lounger gently moves quantum harmonic sound waves through the body using four powerful, full-spectrum transducers. Noise-cancelling headphones deliver two channels of proprietary entrainment frequencies, masked by gentle music and soothing nature sounds, to relax guests and place them in a state of parasympathetic control.

“We believe that the Mind-Sync Sleep Lounger has the ability to make dramatic improvements in the health and wellbeing of many members of our stressed, sleep-deprived society,” says Jim Chenevey, CEO of Living Earth Crafts and Earthlite.

Designed for spa relaxation areas, the NuWave lounger features zero-gravity positioning and can be used in head, hand and foot treatments. Available in two models – NuWave and NuWave S – the loungers have sleek hardwood bases and replaceable Strata mattresses covered in Living Earth Crafts’ Comfort-Flex PU fabric and Tri-Bond technology to prolong their life cycle.

Erica Coble, vice-president of sales at Living Earth Crafts, says: “We are happy to announce the launch of our NuWave Loungers. We feel that the refreshed look breathes new life into the timeless styling. As you’d expect from our master craftsman at LEC, the hardwood lines and finishes are a perfect fit for any decor.” www.livingearthcrafts.com

Erica Coble

CREATORS OF WELLBEING AND RELAXATION

Interior Design I Engineering Design I Pool + Thermal Installa�on I Maintenance

Middle East + Asia

Barr + Wray Dubai

T: + 971 4 320 6440

E: sales@barrandwray.com

sales@barrandwray.com

UK + Europe

Barr + Wray T: + 44 141 882 9991

E: sales@barrandwray.com

sales@barrandwray.com

www.barrandwray.com

www.barrandwray.com

Photos by Gavriil Papadio�s: The Newt

Skinbreeze

CACI

As part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, aesthetic expert CACI is offering spas the opportunity to try its Skinbreeze Skin Rejuvenation System at a low monthly cost for six months.

This will enable spas to expand their treatment menus to include several facial rituals, including Crystal-free Orbital Dermabrasion, which offers precision-controlled skin exfoliation, and LED Light Therapy to boost collagen, reduce redness and neutralise bacteria. Other treatments available include O2 Skin Hydration Spray, which replenishes skin moisture levels, and Neon Plasma Skin Tightening to stimulate collagen production and improve the skin’s texture and elasticity.

“Our try-before-you-buy offer gives businesses the chance to experience the CACI Skinbreeze system on a fixed low monthly rental cost with the opportunity to purchase after six months or return the system without any further obligation,” says managing director Dean Nathanson. www.caci-international.co.uk

ShowerVision

Werner Dosiertechnik

German pool and wet area specialist Werner Dosiertechnik has developed an experiential shower concept for luxury spas and hotels. Combining immersive video with a sensory shower experience, ShowerVision features a 75” HD screen augmented by audio, scent, light and water effects.

Guests can choose from one of three programmes – Waterfall, Tropical Rain and Fog Shower – each with its own video, light, aroma and audio settings.

A Waterfall experience features green light, waterfall visuals and two warm shower streams that massage the body. Tropical Rain provides red light, wave sounds, beach visuals and falling raindrops to replicate a gentle rainstorm on a tropical beach. Fog Shower features white-green light and a cold, refreshing fog-like shower, with the sounds of an Alpine creek flowing over rocks.

“ShowerVision lifts the shower experience to the next dimension,” says managing director Rainer Rieger. www.werner-dosiertechnik.de

Time to relax.

Ellisons offer an extensive range of luxurious furniture to complement your spa’s relaxation area. With products on offer from industry leading brands such as Gharieni, Living Earth Crafts, REM, Salon Ambience and Alexander Rose, you are sure to find the perfect addition to your relaxation space, whatever your vision or budget.

Whether you aim to take your clients on a sensory journey or promote complete sleep and relaxation, our product range will allow you to turn your desired treatment experience into a reality.

From stylish wave loungers to quality couches and beanbags, Ellisons’ competitive furniture supplies will enable you to enhance any relaxation area, allowing you to provide an unforgettable spa visit for each and every client. Bespoke options are also available so you can achieve your desired treatment experience with ease.

With a wealth of knowledge and experience, our Spa Partner team are on hand to make sure your next spa project or refit runs smoothly, on time and to budget.

With expert knowledge and unbeatable service, you can count on Ellisons to make your next spa refit or project a success. www.ellisons.co.uk

Whether you’re embarking on a major refit or hoping to make some minor improvements, we are able to provide a seamless experience for every project.

Make the most of our years’ of experience and contact your dedicated Spa Partner team to discuss your vision in more detail:

E: spapartner@ellisons.co.uk

spapartner@ellisons.co.uk

T: +44 (0)24 7636 9114

Find out how we can add value to your next spa project by downloading our Spa guide at www.ellisons.co.uk/spaguide

ellisons.co.uk

Aspectu Cariitti Oy

Finnish sauna lighting specialist Cariitti Oy has launched a new heat and humidity meter for use in saunas. The Aspectu meter comprises a wooden panel with an LED display showing the sauna’s temperature and humidity, as well as an hourglass so guests can time their stay.

While traditional sauna thermometers can become unusable if the pointer gets damaged, Aspectu’s electronic components are concealed behind the panel, which is set inside the sauna wall in a purpose-milled hole, so they are protected from accidental damage.

It is available in birch, hemlock and kelo plywood, with the birch option colour treated with a sauna-safe treatment. The company also offers Supi sauna wax in three colourways: Noki, Kuura and Kaarna.

“The meter’s light source reflects the thermal and humidity readings through the wood panel to the wall surface of the sauna,” says managing director Peter Ruokonen. “The readings seen by the sauna user is therefore equal to these lights forming on the surface of the wall panel.” www.cariitti.fi

Select.Arom Kemitron

German fragrance specialist

Kemitron has developed a new version of its Select.Arom fragrance dosing system.

The kit consists of several connected pumps and is designed to be used in saunas, steam rooms and experience showers, diffusing low volumes of fragrance into the atmosphere.

Controlled via an external console, operators can choose the scent, intensity and frequency, also programming it to run on an automatic cycle.

The system, which was developed, designed and manufactured in Germany, is available in three models and is capable of accommodating between two and four fragrances. It operates with a pressure output of four bars, which enables it to easily and effectively distribute fragrance throughout a room.

“The Select.Arom is a high-quality fragrance metering pump that will reliably take work off your hands over a long period of time,” says CEO Stephan Mayer-Klenk. www.kemitron.com

A.Zeta showerhead

Alberto Apostoli

Celebrated Italian spa and wellness architect Alberto Apostoli has partnered with Newform to create the A.Zeta showerhead. Described as the ‘aesthetic representation of flowing water’, it offers a signature wellness shower experience and features a segmented steel profile and studied incline to enhance water flow.

The wall-mounted A.Zeta offers rainfall and waterfall shower options, and is available in several finishes and colourways, including chrome, satin, black and white.

The design, which is suited to both commercial and residential settings, features essential lines and geometric folds as well as a thin cut for the water jet and micro-perforations for the rainfall mode.

“A.Zeta highlights water as the fundamental element of wellness: the showerhead evolves with it, simulating its movements and focusing on the individual to guarantee an authentic experience of relaxation,” says Apostoli. www.albertoapostoli.com | www.newform.it

If you would like your brand to be part of European Spa’s equipment showcase, email: lauren.hj@spapublishing.com

Kemitron is a manufacturer of high quality products for spa, sauna and wellness (technology, fragrances, cleaning, cosmetics) with a focus on best quality and workmanship. All products are “made in Germany” and are sold on the international spa and wellness market.

www.kemitron.com

www.kemitron.com

Fragrances for steam baths, saunas, whirlpools, hot tubs and experience showers

Cleaner for sauna, spa and wellness areas. Disinfectant and cleaner for whirlpool and spa tubs.

Sauna and spa technology for experience showers, saunas, hamam, steam baths and rhassoul, dosing systems, inhalation systems, lighting technology

Future-proofing your business for the new era of wellness, European Spa is the essential resource for spa and wellness leaders