Polishing up my act with Elemis

I didn’t think anything short of Johnny Depp could persuade me to take off my clothes in the middle of Mayfair during this current Arctic snap, but when Elemis invited me to experience its new Total Face & Body Polish (to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its flagship Day-Spa), frankly, I couldn’t disrobe fast enough.

The reception area of the Elemis Day-Spa in Mayfair, London

I know a thing or two about beauty treatments. BC (Before Children) I indulged in them often, and thanks to my job and the category I specialise in, I’ve been lucky enough to visit some amazing spas all over the world, from Jordan to Monaco, Paris to NYC.

The Elemis Day-Spa is a little closer to home – but no less special. Tucked away in Lancashire Court, it offers a complete and instant escape from the overbearing buzz and bustle of West London. Officially, it’s described as a “sensory space for men and women to escape from the stress and pressures of everyday life”. If only they’d let me move in…

Guests can choose from an extensive Spa-Therapy Menu, but I was there to road-test the new Total Face & Body Polish, which harnesses the latest formulations of the Elemis Sp@home range.

The pampering starts way ahead of the actual treatment though. How to convey the sheer fabulousness of the ambience: the music, the scents, the lighting, the oh-so-soft chocolate brown bath robes and towels? Everything is pitched just right; and it’s impossible not to start to relax. Hell, even I managed it.

Where the magic takes place…

The treatment began with the ‘Welcome Touch’, a foot cleansing ritual using lime-infused mitts. At the start, the therapist (in my case Lisa) focuses on the senses, centring the client with grounding touches and Reiki Chakra abdominal breathing techniques (sounds hokey I know, but somehow it works). This was followed by a spot of (bracing!) body brushing, to stimulate blood circulation. Then the bliss began in earnest, as the back and front of my body was drenched in warm Japanese Camellia Oil before a smoothing body scrub was applied and massaged in.

My stiletto-scarred toes were soothed with Treat Your Feet Foot Cream. Then I was snuggled up in sarongs ready for my facial. The best bit? The bed was heated. Reader, I thought I’d never leave. Possibly Lisa was thinking the same.

Having quizzed me about my skin concerns (‘I want to look 21 but could probably pass for 51’) Lisa decided I would most benefit from a Quartz Lifting Facial, which involved all sorts of fabulousness including the Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel. After a neck and shoulder massage using hot basalt, Lisa ran me a shower (powerful, hot, heavenly) before completing the treatment with an application of Pro-Collagen Body Cream, Pro-Collagen Marine Cream and Quiet Mind Temple Balm.

You’ve probably gathered by now that it all felt pretty good. But here’s the thing: it managed to make me look good too. I’d had the foresight to bring my make-up bag with me, but my skin looked so glowing and healthy I made the journey home without a scrap of slap and even less self-consciousness. Two days later, my skin (face and body) is still baby soft.

In the past two years Elemis has stepped up its presence in the travel retail channel, in terms of products and treatments, both on the ground and inflight. If you can’t get to the London Day-Spa, do not despair: check out the brand’s Travel Spa and Skin-Therapies, created for British Airways, which are said to deliver real results in just 15 minutes.

Available at London Heathrow T5 and New York JFK T7, they are complimentary for passengers flying FIRST or Club World, and Gold Executive Club members flying long haul. If my experience is anything to go by, those Travel Spa and Skin-Therapies alone are worth a trip somewhere. And, if necessary, an upgrade.