European Spa Magazine - Summer Issue 88

Issue 88 | Summer 2023

THE NO.1 BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR SPA AND WELLNESS LEADERS

ANANTARA SPAS

We take a deep dive into a world of wellness hospitality

DIAGNOSTICS & DATA

Discover the most impressive new screening technologies

5 SPAS FOR SUMMER

Behind the newest openings in Italy, Greece and the UK

THE POWER OF TOUCH

Inside The Bothy by Wildsmith at Heckfield Place, UK

Inspiration is all around

Welcome to our refreshing summer edition, which celebrates the people, places and brands shaping the spa and wellness world. There is so much inspiration out industry and we have clocked up many miles to inform and inspire you. Enjoy our exclusive interview with hospitality legend William ‘Bill’ Heinecke, Founder & Chairman Minor International PCL, and Anantara’s group director of spas in Asia, Chunxia Gao, who share how bold spa programming and preventative health partnerships are driving a global investment strategy (p16).

We pick five of the best recent spa openings that showcase an impressive raft of investment and exciting concepts to meet new wellness traveller demand (p80), and our report on The Bothy by Wildsmith at Heckfield Place explains why it is ‘one to watch’ on the UK spa scene (p58).

With demand for preventative health growing, we share the latest tech found in top destination spas as part of our buyer’s guide, ‘Six diagnostic tools for your spa’ (p68). Our summer Menu brings you the latest product and treatment innovations (p41) and Spa Style offers leading-edge technology and spa equipment (p106).

A stellar line up of brands launching new spa innovations for summer are peppered throughout our pages, as well as a wealth of thought-leadership from our expert contributors, international spa consultant Kirsty MacCormick (p54), aromatherapist Laura Broady (p104) and hospitality champion Aradhana Khowala (p34).

Please enjoy this issue and thanks to you and all our industry friends who work behind the scenes to deliver spa excellence.

Sarah Camilleri Editorial director & publisher sarah.camilleri@spapublishing.com

Image: an inspiring spa bath at Anantara Layan Phuket, Thailand

Meet the team

European Spa is the No.1 business magazine for spa and wellness leaders

Sarah Camilleri

Editorial director & publisher

A respected magazine editor with over 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.

An influential spa writer, Mark has contributed beauty and wellness news to European Spa and europeanspamagazine.com for over a decade. The founder of UK meditation concept Kalm Horizons, he brings us five of the best recent spa openings across Europe and recommends six diagnostic tools to boost your spa’s offering.

For our summer issue, Wendy heads to The Bothy by Wildsmith at Heckfield Place, UK, to see how ‘radical botany’ is shaping its ever-evolving guest experience. She also spotlights some of the latest equipment, leading-edge technologies and luxurious textiles that can enhance your spa in our regular Style section.

With thanks to our expert contributors...

On the cover: Luxury and nature at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort Thailand

Editorial director & publisher Sarah Camilleri sarah.camilleri@spapublishing.com

Deputy editor Mark Smith mark.smith@spapublishing.com

News editor Wendy Golledge wendy.golledge@spapublishing.com

Art director Richard Page richard@spapublishing.com

Production and online editor David Fagan david.fagan@spapublishing.com

Production and proofing Angela Sharpe subscribe@spapublishing.com

Aradhana Khowala

Aptamind Partners

Aradhana Khowala has worked in luxury hospitality, travel and tourism for more than two decades. She is CEO of the consultancy Aptamind Partners and chair of the global advisory board of The Red Sea Development Company. In this issue she encourages spa businesses to take a new approach to human resources.

Kirsty MacCormick

The Spa Consultancy

With expertise in spa development, pre-opening project management and operational set up, Kirsty has 30 years’ experience in the spa and wellness industry. Focusing on good communication, she explores the importance of being at the table to illustrate your spa’s value to GMs and owners.

Laura Broady

Founder, Scented Saviours

Aromatherapy expert Laura Broady is on a mission to promote the wellbeing benefits of essential oils. A cancer survivor, she has a particular interest in their use for treating those living with the disease, offering well researched information and expert guidance on their safe and effective use in spas.

Accounts manager Julie Jones accounts@spapublishing.com

Spa Publishing Ltd

Registered in England. Company No. 6293825

Mark Smith Deputy editor

Wendy Golledge News editor

www.biologique-recherche.com www.gerrardinternational.com info@gerrardinternational.com

ON THE COVER

Bubble lodges allow wellness travellers to get up close to nature while remaining in the lap of luxury at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in Thailand. See page 16 for our Anantara report.

SPA SPOTLIGHT

16 ANANTARA, THAILAND

Partnering with expert brands including BDMS Wellness Retreat and Clinique La Prairie, Anantara is a force for good for the global wellness market. We talk to William E Heinecke, founder and chairman of Minor International PCL, and Chunxia Gao, group director of spa and wellness for Asia, Minor Hotels about what drives the renowned hospitality brand

58 THE BOTHY BY WILDSMITH AT HECKFIELD PLACE, UK

Embracing ‘radical botany’ and holistic wellness, a range of horticulturally inspired skincare has been integral in the evolution and growth of this Hampshire spa that aims to empower its therapists to deliver highly bespoke guest experiences

80 FIVE SUMMER SPAS TO WATCH

We highlight several recently opened spas that exemplify the rapidly growing demand for luxury and wellness, including Six Senses Rome and 7Pines Sardinia in Italy, the stunning Pnoé Breathing Life in Greece and The Nici and The Municipal Liverpool – MGallery in the UK

BUSINESS INSIGHT

34 BRINGING THE ‘HUMAN’ BACK INTO HUMAN RESOURCES

The CEO of Aptamind Partners, Aradhana Khowala, urges spa businesses to reconsider the value of their workforces to maximise the possibilities for both profit and people

54 HOW TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE THE BUSINESS VALUE OF YOUR SPA

The Spa Consultancy’s Kirsty MacCormick states the importance of clarity, communication and understanding when it comes to illustrating your spa’s worth within the hospitality setting

68 SIX DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS FOR YOUR SPA

With demand for preventative health checks growing, we spotlight leading companies in the industry and look at some of the best technology available for spas looking to deliver diagnostic services

104 SUMMER SCENTED SAVIOURS

Aromatherapist Laura Broady explains why summer is the season when scents take on a new dimension and advises on how to pass on the power of essential oils to clients

58

80

At Swissline, we are skincare experts with a passion for skin biology and beauty. Our philosophy is simple: skincare should respect and work with the skin, not against it. Our award-winning formulas embrace natural bioactives, with a focus on skin-identical ingredients, such as collagen, mimetic growth factors, clinically tested peptides and many others.

BRANDS TO WATCH

14 ELEMIS: THE BEAUTY OF B CORP

Co-founders, global president Noella Gabriel and chief product and sustainability officer Oriele Frank, share what B Corp accreditation means for the superbrand

32 MII COSMETICS: ASPIRATIONAL BEAUTY

Founder Susan Gerrard on her passion for the brand and how Mii Cosmetics has been pushing the boundaries since 2011

36 NATURA BISSÉ: REACH FOR THE NEXT LEVEL

Senior vice-president Patricia Fisas announces the launch of Pro-Youth Lifting Method facial treatment

47 SWISSLINE: SKINCARE EXCELLENCE

CEO Christophe Lesueur details Swissline’s reputation for spa excellence that stretches across 30 countries

50 ISHGA: THE POWER OF SEAWEED

Celebrating ten years of marine skincare excellence, we ask co-founder Malcolm Macrae what makes ishga a great partner

56 ALQVIMIA: THE SCENT OF SUCCESS

We find out how ALQVIMIA’s blend of natural beauty and aromatherapy can bring holistic healing to the spa market

66 GERMAINE DE CAPUCCINI: A REVOLUTIONARY BRAND

From hands-on unique protocols to advanced cosmetic technology, there’s more to GdC than you may realise

76 OSKIA: NUTRITIONAL SKINCARE

Georgie Cleeve, founder of the nutri-cosmeceutical beauty brand, discusses how it is evolving from its UK base

78 DÉSSEE PRO: COVETED AROUND THE GLOBE

Harpar Grace’s light therapy innovation is the mask of choice for flagship spas and clinics around the world, we find out why

92 ELLISONS: A PERFECT SPA PARTNER

A look into how the Ellisons Spa Partner team helps a global clientele create their individual wellness journeys

94 SAUNA360: SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

We find out how the brand is helping spas develop sustainable thermal areas while maximising their wellness benefits

SPA SPECIFIER

41 ON THE MENU

A round-up of the best new products and treatment innovations including Ground Wellbeing’s Skin Wellness Face Rituals

96 WELLNESS MATTERS

The modalities making waves in the world of wellness, starting with the growing trend for pop-up and mobile saunas

106 SPA STYLE

Our selection of latest stylish equipment and leading-edge technology explains how TechnoAlpin’s Snowroom can provide a dramatic, effective and ecologically and financially friendly addition to any spa

The beauty of B Corp

We talk

to Elemis

co-founders – global president

Noella Gabriel and chief product and sustainability officer Oriele Frank – about what

B Corp accreditation means for the brand

Elemis recently joined some 1,000 other British companies that have B Corp certification, a mark of their consideration of people, environment and profit when making business decisions.

This is an impressive achievement for the global beauty brand, which is available in 103 countries. B Corp is said to be the most comprehensive sustainability audit available. It goes beyond product evaluation to rigourously apply high verified standards of social and environmentally responsible practices, transparency, and corporate accountability.

To certify as a B Corp, a business’s performance is analysed across five key areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. We asked the brand’s

“For our spa partners, our achievements are theirs too. We want spas to thrive.”

Noella Gabriel Global president and co-founder, Elemis

co-founders – global president

Noella Gabriel and chief product and sustainability officer Oriele Frank – what the status means for Elemis.

What does it mean for Elemis to have achieved B Corp certification?

Oriele Frank: B Corp Certification is a huge achievement for Elemis, our B Corp team and for me personally.

We were very proud of the speed at which we managed to be certified and achieving 93 points on our first verified assessment was truly outstanding. None of the team had any experience in B Corp, so it really was fast learning all the way.

It is important as a 33-year-old brand that we show we are taking our role and responsibilities in business seriously. Not only are we hugely

ambitious to successfully grow this British brand globally, but also to ensure that we consider our social and environmental commitments while doing this – making sure Elemis is a business that is a force for good. It’s no longer just about shareholders and profit, it’s also about stakeholder alliance and ensuring we are only making a positive impact on the planet.

As co-founders, we had a vision at the start, but as we grew this became less about our focus due to four changes of owners. It is amazing that Groupe L’Occitane has given permission for Elemis to champion the purpose of the brand at the forefront of everything we do.

How does your B Corp benefit spas?

Noella Gabriel: Being B Corp means that Elemis meets high standards of social and environmental performance throughout its business. These standards are reflected in our products, our treatments and our operations. Every day we are improving our impact, such as introducing more sustainable packaging, increasing the biodegradability of our formulations and investing in programmes to help reduce our carbon footprint.

For our spa partners, our achievements are theirs too. We want spas to thrive with purpose, using the tools we offer with confidence that

“We must put people and planet level with profit. We must all be accountable.”

Oriele Frank Co-founder and chief product and sustainability officer, Elemis they have a more positive impact on people and planet.

What does it mean for your consumers and your spas’ guests?

Noella Gabriel: We have had incredible feedback from our community. They recognise that B Corp means we have purpose at our heart. We have taken them with us on our journey. We listen to what they want and then we share what we are working on, what we need to improve and what our achievements are. We hope our community will be proud to use our

products and be part of a brand that is making change for the better.

What did the process of certification reveal about the business?

Oriele Frank: It revealed that we all have the power to make change. B Corp helped us question every aspect of our business. We asked of everything; is it enough? Are we happy with that? Then we could improve. We were super-proud to introduce new initiatives and practices, such as our Bloom employee wellbeing programme, moving employees to the UK Living Wage and doing a thorough audit on our supply chain, ensuring they too met our social and environmental standards.

The audit did reveal that we need to act fast on our carbon management plan and to reduce our impact from packaging. It was a catalyst to get things done, and quickly.

Why is corporate accountability so important?

Oriele Frank: Our planet is in crisis and businesses are better placed than any other organisations to make a positive impact. Without a healthy planet, businesses will not survive. We must put people and planet on a level playing field with profit. It is our responsibility to make the right decisions. We must all be accountable.

What is next for Elemis in 2023?

Noella Gabriel: We will be introducing new treatments to our spas. This year we are launching Pro-Collagen Glow Boost Exfoliator, Pro-Collagen Rose Micro Serum and Pro-Collagen Green Fig Cleansing Balm. We have also collaborated with the Netflix series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

BE INSPIRED...

To find out more about Elemis and what its B Corp certification could bring to your spa, visit: www.elemis.com

Spa Spotlight William E Heinecke, Anantara

Wellness is a journey

In an

exclusive interview, William E Heinecke, founder and chairman of Minor International pcl, discusses how Anantara’s new focus on wellness hospitality will drive bold investment

The extraordinary reach of luxury hospitality brand Anantara is one to watch as the business gears up its wellness investment worldwide. Owned by Minor Hotels, Anantara is the brainchild of its founder, US-born Thai businessman William ‘Bill’ Heinecke. The fearless entrepreneur famously took out his first bank loan as a minor at 17 to make his start in the world. Six decades later, he heads a diverse hotel and investment company with more than 530 properties in 55 countries worldwide. Furthermore, Minor International, named after it’s ‘minor’ founder, employs 85,000 people worldwide across a diverse range of sectors including hospitality, leisure, retail and food.

Founded in 2001, Minor’s flagship brand Anantara provides luxury hospitality for modern travellers, connecting them to places, people and stories through personal experiences. Its growing collection of luxury hotels and resorts now encompasses 40 properties across Thailand, the Maldives, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Seychelles, Mozambique, Zambia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Tunisia, Portugal, Spain, Hungary and Italy, with a pipeline of future properties in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Heartfelt leadership

Heinecke’s desire to leave a wellness legacy for the world is exemplified by his love of elephants. In 2006, he launched the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation to protect the endangered Thai animals and provide livelihoods for their surrounding communities. Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort is world famous for its support of rescued elephant and their carers, who were all deeply impacted by the disappearance of tourism during Covid 19.

Other philanthropic projects close to his heart are the Heinecke Foundation, which raises funds to educate less fortunate children, and the Mai Khao Marine Turtle foundation, which was formed to help rejuvenate the turtle population in Thailand’s Sirinat National Park.

INTERVIEW BY SARAH CAMILLERI

“We hope to make it easier for our guests to reach their health goals, adopt a healthier lifestyle and achieve their optimal wellbeing.”

William ‘Bill’ Heinecke Founder and chairman, Minor International pcl

Right: elephants pass the Jungle Bubble Lodge at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort

Spa Spotlight William E Heinecke, Anantara

Wellness pivot

Post-pandemic, Heinecke’s vision of the value of wellness hospitality recognises a significant shift in consumer demand. “Hotels are no longer perceived as providers of basic fitness facilities and pampering spa treatments. They are now crucial building blocks in curating one’s preventive physical and mental selfcare routine” he tells European Spa. “The first properties to feel this change were our hotels and resorts in the Maldives, the Middle East and Thailand. When borders reopened, properties that provided healing were the first ones to bounce back and remain at the frontline of our wellness pivot.”

Anantara has responded rapidly to this shift in order to stay ahead of the competition. “We are now taking more of a pillared, holistic approach to wellness, addressing the needs of the whole person, from the inside and out,” says Heinecke. “Today, when designing our guest products, we look at everything from how we can support their nutrition goals and improve their sleep experience to helping them rebalance and heal.”

Leading in hospitality

When it comes to wellness investment, Heinecke is determined to lead from the front. “As a hotel group, I feel that we have the opportunity to be a leader in the wellness sector. We have the infrastructure, partnerships and medical and wellness experts

to offer comprehensive wellness screenings and therapies, utilising advanced science and technology throughout the journey. This allows our teams to work with guests to enhance mental and physical wellness and – most importantly – quality of life.

“Our partnership with Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS Wellness Retreat ) at Anantara Riverside Bangkok, for example, is fully in line with our commitment to provide an all-encompassing approach to holistic wellness and longevity. We aim to make it easier for our guests to reach their health goals, adopt a healthier lifestyle and achieve their optimal wellbeing. It is our wish that they pick up helpful tools and experience positive changes while on holiday or a business trip and continue the journey at home.”

Unlocking wellness potential

Anantara also has strong investment plans in the pipeline. “We continue to look at opportunities to expand our wellness offering, especially here in Asia, then the Middle East and beyond,” says Heinecke. “Our goal is to unlock the synergy in holistic wellness which is at the crossroads of science, fitness and traditional medicine. I fully believe there is a lot of opportunity in this segment, and I am determined to be part of it.”

Above: a relaxing spa bath at Anantara Layan Phuket, Thailand

Purpose driven to address common issues that impact physical and emotional wellbeing, GROUND offers advanced training in massage to understand and harness the power of touch in relation to sleep, stress, compromised health and support in times of transition including menopause and pregnancy.

Precision health for wellness travellers

Chunxia Gao, Minor Hotels’ group director of spa and wellness for Asia, shares the company’s vision for its spa development and wellness partnerships

Bangkok’s wellness scene is as vibrant as it is diverse. Countless spas light up the ‘city of angels’ where everything from traditional spa services through to the latest medical wellness modalities are on tap. Leading the wellness charge, Anantara is taking every opportunity to expand its reach and customer base through new strategic wellness partnerships set to provide precision health services for wellness travellers.

Passionate about elevating the guest experience, Chunxia Gao, Minor Hotels’ group director of spa and wellness Asia, is on a mission to grow Anantara’s spa and wellness reputation across the East. Currently charged with propelling the success of 42 spas under various brands for Minor Hotels, together with her

MSpa International management team, Gao works closely with general managers and spa directors across the region to put wellness first.

“My key responsibilities are to drive the growth and expansion of new spa and wellness facilities by supporting our general managers and spa leaders, as well as ensuring operational excellence throughout our spas,” says Gao, who travels constantly to connect with her spa teams and reports directly to Bill Heinecke.

“We want all our guests to experience authentic spa and wellness services that celebrate local indigenous therapies. Our mission is to expand and integrate wellness in our guest journey, so we can best guide our guests in their quest for wellness.”

Spa Spotlight Anantara Riverside Bangkok, Thailand

Wellness partnerships to watch

Minor Hotels’ wellness offer has recently expanded rapidly with a host of exciting new partnerships delivering the latest modalities. Defining new wellness frontiers for the Anantara and Avani brands, Gao is mindful of each property’s unique characteristics to bring the right wellness mix.

“In Bangkok we have a range of significant new medical wellness facilities where we partner with experts in the field, including VIVID by Verita Health at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel; Longevity Hub by Clinique La Prairie at St. Regis Bangkok; and the BDMS Wellness Retreat located at Anantara Riverside Bangkok. We also have VLCC Wellness at Avani+ located in Hua Hin,” Gao says.

Integrated wellness with prestigious partners such as Switzerland’s Clinique La Prairie takes the offer to another level. “At Longevity Hub by Clinique La Prairie Bangkok, we offer the brand’s expert protocol based on the proprietary Longevity Index assessment. This tailored approach helps our guests to follow their personalised plans to unlock longevity,” says Guo.

Appealing to a cosmopolitan crowd, VIVID by Verita Health is a popular and vibrant IV drip bar with a great social atmosphere, located at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel. “It restores energy and balance with cutting-edge IV treatments designed for the modern-day lifestyle,” explains Gao. “We are also proud of VLCC Wellness located in our family-friendly beach resort in Hua Hin. Our team of experts there help formulate personalised programmes, so our guests are able to pursue their health goals while enjoying a beach holiday with family and friends.”

Inside BDMS Wellness Retreat

The growing trend for taking wellness holidays has many opportunities for spa brands with the right expertise. For Anantara, the solution has been to partner with the best – bridging the gap between spa and medical to give guests retreat time with added clinical expertise.

Anantara’s recent partnership with BDMS Wellness Retreat at Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort is an innovative move to provide dedicated lifestyle medicine and preventative care in a resort setting. Here, guests can experience a full range of holistic treatments in an Anantara Spa, together with medically supervised BDMS programmes, in the sanctuary of a city resort.

This page: Anantara Riverside Bangkok is a serene sanctuary in the heart of the bustling city

“Our mission is to expand and integrate wellness in our guest journey, so we can best guide our guests in their quest for wellness.”

Chunxia Gao

Group director of spa and wellness for Asia,

Minor Hotels

Spa Spotlight Anantara Riverside Bangkok, Thailand

“We offer comprehensive wellness check-ups and advanced diagnosis, combined with holistic wellness, to address health concerns down to the cellular level in our beautiful and serene riverside setting,” says Gao. “Our partnership with BDMS Wellness Retreat gives our guests a unique opportunity to undergo comprehensive wellness screenings utilising advanced science and technology.”

Diagnostics, precision and personalisation Anantara Spa together with BDMS Wellness

Retreat now offers a wide range of screenings to build precision wellbeing programmes, as well as advanced beauty therapies, aesthetic treatments and personalised supplements and skincare products.

“It is called a wellness clinic as we offer wellness screenings like Sleep Test, Gut Microbiome and Anti-ageing Signature, which measures the client’s levels of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants,” says Gao. “Based on the results, we can then offer comprehensive programming tailored to the individual and delivered by a team of experts including a doctor, nurse, physiotherapist, yoga instructors, personal trainers and our spa therapists.”

Detox IV Therapy to boost the immune system and protect against age-related degenerative disease is highly popular and can be customised after tests to ensure the right vitamins are delivered. For the skin, BDMS’s own Royal Crystal Skin treatments use Viora Infusion electro-mesotherapy to deliver essential vitamins and active ingredients, and can be further personalised with takeaway products created by BDMS’s own laboratories. The clinic also offers telehealth appointments to help guests maintain their wellbeing regime with further medical advice.

Gut and hormonal health

The BDMS Gut Microbiome package is a great reset for health, according to Gao. Blood is taken and analysed to first understand the client’s micronutrient profile. “We examine six main micro-organisms, five harmful bacteria and 12 probiotics. It is designed for people with weight concerns, allergy problems, unhealthy diets or those

Above from left: Personalised IV therapy helps to boost the immune system; a warm welcome at BDMS Wellness Retreat in Bangkok, in partnership with Anantara

Spa Spotlight Anantara Riverside Bangkok, Thailand

A clinical collaboration

Devi Irianti, director of spa and recreation at Anantara Riverside Bangkok, shares the success of its spa partnership with BDMS Wellness Retreat

Tell us about the collaboration between Anantara and BDMS Wellness Retreat

Our partnership with BDMS Wellness Retreat provides us with plenty of new opportunities to integrate Anantara’s spa services with a raft of wellness expertise. Collaborating with BDMS – one of the most luxurious medical facilities and the largest operator of private hospitals with over 50 facilities across Thailand and Cambodia – is a privilege for us. It gives us scope to offer our guests a variety of retreat programmes targeting specific components of wellness pillars, such as detox, immune boosting, anti-ageing and weight balance. They can experience this while staying with us and discovering the city of Bangkok.

How has demand changed since Thailand reopened for international tourism?

Since the pandemic our external guest to in-house guest capture rate is now 20:80% where it used to be around 40:60%. Many people are seeking a much more holistic wellness approach beyond massages, such as yoga, meditation, sound healing, and medical modalities such as IV therapies and wellness screening.

Preventative care medicine is one of our main core concepts at BDMS with comprehensive beauty and aesthetics programming, including PRP, botox and fillers, IV therapy, Royal Slim treatment, and Bioscor hair treatments.

How do you personalise each programme?

The technology used by BDMS lab tests provides comprehensive wellness screening, including NK cell activity testing, DNA premium testing, telomere length testing, cancer screening, IgG4 food intolerance testing, gut microbiome testing, sleep testing and much more. We also offer a full rehabilitation clinic to address chronic pain. Our highly personalised approach to vitamin and hormone medical testing allows us to fully customise the supplements and beauty skincare products we can recommend and supply for

aftercare. In fact, Anantara Riverside is one of very few properties in Bangkok that offers such a comprehensive wellness medical check-up in combination with a luxury hospitality setting.

What makes this new partnership one to watch?

BDMS Wellness Retreat at Anantara Riverside has greatly enhanced our current holistic spa offering and delivers an elevation of our wellness concept, which as a brand, we strongly believe is the way forward. Our unique collaboration where the holistic and medical components can merge, makes Anantara Riverside one of the best wellness destinations in the region.

Spa Spotlight Anantara Riverside Bangkok, Thailand

Clinique La Prairie: Longevity hub in the heart of Bangkok

Minor Hotels’ partnership with Swiss brand Clinique La Prairie has lead to the creation of a superb new city wellness destination, the Clinique La Prairie Aesthetics & Medical Spa at The St. Regis Bangkok.

Offering 1,500sqm of dedicated wellness space high above the city, guests can enjoy superlative wellness services that follow the renowned Swiss brand’s four pillar philosophy of wellbeing, movement, nutrition and medical.

Every guest receives a complimentary 45-minute in-depth Longevity Index consultation to discover five key metrics about their health. They can then select from a comprehensive menu of Longevity programmes and treatments to make positive lifestyle changes.

Led by director of spa and wellness Kittipitch Watnoi, this is the first Clinique La Prairie flagship outside Europe and offers a raft of aesthetic and medical treatments as well as healing therapies. Medical and nutritionist consultations are available expertly lead by Wellness Counsellor & Nutritionist Rachel Bullen.

Thermage, PRP, injectables, hyaluronic fillers and the latest laser technology is medically supervised on the aesthetic side, which deploys state-of-the-art equipment, including Exilis Ultra 360, EMSculpt and Cool Tech for the latest aesthetic body treatments. For the skin the clinic’s exclusive partner is Swiss Perfection, renowned for its scientifically proven results. www.cliniquelaprairiebangkok.com

interested in checking their intestinal health,” she explains.

Other top-selling packages include the BWT Gold Signature, which involves hormonal screening for accurate prescribing. “As we age, hormone levels change and having too much or too little of certain hormones can affect the health of our body and mind. This package screens for hormonal imbalances that might cause fatigue; skin issues; weight gain; decreased cognitive function; or sleep disorders. Based on the screening results, our physician will develop a therapy plan best suited to the guest’s needs, which includes a nutrition plan, exercise schedule, and hormone replacement therapy to restore vitality and youth.”

Precision health is the future

Looking to the future, Gao sees many new opportunities for Minor Hotels’ spa and wellness development. In fact there are currently 50 pipeline projects across the hospitality group’s eight brands, including new builds, acquisitions and rebranding. Furthermore, flagship brand Anantara is also celebrating recent launches into strategic locations in Europe, including Rome, Budapest, the Amalfi Coast,

Above: Clinique La Prairie’s new Longevity Index consultation tracks five key metrics to guide programming

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT

EXPANDS TO TWICE DRIED SIZE

PLUMPS AND REDUCES PUFFINESS

REDUCES DARK CIRCLES

GROWN ON SUSTAINABLE REEFS

SEAWEED IMPROVES COLLAGEN PRODUCTION BY 202%

ANTIOXIDANTS PROVEN TO INCREASE SKIN’S ABILITY TO FIGHT FREE RADICALS BY 122%

RENEWAL EYES

100% ORGANIC SEAWEED EYE MASKS

Cool and soothe the delicate under-eye area with VOYA’s new Renewal Eyes, made from 100% pure organic seaweed which is hand-harvested from the West Coast of Ireland.

www.voya.ie

www.voya.ie

*In-Vitro testing at the Shannon Biotechnology Research Centre, Institute of Technology, Tralee

Dublin and Amsterdam to position the brand as a key player in urban hubs. Additional Anantara openings in 2023 will include Ubud Bali and the island of Koh Yao Yai, adjacent to Phuket in southern Thailand.

“Since the pandemic people are so much more aware and conscious of their health choices. We are excited to see more demand for plant-based cuisine in our hotels, more interest in better sleep, and more yearning for back to basics,” says Gao.

“Mental wellness and emotional wellbeing are also driving demand and we are seeing an increased interest in mindfulness, stress management, and activities and unique experiences to spend quality time with family and friends,” she adds.

“Key future wellness investments for us will include new medical wellness facilities in addition to introducing advanced diagnosis, wellness technology, advanced beauty equipment, training and medical wellness experts. Our wellness residences close to nature have seen strong growth too,” Gao says, citing “getting back to nature” as a significant driver for bookings.

“Wellness technology is another exciting space which we are exploring right now. People are much more open-minded to adopting technology to take care of their health and using it to help with personalisation, disease prediction and prevention. Precision health is what people are looking for in a post-pandemic world.”

SPA STATISTICS

Spa & BDMS Wellness Retreat, Anantara Spa, Anantara Riverside Bangkok www.anantara.com/en/riverside-bangkok/spa

General manager: Michael James Robinson

Clinical lead: Dr Sureerat Sritangrattanakul

Group director of spa and wellness:

Chunxia Gao

Spa director: Devi Irianti

Spa investment: undisclosed

Wellness area size: 746sqm

Spa team: 14

Treatment rooms: eight couples suites and one mani/pedicure studio

Fitness: 386sqm gym and multifunction fitness space supplied by Life Fitness

Spa areas: spa reception and retail area and spa relaxation garden

Specialist treatments: Viora V30 for slimming and aesthetic facials; needle-free electroporation mesoporation device for hair treatments; a high-tech laboratory at the BDMS headquarters can customise supplements and skincare products as well as carry out comprehensive health check-ups

Product partners: Anantara Spa retail brand, Intraceuticals, Gentlemen’s Tonic, Rice Force, Thai Kanya BDMS supplements, Sacred Body Rituals, Vuudh (Harnn), Znya Organics

Right: scalp health analysis at BDMS Wellness Clinic

Below: a Thai massage room at Anantara Riverside Bangkok

Spa Spotlight Anantara Riverside Bangkok, Thailand

HIGH-END PERSONALIZE D BEAUTY CARE

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.

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 tropical island escape

We visit Anantara Layan Phuket to find out how it has developed a luxurious and premium wellness offering for clientele of all ages

Anantara Layan Phuket is a hillside resort nestled in lush manicured tropical gardens overlooking the Andaman Sea. The beautifully appointed colonial-style beach resort offers 30 guest rooms and suites and 47 one and two-bedroom pool villas that cascade down the hillside giving plenty of privacy for everyone.

The green verdant curve of Layan Bay is also home to 15 Layan Residences and 15 Avadina Hills residences by Anantara, including a hideaway home of Minor Hotels’ founder Bill Heinecke, who loves this place so much he comes here often to escape and relax with his family and friends.

Cosmopolitan and chic

Anantara Layan Phuket attracts a notably youthful demographic of international guests looking for escape, time together and Anantara’s unique blend of curated experiences. Fine and laid-back dining, spa services, family time and chilled social events are all part of its secret sauce, according to resort manager Moustafa Khalil.

“Anantara Layan Phuket is a uniquely luxurious hideaway, inviting guests to create new chapters during their tropical island escape with us. We attract spa guests from all over the world and also appeal to local and ex-pat guests from outside

Spa Spotlight Anantara Layan Phuket, Thailand

the resort.” says Khalil. “Operations-wise, we are back to normal since Covid 19, however, we have seen an increase in the demand for mental health programmes such as meditation, yoga and wellness and fitness retreats,” he adds. “Guests want to unwind, reflect and experience real Thai therapies and culture.”

Time to escape

Spa manager Porntip Phalalert, who joined Anantara five years ago, is passionate about spa and leads her team with commitment and energy. “As well as wonderful facilities our real point of difference is the guest journey we strive to curate,” she says. “As soon as you step through the door of our spa everything you experience here has been put there to make you feel special. What you see, smell and how we engage with you is always highly personalised.”

The spa’s serene double-height traditional Thai-style reception has steeply sloping tiled roofs with upturned edges, beautifully surrounded by tranquil lotus ponds and colourful orchid strewn gardens. On arrival, guests can slow down and enjoy welcome drinks and one-on-one consultation time, to ensure their spa stay is personalised.

“It’s true that you can find massage everywhere in Thailand and there are also many spas, but what we do differently at Anantara is our absolute focus on every guest. Consultation and treatment delivery must be at the highest level to create real connection,” says Phalalert.

Beyond reception, an outdoor walkway leads to seven spacious treatment rooms, including three sumptuous couple suites. There are four single treatment rooms, an OPI manicure and pedicure room and a private hair salon studio. The spa also has male and female dressing rooms and a beautifully appointed relaxation area, decorated with orchids and silks.

Take a journey

Luxurious treatments, rituals and journeys are menu mainstays, alongside premium treatments from French spa brand Biologique Recherche. “Our 60-minute and 90-minute Biologique Recherche anti-ageing facials are extremely popular with both our resort and resident guests,” says Phalalert. “As are Biologique Recherche’s anti-cellulite and firming-and-toning body treatments.”

The spa welcomes a significant number of repeat

This page: Anantara Layan Phuket is green, serene and attracts a notably youthful and international demographic

“Anantara Layan Phuket Resort is a uniquely luxurious hideaway, inviting guests to create new chapters during their tropical island escape with us.”

Moustafa

Khalil

Resort

manager, Anantara Layan Phuket Resort

Spa Spotlight Anantara Layan Phuket, Thailand

guests – around 30% typically – as well as serving a loyal ex-pat community. The dominant age group is 30-40, followed by those between 40 and 60. “We are also seeing growth in visits by guests aged 20-30 years old,” says Phalalert. “As a family resort, couples’ treatments are such an escape and we offer a 5-12-year-old children’s menu.”

Salt, sound and CBD

Phalalert says the spa’s pièce de résistance remains the Anantara Signature massage. “It’s a beautiful 90-minute ritual we have developed using lavender, geranium-infused warm oil and a combination of eastern and western massage techniques. The long strokes are enhanced with skilled Thai massage techniques to relax and release muscle tension.”

Personalised Sound Healing therapy and CBD rituals are also gaining traction. “Our CBD Stress Relief Journey uses warm cannabis compresses together with CBD oil to release muscle tension. It’s particularly good for those suffering with ‘office syndrome’, easing shoulder, neck and back tension.”

Leading well to lead others

Spa training is a constant investment for the business. “We have our own onsite training manager so our team constantly evolves. We also all have refresher training twice a year to improve our guests’ service journey,” explains Phalalert. “I am happy that my team are happy with their jobs – they love what they do and that makes all the difference. If you love what you do then the outcome is going to be great.”

An accomplished competitive runner, Phalalert uses running to balance her working day. “When your body is moving your mind is still. Running has always been a meditation for me. I know if I run in the mornings, I will be more successful.” She is keen to ensure her spa team also have time out for their own wellbeing. “We also like to do the same Thai Hermit stretching classes we offer guests together as a team, to stretch out our bodies after giving treatments all day.”

Active wellness investment

Demand for active wellness and family time is prompting the resort to expand its current offer and a next-generation, integrated wellness centre is set for construction this year. The new centre will be located close to the resort’s Layan Active Zone, which offers a Muay Thai boxing ring, cardio and strength training gym, a recreational area, skate park, 10.5m outdoor climbing wall, two tennis courts and a 400m Zipline.

“Guests are much more ‘wellness aware’ now and

interested in how to better take care of themselves,” says Phalalert. “They want to know how to improve their diets, what they can put on their skin and how to look after their bodies.

“We are planning to develop many more activity focused wellness days, which will offer tai chi and yoga on the beach in the mornings with specially prepared juices from our chefs, followed by a healthy lunch and spa treatments in the afternoons.”

“The pandemic highlighted the need for interconnectivity between nature, space and wellbeing, and Anantara Layan offers a tranquil indoor-outdoor lifestyle enhanced by five-star resort amenities,” concludes Moustafa Khalil. “Our new centre will feature a health-focused restaurant, cooking school and holistic spa facilities offering acupuncture, Ayurveda, anti-ageing treatments and other indigenous therapies.”

From above: visiting wellness practitioner Renata Citrons performs singing bowl therapy; personal training in the outdoor gym, which features a Muay Thai boxing ring

Spa Spotlight Anantara Layan Phuket, Thailand

“You can find massage everywhere in Thailand and there are also many spas, but what we do differently at Anantara is our absolute focus on every guest.”

Porntip Phalalert

Spa manager, Anantara Layan Phuket Resort

SPA STATISTICS

Anantara Layan Phuket

www.anantara.com/en/layan-phuket

Managing director: Frederic Varnier

Resort manager: Moustafa Khalil

Spa manager: Porntip Phalalert

Spa size: 603sqm

Spa team: 13

Treatment rooms: seven – three couples’ rooms and four single rooms

Facilities: hair salon, nail salon, relaxation room, changing room with steam room, cliffside yoga studio, separate indoor and outdoor fitness gyms, Muay Thai boxing ring, climbing wall, skate park and Zipline

Product partners: Biologique Recherche, Intraceuticals, Moringa Project, Utique, Bhawa, Vassa, Thai Kanya, Q Company

Spa suppliers: Technogym, Table Master, Saharoj, Siam Feather, Interior Concept, Fabric City

Spa Spotlight Anantara Layan Phuket, Thailand

Aspirational beauty

We talk to the founder of Mii Cosmetics, Susan Gerrard, about her passion for the brand and how it has been pushing the boundaries since 2011

Mii is an internationally renowned, premium name in makeup with a reputation for quality and excellence in the spa market. The brand is available in more than 1,800 UK spas and salons, including Hoar Cross Hall, Eden Hall, Ribby Hall, Stobo Castle, Carden Park, South Lodge and The Dorchester. Its global reach extends to 25 countries.

Boasting a range of advanced formulas and skin-friendly technology, its award-winning products are developed for and inspired by spas, salons and beauty fans.

Founder Susan Gerrard, an industry icon who has delivered beauty innovations for more than 30 years, worked with experts, makeup artists and leading cosmetologists to develop the range. We ask her how Mii’s makeup line, Mii Manicure + Pedicure, Kissed by Mii tanning and Brow by Mii have become essential spa brands.

What does the Mii range include?

Mii offers a full makeup line including brows and tanning as well as manicure and pedicure, all developed for spas, salons and beauty lovers. There are over 115 products enriched with skin-loving ingredients, more than 140 shades of Statement Gels with matching shades in Colour Confidence Nail Polish (14ml and 9ml), plus a full offering of tools and accessories.

What makes Mii great for spas?

Our experience of over 30 years in working with spas has ensured that we know what will make a successful addition to the spa treatment menu and retail offering. We have a wide range of products to cater to all clients,

“Mii’s success continues to be down to how well we feel connected to our spas, salons, therapists and technicians.”

Susan Gerrard Founder, Mii Cosmetics

with skin-loving formulas that work to support skin health. The gorgeous packaging design will complement the spa décor.

Most spas have many beauty therapists and our experienced team at the Habia-endorsed Susan Gerrard Beauty Academy are very well equipped to train each and every one of them either virtually or face to face.

What kind of support do you offer your spa business partners?

My industry-acclaimed team of area managers support our spa partners with education as well as many ideas, hints and tips for growing their business. I feel that Mii’s success continues to be down to how well we feel connected to our spas, salons,

therapists and technicians.

What training innovations have you recently introduced?

Our experienced team are well equipped to train therapists, either virtually or face-to-face, through the Susan Gerrard Beauty Academy, now in its fifth year.

For the past three years we have worked alongside Michelle Hammond at tpot (the power of touch) to develop an expert course teaching beauty professionals to perform manicure and pedicure treatments on clients living with or beyond cancer.

We also understand that recruiting and training the right people can be tricky, so we’ve recently partnered with Armonia Training Academy to help educate a pipeline of talent to satisfy recruitment gaps in the market.

What does the future hold for the brand and its clients?

We will continue to nurture and grow the wonderful relationships we have built. We’ll carry on delivering the newest techniques and formulations available in order to benefit spas, their clients and their business. We’ll also continue to give back, supporting charities like Refuge, Beauty Banks and Future Dreams. We plan to introduce Mii to new markets in order to continue to grow our international family.

BE INSPIRED...

If you are interested in distributing Mii, or wish to become a UK stockist, please contact info@gerrardinternational.com www.gerrardinternational.com

Perfect for the spa

Mary-Tabitha Wilkin, director of Kindred Beauty, Australia, describes what she believes Mii brings to the spa beauty market

n Quality and variety: the range that Mii offers, paired with its skincare benefits, make it a standout brand in the professional market.

n Creating confidence: therapists and makeup artists know that they can confidently recommend the right products and that their clients will love them.

n Sales excellence: Mii’s merchandising solutions are a perfect fit, offering great flexibility and style.

n Ideal business partner: the team listens to the unique needs of our market and works with us to support local initiatives, while giving us the flexibility to operate our business independently.

n Greatest success: the feedback we get (both directly from our clients and from stockists) about how easy the products are to use and how they help women fall in love with makeup again is so rewarding.

Bringing the ‘human’ back into human resources

With recruitment and retention remaining a key issue, Aradhana Khowala urges hospitality businesses to reconsider the value of their spa workforce

The hospitality industry is a fiercely competitive landscape where brands have to lead through disruption and fight for guests’ loyalty. Yet, the biggest war out there is for talent. Human resources still remains the number one differentiator in hospitality and establishing positive corporate cultures remains a work in progress at best.

Hospitality leaders lament the time and resources required to recruit and retain talent, and every big brand has optimised and automated processes in order to stay ahead of the curve. Even so, data suggests that 25% of workers in hospitality want to quit their jobs in 2023, with the average employee turnover rate ranging between 15% at the lowest and 150% at its peak.

People matter, not positions

Aradhana Khowala’s career in luxury hospitality, travel and tourism has spanned more than two decades, five continents and 75 countries. She is CEO of the consultancy Aptamind Partners and says her mission is to “continue to evangelise for using tourism as a force for good and to turbocharge the mission for gender equality as there is a significant link between the two”.

Khowala currently serves as chair of the group advisory board of Red Sea Global in Saudi Arabia, and is a board member of Elaf Group, the leisure arm of a sustainable listed holding company SEDCO. www.aptamind.com

Many of today’s hospitality leaders grew up in a world where talent was plentiful and available on demand. Today, however, being mindful of your colleagues’ wellbeing is necessary in order to achieve a satisfied workforce.

Previously it worked for an industry that prides itself on consistency to cram people into strict roles and assign them name tags – even if this meant we often failed to see the real person behind the job description. To thrive in the future, we need to humanise our workforce more.

Wellness is a new kind of reward

In a post-pandemic and hybrid work culture, many global brands have started to implement a holistic

approach and have switched to developing compensation strategies that are anchored beyond financial wellbeing. Physical, emotional, social and mental pillars of wellbeing are now just as important as cash and healthcare insurance.

When it comes to the social wellness of hospitality employees, brands need to consider the relationships that are formed and nurtured on both peer-to-peer and peer-to-leader levels. We need our human resources to say more of what they want and how they feel. The side effects of this will not only be pro-social but also pro-performance and pro-economic.

Your employees are your most important asset

At the heart of hospitality, the core source of value rests in the quality of the encounter between two parties – the guest and the host. This ideally needs to be one that is mutually beneficial and infused with meaning. Research suggests that a keen priority for next-gen travellers is that their hosts have decent working conditions and are happy with their employers. The paradox of hospitality is that we expend all our energy to create special experiences for our guests, but don’t necessarily extend the same care to our employees and their wellbeing.

By aligning with employee values and treating them as your most important asset, you can build trust and loyalty. Not unlike happy guests who return, employees who are managed like a valuable asset will not want to leave.

EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR

Aradhana Khowala

Consider social responsibility from your team’s perspective

With the experience economy driving tourists to destinations, hospitality brands now recognise the need for local community engagement and to give something back.

Community wellbeing is not a new concept but so far it has been designed through the lens of the guest to make brands more likeable. Now we need to start implementing good practices for the benefit of employees. What do they think about the onsite food and infrastructure? Is wellbeing for their families and life outside of work considered?

Make your corporate culture more inclusive

Addressing stigma, toxic culture,

diversity, equity and inclusion is now paramount for a productive and healthy culture. Many companies address such needs by providing access to the latest mental health apps for meditation, sleep and overall psychological help. But to really deliver good results, the leadership needs to integrate good practices within the culture, take steps towards prioritising and closing the gap from talk to action.

Real company culture is defined by what is tolerated, not the words and pictures on websites and marketing materials. It’s characterised by the boots-on-the-ground reality in staff cafeterias, relaxation spaces, offices and conference rooms.

Spa and wellness operations are supposed to be relaxing and calming environments but often back-office

areas can be filled with high-stress levels, with little focus on therapists’ self-care. When you feel demoralised, or depleted how can you deliver rejuvenating experiences? How can one pour from an empty vessel?

Employee wellness is rapidly evolving and becoming an integral part of how employers ensure maximum productivity and efficiency. The hospitality industry needs to not just follow the dictate of the market but lead the way here.

We need more mirror-holding and less window-peering, instead of continuing down a path that is littered with the warning signs of past failures, otherwise, the opportunity for hospitality to step up and fulfil its role as a transformative change agent will pass.

Business Insight Aradhana Khowala

Aiming to take skincare to the next level, Natura Bissé has been working to perfect an extraordinary new facial treatment that brings together the power of breathwork, massage techniques and premium skincare to rejuvenate and lift the skin.

Pro-Youth Lifting Method has been designed with specific targeted movements to stimulate the vagus nerve, promoting physical and emotional wellbeing. The new ritual can be fully personalised and utilises Natura Bissé’s ingenious next-generation Pure Air Bubble – a pop-up ‘travel spa’ that offers a memorable point of difference.

Designed to enhance every treatment by delivering 99.99% pure air in a sealed pod, the Bubble presents spas with a unique treatment space that can be carried in and assembled anywhere fast.

We meet Patricia Fisas, Natura Bissé’s senior vice-president, to find out how the brand’s passion for personalisation, innovation, touch and age-defying products has been expertly curated for this exciting new experience, set to roll out in spas worldwide soon.

What inspires you when you create spa treatments and skincare?

We are very privileged in the spa industry right now. We dedicate our lives to help people feel better.

We are all in an industry where the spa and wellness activities provide an opportunity for self-care and indulgence. Taking time for oneself and engaging in treatments that nourish the body and mind boosts self-esteem, and improves overall mood – it’s amazing!

Whether it’s through anti-ageing treatments, revitalising facials or energising body experiences – in

the end all these activities aim to restore vitality and promote a sense of youthfulness.

Spa brings people an invaluable opportunity to relax and escape from the pressures of daily life, and it’s a way to unplug and disconnect from technology that surrounds us in every part of our lives.

Also, ancient practices such as yoga, meditation and mindfulness can bring another level of wellbeing to spa experiences, and this allows people to learn tools to help promote inner calm, focus, and balance.

Tell us about Natura Bissé’s new Pro-Youth Lifting Method?

It’s the culmination of many years of experience creating spa treatments. We decided to develop a unique new beauty method totally focused on enhancing healthy-looking and rejuvenated skin, as well as a balanced inner state. Furthermore, the specific massage techniques used provide an immediate tightening action which is unique.

“Anyone can benefit from this ritual, if they are looking for visible results in the skin and facial contour or seeking incredible relaxation.”

Patricia Fisas Senior vice-president of research and innovation, Natura Bissé

Right: Natura Bissé’s Pure Air Bubble is a transformative pop-up treatment space to improve skin cell oxygenation and rejuvenation

At Natura Bissé we not only focus on transforming the skin, we also want the spa experience to maximise consumers’ inner wellbeing. This inspired the use of conscious and guided breathwork as well as the flexibility of being able to tailor the treatment with our state-of-the-art skincare products.

Mindfulness and conscious breathing are great tools to help us all to disconnect from our daily routine and to guide guests to be fully present to enjoy their treatment. These techniques are also fully aligned with the essence of the Pure Air Bubble.

Importantly, anyone can benefit from this ritual, especially if they are looking for visible results in the skin and facial contour, but also if they just want to experience incredible relaxation.

Natura Bissé has a growing portfolio of spas worldwide – what are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of our presence in more than 40 countries. We are happy to work with the most celebrated spas in the world. This gives us intimate knowledge of our guests, their skin, their concerns, their goals and desires. We strive to design high-tech and avant-garde spa experiences and concepts designed to totally transform the skin.

Also, our whole team at Natura Bissé is proud to have been chosen as the first Official Skincare Brand of Forbes Travel Guide and awarded with the ‘in partnership’ seal – the best alliance for superior quality and impeccable attention. We have also been named four times in a row as the World’s Best Spa Brand (2018-2021).

Looking to the future, how do you see the wellness world developing?

Personalisation is certainly here to stay. There is no longer a ‘one size fits all’ option that will work for everyone. Clients want to feel special and are looking for solutions tailored to their budget, interests, lifestyle, preferences and unique needs. This approach

How it works: Pro-Youth Lifting Method by Natura Bissé

n Conscious and guided breathing is deployed at the start of every treatment, helping the guest to relax, fully immerse themselves and be present to maximise the results of their treatment.

n The treatment takes place in Natura Bissé’s new Pure Air Bubble, a transformative treatment space which surrounds the client in pure air to improve skin cell oxygenation and supercharge skin rejuvenation.

n A combination of exclusive massage movements is designed to stimulate the vagus nerve, reducing anxiety and promoting emotional balance. Specific movements target the temporomandibular joints in the jaw to release tension, lifting and sculpting the skin.

n Pro-Youth Lifting Method can be totally personalised by the therapist after consultation, to deploy the right combination of Natura Bissé’s products. High concentrations of active ingredients go to work on expression lines, wrinkles and sagging, to leave the skin visibly rejuvenated and lifted.

requires an open mind and a great deal of flexibility.

Sustainability will also drive the industry forward. At Natura Bissé, we are investing a lot of innovation resources to improve this aspect of our brand’s business.

Finally, neurocosmetics is a really interesting and emerging field to watch. Advancements in neuroscience and cosmetics are combining to develop products and treatments

aimed at improving the appearance of the skin – particularly for sensitive skin and also to combat the effects of stress.

BE INSPIRED...

For more information about the Spanish skincare expertise that Natura Bissé could bring to your treatment menu, visit: www.naturabisse.com

On the Menu

THE LATEST PRODUCT LAUNCHES AND TREATMENT INNOVATIONS

Edited by Mark Smith

Ground Wellbeing Skin Wellness Face Rituals

Highlighting the connection between skin health and overall wellness, Ground Wellbeing’s Skin Wellness

Face Rituals have debuted exclusively at The Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare in Ireland.

This collection of treatments and products enables therapists and guests to embrace the natural links between skin, gut and overall health using aromatherapy, gua sha and holistic ‘hands-on’ techniques.

“We couldn’t be prouder to partner with Sheen Falls – the setting is incredible with nature singing to you from every window, the landscape begging you to be at one with nature,” says Peigin Crowley, founder of Ground Wellbeing. “Most of all it’s the team of holistic spa therapists who believe in the power of touch, delivering more than just massage.”

The intuitive Face Rituals are guided not only by skin type but also by how the guest is feeling at the time. There are two options to choose from: Awakening Face Ritual – Stimulate the Skin and Uplift the Mind, and Mindful Face Ritual – Comfort the Skin and Calm the Mind. Both treatments feature the brand’s most recent product launch, the best-selling Restorative Cleansing Balm, which is formulated to cleanse, soothe and restore skin.

www.groundwellbeing.com

EDITOR’S PICK

Elemis launches glow-boosting exfoliator

Developed as a radiance-boosting, skin-smoothing physical exfoliator, Pro-Collagen Glow Boost Exfoliator from Elemis shares the same blend of oils, waxes and aromatics as the brand’s award-winning Pro-Collagen Marine Cream.

The product features natural exfoliating particles to sweep away dead skin. The skin-softening trio of oils, starflower, elderberry and OptiMega help to hydrate, while keeping skin smooth and supple.

Starflower is the richest natural source of GLA, an omega-6 fatty acid, helping to soften, smooth, and nourish skin. Elderberry oil, rich in essential fatty acids and with a silky feel, is readily absorbed, supporting skin smoothness without leaving a greasy sensation. OptiMega is a carefully balanced blend of wheatgerm and oat oils designed to give a balanced range of essential fatty acids including omegas 6 and 9.

A delicate blend of rose and mimosa waxes contribute to the nourishing texture of this skin polishing balm, with padina pavonica incorporated to support skin hydration. www.elemis.com

Voya presents sea-inspired bath salts

Drawing on its heritage and expertise in sustainably sourced seaweed, Voya’s Sea Marine Bath Salts combine chunky bath salts with nourishing seaweed and a blend of detoxifying minerals to revive the senses and revitalise the body.

The rich multi-mineral formula includes magnesium, zinc, calcium and potassium to help detoxify the body, blended with wild fucus serratus seaweed, Achill Island sea salts, epsom salts, and Himalayan pink rock salts. The blend is naturally fragranced with uplifting lime and mandarin essential oils.

Sprinkle the salts in a warm bath, letting them dissolve as the client breathes in the reviving aroma and soaks for at least ten minutes. Suited for overall wellbeing, the bath salts help with fatigue and tension. Skin will be left deeply nourished and remineralised.

The new bath salts boost the brand’s bathing range of products, including its best-selling Lazy Days detoxifying seaweed bath and aroma bathing oils. www.voya.ie

Aromatherapy Associates’ signature hand and haircare collection

Aromatherapy Associates has launched a signature hand and haircare collection that is enriched with pure essential oils and natural ingredients including lavender, ylang ylang and ho wood. The combination creates a memorable aroma, enriches the skin and hair, and boosts the mood.

Lavender provides calming and anti-inflammatory properties, reducing emotional stress and improving sleep. Fragrant ho wood promotes tranquillity and calm as well as offering natural cleansing and antimicrobial properties. Ylang ylang, known for balancing the skin as well as promoting healthy hair, has a mood-boosting aroma to uplift the spirit.

The collection includes Hand and Body Wash with a heady scent for daily cleansing rituals; Hand and Body Lotion, enriched with sweet almond oil and shea butter to hydrate and replenish; Nourishing Shampoo with hydrolysed oat protein for increased moisture and shine; and Nourishing Conditioner infused with jojoba seed oil to moisturise and strengthen. Bottles and pumps are made from 30% recycled materials. www.aromatherapyassociates.com

Swissline delivers Cell Shock additions

The popular Cell Shock Body range from Swissline now includes Décolleté and Bust Beautifying Serum, a home-use retail product that can be incorporated into professional treatments to improve skincare results.

Designed to address the texture and density of the décolleté area, including the bust, the serum firms and smoothes, decreasing the appearance of lines, wrinkles and crepiness.

Firming and retexturising, this instantly tightening gel-serum is formulated with marine collagen with a higher molecular weight than that used in the facial skincare range to maximise the line-filling and plumping effects.

In combination with a mesh of polymers, the high molecular weight collagen offers an immediate ‘second skin’ enveloping effect, which results in a perceivably plumper skin and more even texture. Low molecular weight marine elastin delivers amino acids and peptides deeper into the skin to support elasticity.

www.swissline-cosmetics.com

Dual action lip and cheek colour from Mii

Mii has introduced an innovative two-in-one product to achieve instant colour on-the-go. Colour Wonder Lip and Cheek is a super blendable balm to add colour to the lips and cheeks for a radiant complexion boost.

The highly pigmented vegan formula is enriched with skin-boosting ingredients. Ceramides support the natural lipid barrier, resulting in smoother, firmer skin and a reduced appearance of fine lines. Hyaluronic acid and konjac polysaccharides ensure long-lasting hydration and smooth the appearance of fine lines. Distilled essence from maracuja oil soothes and protects dry skin. A blend of apricot, argan, castor and jojoba oils provide moisturising, nourishing and caring properties.

The balm is available in three shades, Au Naturelle, a warm rosy taupe; Coral Fusion, a bright fresh coral; and Rebel Red, a ruby pink. For a bold look, continue to build up the creamy texture a little at a time until the desired result is achieved.

www.miicosmetics.com

Germaine de Capuccini Sculpt Zone

Germaine de Capuccini has developed Sculpt Zone, a push-pull vacuum system to sculpt and refine the silhouette. Said to be a more effective alternative to traditional vacuum therapy, this new machine-based concept works to decrease cellulite and localised fat. Offering multiple aesthetic and therapeutic benefits, the non-invasive treatment targets orange peel skin, reduces stubborn fat, remodels contours and improves circulation.

Vacuum therapy and pressotherapy are offered in a single head enabling the therapist to deliver simultaneous suction-compression technique for deeper tissue mobilisation and a more intense and effective massage. The three-direction action works to restart the lipolysis process to liberate ‘trapped’ fat, reposition the tissue and activate a powerful draining effect.

Sculpt Zone works at the dermal level, acting on the muscles to redefine contours and reposition volumes, improving the skin’s support structure. The treatment also helps to eliminate toxins, facilitates drainage and relieves fluid retention to achieve an immediate sensation of wellbeing. www.germaine-de-capuccini.co.uk

Spa Specifier On the Menu

Summer skin protection from Natura Bissé

Adding to its collection of summer skincare, Spanish skincare expert Natura Bissé has formulated a range of luxury sun protection products.

Diamond Luminous Oil-Free Brilliant Sun Protection SPF50 brightens and minimises the appearance of uneven pigmentation. Featuring a velvety finish, the protective C+C Cream also helps fade dark spots, delivers antioxidants to prevent ageing and provides superior hydration.

Available in SPF30 and 50, C+C Vitamin Dry Touch

Sunscreen Fluid is designed to be ocean-friendly and offers effective protection against UVA, UVB, IR and blue light rays. Vitamin C, antioxidants and hydrating ingredients help combat photo-ageing, improving the skin’s firmness and suppleness. NB Ceutical SPF50 offers extra protection for sensitive skins and features an infusion of soothing ingredients to comfort, hydrate and protect.

Suitable for the face and body, C+C Vitamin SPF

Sunscreen Dry Oil is an ultra-refreshing oil with a dry finish and citrus scent that protects skin from solar rays and prevents premature ageing. www.naturabisse.com

Grown Alchemist high-performance range

Grown Alchemist has added to its range of skincare with three high-performance products.

Skin Renewal Serum is a lightweight, luxurious gel-based serum featuring ashwagandha, niacinamide, echinacea and hyaluronic acid to repair skin overnight.

Skin Renewal Day Cream is a lightweight moisturiser that helps protect from the damage caused by environmental stressors and delivers intense hydration to replenish and strengthen a compromised moisture barrier. Ashwagandha provides skin with a healthy glow, echinacea soothes and increases the skin’s resilience to stress and protects against environmental pollution. Niacinamide improves barrier function and moringa peptides purify the skin.

Skin Renewal Mask is a cleansing clay-to-cream mask formulated with snow mushroom extract to hydrate, echinacea to increase skin resilience to stress, and fruit acids to renew and revitalise. The mask soothes with moisture, boosting the look of dull, lack-lustre skin while helping to improve skin health.

www.grownalchemist.com

Swiss skincare excellence

We speak to Swissline CEO Christophe Lesueur about the brand’s reputation for excellence in medi-spas, luxury medical clinics and high-end retailers across 30 countries

For almost 35 years Swissline’s premium Swiss-made skincare range has been adopted by wellbeing professionals from doctors to beauty experts. With the brand’s products now available in 30 countries around the world, we asked Swissline CEO Chrisophe Lesueur what makes it so well loved in spas.

What differentiates Swissline from other luxury skincare brands?

Swissline puts skin biology at the heart of product development by addressing silent inflammation – the root cause for so many diseases from heart disease to diabetes and even premature ageing. We take a 360-degree approach to collagen refurbishment by including not only soluble collagen in our products, but collagen-boosting peptides and growth factors to increase the skin’s own collagen production. Additionally, our products incorporate the most and the purest cosmeceutical molecules.

What does the brand offer spas?

Our award-winning professional products and treatments, which incorporate the most advanced ingredients and technology. As a niche brand with a select distribution, we can quickly address our spa partners’ individual training, sales, marketing and PR needs. We have the flexibility to develop trial promotions, signature treatments and co-branded products. We also regularly support our spa partners in our corporate advertising campaigns and trade exhibitions.

What training and support do you offer to your spa partners?

We offer an in-house training department as well as a training

“As a niche brand with a select distribution, we can quickly address our spa partners’ individual training, sales, marketing and PR needs.”

Christophe Lesueur CEO, Swissline

app for spa partners, complete with treatment protocols, ingredients files and training tools. We also provide marketing and social media activities tailored to each property.

How is the brand growing?

Our treatments are now available

in five-star hotels including Carlton Cannes, Château de La Gaude and Sofitel Quiberon Thalassa Sea & Spa in France; The Shelbourne in Dublin, Ireland; Park Gstaad in Switzerland; and Fairmont Tazi Palace in Morocco. Our immediate focus is on growing our network in the USA, UK and France.

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To find out more about Swissline’s five-star spa partnerships, visit: www.swissline-cosmetics.com

Sun-ready with Biologique Recherche

Biologique Recherche has added two protective products to its range of sun care.

Protecting skin from the inside out is Helios3, the brand’s first sun-care dietary supplement. Part of the three-step programme, the supplement acts from within to support the epidermis before, during and after sun exposure.

The formula is enriched with natural carotenoids, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, essential fatty acids, omegas 3 and 6 and antioxidant vitamins and minerals, vitamin A, vitamin E, selenium, zinc and copper. These help to protect cells from oxidative stress that causes skin ageing and the appearance of pigmentation marks.

Protection UV Corps SPF 50 is a premium sun-care product for the body. Preventing photoageing and dehydration, the fluid is non-greasy and non-sticky. Triple Shield Complex technology targets 100% of the solar spectrum and guarantees protection against the four types of skin damaging rays: UVA, UVB, visible light and infrared. www.biologique-recherche.com

ishga adds to organic bodycare collection

ishga has developed three new certified-organic body oils to join its award-winning Invigorating Body Oil and complement the brand’s bodycare range.

Two of the new oil blends, Muscle Recovery and Warming, feature ishga’s unique Hebridean seaweed extract, which contains vitamins A, C and E, trace elements and amino acids. Warming Body Oil helps to melt away muscle tension and bring balance and harmony to the mind. Sandalwood, bergamot and patchouli combine for a soothing and relaxing effect to the body. Almond, thistle and jojoba oils nourish and hydrate the skin.

Developed to increase circulation and aid muscle recovery naturally, Muscle Recovery Oil blends eucalyptus, may chang, peppermint, rosemary, lavender and rose geranium oils. A third product, Nurturing Body Oil, does not contain seaweed extract, making it ideal for pregnant women. The body oil features jojoba, thistle and almond oils alongside rose geranium to provide anti-inflammatory, soothing and healing properties.

www.ishga.com

The power of seaweed

Celebrating ten years of marine skincare excellence, we talk to ishga’s co-founder, Malcolm Macrae about the brand’s success and what makes it a great spa partner

Sustainably sourced, formulated and manufactured in the Scottish Hebrides, ishga is an award-winning skincare range based on a mineral-rich potent seaweed extract. Organic ingredients and essential oils contribute to a collection of pure, results-driven products and professional spa treatments. Combining the natural resources of the pristine shores of the Hebrides with locally sourced, sustainably harvested seaweed, the organic range is certified to COSMOS standards by the Soil Association. Since first offering fresh seaweed baths at Blythswood Square Hotel in Glasgow, the brand has grown to include 39 retail products and 18 professional treatments. The brand’s

reach extends to the USA, Australia, Poland, Japan, Papua New Guinea, China and the UAE. Found in 88 spas globally, ishga counts Coworth Park, Ribby Hall, Nàdarra Spa and Seaham Hall in the UK and Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi in Japan among its prestige spa partners.

We talk to ishga co-founder Malcolm Macrae about the benefits of seaweed and his plans for the business.

What skincare benefits does seaweed bring to spas?

Seaweed is one of the world’s most naturally abundant sources of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and essential fatty acids. Used throughout the ishga skincare range, our seaweed extracts and powders deliver powerful

“Sustainability is at the heart of ishga. Our seaweed harvesting allows for natural regeneration.”

Malcolm Macrae Co-founder, ishga

anti-ageing, hydrating and skin-renewing properties.

Antioxidant polyphenols provide protection against environmental damage to the skin by neutralising free radicals. Seaweed is an incredible marine plant which has been proven to regenerate skin cells, support collagen, promote hyaluronic acid production, hydrate, protect and heal.

Why is seaweed so good for the skin?

Seaweed is a natural marine substance, 70-90% of it is water, depending on the species, and as our bodies are around 60% water, this means we work together with similar natural substances better than synthetic ones. Not only is it less risky to apply natural ingredients to our skin to

reduce the chance of a potential reaction, but our skin recognises its beneficial components more easily. Polysaccharides, molecules found in both our skin and seaweed, are good for moisture retention and hydration. The polysaccharides in our skin are similar in structure to those found in seaweed which allows our skin to form a stronger bond with these molecules compared to other moisturising agents.

What makes your particular seaweed extract so potent?

Our unique seaweed extract is the cornerstone of ishga’s range. It’s extracted directly into Hebridean spring water using a low temperature extraction process, which protects the beneficial compounds and enzymes.

Our process has been independently tested with outstanding results, rich in polyphenols for healthy skin.

Studies have found that seaweed from cold water environments contains higher levels of fucoxanthin and omega 3-fatty acids than seaweed from warmer climates. The Outer Hebrides also has some of the cleanest waters in the world, allowing seaweeds to flourish in an unpolluted, mineral-rich environment.

From our bestselling moisturiser – our Anti-oxidant Marine Cream – to our award-winning natural cleansers and body oil, our seaweed extract delivers effective results from the first use and with long-term consistency, can help to transform skin and maintain a healthy appearance.

How does seaweed help to boost collagen production?

Studies show that fucoidan-rich seaweed increases collagen production, playing an essential part in the repair and regeneration of the skin. From the age of 25, collagen production reduces about 1-2% per year and is broken down quicker by an enzyme called collagenase. This can cause wrinkles and reduces elasticity of the skin. Seaweed from the Hebrides has been found to contain bioactive compounds which block this enzyme, resulting in higher levels of collagen, preventing visible signs of ageing.

Are ishga products sustainably made?

Sustainability is at the heart of ishga. Our seaweed harvesting is certified by the Biodynamic Association, which means our harvesting method is sustainable and allows for natural regeneration and biodiversity. We are certified organic by the Soil Association, our supply chain is too, and we can maintain traceability of our ingredients.

Our product packaging is made from

FSC-certified cardboard, which comes from sustainably managed forests. When supplying our spa partners, we use biodegradable packaging. We no longer use plastic bubble wrap, gloves, wet wipes or laminated boxes.

We offer screw cap refill options across our glass bottles range, allowing customers to keep their existing pump, leading to less plastic use. We have also made a commitment to stop the production of single-use plastic sample sachets.

What makes ishga a great spa partner? ishga has a team of dedicated professionals to support spas, regardless of size or location. We offer free in-person and online training, and spa teams have access to the ishga e-learning platform with detailed video guides. Therapists who complete the online modules receive certification and free ishga products.

We provide a range of complimentary retail point-of-sale marketing materials and incentives to help drive ishga bookings and sales in spas. This includes eye-catching displays to share

the wonderful benefits of seaweed with spa guests, brochures to share the ishga story and boards that highlight our award-winning skincare range.

What developments does ishga have planned for this year?

The Little ishga collection is set to launch this summer, including a retail range and treatments in partnership with Luxury Family Hotels. Our bestselling Marine Creams will welcome a new addition to the family, with an exciting launch coming in August 2023. Our team in the lab in Stornoway have been working on this development for some time now, bringing together all of our scientific research from the last ten years. The new formula includes some potent ingredients to deliver efficacy for all skin types.

BE INFORMED...

To find out more about what ishga’s seaweed-based skincare can bring to your spa, visit: www.ishga.com

Myrtha Wellness creates, engineers and manufactures sustainable products that delight the clientele.

Myrtha modular panels technology are the epitome of ‘Made in Italy’ thermal bathing wellness products. www.myrthawellness.com

Herbal Sauna

How to effectively communicate the business value of your spa

Communication can be challenging between departments within a hotel or resort operation – everyone is busy and looking for immediate decisions or information. Many spa managers now sit on the executive committee of the hotel or are part of the operations team. These teams are essential to any hotel operation and are key to any general manager leading a team.

Unfortunately, many general managers still see spas as just an added necessity, not the key selling point they have become today, and some aren’t even sure what goes on in the spa. As far as they’re concerned, it is never going to be as important for their bottom line as F&B or rooms.

Yet spas are necessary and can attract that lucrative leisure guest. Especially in off-peak season, when they generally stay longer and have a higher ancillary spend within all areas of the hotel.

required deadlines.

Bring solutions not problems, ask for their support but show logic and present your solution in a professional manner with all the facts, costs and revenue potential. Familiarise yourself with hotel terms and methods, occupancy, average rate, REVPAR, and ensure you understand how your spa can affect the overall revenue and profit of the hotel and be prepared to discuss these points if required.

Familiarise yourself with the way your general manager likes to have figures and plans presented, do they prefer it printed, emailed or in a presentation – you’re more likely to get engagement if it’s in a familiar layout using the correct terminology.

Understanding spa operations

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 businesses from commercial hotel and day spas to luxury five-star wellness destinations. www.thespaconsultancy.com

Communication is key Spa operations have always had challenges communicating with their general managers or hotel managers, but to have a well-run spa department, efforts need to be made to improve this. I have found that when a manager is not interested in a spa operation, its usually because they don’t understand it, don’t have much experience of it or it caused them no end of problems and challenges and they’ve decided their time is best spent elsewhere.

My advice is to set clear guidelines from day one, get a real understanding of the delegation of authority, preferred communication channels and

I always volunteer to present at any meeting, this gives you the opportunity to illustrate your spa operation in various formats. Make it interesting and professional – speak their language. As much as we love our spa music, candles and crystals it’s not always the best format to bring them to a meeting. Explain the spa journey and why this is key to delivering an exceptional spa experience, why you need relaxation spaces, thermal suites and pools that don’t necessarily have a direct revenue stream.

Explain your different revenue streams, upselling and forecasting, business on the books, payroll forecasting and they will soon see the similarities. It’s important to communicate that a spa is really like a small hotel operation and the same principals can be applied – we just sell treatment hours instead of bedrooms.

EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR

Kirsty MacCormick

One of the biggest challenges is trying to get back-of-house space for staff, especially for therapists to prepare and recharge between guests. Just as a restaurant needs a kitchen, a spa needs a prep room – it’s not a nice-to-have, it’s absolutely essential.

What can you bring to the table? This question always sticks in my mind, and I always ensure I go prepared to all meetings with facts, figures and solutions. If you’ve been invited to an operations meeting, it’s for a reason – your opinion matters, even on non-spa related issues.

Outsourcing and in-house strategy

Many hotel chains are now choosing to outsource the running of their spa to a third-party specialist or management company, and managers

Top takeaways for management engagement

n Don’t speak to your general manager in spa language unless they understand it, learn managerial language and hotel terminology.

n Find out how they prefer information to be presented at meetings – printed or emailed?

n Bring solutions, don’t just go to them with problems.

n Always bring something to the table, engage at meetings and offer your expert opinion. Be prepared and professional – after all, you are there for a reason.

n Never give up – keep trying and keep showing up.

are often only too happy to leave spa and wellness philosophies to the professionals. However, these spa and hotel operations can find their own challenges and often get pulled in opposite directions. Within this

type of operation, it’s important to set key deliverables, targets, timelines and meetings in order for the spa to integrate with the rest of the hotel.

For any spa operation to perform, it’s essential that spa and wellness is part of the overall strategy of the hotel and is part of each department’s operational plan. The support teams, marketing, finance, reservations and sales need to understand the importance and how it can be used to drive overall sales and enhance the position of the hotel.

Our spas reflect us and if we deliver a professional, successful well run spa operations with well trained staff delivering exceptional service and treatments, then that has to be admired and respected. We won’t be able to convert every general manager, but maybe just one at a time.

The scent of success

Blending the power of natural beauty and aromatherapy, ALQVIMIA has a reputation for holistic healing. We find out how its artisinal products benefit spas

Established in 1985, ALQVIMIA is an aromatherapy-based cosmetics range that offers a unique approach to wellness. Founded by philosopher, perfumer and meditation master Idili Lizcano, the brand has pioneered a range of natural cosmetics based on the potency of essential oils.

“We are committed to offering natural and holistic cosmetics based on essential oils of the highest excellence and efficacy,” says Drolma Lizcano (pictured above), CEO of ALQVIMIA and daughter of Idili Lizcano. “We work every day to be a fairer, more socially and environmentally friendly company.”

Lizcano heads up the team tasked

with promoting the brand’s mission. “The ideal of creating products that improve people’s physical and emotional wellbeing is the driving force behind our work,” she says.

With a strong international presence, the brand is currently found in hotels, spas and selective retailers across more than 20 countries.

From the country to the city

Based in the village of Tortellà in the Garrotxa region of Girona in Spain, ALQVIMIA is literally surrounded by nature at the foot of the Pyrenees. Its headquarters include an adjoining workshop and academy where the team conduct training and workshops.

The company’s biodynamic garden and farm, located in the Garrotxa, grows medicinal plants used in its resultsdriven range. A nearby R&D factory is a modern operation where new pieces of the collection are created, stored and distributed globally.

ALQVIMIA’s flagship store and spa in Barcelona is an oasis of beauty and wellness where the products feature in a premium range of holistic rituals, face and body treatments, energy testing and emotional wellness therapies.

Natural beauty

Pioneering natural and holistic cosmetics for almost 40 years, ALQVIMIA has been at the forefront

of product development, with a keen focus on the therapeutic and emotional benefits that treatments can offer guests. This ideal remains a central focus for the team.

“Our secret is that we don’t think of our products only for the body but also for the mind,” says Lizcano. “It’s a holistic concept. In addition to the effect on the skin, scents can affect the emotions.”

The brand’s extensive collection includes more than 220 products – 140 bodycare, 50 facial care, and 30 experience boxes, which have been developed as home wellness rituals to support clients’ daily wellbeing.

A point of difference

As a company, ALQVIMIA has great respect for nature and its cycles, sourcing flowers and plants that are distilled into essential and vegetable oils. Its unique handmade production process combines ancient wisdom, skill and technology to guarantee

quality and freshness. Packaging can be recycled or is made from recycled materials, and the team keenly promotes the region’s local economy with a focus on ethics and sustainable production throughout its supply chain. Perhaps the most iconic product is the brand’s debut, The Queen of Egypt Body Oil. Featuring frankincense and myrrh, this body oil deeply nourishes, fights skin ageing, regenerates and smoothes the skin, while boosting self-esteem and confidence.

The brand’s current best-seller is Body Sculptor Body Oil, a body-firming product blended with extract of cardo santo, hazelnut and wheatgerm oil.

Spa is the soul

Lizcano says ALQVIMIA views the spa as the soul of any hotel – the place where hospitality has the chance to upgrade to true wellbeing.

The brand’s spa offering is a range of experience-based rituals combining facial, body and energetic-emotional

treatments that promote holistic selfcare. The authentic sensory experiences promise a transformative effect on the mind, body and spirit. Its treatment menu also includes eight facials and 11 body treatments.

Excellence through teamwork

ALQVIMIA offers its spa partners support with online and offline communication tools, design and social media materials, as well as in the planning and organisation of events and presentations. Product and treatment training is free.

With a deep understanding of spa, the ALQVIMIA team ensures its exceptional holistic treatments are delivered with a deep understanding of how they work.

BE INFORMED...

To find out more about how ALQVIMIA products and support can benefit your spa, visit: www.alqvimia.com

Slow down, breathe deep

We visit the new Bothy by Wildsmith at Heckfield Place, UK, to discover how it has embraced ‘radical botany’ and holistic wellness for the benefit of its guests

REPORT BY WENDY GOLLEDGE

Details matter at the Bothy by Wildsmith. And what quickly becomes apparent is that no detail has been left unconsidered. From the micro-greens and lemon verbena tea served pre-treatment, harvested from the estate’s biodynamic farm, to a tiny candle burned to depict the ideal post-treatment relaxation time, every aspect of the guest journey has been considered, reconsidered and honed. The result is a deeply connected, meaningfully holistic and unique wellbeing experience.

Unveiled in April, the Bothy by Wildsmith is a new wellness space at Heckfield Place, a Georgian family home in Hampshire, owned by Dr Gerald Chan.

An evolution of Heckfield’s first wellbeing concept, the Little Bothy, this long-awaited 1,580sqm space represents, according to Wildsmith Skin’s general manager Katherine Pye, “the reknitting of all parts of the estate”.

Chan opened the 45-room hotel after a painstaking restoration in 2018, but knew it still needed a wellbeing space. With a background in private equity, biotech and business leadership, he has been instrumental in the evolution of the Bothy. “Even though I’m a scientist working to make new medicines, I’m acutely aware we must now pay more attention to wellbeing than therapeutics when people get sick,” says Chan. “The Bothy is here to

celebrate health – doing good and doing well go hand in hand.”

A labour of love

Opening delays caused by Covid and the search for the right artisans for countless intricacies in the design meant that the Bothy was under construction for six years. “The whole space is covered with fossilised limestone floors and lime render, something only two companies in the UK do,” says Pye. “The 29,434 tiles used in the Waters [the 18m pool] took one craftsman 12 weeks to individually place. The Bothy is a labour of love, completed with meticulous detail.”

The team includes eleven therapists and four master practitioners including a naturopath, osteopath, wellbeing psychologist and a craniosacral therapist. “Our biggest challenge was curating the right team of people; it took three years,” says Pye.

“Heckfield is a wellness-first destination. We want guests to embrace the experience, reconnect with nature’s pace, slow down, breathe deeper and disengage from the world.”

Katherine Pye General manager, Wildsmith

Skin

“We’ve taken people with great hands but not always with a lot of experience and trained them under the expertise of Manos Dimoudis, our wellness manager, who joined us from Amanzoe three years ago.”

Uncompromising USPs

The Bothy has some unique points of difference – no mobile phones are allowed, no under-16s and no alcohol is permitted The space is capped

Above from far left: a foot bathing ritual encourages guests to be still and calm; Heckfield Place has evolved its wellness offering with the launch of The Bothy by Wildsmith; yoga instruction on an outdoor terrace

The Bothy by Wildsmith at Heckfield Place

at 35 guests to protect against overcrowding and there’s a strong push for visitors to lean into the experience by booking in three-hour sessions entitled Dawn, Noon or Dusk. The menu is deliberately pared down – just ten treatments are available, each lasting between 90 and 135 minutes, with a complimentary 15-minute consultation before every session.

“Heckfield is a wellness-first destination; our ambition is for people seeking a healing space to consider us,” says Pye. “We want guests to fully embrace the experience, reconnect with nature’s pace, slow down, breathe deeper and disengage from the world. To do that people need to enter with an open mind and, to encourage that, we had to make stipulations.

Clockwise from opposite page: sunlight floods the hand and foot treatment space; guests are encouraged to enjoy the spa’s natural surroundings; the Waters is a spectacular 18m long chlorine-free pool; an ice-cold bucket shower in the thermal area by Dröm

The Bothy spa

As well as six treatment rooms, including two doubles, facilities include the Waters – an Aqua San pool by Pool San, that is chlorine-free and uses ionisation and natural mineral ions of copper, silver, zinc, aluminium and gold. The water feels gloriously pure and, unlike chlorinated pools, leaves skin feeling invigorated and hydrated.

The Oak Terrace is home to the spa’s outdoor hydrotherapy and thermal experiences by Dröm – a sauna, steam room, experiential shower and ice-cold bucket shower. There are two fitness rooms and a movement studio but much of the dedicated exercise menu takes place outside, including forest bathing walks, cold water immersion and farm fit (a circuit-based class using farm tools). The team also offers performative aufguss sauna sessions.

The Sun Room serves a plant-based menu by Heckfield’s culinary director Skye Gyngell, and the Bothy Shop – housed in the original bothy, home to generations of estate gardeners – sells the complete Wildsmith Skin range.

The Wildsmith Skin philosophy

First created for the guest rooms at Heckfield Place, Wildsmith Skin has grown with the Bothy. The brand uses synthesised and engineered actives combined with plant-based bioactives and botanical ingredients in a process that it terms ‘radical botany’.

Inspired by 19th-century horticulturist William Walker Wildsmith, who lived in the gardener’s cottage at Heckfield, every product goes through full clinical trials. Wildsmith products are formulated in line with circadian rhythms in order to work best at different times of day.

The brand;s formulations are the work of scientists, skin experts, perfumers and practitioners. Locally grown where possible, ingredients are traceable and packaging is made from mycelium, using some of the more than 100 varieties of mushroom on the estate.

Gently grounding

The Bothy director Reka Seres-Erdei explains her vision behind the spa

Talk us through the guest journey at the Bothy. What do we need when we enter a space of wellbeing? What process do we have to go through to slow our minds? If you enter a spa and you’re rushed, you cannot sacrifice time for yourself. So we take away shoes and phones – everything that weighs guests down – to begin the grounding process. We greet guests in the sitting room, where they can hydrate, have microgreens from our farm and begin to be mindful, so they’re already relaxing by the time they meet the therapist. I think we have all experienced spa moments that have helped us heal. Here at the Bothy, our journey provides all the circumstances for healing, with no compromises.

How is your therapist training different?

We give knowledge and tools, not routines. We teach therapists to read guests then use these tools as a framework. We let them treat guests intuitively in that moment of time, in that moment of life. Everyone’s needs are different; we work on the whole.

What about sustainability at the Bothy?

It’s the whole company’s vision to live in harmony with nature. We have a zero-disposable culture. Everything is recycled or reused, as our grandparents did, even uniforms. Anything we considered, we raised the question: is it friendly to nature? Much of our building materials were reused; Wildsmith is the only product range we use, which has sustainable credentials running all the way though it.

How will you move the offer on?

I’m already looking forward to curating more journeys; we’re already experiencing requests to stay for longer, so we’re devising retreats for the second half of the year. Opening was a deep dive and there have been a few issues but that was to be expected. I’ve had two children but the Bothy was my most difficult pregnancy and birth! It’s a baby that’s trying to learn to walk now. It’s precious and we will take care of it.

Currently the Bothy is only open to hotel guests. “We want to understand the cadence of how guests use the facility during different times and seasons,” explains Pye. Future plans involve opening to day guests and launching further retreat concepts to inspire and nurture guests.

Rest and rituals

Located under an hour from London and surrounded by numerous spas of note, it’s the particulars that make the Bothy by Wildsmith unique. Despite having been open less than a month, it feels as though no element of the journey has been left unscrutinised. The birdsong soundscape playing throughout the space is a true depiction of the estate, recorded by a sound artist who camped in the grounds for three nights. The scent, a pure essential oil permeating every room, was created on site by a Japanese mixologist from At-Aroma.

Treatments are wholly bespoke. From a training perspective, wellness manager Manos Dimoudis and Bothy director Reka Seres-Erdei have eschewed run-of-the-mill regimens, teaching therapists how to connect with guests, read their signs and align

Spa Spotlight The Bothy by Wildsmith at Heckfield Place

Clockwise from right: sauna medicine ceremonies are part of the Bothy’s offering; only Wildsmith Skin products are used in its treatments; refreshments are offered to guests as part of their welcome upon arrival

Wildsmith Time and the power of touch

Bothy wellbeing manager Manos Dimoudis explains what’s unique about Wildsmith Skin’s treatment offering at Heckfield Place

Wildsmith Time is billed as a bespoke reset – what’s special about the treatment?

Like all Wildsmith’s offering, Wildsmith Time is made by many, many hands, minds and ideas. The inspiration for this bodywork is drawn from Heckfield’s trees, which demonstrate remarkable adaptability, growth and healing. The structure of the trees has served as a guide for Wildsmith Time, with a focus on integrating nature’s circadian rhythms. By aligning internal rhythms with those in the natural world, we help to balance and harmonise guests with the natural time of day, an alignment we find is frequently out of sync in modern life.

A full-body therapy, it includes a kinesiology assessment to determine areas that require extra support; soft tissue and reflex zone therapy; abdominal and facial massage; and craniosacral holds. The combination of these techniques, known to significantly impact wellbeing, sets this treatment apart.

What expertise do you like to bring to this treatment and why is touch so important?

When we experience pain, our first reaction is to place our hands on the area. This intuitive response, a crucial first step towards healing, represents the essence of touch. It’s an essential aspect of our lives, and its absence can have significant implications on overall health and happiness. Stress and trauma accumulate in our cells and fascia, causing tension and resulting in discomfort or unexplained health conditions.

During a massage, while working on dysfunctional

areas, many of us have experienced situations where memories are released, and emotions come to the surface. Through touch, we as practitioners can help release these stored emotions and memories, allowing for healing at a cellular level.

We begin our treatments by setting a clear intention to achieve harmonious balance. This a meditative process that requires being present in every moment, grounded, without ego or judgement and with mindful observation to hold the space for our guests. With sensitive awareness we listen, with our eyes, our hearts and our sense of touch, becoming aware of the energetic resonance that arises and messages within the silences.

The music and oils you use have been specially designed. What can you tell us about their wellbeing properties?

Wildsmith Time works in synergy with natural circadian rhythms, bringing balance and alignment to our daily life. This approach involves the use of our three Wildsmith Skin oils, which are selected by the practitioner according to the time of the day. Vitality Body Oil, containing black pepper, ginger and cedarwood, for example, is used during our morning treatments to enhance circulation, clear the mind and improve alertness.

We also incorporate binaural music, playing at different frequencies to stimulate brain activity. This can promote alertness, focus or deep relaxation, depending on the time of the day. We alternate a combination of alpha, beta, gamma, delta and theta waves in the background throughout the day.

Right from top: views of the Hampshire countryside are taken from the sauna; the Bothy provides two fitness rooms and a movement studio; medicinal botanicals are harvested from the estate’s walled garden for use in treatments and refreshments

treatments to their bodies, emotions and needs. “The intentionally concise treatment menu has been designed to empower therapists to personalise for each guest,” says Pye. “We’ve steered away from machines and add-ons, the products are powerful enough to deliver a similar result with a good pair of hands.”

After treatments, a candle burning adds an element of ritual to the 20 minutes guests are advised to take for their body to rest and recover. It’s small symbols like this that are the true essence of the Bothy – a series of considered rituals all steering guests gently towards a place of genuine relaxation.

SPA STATISTICS

The Bothy by Wildsmith at Heckfield Place https://bothy.heckfieldplace.com

Owner: Dr Gerald Chan

General manager: Kevin Brooke

Wildsmith Skin General manager: Katherine Pye

Spa operations director: Reka Seres-Erdei

Wellbeing manager: Manos Dimoudis

Spa team: 11 therapists, four master practitioners

Spa size: 1,580sqm

Fitness equipment: NOHrD, Technogym, Peloton, SkiErg, Yogamatters, Peak Pilates, TRX

Treatment beds: Lemi

Towels and spa linens: BC Softwear

Sauna/steam room: Dröm

Uniforms: Black Label

Interior furniture: Piet Boon

Pools: Pools by Design

Software: HART

Lockers and changing rooms: Bespoke by carpentry firm TWENTY5

Spa Spotlight The Bothy by Wildsmith at Heckfield Place

https://cdn. shopify.com/s/ files/1/0066/3060/4858/ files/WS_WellbeingDeck_010623. pdf?v=1685609400

A revolutionary brand

hands-on unique protocols

Since Totally UK became GDC Beauty Group, and part of Germaine de Capuccini’s (GdC) global network of subsidiaries, GdC has also launched game-changing products such as Timexpert Sun and Timexpert Hydraluronic. We asked UK managing director Clare Dickens about the many strings to the company’s bow.

Tell us how GdC came to be?

I’m proud to say the brand will be 60 years old next year. GdC was created by Carmen Vidal, in 1964. She envisaged a brand that would provide a professional, results-driven range but also offer other aspects of business advice, as a commitment to women. She offered training, support and marketing. It’s a unique starting point for a brand. Her main goal

New from GdC for 2023

n The Pomegranate Collection, launched in May, includes the Pomegranate and Rose Face and Body Envelopment, a 90-minute summer ritual experience. It includes a unique mousse and powder exfoliation using Body Exfoliating Powder, which creates a mousse when mixed with our new Pomegranate Body Massage Cream. The ritual finishes with a Pomegranate Body Wrap and a rosehip oil and rose petal facial.

n A Time to Pause is a new face and body ritual aimed at rebalancing the mind, supporting and restoring good sleep while treating the signs of ageing.

“We offer clinical-led treatments, aesthetic equipment, aromatic oils and body rituals.”

Claire Dickens Managing director, Germaine de Capuccini, UK

remains our chief purpose today – to develop treatments and products with advanced cosmetic technology that are recommended by beauty professionals. The customer is always at the core.

What makes GdC stand out?

GdC is a brand that really delivers, from concept and R&D to manufacturing and delivering experiential products and treatments. Our brand works globally in more than 80 countries, with subsidiaries in six of those, and an array of five-star hotel, spa, wellness clinic and salon clients.

Each subsidiary provides guidance on what the end consumer is looking for at a local level to HQ. This ensures GdC’s product and protocol development is always inspired by relevant trends in each region. Alongside products and aesthetics,

GdC offers a full holistic experience. Every treatment encompasses breathwork and stretching, and works with the senses. It’s never just a facial or a massage. GdC blends luxury and wellness with innovation; always helping aestheticians marry all of these things in a prescriptive, personalised way for every client.

Tell us about the products and services under the GdC umbrella. We’re probably best known for our innovative skincare products. For every spa treatment and product created, GdC focuses on scientific backing, efficacy, texture, the experience clients enjoy during the treatment and results they take home.

We offer clinical-led treatments such as chemical peels alongside aesthetic equipment and a full range of aromatic oils and body rituals. Often people aren’t aware that we provide massage candles, waxes, body wraps and scrubs as well as our results-driven facials and facial products.

Everything we do targets results and works with the senses. We create unique, hands-on protocols incorporating small tools and immersive practices, such as facial yoga, gua sha and cryotherapy.

GdC has a diverse portfolio. We welcome a variety of skincare businesses and their various needs. By understanding who they’re looking to attract and at what price point, we can provide a bespoke offering.

BE INFORMED...

To find out about Germaine de Capuccini or to partner with the brand, visit: www.germaine-de-capuccini.co.uk

From

to advanced cosmetic technology, there’s more to Germaine de Capuccini than you may realise...

Six diagnostic tools for your spa

With

REPORT BY MARK SMITH

Preventative health checks have become central to the guest journey at medical wellness clinics and as demand for specialist health programmes grows, so too does the need for high-tech diagnostic equipment. Often at the core of the consultation process, such technology enables far greater insight into the health of spa guests’ body and skin, providing valuable data from which to prescribe a programme of improvement. This extra layer of personalisation also provides added value to the individual’s wellness journey. It also allows therapists to offer scientific proof to support their guests’ choices and encourage treatment upselling.

Enabling real-time change

A scientific, evidence-based approach not only sets the programme parameters but is also helpful in preventing future health issues arising and for monitoring progress. “Diagnostics are essential for providing a factual, realtime picture of a guest’s biological age,” says Dr George Gaitanos, chief scientific and operating officer, Chenot Group. “We can then recommend personalised treatments and lifestyle modifications to counteract and even reverse ageing.”

As the technology develops, the opportunities for spa and wellness grow and it’s not just uber-elite medical wellness clinics that can benefit. Spas that focus on guest health and monitor their progress can embrace many aspects of these technologies – from measuring metabolic rate, fat and body composition to muscle mass, heart rate and overall skin health.

To help you provide your guests with the best diagnostic services possible, European Spa spotlights some leading companies serving the industry and the products that they offer.

demand for preventative health checks growing, we spotlight leading companies in the industry and look at some of the best technology available for spas

Visia Facial Analysis System

The Visia Facial Analysis System from Canfield Scientific, Inc. is a comprehensive imaging technology used in the fields of skincare, dermatology and facial aesthetics.

With advanced but easy-to-use software, Visia provides a detailed analysis of the skin by capturing high-resolution digital photographs and utilises specialised software to evaluate various skin conditions. The technology is used in a variety of top spa destinations and clinics that provide comprehensive skincare services.

Using IntelliFlash, cross-polarised and UV lighting to record and measure surface and sub-surface skin conditions, the machine allows spas to offer personalised skin analysis. By assessing skin parameters such as wrinkles, texture, pores and various types of spots, the system provides an objective evaluation of the client’s skin condition. This analysis helps in identifying specific concerns and enables the spa to offer targeted solutions, such as customised treatments or product recommendations.

The system also offers visual evidence to the client and is useful for tracking progress following a targeted treatment programme. www.canfieldsci.com | www.surfaceimaging.co.uk

Opatra London Dome Machine

Opatra London designs and distributes a range of technologically advanced facial skincare machines to analyse and care for skin health. Its Dome facial skin analyser clinically measures the surface and subsurface of the skin using state-of-the-art digital imagery. This combines RGB visible light, polarised light and UV spectrum imaging technology along with artificial intelligence and image analysis. Used by beauty, medical and aesthetic skincare professionals, the skin analyser system is an advanced detection system that captures multispectral photos of the face, examining the complexion, focusing on lines and wrinkles, spots, pores, texture, porphyrins, UV spots, moisture and pigmentation. The technology can create customised reports and can document a client’s progress through targeted treatment programmes. The system also helps to customise treatment therapies. Full-face imaging produces ten images within 25 seconds from a 2000W HD digital Camera. The Dome imaging system enables the spa team to predict the state of a client’s skin in the next three to five years.

www.opatra.com

INTRACELLULAR TESTING

OligoScan

The OligoScan is an intracellular tester that examines heavy metals, minerals and trace elements. Using full visible light spectrum, the hand-held device can identify 43 elements including 21 minerals, 15 heavy metals and levels of vitamins

A, B6, B9, B12, C, D, E. The test is immediate and non-invasive, measuring the intracellular uptake of the elements through the tissue, including muscle and small capillaries, at a depth of 4mm through the skin.

Spectrophotometry technology is a technique used to measure light absorption or the amount of chemicals present. It uses a light beam and each compound absorbs or transmits light over a certain wavelength. Each element has its own spectrum of colour and absorbs and reflects light differently based on the elements’ properties. The more concentrated, the more it absorbs the specific light applied.

The measurement is made with a portable spectrophotometer device approved by OligoScan. The collected data from the patient is sent to a secure central server within a few clicks. In less than one minute, results are available.

www.oligoscan.com

MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING

RLX SATORI

WELLNESS LOUNGER

ADVANCED VIBROACOUSTICS

AN EFFORTLESS WAY TO IMPROVE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING · WELLNESS TREATMENT FOR SYMPTOMS OF LOW-ENERGY, LACK OF SLEEP, ANXIETY AND STRESS · SUPPORTS BEHAVIORAL CHANGE INCLUDING WEIGHT REDUCTION & ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS

· EVIDENCE BASED ·

www.gharieni.com www.gharieni.com

Visbody

Visbody S30 body analysis is a premium 3D body composition scanner designed for medical, fitness, body aesthetics, and spa applications. The scanning system examines the body and generates 3D models with millimetre accuracy in 32 seconds.

The technology employs direct segmental multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis and instantly scans the body to determine a range of health markers and indicators of health and wellbeing. Visbody examines 18 body circumference and posture parameters offering easy to interpret results.

It also looks at 14 core body composition measurements and eight control analysis points. Three reports – body composition, body analysis and shoulder function – give a clear perspective on the client’s current state of health, and looks at lean body mass, muscle mass, water retention, protein, basal metabolic rate, visceral fat as well as waist-to-hip ratio among others. These detailed reports allow the in-house spa team to develop a targeted fitness and wellbeing programme to address areas of concern.

www.visbody.com

Pnoē

Pnoē uses breath analysis to determine a guest’s current state of health, which can help to guide future preventative health programmes. Also known as metabolic testing or VO2max, it helps to evaluate heart, lung and cellular fitness alongside the nervous system.

The Pnoē system is an easy-to-use, clinical-grade breath analysis device, proprietary software package and dedicated metabolic expert support. Through a non-invasive 10-minute breath test, Pnoē can prescribe a personalised nutrition, exercise and breathwork programme. It can be used in any normal treatment room and is easy to follow for clients and staff. Pnoē is supported by an app that can track client progress and offer a range of healthy lifestyle advice.

Recent studies have indicated VO2 testing as important indicators of life expectancy and quality. Analysing 23 biomarkers during inhalation and exhalation, some key variables assessed include metabolic rate, fat and carbohydrate oxidation, VO2max, heart and lung fitness, cellular fitness, and metabolic flexibility.

www.pnoe.com

3D BODY SCANNER

BODY COMPOSITION

Styku 3D Body Scanner

Styku is a 3D body scanner that offers an accurate, non-invasive method of assessing body composition. Using a sophisticated, infrared scanning mechanism, Styku captures millions of data points with 2mm accuracy and displays them in a visual way, making it easy for users to track real changes in their body.

Using infrared technology, Styku measures several circumferences – such as waist, hip, chest and arms – and leverages the measurements to calculate body fat percentage and muscle-to-fat ratios. Styku is also able to produce reports on visceral fat, bone mass and more.

Generating a 3D model of the user, the

images can be rotated, panned, zoomed and viewed in silhouette to track a client’s progress. The scan is simple to undertake – the user simply stands on the Styku turntable with arms slightly extended and holds still for 30 seconds while the platform revolves.

Used at regular intervals as part of a fitness or wellness regime, the technology allows the user to clearly see how their body composition changes over time, including the muscle mass gained.

www.styku.com

www.react-fitness.com

The

is simple to use and allows guests to visually assess their body composition

Styku 3D Body Scanner

At Dermalogica we don’t just cover it, blur it or minimize it – we treat it. Our professional skin therapists have quite literally touched, squeezed, lasered, blasted, plucked, massaged & buffed the skin of millions of people.

join the brand that invests more into their skin therapists than any other

Nutritional skincare at its best

We talk to Georgie Cleeve, founder of the nutri-cosmeceutical beauty brand OSKIA, about how it is evolving from its bases in London and Wales

Award winning luxury beauty brand

OSKIA specialises in bio-cellular skin nutrition to promote beautiful, healthy skin. Launched in 2009, the brand is a proud partner of some of the UK’s leading spas. We asked its founder, Georgie Cleeve about the importance of sustainability in skincare.

How did OSKIA begin?

I discovered the healing powers of cellular nutrition following a personal journey with a new nutrient derivative that was introduced into the market by our family equine nutritional supplement business over 40 years ago. Not only did this super-nutrient heal my chronic knee damage, but it

also transformed my hair, skin, nails, and therefore confidence.

I have spent 15 years working with a team of nutritionists, doctors, dermatologists and skincare experts, developing novel technologies and perfecting the concept of nutritional skincare to offer a cosmeceutical range that is an absolute pleasure to use.

Tell us about the concept of nutritional skincare?

Nutritional skincare uses cellular nutrients to rebuild the skin’s health and functionality. The results are clearer, healthier, stronger skin which can better withstand the environmental concerns of our daily lives and the natural ageing processes.

Is OSKIA focused on sustainability?

Our packaging is sustainably sourced and our ingredients are natural,

naturally derived or bio-identical, meaning they are identical to nature but grown in a lab – no farming, no water consumption, no pesticides and no harvesting of rare plants. We have also launched a recycling programme for our spas and retailers.

What’s next for the brand?

Being a family-owned business, we have always grown in a manageable way. We’re lucky enough to work with some of the UK’s most exclusive five-star spas. We’d love to continue with the same authentic, personalised approach, gradually branching out to more beautiful locations.

BE INFORMED...

To find out more about OSKIA’s nutritional skincare offering, visit: www.oskiaskincare.com

Georgie Cleeve

NH Collection Milan CityLife

22nd November 2023

The Ultimate Hotel Spa Symposium

A one-day event entirely dedicated to wellness and trends, to critical issues and opportunities in Hospitality industry!

Some of the conference speakers and leading figures in the wellness industry:

Massimo

Find out more and sign up on www.wellnesshospitalityconference.it

Kent Richards Six Senses Spas

Aldo Melpignano Egnazia

Julanda Marais Explora Journeys

Emlyn Brown Accor Magda Antonioli Bocconi University

Sven Huckenbeck The König Ludwig Inspiration Spa

Amy Goller Keller Wellness & Beauty Consulting

Gabriella Carletti Fonteverde Natural Spa Resort

Maria Kalogeraki The Wellness Sanctuary Fontanelle Estate

Caputi Federterme

Coveted around the globe

We investigate the power of light therapy with Déesse PRO, the light therapy mask of choice for flagship spas and clinics around the world

With four wavelengths and six treatment modes, Déesse PRO from Harpar Grace International has been hailed as the gold standard in light therapy by Vogue magazine.

A next-generation phototherapy face mask, Déesse PRO stimulates natural cellular responses to address dermatological concerns including acne, hyperpigmentation and wrinkles, allowing spas to offer clients clinic-grade results.

Déesse PRO energises the skin and maximises results, offering dynamic, integrated technology that can easily be incorporated into existing menus as

either a standalone new treatment or to enhance existing treatments.

Proximity is power

Renowned for its lightweight design, Déesse PRO features light science utilised by NASA and 770 surfacemounted LEDs to deliver what is said to be game-changing light therapy.

Light energy degrades over distance, but the close proximity of the Déesse PRO hard shell mask to the skin means that the absorbency of light is maximised, delivering optimum results from every treatment.

Recommended by professionals and loved by celebrities, Déesse PRO

offers a combination of wavelengths and treatment modes, and can treat a multitude of skin conditions across a wide range of client age demographics.

Flexible and complementary

A low-touch treatment that can unlock additional revenue across your portfolio, it’s an aspirational brand that can help spas and salons target the most discerning clientele.Practical and portable, Déesse PRO offers dynamic treatment options. It’s safe enough to be self-administered by clients or it can be used in conjunction with other treatments such as facials, manicures, pedicures and even massages.

Triple treatment effect

The business benefits of Déesse PRO have been discovered by AWAY Spa at W Hotel, London since it was incorporated into the spa treatment menu in 2022. Spa manager Lucy Green says bookings for LED mask enhancement treatments more than tripled between August and October, and are continuing to grow.

Boosting business at Bulgari

At Bulgari London (pictured below), in the heart of Knightsbridge, the Bulgari Spa offers the most luxurious and

Integrate Déesse PRO into your spa

Déesse PRO can be used alone or as part of a course of treatments for clients with a particular skin concern. Suggested price range: £25-£75 per session.

Attract new target markets and increase client loyalty and spend by combining a course of facial treatments with Déesse PRO and homecare to target skin conditions. Suggested price range: up to £75 per session.

Upsell treatment bookings by integrating Déesse PRO simultaneously into other targeted treatments. This maximises both client and practitioner time and improves patient outcome and profits. Suggested uplift: £15-£45 per session.

Create express treatments to fill unused capacity or utilise seating zones and reception areas. Express sessions suit cash rich, time poor clients and are popular as an additional treatment step or as after care. Suggested price range: from £30 per session.

Spas can achieve a return on investment in as little as seven days or 27 treatments.

advanced beauty, grooming and health and wellness-enhancing treatments. Here, Déesse PRO is offered as a standalone treatment as well as an add-on to other rituals and as part of the relaxation programme for an added radiance boost.

In the AWAY Spa at Costa Navarino, Greece, guests are eased into relaxation sessions and experience a stripped-down complete body and soul makeover with Déesse PRO.

BE INFORMED...

To bring the world leaders in LED light therapy into your spa, contact: sales@harpargrace.com www.harpargrace.com

Bulgari Spa, London, UK

5 new spas for summer

European Spa shines a spotlight on the best new spa openings across Europe

REPORT BY MARK SMITH

Investment in new spa and wellness projects continues to accelerate across Europe. We have seen major new announcements from leading global operators over the past few months with the pipeline for new projects signifying positive news for industry growth.

In our summer round-up, we highlight five new projects that are coming to fruition across the continent. In the UK, we visit The Nici in Bournemouth, which brings a touch of Miami Beach chic to England’s south coast. Then we head north to The Municipal Liverpool – MGallery, Accor’s £40 million (€46.5 million) development. In Italy, we shine a spotlight on 7Pines Sardinia and pay a visit to the bar-raising urban wellness hotel Six Senses Rome during its opening week.

We also report on Pnoé Breathing Life, which has launched on Crete. It appears that Greece is the word when it comes to new projects, with One&Only near Athens and Ikos Odisia on Corfu also scheduled to open this year. Banyan Tree, Six Senses and Ensana Hotels have also announced projects.

From city locations to coastal wellness, please enjoy our pick of the best new spas in Europe.

Six Senses Rome, Italy

Offering a new vision for urban wellness in a hotel setting, Six Senses has opened its first property in Italy. Designed by renowned Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola, the original façade of the 15th-century Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini has been preserved outside a modern, welcoming, contemporary hotel.

Six Senses Rome features 96 rooms, sustainable architecture and design accents, with imaginative planting, natural light and relaxed open spaces.

The spa, set over various levels, combines ancient healing rituals with the latest biohacking technology to improve guest health and wellbeing.

“When experiencing something out of the ordinary, we begin to feel a change for the better,” says spa and wellness manager Elisabetta Trezzi. “Guided by the elements of health and beauty in our spa design, rituals and treatments, guests are invited into a world of peace and tranquillity.”

Salus per aquam

Drawing on the history of bathing culture in the city, the spa introduces a Roman bathing concept with a modern slant. “Our guests are projected thousands of years into the past, to

the time when the ancient Romans took care of their physical, mental and social wellbeing in typical bath houses, and today we want to recreate the experience,” says Trezzi.

A bas-relief inspired by the myth of Daphne and Apollo adorns the walls of the bathing area, creating an authentic feel. Three plunge pools reproduce the calidarium, tepidarium, and frigidarium, reducing inflammation through heat and aiding muscle recovery during a 60-minutes guided journey.

Beyond the baths, there’s a hammam, biohacking and meditation rooms, a sauna, a rooftop yoga deck, a fitness centre and five treatment rooms. Classes include meditation, yoga and sound healing. As at other Six Senses properties, the team offers Wellness Screening for guests measuring 30 clinically evaluated biomarkers and 10 physiological indicators, and workshops at the Alchemy Bar.

BEHIND THE PROJECT

Six Senses Rome

www.sixsenses.com/en/hotels/rome

Spa size: 834sqm

Product partners: Biologique Recherche, Seed to Skin, The Organic Pharmacy, Subtle Energies Spa suppliers: Starpool, Lemi, Technogym, Rivolta Carmignani, Fashionizer Spa, Spa Booker, Opera, Cellgym, Venom, Hyperice, Normatec, EMS

BEST FOR COASTAL STYLE

The Nici, UK

Set on a cliff overlooking the sea in Bournemouth on England’s south coast, The Nici has opened its spa following a £20 million investment in the property’s refurbishment. Designed by Anthony Rudolph, the hotel features 84 luxury bedrooms, many with impressive sea views and some with garden hot tub suites. The hotel also includes dining options at South Beach Restaurant, Bar & Terrace.

Drawing on clean lines with a nod to art deco and a Miami Beach aesthetic, the hotel also offers a 28m outdoor heated pool, an outdoor activity centre and wellness activities.

“We want to transport our guests to a completely different place, somewhere away from

home,” explains spa manager Kaitie Phillips. “Our outdoor spaces are extremely sociable, featuring the bar, restaurant and pool. There are also great possibilities for guests to relax elsewhere in the spa, thanks to our treatments and thermal areas.”

Space to unwind

The Nici Spa is a tranquil haven, decorated in soothing honey-toned shades, that offers guests complete relaxation from the outset. Set across two floors, the spa offers an 18m heated indoor pool and hydrotherapy pool as well as a poolside steam room and aromatherapy sauna. On the upper floors there are eight treatment rooms,

including a couples room, as well as a stunning relaxation space that cocoons guests before and after treatments.

The spa has partnered with award-winning brands OTO CBD and Oskia to create a bespoke menu of treatments and holistic therapies, which includes bamboo massage, sound therapy and innovative anti-ageing techniques.

A fully air-conditioned gym offers modern equipment, a studio space and personal training options for one-on-one sessions. Fitness and wellbeing classes include aqua aerobics, yoga and Pilates, Qigong, boot camp and HIIT classes. The spa is open to hotel guests and a select membership that is capped at 300.

BEHIND THE PROJECT

The Nici www.thenici.com

Spa size: 667sqm

Product partners: Oskia, OTO CBD

Spa suppliers: BC Softwear, DaleSauna, RHA Furniture, Ellisons, LifeFitness, Diamond Design Uniforms, Esthetix, Trybe

7Pines Sardinia, Italy

Located on the north-eastern coast of Sardinia, 7Pines Sardinia, part of Destination by Hyatt, opened in August 2022 and has recently announced the launch of its Pure Seven spa.

The 76-room resort and spa, designed by Piazza Martiri 7, is surrounded by 15 hectares of pristine coastline. “The Pure Seven spa at 7Pines Resort Sardinia champions the uniqueness of Sardinia,” says resort general manager Vito Spalluto. “As well as our team using local products, we have also created signature massage treatments which use techniques inspired by the island’s different prevailing winds.”

Overseen by spa manager Angela Chessa, contemporary wellbeing facilities include five treatment rooms for individual or couples’ treatments, a relaxation area, steam room, sauna, emotional shower, ice room and outdoor areas for Kneipp therapy. Inspired by the prevailing winds on Sardinia’s Gallura coast, the expert team has designed three bespoke signature Sardinian rituals; Maistràli, Liànti and Punènti. To enhance their wellness stay, guests can also choose from indoor and outdoor yoga classes, Pilates, and meditation sessions.

BEHIND THE PROJECT

7Pines Sardinia

www.7pines.com

Spa size: 800sqm

Product partners: ESPA

Spa suppliers: Starpool, Black Label, LifeFitness, Gharieni, TAC

SAN ANTONIO · MOANA LANI SPA MOANA SURFRIDER HAWAII · MONTAGE DEER VALLEY PARK CITY

MONTAGE LAGUNA BEACH LAGUNA BEACH NEW YORK CITY FOUR SEASONS HOTEL NEW YORK CITY PARK

HYATT NEW YORK · NUUP SPA PLAYA MUJERES · NYC MANDARIN ORIENTAL NEW YORK · OCEAN HOUSE

WATCH HILL · OJAI VALLEY INN

PARK HYATT AVIARA RESORT CARLSBAD RANCHO VALENCIA RESORT & SPA SAN DIEGO ROCK SPA & SALON

HARD ROCK HOTEL ATLANTIC CITY · SALAMANDER SPA · SANDY LANE HOTEL · SPA AT GRAND VELAS RIVIERA

NAYARIT SHANGRI-LA HOTEL VANCOUVER SPA MONTAGE PALMETTO BLUFF

HARBOUR RESORT BAL HARBOUR SUNNY'S SPA AND BEAUTY LOUNGE THE SEABIRD RESORT

CLUB KOHLER · THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL AND BUNGALOWS THE BREAKERS, PALM BEACH

COLORADO SPRINGS THE CANYON SUITES AT THE PHOENICIAN SCOTTSDALE

THE DOMINICK HOTEL NEW YORK CITY · THE INN AT LITTLE WASHINGTON

· THE LANGHAM THE PENINSULA NEW YORK · THE LITTLE NELL ASPEN

ISLAND THE LODGE AT TORREY PINES SAN DIEGO THE NEWBURY BOSTON THE PENINSULA CHICAGO

PIERRE NEW YORK CITY · THE POST OAK HOTEL AT UPTOWN HOUSTON

BEACH THE RITZ-CARLTON MONTRÉAL MONTREAL THE RITZ-CARLTON NEW YORK CENTRAL PARK THE

RITZ-CARLTON AMELIA ISLAND PONTE VEDRA BEACH

THE RITZ-CARLTON BOSTON · THE RITZ-CARLTON CHARLOTTE

RITZ-CARLTON DOVE MOUNTAIN TUCSON THE RITZ-CARLTON FORT LAUDERDALE

LAGUNA NIGUEL THE SANCTUARY AT KIAWAH ISLAND GOLF

Pnoé Breathing Life, Greece P

art of the new Greek-owned MK Hotel Collection, which also includes Sentido Unique Blue, Pnoé Breathing Life is located just outside the historic city of Heraklion on the north coast of Crete. Designed by Aria Lironi, the £772,000 adults-only property with 60 suites and private pools is one of a new breed of small, contemporary resorts where wellbeing and food are the focus. Pnoé translates as ‘the breath of life’ in Greek and this concept is at the centre of the wellness journey.

“Rejuvenation and rehabilitation are at the core of Pnoé Spa. We are focused on soothing the mind, body and soul of every guest through a series of holistic treatments blending traditional and modern techniques in our state-of-the-art treatment rooms,’’ says spa director Elpida Goutkidou.

The spa features a wet area, Himalayan salt stone room, wood fired sauna, ice fountain and onsite beauty salon. Guests also have access to recovery programmes such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, Zerobody and breathwork therapy, alongside a well-equipped fitness facility that offers classes with professional personal trainers.

BEHIND THE PROJECT

Pnoé Breathing Life, Greece

www.pnoe-breathinglife.com

Spa size: 350sqm

Product partners: Germaine de Capuccini

Spa Suppliers: Idolo Spa, The Uniform Company, Kirpoglou, Matrix Fitness, Atlantis

PERSONALISED WELLBEING PROGRAMMES

The Municipal Liverpool – MGallery

The latest hotel offering from the Accor Group in the UK, The Municipal Liverpool – MGallery is a £40 million 179-room property that features a new luxury hotel, restaurant, bar and spa in the heart of the city’s bustling commercial district.

The hotel opened in May 2023 in the refurbished Municipal Building, a Grade II-listed heritage site that dates from the mid-19th century, the interior of which has been redesigned by Jenny Denton at Grayland Interior.

“I am absolutely delighted to be opening the Municipal Spa. This is an incredibly exciting time for us,” says Ella Pearson, director of rooms. “The Municipal Spa is certainly one of a kind within Liverpool, bringing together luxury facilities and exceptional brands, as well the highest level of service headed by our spa manager, Natasha Robinson.”

Beauty and wellness facilities include a tranquil 16m indoor swimming pool, Himalayan salt sauna, steam room, experience shower, ice experience, Jacuzzi, fitness area, laconicum, relaxation room and four treatment rooms.

BEHIND THE PROJECT

The Municipal Liverpool – MGallery https://all.accor.com/hotel/B9E8/index. en.shtml

Spa size: 238sqm

Product partners: Elemis, Grown Alchemist Spa Suppliers: Ursell Pools and Wellness, Alexander Rose, Ellisons, BC Softwear, Matrix Fitness, Premier Software

Your perfect spa partner

Serving more than 700 spas, Ellisons understands that every business is unique. Its dedicated team enables its spa partners to create their own individual wellness journey

We asked Chelsea Foyle, spa and college sales manager for Ellisons, about the Spa Partner team and what it can offer businesses looking to invest and refresh their wellness offering.

What is the Ellisons Spa Partner team?

Established in 2014, the dedicated Ellisons global Spa Partner team has organically evolved. It currently boasts experts from every element of a successful spa, from qualified therapists and former spa managers to operational managers. This vast amount of expert knowledge allows Ellisons to offer valuable, honest support to spa projects and teams.

What services does the team offer?

Our team offers everything spas need to deliver a project on time and within budget. From the initial planning through to being operational, we can be part of your journey.

Our partnerships with leading spa furniture manufacturers such as Living Earth Crafts, Gharieni, REM, Alexander Rose and Bridgman allow us to deliver and install bespoke and made-to-measure furniture.

We work with site-level contractors, architects, designers and consultants to ensure each project runs smoothly. We offer pre-site audits, out of hours installation and removal of existing equipment. We understand that projects can often be delayed and work flexibly around this.

What drives the Spa Partner team?

Ellisons services are inspired by our core values – being innovative, supportive and professional in

“Ellisons make it easy – they suggest, they inspire and they deliver. They take control of the parts they’re in charge of so you can focus on the bigger picture.”

Gemma Barratt Group spa director, Daniel Thwaites

© Adam Lynk Photography

everything we do. The team have spent many years building relationships with like-minded spa professionals to become their trusted supplier. We thrive on excellent service and our proactive 360-degree business development ethos has contributed to the growth of many leading UK spas.

How do you go above and beyond?

The Spa Partner team share the same passion – a determination to deliver excellence. Our commitment to service, combined with innovation and variety, makes us a ‘go-to’ choice.

We believe transparency is paramount to business relationships and provide honest advice on how spas can make the most of their budget without compromising on quality.

Tell us about your e-learning offer.

The Academy at Ellisons allows our individual and group spa accounts to provide online learning opportunities to therapists without the pressure of taking them out of the business. It also provides the flexibility needed to fit around busy spa days and last-minute staffing changes.

BE INFORMED...

To find out how Ellisons can assist your business, email: spapartner@ellisons. co.uk or visit: www.ellisons.co.uk

Chelsea has worked at Ellisons for 12 years and has been part of the Spa Partner team since its inception. “When partnering with Ellisons you are choosing a trusted supplier to manage your project,” she says. “We offer a tailored beginning-to-end service, including everything from luxury spa furniture to treatments and therapist training. We work hard to help you bring your spa vision to life.”

Louise started at Ellisons in 2010 and has been working with both individual spas and large group accounts since.

“International projects are my strength. Most recently, I have been working with Kempinski, Marriott and Hilton to supply and deliver projects across the globe,” she says. “It’s great knowing that large global brands trust us with their spas.”

Gemma joined Ellisons nine years ago and is currently responsible for all spa projects across the UK. “As an experienced spa manager, I know how stressful co-ordinating projects can be. I thrive from delivering outstanding customer service, no matter the size of the project. I’m here to offer unbiased advice and support for all elements of the spa,” she says.

One of the newest team members, Rachel joined in August 2022 to provide spas with ongoing account management.

“I believe building strong relationships is the key to success,” says Rachel. “This means taking time to understand the needs, challenges and objectives of spa clients in order to provide personalised solutions.”

MEET THE ELLISONS TEAM

“We’ve worked with Ellisons for many years now. They make my life, and my teams’ lives, much easier. We trust them implicitly.”

Lesley Bacon Group health club and spa manager, Hand Picked Hotels

Chelsea Foyle Spa and college sales manager

Gemma Sumner Spa project development manager

Louise Holt National accounts and spa operations manager

Rachel Bevan Spa development manager

Previous page from top: the spas at Carden Park and Rockliffe Hall, UK

Above: Aztec Hotel and Spa, UK

Eco-friendly thermal solutions

We find out how Sauna360 is helping spas develop their thermal areas more sustainably while maximising their impact and wellness benefits

Sustainability is a crucial factor in modern spa design, but achieving a sustainable offering while also creating stand-out thermal experiences can be complex. With energy prices fluctuating, Sauna360, a world leader in sauna, steam and infrared wellness, has brought a series of new solutions to market with its ECO-SAUNA initiative, to help spas lower energy usage while still offering exceptional thermal experiences.

Bringing experience to the fore

“As experts, we have seen the commercial steam and sauna sector evolve over the past 30 years. Working alongside our manufacturing partners, Sauna360 has devised thermal innovations to provide considerable energy efficiencies – a must in the current climate,” explains spa

Peter

and wellness designer Peter Mitchell. “Our new ECO-SAUNA options can be retro fitted or incorporated into the design of new thermal suites.”

The not-so-new kids on the block

Behind a new name, Sauna360 has an unrivalled history of development in the modern sauna and steam industry.

Jeff Le Clos, commercial manager, says: “The Sauna360 group consists of five prominent sauna brands – Tylö, Helo, Kastor, Finnleo and Amerec. Each brand has played a crucial role in developing the modern sauna market.”

Sauna360 UK is the commercial design and installation division. The most diverse company in the group, it designs and installs steam and salt rooms, feature showers, ice features, plunge and vitality pools.

“We create authentic sauna, steam and infrared wellness experiences,”

“Sauna360 has devised thermal innovations to provide considerable energy efficiencies.”

Mitchell Spa and wellness designer, Sauna360

says Le Clos. “Our mission is to provide wellness and health through innovation and design.

A dynamic market

Demand for high-end and innovative heat experiences is increasing and performance-based rituals are adding a new dimension to the growth.

“We’re proud that our saunas at Rudding Park were recently used in the first UK Aufguss Championships,” says Le Clos. “The market’s interest in thermal wellness is thriving, and with some of the world’s finest brands, we see a very bright future.”

BE INFORMED...

For more information about Sauna360’s ECO-SAUNA initiative, visit: www.sauna360uk.com

Sauna360 ECO-SAUNA: innovations for sustainability

1. The ECO-button

A simple way to halve power output of a sauna or steam room in quiet periods. The ECO-button keeps the heat or steam generator on standby, ready to produce on request. It can be timed to automatically turn on after a set period or reset manually.

2. The wellness system

Sauna360’s clever airflow system can be used to recover otherwise wasted hot air, precisely control air changes and – key for efficiency – maintain slightly negative air pressure to keep heat inside the cabin. In the steam room, the wellness system pumps steam and aroma in at bench level and extracts old air at floor level resulting in a very steamy atmosphere with perfect circulation of warmth at bathing height.

3. Self-closing hinges and door sensors

Simple but effective, self-closing hinges ensure doors always shut properly, preventing heat or steam loss. Added to this, door sensors can create an audible and visual sound beacon, alerting the bather or spa operator if a door has been left open. One control unit can operate multiple thermal room doors, helping control energy consumption.

4. Insulated walls and ceilings.

Sauna360 use extra-thick insulated wall and ceiling panels, keeping running costs down and reducing condensation in steam rooms.

5. Sauna heater

Sauna360 offers heaters with a large stone capacity, which is not only excellent for sauna infusion but will maintain the room heat for longer and works alongside the ECO-button.

Steam room specifics

6. Bench heating

In steam rooms, bench heating is the smart way to reduce energy costs. It also dries the cabin after use, improving hygiene and product life span.

7. Steam generator

Sauna360’s element-type steam generator can save spa operators more than £1,000 per annum, as it can be easily cleaned. The alternative – an electrode system – needs expensive replacements regularly.

8. Steam essence dosing

Precise dosing systems can be set for the optimal strength to deliver high fragrance concentrations in low doses, increasing efficiency.

9. Lux Element

The perfect construction material for steam rooms, from a valued partner of 30 years, Lux Element allows for excellent heat retention and water proofing as well as vaulted ceilings, curved walls, ergonomic benches or sloping backrests with integral heating.

Below from left: The Spa at Pennyhill Park, UK; the Ponteland sauna from Tylö Helo; Hale Country Club and Spa, UK; Right: The Spa at Pennyhill Park, UK

WellnessTrends

EUROPEAN SPA SPOTLIGHTS THE LATEST GLOBAL TRENDS AND TREATMENTS

Edited by Mark Smith

Sauna for a good life

We explore the growth of pop-up and mobile saunas and how spa operators can benefit from the renaissance of sweat culture

Saunas have been used in wellness rituals for thousands of years and take many forms. The global sauna market has recently been valued at £96 billion (€111 billion) by Mordor Intelligence and is expected to grow at 6% annually until 2028, showing a renewed interest in sweatbathing worldwide.

In the UK, pop-up or mobile saunas have been growing in popularity nationwide. The British Sauna Society has identified 56 of these businesses and since 2018 they have been doubling in number year on year. Located on beaches, in forests and a wide variety of natural outdoor locations, these are typically heated by electric or wood-fired stoves.

Sauna promotes good mental health

Gabrielle Reason, secretary of the British Sauna Society, believes there are great opportunities for spas in this trend, and has sound advice regarding how to engage your guests in sauna experiences.

“Learn about global bathing rituals,” says Reason. “Whether its exploring herbal infusions and full-body whisking (a bundle of leaves that brushes the skin) typical of Lithuanian pirtis, or the essential oils and whirling towels of aufguss.”

Sauna ceremonies can bring an element of theatre into the spa, with each visit feeling fresh and different. Aufguss rituals are growing in popularity in the UK, as evidenced by the UK Aufguss Championships this spring at Rudding Park.

Selling sauna hats is recommended as this helps people to benefit from the experience and creates a sense of fun and community – and it provides great opportunities for sharing on social media.

“Explain the health benefits of sauna to your

Closer to nature: The renaissance of sweat culture is seeing the design of ingenious housing for sauna equipment, from horse boxes to purpose-built pods that can be located anywhere

guests,” adds Reason. “A large-scale, decades-long study in Finland has found that frequent sauna bathers live longer and have lower incidences of Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease.”

Delivering an authentic sauna experience is another aspect that spas would do well to consider, as not only does this offer greater benefits to guests and prolong their enjoyment of your facilities, it encompasses other parts of your thermal suite, such as cold plunge pools and ice showers.

“One of the main things holding Britain’s sauna culture back is that for a long time, we’ve been unsure of how to use them,” explains Reason. “Authentic sauna experiences require a longer cycling process of thermal contrast.” www.britishsaunasociety.org.uk

Image: George Cory Image: George Cory

Image: George Cory

Image: Alan Maclennan

Amanzoe launches new

Optimal Living Mindfulness Retreat

Amanzoe in Greece has introduced a five-night Optimal Living Mindfulness Retreat, which starts each day with a morning energy awakening session and a daily talk on the ancient Greek maxims of ‘Know Thyself’, ‘Perfection is the Middle Way’, ‘Certainty Brings Ruin’ and ‘I Am’.

“This retreat is inspired by the four ancient Hellenic Delphic maxims, which embody AMAN’s Well-Living methodology of lifelong change,” says Yuki Kiyono, global head of health and wellness development at AMAN. “Carefully created in tune with the surrounding environment and natural landscape, it offers a combination of mindfulness, breathwork and meditative movement classes to inspire and rejuvenate the mind, body and soul.

Led by local expert Konstantinos Chrysikakis, the spiritual talks are designed to complement a daily programme of meditative movement, yoga, and healing meditation. Guests can also enjoy use of the resort’s water sports equipment, a spa treatment and a late check-out. www.aman.com

7Pines Ibiza’s wellness experts focus on body balance

7Pines Resort Ibiza, part of Destination by Hyatt, has announced its visiting practitioner programme for 2023. Experts in healing arts, biomechanics, manual therapies, Pilates and watsu will reside in the 1,500sqm spa for the summer season.

A physicist and expert of biomechanics and manual therapies, Stefano Beconcini brings his own method of soft-tissue manipulation. Beconcini’s method focuses on re-establishing the natural balance of the body to reduce muscle pain and promote good health.

Ramón Sánchez is a Spanish certified Pilates instructor and personal trainer, who has created his own unique method – rasaGOtraining & ballet – which helps sculpt the body by combining the dynamics of fitness, Pilates and ballet.

Watsu specialist, Fernando Gallego Suárez, will offer guests private aquatic therapy sessions for deep relaxation, while Andrew Rosenstock, internationally renowned in the healing arts, will offer Deep Structural Bodywork, Nervous System Regulation, and an abdominal detox massage. www.7pines.com

Grand Resort Bad Ragaz shines a light on women’s wellness

Swiss destination resort Grand Resort Bad Ragaz has introduced the Women’s Health Package to its innovative NewYou therapy programming. In addition to spa treatments, guests will participate in the resort’s full My Microbiome programme.

“The My Microbiome gut health programme is the perfect starting point for better nutrition, improved hormone balance, healthier movement habits and for feeling more energised,” says director of spa and wellbeing Hans-Peter Veit. “We take a holistic approach to women’s health based on our six pillar philosophy: harmony, balance, movement, nutrition, beauty and nature.”

My Microbiome includes initial and final nutritional consultations with a lead doctor and laboratory analysis of the individual’s microbiome (sent four weeks prior to arrival at the resort). The programme also includes mindfulness, a facial treatment, yoga sessions, body toning treatment, an aqua floating session, a haki Flow Deluxe treatment and forest bathing.

www.resortragaz.ch

Sanctum announces new retreat programmes for spas

Founded by Luuk Melisse and Gabriel Olszewski, Sanctum is a mindful movement method born from the desire to push physical, mental and spiritual boundaries to live a richer life.

Combining elements of kundalini yoga, martial arts, animalistic flow, breathwork and primal fitness with elements of HIIT, Sanctum’s holistic sequence is gaining global attention. The method is accompanied by music inspired by Amsterdam’s electronic scene, enhanced by spoken word and orchestral pieces to complement mindful and meditation moments. Each 50-minute Sanctum class focuses on high-intensity mindful movement to empower the body and expand the mind. The team offers classes in unique locations and has partnered with global names for a series of retreats including skincare expert Susanne Kaufmann, Soho House and Six Senses on Ibiza, in Crans Montana and Rome. Sanctum’s new retreats now available for spas, will feature world renowned wellbeing experts and are based on a powerful Sanctum Retreat framework. www.wearesanctum.com

Bio-Balance for life

We talk to Sven Huckenbeck, spa director at König Ludwig’s Spa Inspirations about his Bio-Balance concept designed to relieve trauma and negative emotions

After decades studying the body from a sports science perspective, Sven Huckenbeck developed Bio-Balance to support a healthy and powerful lifestyle change without focusing on symptoms.

Formed of three key elements, it features a tension equalisation treatment, energy flow improvement and neuro-reset training, which can help clients overcome the impairments associated with lifestyle issues as varied as trauma, emotions and prolonged sitting.

A firm believer in salutogenesis, which explores factors that support health, Huckenbeck says he doesn’t treat symptoms as such, but focuses on his guest’s health potential. “The human body was designed for walking and mobility, it’s the opposite of how we live now,” he explains. “People spend around ten hours sitting every day from childhood. This length of time is equivalent to the time spent training the body for professional sports – and we do it for a prolonged period over decades.”

Huckenbeck says a resulting stooping posture creates areas of high tension and strain, compacting the muscles and organs, and leading to an array of musculoskeletal, metabolic and emotional problems.

Getting back in balance

The Bio-Balance concept begins with a consultation and treatment based on Myoreflex therapy, which acts on the nervous system to regulate tension in the body and its relationship with the brain.

“You have to train the body manually, working on receptors in the overlap between the muscle

and ligaments,” says Huckenbeck.” The second element is an Energy Flow treatment which first opens the body’s stress lines so you can improve energetic flow,” he explains.

The third part of the method is neuro-reset training. Clients are given a three-minute routine to practice daily at home. This combines mobilisation and stretching techniques and neurological responses.

Huckenbeck has taught this concept at Ensana Health Spa Hotels and currently practices at Hotel König Ludwig. He plans to expand the concept further in 2023.

www.koenig-ludwig-hotel.de

www.svenhuckenbeck.com

Sven Huckenbeck

Above: Wellness expert Sven Huckenbeck is the creator of Bio-Balance spa programmes which use mobility and brain training to rebalance the body and emotional health

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

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

Summer scented saviours

Aromatherapist Laura Broady explains why summer is the season when scents take on a new dimension and advises on how to pass on the power of essential oils to your clients

ummertime memories for most people are infused with certain scents that bring to mind times of relaxation, freedom and fun. In warmer weather, our sense of smell is heighted due to humidity, which increases the amount of volatile aromas in the air. Perhaps that explains why your suntan lotion smells amazing when used on holiday at the beach but less impactful when used on a cooler day at home in the park. So many memories of summer are associated with aroma – freshly cut

Sgrass, barbecues, the ocean, fresh fruits, flowers. And while you can’t always be in the right place at the right time to enjoy these, essential oils can provide a way to experience the next best thing.

If you wish to recreate an oceanic blend, try eucalyptus, lime, rosemary and lavender for a reminder of the fresh sea breeze. While there isn’t an essential oil that smells like cut grass, a chamomile lawn smells like fresh apples and hay, so Roman chamomile might be a good choice to create a calm, fresh atmosphere. Fragrant flowers such as ylang ylang, rose and jasmine are all excellent choices to complement a sunny summer’s day or a restful evening.

Taking a little heat off

Cooling essential oils, such as peppermint, spearmint and lavender, all work well as compresses. Soak a flannel in icy water and add a drop or two of the essential oil (pre-diluted in a vegetable carrier oil such as coconut oil). Squeeze out and apply to the back of the neck. This also works as a cool foot bath too. Take extra care with peppermint as it can irritate a sensitive skin. Always check for general contraindications and take advice from a qualified aromatherapist if pregnant or living with medical conditions.

To give your clients a summer seasonal boost try working with the three essential oils I have selected to add a little sunshine to your life.

Business Insight Laura Broady, Scented Saviours

Laura Broady

Laura’s scented saviours for summer

What three perfect scents for the season can offer you and your clients

JASMINE For assertiveness and empowerment

(Jasminum Officinale/Jasminum grandiflorum/Jasminum sambac)

A sweet, floral and intoxicating aroma, the scent of jasmine is seductive, creamy and ethereal. However, it can be rich in the compound indole, which in high concentrations can smell like mothballs, so those that detect this can be offended! However, indole has been copied synthetically and its earthy aroma is perhaps most famously used in Calvin Klein’s Eternity to great commercial success.

Jasmine is among the most expensive of essential oils, so you can purchase it in a pre-blended dilution. It’s a great oil to have on or up your sleeve on a tissue when going into a meeting or interview – especially if you’re feeling intimidated.

Jasmine can re-energise flagging motivation and give a real confidence boost. Let it lift your self-esteem and happiness when feeling fragile or low.

I turn to jasmine when I urgently need to restore peace and calm. It is both grounding and uplifting and it’s my goto oil for gaining perspective.

Jasmine is known as the Angel of Flowers and is useful to enhance meditation practices. I love to use it on a summer’s evening to create a feeling of all being well with the world.

LAVENDER For skincare and fatigue (Lavendula Angustifolia

With its fresh, sweet, herbaceous aroma, lavender is perhaps the most recognised essential oil scent, but I’d encourage you to seek out and compare different varieties. English lavender tends to be fresh whereas the French is often sweet like honey. I have one that is wild-grown at high altitude and it smells just like heaven.

From the Latin lavare, meaning ‘to wash’, lavender is still used to cleanse wounds and burns, as well as in all manner of cleaning and personal products. Dilute in a vegetable carrier oil before use and apply regularly to reduce the impact of oven burns and the like –it works!

Lavender is high in natural esters, making it anti-inflammatory and good for skin issues such as eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, hives, boils, bruises, bites, stings, ringworm, sunburn and sores. Diluted lavender oil and aloe vera makes for a good sunburn remedy. It is also a natural anti-histamine. An effective and popular choice as a sleep aid, lavender can be overused at night, making it stimulating and awakening. Small amounts throughout the day are better for the circadian rhythm, so sleep should come easier when the time comes.

There are many varieties to discover – mandarin, bergamot, lemon, lime – but my favourite is the one from the bitter orange tree. It is almost a fragrance in its own right, but is magically transformed when blended with lavender, benzoin, ylang ylang, bergamot or geranium.

Used on skin that is out of sorts, petitgrain helps to regulate sebaceous secretions and is an ideal choice for balancing combination or oily skin.

Blended into hair conditioner, petitgrain leaves hair smelling of sunshine. It is also good for deodorising, so use within body lotions to stay fresh or as a yoga mat cleanser when diluted in witch hazel.

The aroma of petitgrain calms the chatter of the mind and is the perfect pick-me-up to counteract the effects of anxiety and stress. I can highly recommend anyone convalescing from any kind of illness or affliction to try doing so with the support of petitgrain. In the bath it is peaceful, as an inhalation it is calming and as a massage oil it is fortifying.

SpaStyle

SHOWCASING STYLISH EQUIPMENT AND LEADING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY FOR YOUR SPA

Edited by Wendy Golledge

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Snowroom

TechnoAlpin Indoor

Defined by TechnoAlpin as ‘the highest form of holistic cool-down’, its Snowroom is constantly cooled to -10C. Using just air and water, it works overnight so that in the morning the room is blanketed with a fresh layer of snow.

With the increasing understanding of the benefits of low temperatures in thermal experiences, Snowroom is a novel alternative to cold plunges or bucket showers, offering a gentle way for spa guests to cool down after heat experiences.

“The growth in popularity of sauna aufguss means more spas are making saunas unique,” says Robert Heinevetter, CEO of the sauna ceremony trainer Aufguss Roots. “It is essential to cool down effectively, to get the circulation going. Cooling down in a Snowroom is completely different to a cold shower; the cold effect is intensified without the cold shock.”

Snow for all situations

TechnoAlpin supplies individualised, tailor-made Snowrooms with designs

adapted to individual spa’s requirements. Snow production starts at -5C via a snow nozzle, which atomises water into fine snow particles. These disperse through the room as snow mist and gather to form a light covering.

A litre of water is enough to make five litres of snow, meaning the unit uses approximately 200 litres of water a week. The waste heat generated during the cooling process can be thermally recovered to heat, for example, swimming pool water.

www.indoor.technoalpin.com

Kinthia robe Fashionizer Spa

Inspired by a classic kimono silhouette, the Kinthia robe from Fashionizer Spa has been designed to reduce water and energy during laundering.

Testing by TDS laundry shows the Kinthia reduces laundering costs by 50% compared to traditional towelling robes and 63% compared to waffle robes. Drying time – 25 minutes, using 14.8Kw/h of energy on average – is halved compared to towelling robes.

The Kinthia robe is available in plain, 100% organic undyed cotton that can be embroidered with spa logos and personalised with a bespoke trim or a green leaf print.

Fashionizer Spa has also launched a new AI-powered uniform measurement service in partnership with Sizer – an AI body measuring tech company. Using a mobile camera, simple poses allow it to detect exact body contours.and reccomend sizes with a high degree of accuracy. www.fashionizerspa.com

Faz by Ramón Esteve Vondom

The Faz collection by architect Ramón Esteve is an infinitely adaptable modular group of outdoor furniture and planters, ideal for spa gardens and lounge areas.

The Faz Daybed (pictured) has a hinged canopy umbrella and sunshade system that swivels 360 degrees. Constructed from polyethylene resin, the daybed is 100% recyclable and available in more than 30 finishes, including lacquered options. It has a sound system that can be connected via a smartphone or Bluetooth and internal lighting means it’s also suitable for evening use.

Other options in the collection include a sun-lounger with auxiliary table, an armchair, a modular sofa and a coffee table as well as three striking flowerpots. With bold shapes and assorted sizes, they can be mixed and matched to add personality to outdoor spaces.

www.vondom.com/collections/faz

BC Softwear launches SupremeSoft Deluxe and Pure Spa Deluxe towels and robes

Renowned industry-wide for its spa textiles, BC SoftWear has announced the launch of SupremeSoft Deluxe and Pure Spa Deluxe, a new luxury range of linens and robes.

As well as premium extra-large treatment towels, available with or without head holes, an Oxford-style pillowcase and an extra-large spa duvet, the company’s most luxurious robe yet will be available with or without an extra-wide collar for added comfort.

The robes will feature streamlined ‘trouser pockets’, rather than more traditional patch pockets, and will have piped embroidery around the collar, cuffs, pockets and belt. Treatment towels will have rounded edges and binding around the hems for a spotless finish.

Meeting demand for luxury

“We’re launching this new range to meet a huge spike in demand for larger, more deluxe linens and robes,” says BC SoftWear’s founder and managing director, Barbara Cooke. “Our five-star spa partners are requesting extra-large treatment towels in an ultra-luxurious heavier weight, plus opting for bespoke personalisation, to really ‘up’ the sumptuousness of their offer. This range has cleaner, neater lines thanks to bespoke piped binding; the extra heavy weight means it feels truly extravagant.”

BC SoftWear has also added a new colour, sage green, to its white, pebble and slate grey versions. For each item in the range there is the option to select bespoke embroidered logos and labels, as well as unique piping or binding. The company has plans to add a deluxe blanket to the range. The high-end offering will feature in white at the new Guerlain Spa at Raffles London at the OWO when it opens this year. www.bcsoftwear.co.uk

Barbara Cooke

Hydromassage Lounge 440x

Wellness Space Brands

A lounge chair that gives users a hands-free massage using hydrotherapy, Hydromassage Lounge 440x (pictured) utilises waves of heated water to target specific areas. The touchless massage solution comes in obsidian or silver and has a touchscreen interface and side panels that can be illuminated with customisable LEDs.

Fitting into a compact space of around 2.5m x 3m, Hydromassage Lounge 440x uses water to contour the body in a natural way and can focus on 60 different points of the body.

Also new from Wellness Space Brands is CryoLounge+, an advanced recovery chair that can apply cold to target soreness or aches and pains while heated areas facilitate a relaxing experience. The lounger can also be configured to apply targeted compression to treatment areas.

www.wellnessspace.com/hydromassage

The Frame Chaise Lounge

The Modern Garden Company

Featuring poolside at the Kalloni Spa at the Park Lane, Limassol, Cyprus (pictured), the Frame Lounger is a unique way to add colour and texture poolside within a spa project.

The Modern Garden Company worked directly with the owner of Kalloni Spa to select pieces that created elegant pool and outdoor relaxation areas. The Frame Chaise Lounges are upholstered in Treccia Cord fabric, formed from tough aluminium and upholstered in a sophisticated solid or bi-colour Rope Treccia weave available in 25 colours.

A committed spa partner, The Modern Garden Company offers more than 40 unique furniture and accessory collections. Other pieces, available in rope or aquatech woven braid, include a modular sofa, armchair, upright chair, lounge chair, low table and fixed daybed. www.moderngarden.co.uk/products/frame-lounger

Hypedome Hypedome

An innovative product created by a team of outdoor structure experts, Hypedome is a 100% clear, frameless dome that can be used as an outdoor treatment area, yoga and meditation room, hot tub gazebo or immersive relaxation space.

Designed for easy assembly and disassembly, it’s a uniquely portable outdoor solution for spas and the domes are engineered to withstand rain, wind, snow and long-term sun exposure.

There are three Hypedome sizes – Mini (2m high), S (2.3m high) and M (2.5m high) – and various finishes including mirrored for seclusion, translucent opal and completely clear.

The geodesic shape of Hypedome is considered a form of sacred geometry and believed to help the brain’s two hemispheres connect and harmonise, helping create a state of relaxation.

www.hypedome.com

VicBooth Spa

Vicoustic

A seamless way to create an additonal treatment room, VicBooth Spa offers an acoustically protected 4m x 3m pop-up space without any of the traditional construction costs.

Made of VMT, a material developed for its high acoustic performance, the interior walls can be personalised with logos or patterns to match a spa’s existing décor. Channels in the booth’s floor and ceiling circulate the air inside: users’ body heat brings in fresh air from the outside through the floor and pushes out old air through the ceiling.

The booth is available with or without the option of a window and is delivered flat-packed for simple assembly in situ.

www.vicbooth.vicoustic.com/spa

i-sopod

i-sopod

With demand for touchless treatments increasing, floatation pods are becoming a popular option. i-sopod was founded by floatation expert Tim Strudwick, who also owns sister company Float Works, in London.

The i-sopod floatation device uses combined photocatalytic and hydroxyl radical technology to instantaneously destroy viruses, bacteria and pathogens during sterilisation.

A new thermal pool cover also reduces electrical consumption by between 20% and 40%. The pod is lit with LED spa lamps, comes in customisable colours and includes a built-in MP3 player and Bluetooth connectivity. Session length, music timing, disinfection and cleaning can be determined via the remote-control system.

www.i-sopod.com

i.Con Collection Starpool

Starpool’s newest sustainable architecture innovation, the i.Con Collection repurposes shipping containers as either saunas or immersive relaxation spaces.

i.con Relax has a stove and a large glass wall, making it ideal for placing in a spa garden to offer an immersive experience anchored in the landscape.

i.con Sauna (pictured) is a regenerated container featuring a Finnish sauna.

Starpool offers three outfitting options: mountain, which evokes the atmosphere of the woods; urban, recalling the façades of city buildings; and beach, conjuring the colours of sand and the air of iconographic seaside resorts.

www.starpool.com