Pamper your senses with a facial, manicure and pedicure

Facial

Thanks to modern technology, we end up working 24/7 and hardly have any time to pamper ourselves, except for special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries. The weekly routine of a face scrub followed by a mask gives temporary respite but no amount of night cream can save our hands and feet. At such times, it becomes imperative to utilise your weekly off to give some tender loving care for your skin. With this thought in mind, I headed to Naturals Lounge in Powai on a Monday afternoon.

Pic for representational purpose only

The salon, done in shades of white and pistachio green, boasts of minimalistic interiors. After ushering me into a glass room, my attendant Purnima asked me to change and slip into comfortable wear. After analysing my complexion, she suggested that I opt for the Glowultime Facial as it was apt for my combination skin. She started off by using a cleansing lotion to get rid of all the impurities. Then, she applied a toner adding that it helps to maintain the skin's pH balance. Later, she applied a scrub, which also worked as a mask to lighten my skin tone. During this process, Purnima gave me some handy tips. She suggested a homemade paste made with soda bicarbonate and water is an effective remedy to reduce blemishes and banish blackheads and whiteheads. She added that washing one's face with cucumber juice is also helpful as it soothes your skin. She allowed the scrub to dry for 10 minutes and removed it with wet cotton wool.

Next, she gave a gentle steam on my face to open the pores and extricate the blackheads and whiteheads. She followed it up with a toner again and then applied a massage cream. The next 15 minutes were sheer bliss. Purnima massaged my face and décolletage informing me that our neck and shoulders face maximum pressure and exertion. Using deft hand movements, she kneaded on my shoulder blades and pressure points to ease away the knots and tension. After the massage, she applied a dill-based algae peel off mask to tighten my pores. Ten minutes later, once the mask had dried off, she peeled it off. When I saw myself in the mirror again, I noticed the pigmentation had reduced.

I couldn't stop smiling. Now, it was time to pamper my hands and feet with the Therapeutic Manicure and Pedicure. Dinesh, the attendant, trimmed my nails and then filed them. After applying a cuticle softener cream, he asked me to dip my hands and feet in lukewarm soap water. He informed this process softens the cuticles and makes it easier to remove dead skin.

After wiping off the water, he pushed my cuticles back to their original shape and clipped away the dead skin. Later, he applied a sea-salt-based mask that would remove the toxins and leave my hands and feet visibly lighter. Ten minutes later, he wiped off the mask and then applied a massage cream. The cream had a cooling sensation and was rich in vitamin E and moisturisers. The gentle massage helped the cream to seep deep into my skin, leaving it soft and supple.

After 120 minutes of indulgence, I was feeling rejuvenated and left the lounge with a smile on my face, a spring in my step and a visibly newer me.