Aqua Sculpture Day Spa
Aqua Sculpture Day Spa
324 King Street
London, W6 0RR
020 8741 0338
Once upon a time, the item that I would be least inclined to select on a spa menu was a body wrap; no question. Despite all the purported benefits; clearer pores, cleaner skin, smoother skin, ‘detoxification’ and the real magnet – weight loss – my previous wrap experiences have all been somewhat underwhelming. The problem was not that they failed to deliver the promised rewards (though the negative fluctuation on the scales was tragically, if predictably, transient), but that the sum process was such a vaudevillian palaver. My main objection to traditional wrap treatments is the plastic cling-film. Lying on cling-film, getting wrapped up in cling-film, and worst of all, overheating in cling-film (whilst feeling like a vacuum-packed salami sausage). The other snag was the high level of audience participation expected in the wrap procedure. I go to spas because I want to relax, and to me, true repose comes from being passively pampered. Wraps require a high degree of proactivity - repeated bodily repositioning (to allow the mud to be evenly distributed over the body), getting up halfway through the procedure, and showering and drying oneself.
I was interested, therefore, to hear about the Time Thermal Capsule, a machine designed in Australia which has revolutionised the delivery of body wrap treatments by obviating the need for either cling-film or client input. I went to the Aqua Sculpture Day Spa in Hammersmith to try out the machine - the first, and thus far, only - one in the UK. Besides the Capsule, the Spa has a comprehensive list of tempting-sounding indulgences on offer, using leading brands Germaine de Capuccini and Matis. Browsing through the spa brochure, it is apparent that there has been much investment in state of the art technologies since the spa’s opening in September 2008, including the SK4 Machine, which incorporates sonic peel, galvanic and micro-current. Leading me downstairs, my therapist, Agatha, explained that the packages are particularly popular, with many customers choosing to combine a wrap (their best-selling treatment) with a mini-facial.
I was shown into a capacious, aromatic room, in which the Time Capsule stood, gleaming and flashing, looking not unlike how one might imagine a martian spaceship, in the corner. Having slipped out of my clothes and into the machine, my work was done. The next hour was spent with me lying blissfully still in the Capsule whilst Agatha in turn applied all over body exfoliant and the wrap, and I was intermittently sprayed by the machine with aromasteam – a high-atomising, hot steam sensation that activates the nutrients contained within the body treatments, and a Vichy shower, which offers thermal contrasting from hot to cold – great for treating damaged and sunburnt skin. Throughout the treatment, hydrocolour therapy was applied to enhance the relaxation process and to assist in rebalancing various systems in the body. Whilst the machine may have resembled an alien craft, in sensation it is the closest approximation to a human carwash that I have ever encountered. I opted for the Choco-Therapy wrap, which was as delicious as it sounds, but there are severaI other mouthwatering options, including a delectable-sounding Cappuccino wrap, which combines chocolate exfoliant, a coffee wrap and a milk body massage.
I am a big fan of the Time Capsule. It has totally transformed the wrap treatment, providing all the benefits of deep nourishment, rehydration, firming and (if only fleeting) weight reduction, without any of the hassle. I urge to visit the Aqua Sculpture Day Spa to try it for yourself.
Elizabeth Morgan - Rees, Trainee lawyer
