Health beauty & Fitness: The Writer's Block Facial

Published on Sunday 1 November 2009 14:06

Unblock your pores and your mind with this ambitious facial How lucky that, last weekend, while stuck for a new treatment to review, I should stumble upon the new Writer's Block facial at the Scotsman Spa. This just has to be fate, I thought, as I trotted along the road to experience the Thalgo therapy.

The most intriguing thing about this facial is that they use smooth-edged basalt stones (which are more commonly employed as part of body treatments) on one's face.

First of all, once I'd hopped on to the gently curved heated treatment bed (which, incidentally, has to be the most comfortable in the whole of Edinburgh), my face was cleansed and spritzed with a little of Thalgo's reviving marine mist. Then, a coaster-sized heated stone was placed on my solar plexus, with smaller ones slotted into the palms of my hands, under my shoulders and between the biggest two toes of each foot.

At this point a special detoxing seaweed mask is usually applied. However, as I have thyroid problems, my therapist Rachel explained that she'd be replacing this with an invigorating oxygen mask, which contains cactus, arnica and orange. And, while this was allowed to gently tingle on my skin (I believe that it was working some kind of exfoliating magic), a blissful foot and scalp rub was administered.

Then a few tiny warm stones were moved across my face to decongest the skin, before this was repeated with some zingily cold stones. According to Thalgo, the cold pebbles should close the pores and prepare the face for the application of Absolute Rehydrating Serum, Ultra-matte Moisturising Fluid and Firming Eye Contour Gel.

After this treatment, my skin looked plump and smooth, and that pesky writer's block had been gently eased away.

Writer's Block facial, 65 for 1 hour 10 minutes at the Scotsman Spa, 1 Market Street, Edinburgh (0131-622 3800, www.scotsmanspa.com).

Readers of The Scotsman Magazine can get 10 per cent off this facial if they book before the end of December.

Fab facts for a beautiful life

HEALTH

Take meds

Here's some great news for those who crave paella and tapas (but probably not sangria). A study by the Spanish government found that a Mediterranean diet of fruit, vegetables, nuts, legumes and olive oil not only has benefits for physical health, but also mental wellbeing. They studied a group of Spaniards over four and a half years and found that those who ate a healthy mix of traditional Mediterranean food were almost half as likely to develop depression as those who didn't.

BEAUTY

Soap solution

Multitasking products are a godsend and we're especially smitten by Bliss's new paraben-free Soapy Suds Body Wash and Bubbling Bath. There are three fragrances (including lemon and sage and vanilla and bergamot) which contain Vitamin E and aloe. However, as it's Halloween, we recommend the blood orange and white pepper version, which has a non-scary scent which manages to be warming yet refreshing.

Bliss Soapy Suds 15 for 473.2ml (www.blisslondon.co.uk); Harvey Nichols, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh (0131-524 8388)

fitness

Bone up

If you suffer from osteoporosis, a fitness plan can help increase bone density. Realistic Pilates offers an "osteo-pilates" course, including specially developed moves. Ask your doctor before signing up.

Osteo-pilates, 10 for first class then 6, weekly at 10:30am from Thursday 5 November. Realistic Pilates, Holyrood Business Park, 146 Duddingston Road West, Edinburgh (www.realistic-pilates.co.uk, 0131-661 2636)

This article was first published in The Scotsman on October 31, 2009