Spas, Beauty and Wellness Treatments to Try in 2023

Whether it’s your goal this year or not, carving out some time just for you should be high on the priority list this year. You need it – not just deserve it! A trip to the spa, or even for a lunchtime beauty treatment if that’s all you can make time for, is just what the doctor ordered. Here, we look at some of the latest and greatest spa facilities and beauty and wellness treatments that can help you feel like a whole new person.

The Authentic Roman Baths

If you’re looking to escape the hustle of Central London, a trip to AIRE may be just what you need. AIRE is a spa with candlelit ancient baths in the basement of a traditional townhouse, not far from Covent Garden.  With exposed brickworks, the flickering candlelight, a soundtrack of relaxation music and meditative swishing of water, it’s a retreat that’ll take you back centuries.

Not only will the hot thermal springs aid in relaxing muscle tension and stress but the mineral qualities of the water can help with inflammation, improve sleep quality, boost immune health, improve circulation and aid in detoxification.

You can book a 90-minute session to use the thermal baths, or team this with one of the very luxurious body treatments.

Sound Bath

Meditation has a proven benefit for mental clarity as well as lowering depression and helping to improve mood overall. However, with an always-on culture and an inability to switch off, if you struggle to meditate and would like a guided experience, a sound bath could be the perfect solution.

Jasmin Harsono, from Emerald Tiger is not only the founder of this wellness brand and space but is an intuitive guide working in wellness worldwide as a multi-sensory artist, practitioner, writer, author, speaker, contributor and brand advisor, and runs sound treatments that combines intuitive and carefully considered therapeutic sound tools with ancient and modern techniques. Given that she has the opportunity before and during the session to get to know her clients on a deeper level mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually; she selects specific healing sounds and frequencies to support their individual needs, offering an immersive and healing experience.

The sound bath sessions support people to get into a relaxed and meditative state, there is an orchestral and ethereal feel and those new to meditation often try a sound bath.

“Every instrument played in an orchestra has its own sound and vibration. When played in tune with all the other instruments, the whole orchestra feels at one. However, if one or more instruments are playing out of tune, the orchestra as a whole sound off; they are not playing in harmony with one another. Once the instruments are all back in tune, there is harmony again, a perfect symphony.

The same applies to our body and how sound helps to get us back into balance. Our bodies are made up of our skin, cells, tissues, muscles and organs; they all have their own vibration that, when in harmony with everything else in the body, there is balance, ease and flow within. If something in the body is out of balance, dis-ease may show up. Our bodies are composed of four layers: the emotional, physical, mental and spiritual. Sound healing frequencies help to realign and bring our body back into a state of the whole so that all parts of the body are working in harmony together just like a fully tuned orchestra.” Jasmin Harsono

Sound treatments and sound baths can be in-person at the townhouse in London or remotely anywhere in the world. Prices start at £75 for 30 minutes.

Hot and Cold Therapy

There has been a significant increase in cold-water swimming and showers, with research showing that it can help skin glow, alleviate muscle aches, as well as help to ease depression and low mood, among lots of other health benefits such as boosting the immune system, helping to rid the body of toxins, and aiding better quality sleep. The K-Spa, London, is a secret subterranean paradise in West London that specialise in hot and cold therapy, mimicking the Finnish tradition which allows you to alternate between freezing and steamy environments. At the K-Spa you’ll find steam rooms, sauna’s, hydro pools and London’s first snow room; a room filled with natural snow made from air and water and chilled to an icy -15°.

Not only do you get all the health benefits associated with hot and cold therapy, but the environment around the spa has been curated to aid relaxation whichever room you visit. So, whether you want to get the health benefits from this retreat, or you’re looking for place to escape for an hour; an opportunity to relax under the hydrotherapy pool adorned with starlight-lighting, immersing your feet into a personal footbath, or inhaling the intoxicating aromatic scents of the steam rooms is sure to help you feel rejuvenated.

Ayurveda Massage

Whatever ailments, stress or concerns you’re facing, an Ayurveda massage could provide a solution. The Ayurveda is an ancient Indian technique that combines pressure point massage, along with other massage techniques, and a bespoke herbal oil to help create a connection between your mind, body and soul. Be prepared to be liberally covered in oil for this top to toe treatment, and it’s also best to have at the end of the day as you can feel quite tired (as well as being super oily) as well as a range of emotions afterwards. It’s best to spend the remainder of your day relaxing and letting the oils soak in to get further benefit.

An Aqua Thermal Journey

Ribby Hall, set in the glorious Lancashire countryside, offers a variety of packages, including the Aqua Thermal Journey experience; a spa experience that offers several different heat experiences including foot spas, an aroma room, herbal sauna, Balinese salt inhalation room, an aromatherapy room, and a Sanarium. There’s also a hydrotherapy pool, outdoor hot tub, and its very own Zen Garden, a popular addition which has been extended to include an energising salt sauna with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, and a refreshing monsoon shower with body jets. Take a look at the Aqua Thermal Journey offeringsm bookable via Spabreaks.com to find a perfect package to help you detox, feel happy, more connected to nature, ease tension, relax, rest and restore. You deserve it!

Light Therapy Facials

There’s been a growing trend for light therapy facials in the last few years as a way to tackle a number of skin concerns, such as: acne, fine lines, rosacea, and psoriasis to name a few. There are three main types of light therapy: red, blue and yellow; the best one for your concern can be established with your technician and a light therapy facial can be carried out as an individual treatment or as an add-on to other facial treatments. The light treatment can help to reduce inflammation, stimulate collagen production, reduce the appearance of fine lines, scarring and pigmentation. With a treatment lasting anywhere between 20-30 minutes, zero downtime and promising results after just a few treatments, we can see the appeal. You can certainly manage a treatment on your lunchbreak too. We’re in.

Couture Technology Facials at House of Elemis

Couture Technology at House of Elemis, London, bookable via Spabreaks.com, uses SkinLab photos, combining state-of-the-art technology in facial mapping analysis and a lifestyle consultation to help the therapist tailor the facial to your individual needs. The facial itself is like taking a regular facial and turbo charging it; you’re able to get a lot more from just one treatment as it’s so targeted. Available in 30-minutes, one hour, or one hour 30-minute slots, the Couture Technology Facial hydrates, energises and firms the skin, and leaves it feeling cleaner and glowing. It is renowned for showing instant results, which is what makes it so popular for anyone with a big event coming up.

What treatment or experience would you like to try?