Elemis Rasul With Well-Being Massage Tested by: Linda Buttle
Details: Treatment lasts around 1hr 45mins and costs £105
Contact: For your nearest Elemis salon call 020 8954 8033. Please note the Rasul is available exclusively at the Elemis Day Spa in London.
What's It All About: A Rasul is an experience like no other. It involves caking yourself in different coloured mud, designed to rebalance your chakras, before sitting in your own Moorish style temple. As if all this isn't enough, you're then treated to a unique Elemis massage.
The Treatment: As a big Elemis fan, I knew I was in for a real treat when I visited their London day spa. The whole experience of this beautifully designed Zen zone is quite amazing. For example nothing can prepare you for the sight of your Rasul, a miniature Moorish temple, with ornate tiles from floor to ceiling and a domed roof displaying a thousand twinkling stars.
My therapist explained exactly what would happen during the treatment before leaving me to get on with it. I was to put four coloured muds on specific areas of my body - white for my face, orange for my front, grey for my back and dark brown mud for my thighs. The idea is that the darker the mud the more toxins it draws out.
Once decorated in mud it's time to relax. As if by magic, steam starts to fill the Rasul. It's more comfortable than a steam room but works in the same way to help with the drawing effect of the mud. There are two seats so it's a good laugh to go with a friend whilst on your own it's an almost spiritual experience.
Once your time's up, the lights are turned up and warm jets of water rain down to wash away the mud and prepare you for your massage. Next you're invited to choose from a range of specially blended massage oils to suit your needs including: distress, muscle-ease, re-balancing or energizing. The treatment itself is an idyllic combination of the best massage techniques from around the world, starting with the distinctive Hawaiian Wave motion that feels like a big wave being washed over your entire body. This is followed by a bit of Indian head massage and some Thai pressure point work for your hands. The whole sequence is so perfectly choreographed that the therapist simply glides from one technique to another. It's a truly blissful experience, but be warned - after this all other massages may seem mundane by comparison!
The Verdict: No wonder it's called the Well-Being Massage. As you're taken on your trip around the world of massage techniques you gradually leave all your troubles behind. Having the Rasul first prepares the skin and relaxes you so you can enjoy every bit of your massage.
Favourite Products: All four choices of massage oil are all available to buy for £23.50 each. Experiencing the same aroma at home is the ideal way to transport you back to how relaxed you felt during your massage.
The Place To Go: This treatment was tested out at the unique Elemis Day Spa, 2-3 Lancashire Court, Mayfair, London, W1S 1EX (Telephone 020 7499 4995).
