When you are in need of a wonderfully relaxing experience in unique surroundings, Lush Spa in Central is the place to go.
Between the huge selection of happy hours and the new restaurants opening every week, it can be difficult to feel totally relaxed in the city. With a range of great affordable massages and hotel spas in Hong Kong, finding one that uses cruelty-free natural products can be difficult, but Lush Spa in Central does just that, plus they have a menu that is a little different to your average spa. We went along to check it out.
Finding energy at Lush Spa
If you love British brand Lush as much as I do, then you may be pleasantly surprised to know that they actually have a spa above their store on Lyndhurst terrace, and this is no ordinary spa either.
When you arrive for your treatment, one of the friendly staff will take you upstairs to The Kitchen. Decked out in the style of an old English farmhouse kitchen, complete with antique tea cups and framed images of rare birds, your consultation begins at the recycled wood kitchen table, where your therapist will explain your treatment, which was for me Synaesthesia.
Mark Constantine, Co-Founder and Head Perfumer at Lush, has scent-shape synaesthesia, so he perceives everything he smells as having a definite shape. The treatment blends scent, music and choreographed massage movements, and takes around 90 minutes.
This 2-hour treatment is inspired by sensory stimulation, and starts by the user selecting a word from their large selection that describes the state of mind that they hope to achieve through the massage, and I picked Energised in the hope of receiving a pick-me-up. You then get to choose another feeling from the brightly-coloured bottles lined up along the shelves, and I chose Free.
Synaesthesia
When I walked into the room, essential oils that are custom-made by the behavioural therapists at Lush, were bubbling from beakers along the shelves; a truly beautiful experience, both visually and aromatically (check the Instagram video below.)
During the full body massage, the therapist used an Energised massage bar that included the (secret) natural elements to assist with energy, and worked from head toe as the specially designed soundtrack took me on a 24-hour journey of the day, starting in the late afternoon. As we got into the evening part of the musical journey, I was out like a light before coming to as the therapist gently asked me to roll over.
Before the massage started, she had asked if I wanted to use the hot stone massage or if I wanted a stomach massage. I opted for the hot stones, and these were very luxurious, as she placed them over my body.
At the end of the treatment, the therapist made me a special Energised tea and I received an Energised bath bar and massage bar, both of which are exclusive to Lush Spa and can not be found on the shop floor.
This was unlike any spa that I have ever had before, and I truly felt energised and more relaxed afterwards – a bit of an oxymoron, I know. I will definitely be back to try their other equally magical sounding options.
Lush Spa, G/F-4/F, Soho Square, 21 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong, p. 3915 0638, 中環擺花街21號Soho Square地下至4樓
