Spanish cosmetics company Natura Bissé has launched Mindful Touch, an innovative new treatment that combines an immersive, virtual-reality experience with a luxurious facial that aims to help clients achieve inner balance.

The 60-minute treatment takes place inside Natura Bissé’s exclusive Bubble Pure Air, an allergen-, pollution- and bacteria-free treatment area that circulates 99.995 per cent pure air.

The treatment begins with an immersive virtual reality video that’s designed to enhance mood and relax the user into a state of mindfulness. After the video, a soothing voiceover is played while the user is given the 3D Collagen Shock facial, a treatment designed to hydrate and firm the skin and improve elasticity using three different types of collagen along with Natura Bissé’s Active Facial Contouring technique.

“This technological innovation, combined with a unique skincare treatment, results in a transformative wellness experience for body and mind,” says Patricia Fisas, board member and director of innovation and product development for Natura Bissé. “Every touch awakens some of the millions of receptors on our skin and triggers the release of oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine, known as ‘happy neurochemicals,’ which are related to positive mood and feelings.”

KEYWORD: NATURA BISSE

French marine skincare brand Phytomer has launched a new facial cream that targets ageing skin. The Resubstance Skin Resilience Rich Cream is a dual-action cream designed to plump and firm the skin by tackling the internal and external causes of ageing, and is formulated to treat dry, dehydrated, tight and uncomfortable skin caused by the sudden decrease of lipids in the skin following menopause.

“With Resubstance, Phytomer laboratories have invented a powerful treatment to recreate the lost qualities of post-menopausal skin,” says Mathilde Gedouin-Lagarde, marketing and communications director at Phytomer. “The outstanding replenishing powers of active ingredients from the sea are blended into a generous nourishing cream. The skin regains more substance and feels comfortable again.”

The cream contains marine-origin Corneogel, as well as concentrated brown algae – designed to work beneath the surface of the skin and replenish the dermis, effectively re-plumping the skin from within. The marine origin Corneogel re-densifies the corneal layer of the skin to fill wrinkles on the surface.

KEYWORD: PHYTOMER

Eastern Vibration has introduced several new tools to be used in both massage and sound therapy.

The Ayur Kasa is a massage tool for both the face and body, and plays an important role in traditional ayurvedic therapy. It’s designed to help balance the subtle energies of the body and improve overall health. Used for both deep tissue and lymphatic drainage massage, the Ayur Kasa is a hand-crafted bronze bowl (kasa) attached to a teak handle. The kasa is made from a high-quality bronze, selected for its high copper levels. Copper is believed to enhance circulation, reduce inflammation, ease pain and relieve arthritis and rheumatism.

Eastern Vibration has also launched a range of professional-grade Ocean Drums designed to be used in sound therapy. Created by a Nepalese percussionist and drum maker, the drums are made from goats’ skin and feature a double-sided frame. Small steel pellets within the drum simulate the sounds of the ocean.

“Each Ocean Drum is unique,” says Christine Hays, chief energy officer at Eastern Vibration. “The sound of waves they produce universally resonate on a deep cellular level, producing a grounding effect.”

KEYWORD: EASTERN VIBRATION

What is the Five Element Theory?
The Five Element Theory is based on the belief that everything in life needs to work in harmony in order to achieve perfect equilibrium. The Five Elements – wood, fire, earth, metal and water – are known to be the building blocks from which all material substance in the phenomenal world are composed.

The elements represent the transformation that occurs in the world around us, and they also have an effect on how things interact with and relate to each other. The elements support each other, but they also feed off each other, which can cause you to be in excess of or deficient in an element; it’s this that creates an imbalance that needs to be corrected.

What does it mean for therapists?
Once you’ve established which element is out of balance, it can be addressed with treatments, diet and small lifestyle changes. We have devised the Five Element Consultation, which enables the therapist and guest to work together to determine which treatments and products are needed to find that perfect harmony.

How can therapists use the consultation to prescribe treatments and products?
Our Five Element Consultation is a great tool to start a conversation to identify the best treatment. Talking to guests before the treatment is essential. It’s important to find out as much as possible about their lifestyle, diet, stress levels, etc. to determine what will be most beneficial to them and make it relatable to their concerns.

A guest may fall into more than one element, in which case our products are easy to mix and match to create a tailored treatment. The consultation gives a list of all our products and is a great aid for the therapist to tick which products were used during the treatment. The products used in our treatments are exactly the same as retail, so similar results can be achieved at home.

What does Elemental Herbology provide for therapist training?
We’re able to give on-site training to all new accounts and have in-depth training manuals for our products and treatment protocols to guide therapists through the training. Retail training is also provided, along with an incentive scheme so therapists have an opportunity to use our fabulous products and see the results for themselves!

KEYWORDS: ELEMENtal Herbology

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner Katie Brindle has created the Hayo’u Method, a treatment range combining self-care techniques and a product line consisting of tools and skincare for face and body.

The Hayo’u method consists of four daily self-treatment rituals involving traditional techniques taken from TCM, including gua sha, qi gong and conscious cleansing. The method aims to target stress and ‘transform’ the user’s health and beauty.

The rituals – including the beauty restorer ritual, the body restorer ritual, the rescue breath ritual, the reset ritual and conscious cleansing – are each a minute long and designed to be easily incorporated into daily routines.

“Our method is all about offering one-minute solutions that are a pleasure to do, but nonetheless incredibly powerful,” says Brindle. “By making rituals around any routine –such as bathing or showering – enjoyable, we’re more likely to stick to it.”

The Hayo’u Method also includes a line of products created to be used in conjunction with the rituals. The collection features a Beauty Restorer facial massage tool, a Body Restorer body massage tool, Bathe-rite bath minerals, Bathe-rite shower minerals, Treat-rite body oil and Treat-rite face oil.

KEYWORD: HAYO’U

Decléor has debuted Facial Pilates, a facial massage technique that claims to visibly lift, remodel and re-densify the skin. Created by Decléor massage development specialist Chico Shigeta, Facial Pilates is designed to stimulate the core muscles in the face and claims to deliver exceptional results.

The facial uses movements inspired by Pilates and features four types of facial massage, including a deep pressure massage that is designed to target the core muscles in the face, revive the skin and boost circulation.

The treatment starts with a warm-up, where pressure is applied to the face to warm the skin, increase circulation and prompt drainage. The face is then given a ‘workout’ where the core muscles are stretched, to redefine facial contours and firm the skin.

The ritual incorporates Decléor’s new Orexcellence skincare range and culminates in an Orexcellence Energy Youth Concentrate Mask. The mask is designed to prolong the effects of the massage and is available for customers to purchase as part of a retail line.

Shigeta says: “For powerful results, I got inspired by deep-pressure massage and Pilates techniques on core muscles to create the new Orexcellence ritual.”

KEYWORD: DECLEOR

Where do you think the spa market is headed, and why?
The spa market is getting more and more structured. Projects are now more in line with the capacity of the hotels that carry them.

Spas are a profitable asset for hotels, but they need to ensure that their spa facilities are in keeping with their environment. Hotel groups are now considering the spa as a real business unit and giving it a corporate identity. This means that hotels can do global marketing for their visitors, but spas will need to have a global view in terms of their providers.

What challenges do you think the spa industry will face, and how will Sothys meet these challenges?
Spas need to introduce a global offering that will generate revenue and retail sales. In terms of products, there is a defined trend of effective cosmeceutical treatments with a focus on wellbeing. Sothys relies on its network of researchers and international distributors to determine current trends and create products using the best that science and nature have to offer.

What can Sothys offer in terms of partnership?
Sothys aims to provide a unified service to all of its customers. Initially we work with the client to design a bespoke treatment menu that’s targeted specifically towards their needs. Once this has been achieved, we continue to offer support to the client throughout the process.

We propose brand training every year, particularly for reception staff, so they are able to sell treatments to guests from arrival. Ideally we want staff to have tried the treatments so they have a deeper understanding of what they are selling. We also propose various POS and display options in order to create further retail opportunities.

What makes Sothys stand out in a competitive market?
Besides our techniques and products, what makes Sothys stand out is that it’s family-owned and operated. For us, each new project is unique, and the solution we deliver is designed to reflect that.

KEYWORD: Sothys

Luxury skincare brand AMRA has launched a line of men’s skincare products for professional and at-home use. AMRA for Men has been five years in the making and features an extensive range of high-performance products for face and body that are formulated to target specific skincare concerns.

Each product claims to deliver healthy, youthful and radiant skin by hydrating the skin and reducing moisture loss. The line also promises to strengthen the skin’s structure and improve resilience by targeting and treating micro-cuts, as well as reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

The products are formulated with precious ingredients, including platinum, volcanic rock and meteorite powder, designed to hydrate, exfoliate and firm the skin, as well as eliminate toxins and repair damage caused by pollution and free radicals.

The range also features Celluactive8, an active ingredient exclusive to AMRA that has been scientifically proven to repair and regenerate the skin.

“Men have significantly different skincare concerns to those of women – their skin ages differently and has a totally different structure,” says Sue Jessop, founder and CEO at AMRA. “With AMRA, it has never been about cutting corners; it’s always about what’s best for your skin today and tomorrow. Our belief was to formulate the ultimate men’s skincare collection without finding a cost per milliliter – we simply added everything we believe to be required to revolutionise the male skincare and grooming market.”

KEYWORD: AMRA

Italian wellness consultancy Starpool has launched a new multi-platform solution that combines wellness and neuroscience.

Zerobody and Nu Rélax are a dry flotation bed and meditation app that were developed in collaboration with Italian brain wellness consultancy service Neocogita.

Zerobody is designed to give the user a feeling of weightlessness without the use of water. It features a heated water mattress that gently cushions the body, creating the illusion that the user is floating on a cloud.

Nu Rélax is supplied with Zerobody and features six meditation paths: relaxation, stability, creativity, calmness, vibrancy and clarity. The app is accessible through a smartphone and guides the user through meditation training inspired by relaxation techniques found in yoga. The solution is designed to make wellness more accessible in corporate settings as well as spas.

“Wellbeing is a psychophysical condition based on the balance between body and mind,” says Riccardo Turri, CEO at Starpool. “We at Starpool have always been convinced of this, with Zerobody and Nu Rélax we want to push this further, with an approach intended to redefine the very concept of wellness.”

KEYWORD: STARPOOL

Jean-Marie Adrien, a conductor and president of Motion Waves, has developed a technology that combines music with wellness to create a new, innovative augmented massage treatment.

The Motion Box II is designed to transform the therapist’s hands into conductor’s hands. Using sensors and speakers, music moves and changes with the therapist’s movements, turning a traditional spa treatment into a unique, individual performance that changes with each treatment.

“The practitioner’s hands shape a real-time, immersive, interactive sound scene, which forms an artistic work – unique and alive,” explains Adrien.

Adrien has collaborated with Sammy Gharieni, founder and CEO of massage table manufacturer Gharieni, to integrate this technology into the company’s MO1 treatment beds. The technology will be used with a new spa experience called ‘augmented massage.’

“The idea that the therapist is an artist who creates unique movements and sounds while working on the client is a totally new concept in wellness,” says Gharieni. “This innovative concept combined with Gharieni’s know-how and experience is a perfect fit.”

KEYWORD: MOTION WAVES

UK-based luxury tile company Siminetti has announced a partnership with The W Hotel and Residences on The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai.

The W, which is set to open its doors this year, will play host to the Alef Residences, a lavish lifestyle living destination that will be serviced by the luxury hotel.

Residents will have access to 475m (1558 ft) of private beach, a private members’ club, 24-hour concierge service, amenities and in-residence catering services.

Siminetti has supplied the hotel and residences with 500 sq m (1640 sq ft) of its Anthracite mother-of-pearl mosaic tiles, which have been featured throughout the property.

Siminetti’s mother-of-pearl mosaics are made from sustainable freshwater pearl. The tiles are sealed with resin, making them exceptionally strong and suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, as well as wet or dry areas, and either wall or floor surfaces. They are available in a range of different colours and styles.

KEYWORD: SIMINETTI