Tea for spa, anyone?
A hot cup of tea after every meal works as a digestive aid as it also detoxifies our body. Hence, the sudden influx of milk tea shops around the metro was not surprising. But tea for a spa treatment? Now that is something innovative.
And why not. Did you know that two cups of tea are as effective as seven cups of orange juice? Moreover, a tea plant as an antioxidant is 200 times more potent than vitamin E. Thus, it helps erase the signs of aging by neutralizing the free radicals (from air pollution, smoke, drugs) that damage our skin’s elastin and collagen. This perhaps explains the flawless complexions of Korean and Chinese women.
So, off I go to Sofitel’s Le Spa to experience its newest and exclusive range of treatments that utilize the power of teas called Themae, (or temae in Japanese, a term for tea preparation ceremony), which is dubbed as the best in French cosmetology.
Themae honors the benefits and powers of tea and uses them to concoct relaxing and soothing formulations such as creams, balms, and scrubs for my facial and upper body massage session. The spa experience uses the natural powers of four tea extracts as the main ingredients, which are the regenerating white tea, stimulating black tea, soothing red tea, and anti-oxidant green tea.
“White tea is the most expensive among them because of its sophisticated way of harvest. It must need proper timing and perfect weather conditions,” my personal massager, Elvie explains, while I loll, almost half asleep, thanks to the tea aroma and its therapeutic effects.
Elvie started by cleansing my skin and rubbing it after with minute granules that stimulated my blood flow as well. The process utilized the soothing effects of red tea. Then, in between facial massage was a calming eye cream that used white tea extracts. A detoxifying facemask topped off my facial spa.
Also, my rejuvenating Instant Glow Facial included a massage of neck and décolletage, “so the face color matches the neck”, which is a common boo-boo among women who only focus on face whitening, Elvie said.
What sets my Themae experience apart from the various facials I’ve experienced is its injection of traditional Asian practices like the use of nuat naa (Thai facial massage technique), which is a facial roll with two Tiger-eyes (marbles). The nuat naa does not have tiny needles for pricking acnes but just a stick with two cold marbles on the end, which stimulate pressure points while inducing sleep.
I woke up feeling fresher and cleaner, just the same feeling as drinking a cup of tea after a hearty meal.
Softiel’s Le Spa also offers other signature facials, body scrubs, and massages. For inquiries visit www.sofitelmanila.com.
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