The treatment: Kérastase Chronologiste, £17.45In-salon treatment. At home treatment gift box:£99.00 – gives 10 at-home treatments. Hair Essentials, CardiffTester: Hilary Ferda, EditorWhat is it? A luxury caviar hair and scalp treatment for dry,weakened, colour-treated and highlighted hair.Who is it for? Anyone who loves a beautiful head massage and wantssoft, shiny hair.What does it involve? This summer my hair had taken a real bashingwith an overdose of sun, sand and chlorine. It felt thick, dry andwhatever I tried, I just couldn’t get any shape to it. I’ve tried virtuallyeverything on my hair over the years and it takes a lot to get meexcited with so many products promising miracles.

Well - I am happy to report that this is one potion that mostdefinitely lives up to its promise!

I’m going to skip the clever science bit – the salon can give you allthe info on that - but suffice to say the product is bursting withvitamins and nutrients. The treatment began with an ultra-nourishingand fabulously velvety cream (mixed with concentrated Mimetic

Caviar pearls immersed in Pacific seawater) being applied to mydamp hair.. This followed with the best head massage I’ve ever

experienced – (thanks Natalie). The fragrance was sublime and I could feel the product

working right through to my scalp. A lovely hot towelwas then placed on my head for about 10 minutes to let

the Kérastase magic do its work.Like any hair conditioner the real proof of how well it works is

how your feels and behaves in the days that follow.Verdict: Totally lush! My hair felt ultra soft and looked shiny for daysand it’s now so much easier to style. For more info: www.hair-essentials.com

What is it? An 80-minute moisturising,anti-aging facial with firming eye treatmentWho is it for? Perfect for anyone with dry,mature skin in need of a little pick-me-upWhat does it involve? The treatmentstarts with a choice of the essential oils andcreams to be used. You’re asked to smellthem all, and select the ones you prefer orare drawn to. Then, after my skin wasgently cleansed, a Herbal Spa spray wasspritzed over my face, arms and shouldersto uplift my senses, freshen the skin andhydrate a tired or dull complexion. Myskin was then exfoliated with a gentlepolish to refine and renew before a firmingfacemask, enriched with lovely minerals,was applied. Once the mask had done itsmagic, a protective serum was smoothedinto my skin to lock in moisture and boost

cell regeneration. The firming eyetreatment involved a relaxing eye massageusing a gentle cleanser enriched withmoisturising jojoba. This was followedwith calming eye pads, which were appliedto reduce puffiness and help minimisedark circles. As a special treat thetreatment also includes a tension-relievinghead massage using a mineral rich pink‘mud’ to replenish damaged hair. I wasadvised to leave the hair mud in overnight,which made for an interesting journeyhome, but it was certainly worth it thenext morning.Verdict: I felt totally pampered and relaxedafter the treatment. My skin was rechargedand glowing, while my hair looked and feltincredibly soft and shiny too. For more info: www.brynmeadows.co.uk

The treatment: ESPA De-lux Facial with Firming EyeTreatment, £55, Fusion Spa & Wellness at Bryn MeadowsTester: Ros Sleeman, Senior Sales Consultant

ladiesfirst • beauty

The LF team road-test the very latest in pampering treatmentsTHE LUXEfactor

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The treatment: Indocéane Experience,£55, Vale Hotel and Spa ResortTester: Natalie Perrett, Office ManagerWhat is it? A 55-minute whole body exfoliation and re-hydration treatment Who is it for? Anyone who needs to give dry skin aluxurious boost, especially after a sun-soaked holiday.What does it involve? This exotic treatment experienceis broken into three stages, and first up is aMediterranean influenced full-body exfoliation. Thescrub smelled absolutely divine and I could feel itworking deep into my skin. Then, once scrubbed andsoftened, it was time to enjoy stage two - a luxurioussoak in the bubbling Hydro bath. As I blissfully relaxedamong the bubbles, Egyptian Precious Milk was pouredinto the water to soothe and moisturise my skin. Thesteam and aroma from the milk also worked its magicon my face and I could almost feel my pores unclogging.After a quick dry off, it was then back onto the bed forthe final part. To leave my skin fully hydrated, a Chineseinspired body cream was massaged (very generously)over my whole body. It was the ultimate in top-to-toepampering. I could feel the skin-soothing effectsimmediately, and was completely relaxed by the wholeprocess. Moisturising massage done, I was left to relaxbefore cuddling into the fluffy white robe and receivingmy Chinese green tea - very cute teapot!Verdict: My dry post-holiday skin was left feelingextremely soft and silky smooth. Not only did thetreatment illuminate my skin, but it also smelt gorgeous, and the softness even remained after Ishowered the next morning.For more info: www.vale-hotel.com

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ladiesfirst • beauty

Take fiveOur round-up of 5 more gorgeous pamperingtreatments for you to indulge in this autumn

Holistic Well-being Full BodyMassageThe Spa at Celtic Haven, Tenby. 55 mins, £55A customised Celtic Haven massage using achoice of blended oils. The massage boostscirculation and lymphatic drainage, warming themuscles and tissues.www.celtichavenspa.co.uk

Full Relaxing Traditional ThaiMassage Thai Touch, Canton, Cardiff. 90 mins, £60To help harmonise the body and mind and torelieve the pressures of our busy lifestyles.www.thaitouchcardiff.com

Comfort Zone Ocean MistTreatment St Brides Spa, Saundersfoot. 40 mins, £55A purifying foot cleansing ritual combined withan eye awakening treatment, designed torebalance and rejuvenate.www.stbridesspahotel.com

Carribbean Sea Scrub Captiva Spa, Caerphilly 60 mins, £35Coconut essential oils with a pure sugar canescrub buffs away dead skin and cleanses pores.The body is then massaged with kukai coconutlotion to leave it balanced and revitalized.www.captivaspa.com

Elemis Exotic Moisture Dew Facial St Mellons Hotel Spa, Cardiff. 60 mins, £40A moisture boosting specialist facial massage. Theskin is fed with thirst quenching actives to bringback that healthy, dewy look.www.oxfordhotelsandinns.com