Spa Out Bali

Katie Truman’s mind, body and spirit – and everything in-between – gets fabulously transformed as she test-runs the latest offerings in Bali’s premier spas.

It’s amazing what you can get up to in the island’s spas and salons. No mere Balinese massage, coffee bean scrubs, or floral baths, these nifty little numbers are keeping up with the latest world beauty and wellness trends and offering some seriously mind and body changing options; whether it’s a bum lift and inches zapped off your wobbly bits, your chakras cleansed, your face (and other parts) totally rejuvenated and tightened and talons glistening with Japan’s latest chrome mirror varieties.

Body Lab

There’s simply no messing around at Body Lab, a new aesthetic centre opened in Seminyak. Purely focused on professional anti-ageing and anti-cellulite care, with body slimming (anti cellulite) and face rejuvenation (lifting), Body Lab gets straight to the point, or rather, straight to all those nasty bags, saggy and floppy bits that increasingly afflict us. Derrière heading south to the Antarctic? Can’t budge the bulge? Ukrainian Alyona, and her experienced beauty therapists will work their magic, just like a modern-day fairyland. Their miniscule, all-white salon, with just two treatment rooms, and short, easy to follow menu of treatments and procedures sets the no-nonsense approach; body and face procedures are practically all administered by high quality equipment from Russia and the Ukraine for the latest innovative beauty techniques that promise no pain, scarring, or downtime. Single treatments are affordably priced; Body Tightening treatments cover Vacuum Roller Anti-Cellulite Massage (lifting saggy skin and eliminating fat) Muscle Stimulation Body (if you’re too lazy to go to the gym) and Infrared Blanket Therapy combined with Styx Cello Gel Body Wrapping, especially suited for those that can’t (or don’t) exercise, eliminating “orange peel” cellulite. Face Lifting and Anti-ageing covers Microcurrents, Vacuum lifting Massage, Muscle Stimulation and Ultrasound procedures; both body and face cover Radio Frequency, which miraculously stimulates new collagen and elastin, a procedure especially good for tightening skin on saggy hotspots like the upper arms. One session is beneficial, however, for max results, treatments are best administered in a series over several weeks; Body Lab offers 10 single treatments as a super saving, great value body or face package. Their latest signature is Body Sculpture Treatment Ultrasound Cavitation; non-surgical fat removal on the stomach or thighs. During each of the five sessions, the fat membrane is broken down by ultrasound and fatty acids dispatched to the lymphatic system, eliminated naturally. This fat elimination process takes a week before the next treatment; the senior therapist will measure your circumference before each treatment to check results; most clients experience two to five-centrimetres of circumference reduction after a single session. Body Lab also offers Magic Face Lift Packages and Intensive Body Packages, starring their unique Brazilian Bum treatment. We’d all like a Brazilian Bum and now we can have one (hurrah!), after a combo of Muscle Stimulation Body and Vacuum Massage gets to grip with your derrière. Keep an eye-out for Body Lab’s imminent opening of a new aesthetic clinic next door, promising even more miracles.
bodylabbali.com

Soham Wellness Centre
Petitenget’s Soham Wellness Centre stands as an ultra-modern, indoor complex devoted to wellness and fitness with facilities running to a hi-tech fitness centre with cycle room, lengthy lap pool, fight club and yoga studio. The upper floor Spa, like elsewhere, comes stylishly designed with polished concrete floors and glass walls and reveals a spacious relaxation lounge, open-plan salon and 11 dimly-lit treatment rooms. The Spa’s menu offers good value, extensive choices, with notables covering Massages that feature Royal Thai with Lukprakob, administered in a dedicated Thai massage room, Indian Ayurvedic treatments and multi-hour Rituals packages that get you access to the steam, sauna and hot and cold plunge pools on a lower level. The Spa’s stand-out however are the more under-the-radar, spiritually-inclined offerings; namely, three unique healing sessions centering on the Chakra system. These come administered by an experienced and nurturing Chakra spiritualist from the Netherlands, within a dedicated healing room, suitably candlelit, incense laden and headed-up by a Buddhist deity. With Aura Healing, your aura is purified, with blockages and unwanted energies set free from the body, mind and soul, while Ank Treatment uses an ancient Egyptian spiritual instrument to not only work on your astral body, but also on physical needs and ailments. The forte however is the totally enlightening Chakra Healing, a two-hour session whereby your mind is cleared, your chakras cleansed, unblocked and revitalized and you walk off with a brand new aura and renewed sense of well-being. And much more. When our chakras (seven centres in our bodies in which energy flows through), are lit-up or open, and bright and clean, the chakra system is balanced; cleansing the chakras is highly beneficial to maintain our body’s health, mental sanity and spirit, helps keep energy levels pure and increases intuitive ability. After a highly personal consultation, the spiritualist gently works through each area, relaying their significance and what she finds there, besides advising how to address emotional and physical challenges, even what to wear, eat and do to help maximize your potential, generate good fortune and achieve a better life. The session finishes with a ritual giving you a new aura. This isn’t for everyone, it’s not a cure-all and not a psychic session. However, the positively uplifting Chakra Healing (repeated in shorter sessions), should help you understand your body, mind and soul a whole lot better – and give your chakras a thorough spring-clean.
www.sohamwellnesscenter.com

W Bali – Seminyak
Alongside Petitenget Beach, W Bali – Seminyak has got to be one of Bali’s most glam, ultra-contemporary and playful five-star resorts. Not surprisingly, their cutting-edge AWAY® Spa follows suit – a 1,500-square-metres ‘escape-within-an-escape’ of fabulousity that resembles an all-white spaceship, opens 24/7 and indulges with W’s signature “Whatever/Whenever” concept.

Complimentary pre-treatment facilities include a decadent, guys and gals wet facility and pure oxygen mask sessions in the Detox Room. There’s even a fully-stocked bar. But even multi-award winners need to shake-it up, thus AWAY has recently introduced, or is in the process of, some big, bold changes on their menu. Wave bye-bye to some long-established packages (albeit golden oldies like the “Red Carpet” series remain) and say hello to some diva-worthy treats. Like all-new, Get Your Glow On theme with tailor-made treatments to nourish your Inner Glow (massage and body treatments), Outer Glow (on-demand facials and quick beauty fixes) and After Glow (post-treatment spa products from the Beauty Bar). Touch and Glow comes designed for super busy folk who still want to look fab, offering super-express, multiple body, hair and make-up options in short, sharp, allotted time sessions. New body and face treatments by Thalgo, a renowned French marine-based skincare product (its algae marine base a marvel for tightening the skin) includes six facials geared to anti-aging and firming. Signature Thalgo facial, “Prime Time” irons-out wrinkles and increases the skin’s elasticity and resilience, improves microcirculation and intensively moistens the skin (aided by intense finger massage movements), for wow factor, plumped-up results. Other Spa-tacular new treatments specifically focus on types, like Mums to Be, What Men Want, Pre-Bridal gals, and party animals – any treatments between 11pm to 9am are rewarded with a 25 percent discount, thanks to AWAY’s “Midnight Delight” promo. And those too sidetracked at W’s bar and pool. If you can’t tear yourself away from W’s WET zone and three-tiered beachfront pools, help is on hand, literally, with Escape Cabana, a simple beachfront extension of AWAY Spa, set on palm tree-studded lawns, nearby. The dedicated daytime spa menu offers new Asian-influenced massages and facials, including “Flirty Feet and Martini” – an invigorating foot massage followed by a well-deserved Martini. Meanwhile, “Pamper Yourself @ WET” provides mini-indulgences on poolside daybeds running to pressure point massage – just raise your hand! AWAY Spa also comes to you at W Lounge – the innovative lobby bar – with mini-pampering sessions on your bar stool. How very W.
www.wretreatbali.com/awayspa

Glo Day Spa and Salon
It seems every man and his dog is setting-up shop in Berawa-Canggu, arguably Bali’s nuclear hot ‘hood right now, and Glo Day Spa and Salon is no exception, recently launching their super-chic flagship branch in Berawa. But one-stop Glo (“for vanity and sanity”) is no cutesy novice, established 12 years ago by an Australian spa industry professional. Pioneering Glo was the first urban-style spa-salon on the island, now with Glo branches in Lembongan, Sanur and Seminyak, offering an extensive array of grooming staples and pampering body treatments, delivered by a long-running, well-trained team with international standards and coolest imported products. Bigger and better Glo Canggu comes designed with a modern colonial elegance: downstairs, the hair salon, lounge, a boutique retailing the latest products (including Young Blood Mineral make-up), and state of the art, spray tan cubicle, Glo the first in Bali to offer this – with Australian top-notch spray regimes – and now offering an express 20-minute session. Upstairs, there are five treatment rooms and swanky mani-pedi salon looking onto the street. Beverages from the comprehensive drinks menu, including Australian wines, can be indulged during treatments; they can even send-in for Champers, especially popular for pre-bridal, wedding and celebratory occasions invariably hosted here. With the swanky Canggu flagship, besides Glo’s knack of keeping abreast of all latest, advanced beauty products and techniques, comes a seriously expanded menu. Too much to recount here, but new stand-outs include the gent’s luxe Barber Shop and Vitaman for Men treatments, featuring super-effective Vitaman Sports Massage; the extraordinary new Ellebana eyelash lift and two new advanced, anti-aging facials from wonder product, Pevonia, Stem Cell Phyto-elite and Micro Retinol, for outstanding results. Among a handful of new hair treatments, the signature, Opalex is a game-changer for blonde colouring. Need a beauty overhaul, but strapped for time? Well opt for a threesome! Er, I mean, three therapists simultaneously working on you with some hot new signatures. First, sensational Warm Stone Hair Revival, lasting 90 blissful minutes: a double shampoo and lengthy scalp rub, hair smothered with an intensely moisturizing aloe vera crème bath and wrapped in a hot towel, with therapist Gerry massaging my shoulders and neck with outrageously soothing hot stones. Meanwhile, two therapists proceed with a full-on Spa Mani and Pedi, before I’m under the hair steamer for 20 minutes for deep conditioning and my arms and hands are massaged. Once the crème hair bath is rinsed away, I’m indulged with Glo’s trademark Blow Dry and an application of Gel Chrome Mirror Nails in gold – the latest fashion trend from Japan and a first for Bali – for mega-strong, yet super glossy talons. Finally, I’m off to Glo’s new Brow Bar, for some expert eyebrow styling and a glass of wine. Phew, I could get used to this.
www.glospabali.com

Cocoon Medical Spa
Australian-run Cocoon Medical Spa is Bali’s premier international cosmetic and anti-aging skin centre, offering the latest innovations in non-invasive skin treatments, including anti-aging, cosmetic and wellness, but committed to a long-term, holistic approach; they integrate wellness treatments, such as Detox, Colon hydrotherapy and Vitamin IV, with their high octane cosmetic treatments and cosmetic packages are designed for longer-lasting visible results and holistic affect. Cocoon deliver results driven, international quality treatments at competitive prices, combined with advanced technologies and qualified doctors. No wonder they’ve won a swag of international awards, including “Best Medical Spa 2015,”at the IMTJ Awards, London. Ground-breaking Cocoon are yet again ahead of the pack, the first in Bali to introduce QUANTA Laser from Italy, the next generation of state-of-the-art laser systems, leading to some advanced new laser treatments – good news for those seeking alternatives to invasive surgery but still demanding results!

Signature star is Quanta LASER 3D Skin Rejuvenation, Italy’s number #1 laser favoured by the world’s most beautiful models and garnering rave reviews in the beauty industry – now exclusively available at Cocoon. LASER 3D is long-term skin rejuvenation for full face (alternatively, chest, neck or hands), going deep and targeting different epidermis layers, according to skin type and areas of concern, stimulating new collagen production for excellent and visibly beautiful skin results: firming, smoothing and vast improvement of skin tone and texture and reduced pigmentation, acne scars, vascular lesions, sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles and other nasties. This revolutionary procedure lasts around two hours (combined with LED and Platelet Rich Plasma procedures for max results); compared to the more drastic equivalents– although expect Hollywood-style hideaways from the sun, sea and make-up for a week or so. Noticeable results kicks-in around three weeks later, with long lasting collagen production for up to twelve months. Other stand-out Quanta Laser procedures cover Diva Tight, Vagina Rejuvenation; a gift from the Gods for mum’s, and those enduring the menopausal women or medical conditions down under. This revolutionary, non-surgical, “walk-in, walk-out” vaginal procedure regenerates cells and tightens, but is virtually painless and requires little downtime. Yay. There’s also ND YAG Laser for specifically treating age spots, pigmentation, rosacea and more, plus lasers for vein and tattoo removals. Not so keen on lasers? Plenty of other goodies available, including award-winning, super-popular, Naked Skin Package – not so hard core as Laser 3D, but still achieving great results, with fresher, firmer and hydrated glowing skin, positively encouraging you to ditch the make-up. As part of Cocoon’s holistic experience, there’s a new massage menu and for this, new treatment rooms upstairs.
www.cocoonmedicalspa.com