Newton-John collaborated with Gaia staff to create the all-natural skincare range

Australian singer Olivia Newton-John has launched an all-natural skincare range which is available online and at Gaia, the Byron Bay retreat and spa she co-founded in 2005 (see SB10/3 p46).

Retreatment Botanics comprises 10 products which blend extracts from native plants, such as banksia flower and kakadu plum, with antioxidants, essential fatty acids and vitamins A, C & E to target ageing and skincare concerns.

Newton-John says that as Gaia successfully grew into “a place of beauty that was nurturing and gentle on the soul, I dreamt of an equally beautiful, nurturing skincare range that really worked”.

There are 10 products in the Retreatment Botanics collection

Guests arriving at Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Italy, can now receive a thorough consultation with a specialist butler to help combat jet-lag, fatigue or general burn-out.

They’ll suggest the perfect room temperature for optimal sleep, talk through the pillow menu options, recommend healthy in-room dining and arrange an unpacking service. They can also find the most suitable spa treatments, such as the Ultimate Detox Reviver by Aromatherapy Associates, a massage based on rosemary, pink grapefruit and juniper berry energy boosting oils.

A recent global survey of 2,000 luxury consumers, conducted by Waldorf Astoria’s parent company Hilton, found that a third of travellers want to experience such a treatment.

Healthy food, room temperature, pillow options and massage all help to ease jet lag

A wellness programme focusing on the sight, smells, sounds and taste of Africa has launched at Azura Benguerra in Mozambique.

Sounds of Africa aims to promote the benefits of hyperconsciousness to cultivate a new way of thinking to care for the mind and body.

The programme features an African drumming session which combines traditional rhythmical drumming, singing and exercise to promote healing, a walking meditation expedition around sensory spots on the island, a silent breakfast on the shore line and an TheraNaka massage inspired by tribal healing techniques. Guests can pick and choose any element of the programme to add on to their stay.

Azura Benguerra is a private island resort, which was hand-built and is part-operated by the local community, and is situated in a marine national park.

Sounds of Africa is also available at its sister property, Azura Quilalea, which is in Mozambique as well.

African drumming and a massage inspired by tribal healing techniques are on offer

Wellness resort Carillon Miami is inviting guests to “gain a new sense of clarity” in a three-day retreat guided by Emme – the US plus-size supermodel and advocate of positive body image.

Emme will be joined by Inessa Freylekhman, a spiritual psychotherapist and feng shui master, to help attendants to clear their minds and release subconscious blocks through meditations, yoga, workshops and forgiveness rituals. The overall goal is to develop an ‘ideal vision’ for life and create a plan on how to get there.

Prices include a US$200 (€177, £153) spa credit for treatments and access to one of the country’s largest thermal experiences.

Emme is a plus-size supermodel and positive body image advocate

Jeff Bishop

On-demand massage service Soothe has added stretch services to its treatment list for corporate clients.

Jeff Bishop, Soothe’s VP of operations, says: “Because so much of daily stress occurs in the workplace, it was natural for Soothe to go beyond providing in-office chair massage therapy by developing Soothe Stretch, where individuals can receive assisted stretching while at work.”

Spa Business recently tipped assisted stretching as an up and coming spa treatment (see SB18/3 p98) as it allows a therapist to target particular muscles and joints that cannot be activated through solo stretching.

Soothe, a leading on-demand massage service and app, delivered one massage every two minutes to clients in the US, Canada, UK and Australia in 2018. It’s At Work programme sends therapists to workplaces on a subscription basis.

Tricia Sharkey

International colour and massage teacher Tricia Sharkey will be helping guests to “explore harmony, health and healing” through colour as part of a Visiting Masters programme at Four Seasons Vietnam in June. They can choose from over 100 Aura-Soma dual colour bottles – combining essential oils and crystals – which each have a special meaning and are applied to a specific area of the body.

Sharkey says: “Colour has been proven to be a most effective emotional enhancer, like golden sunlight on a cloudy day. It helps you feel better about your situation, and even more, it helps give you insights, motivation and creative solutions.”

She can talk guests through the colour in more depth if interested and also combine the consultation with a chakra balancing massage. Additional Visiting Masters highlights include sixth sense readings and yoga, music and healing vibration workshops.

Sessions can include an Aura-Soma massage to balance chakras

Guests pay US$25 for an extra 30 minutes in the sensory rooms

Treatment suites focused on different senses are available at Six Senses Spa Dubai in the Renaissance Downtown Hotel.

In the Sound Suite, guests lie on a So-Sound Legato Healing Lounger where healing vibrations resonate through the body to release muscle tension, improve circulation and blood pressure and encourage relaxing brainwaves. It’s been described as “lying in your very own Tibetan singing bowl… Rather than just hearing with your ears, you’re now listening with your whole body.” There’s also an interactive hanging chime feature, and a steam shower and sauna where guests can choose either relaxing or reenergising music.

Features in the other rooms include a living moss wall and a floatation pod for a feeling of total weightlessness in the Touch Suite; and circadian lamps, beautiful image projections and a light pollution mask in the Sight Suite.

Any spa treatment can be enjoyed in the suites and an extra 30 minutes will be added for the sensory experience. A range of rituals to further heighten the senses have been created for the specialist rooms.

Tactile living walls in the Touch Suite

The programme is based on 17 TCM treatments and sessions

Leading Italian spa resort Lefay has revealed a five night stress-busting programme based on 17 treatments and sessions.

“Detoxing from stress is as important as any health detox,” it says. “Prolonged stress causes chemicals in the body to build up, creating symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, skin problems, digestive issues, depression and joint pain.”

The Recovery of Original Energy programme combines Lefay’s classical Chinese medicine approach with neuroscience – where doctors monitor the effectiveness of treatments on stress, through heart rate variability.

Acupuncture points are stimulated and energy flow is boosted with multiple tui na, moxibustion, reflexology and qi gong sessions. There’s also La Quiete, a new massage for 2019, which uses slow movements with medium pressure that builds to release muscle tension and promote deep relaxation.