November 2018 www.womanthismonth.com 44 showcase Apple Sharma walks you through the luxurious Royal Hammam treatment at the Heavenly Spa by The Westin. Take the plunge for an exotic experience! Anyone who’s been in this region has at some point experienced a hammam, which essentially means a Turkish bath. But what you might not have tried is a luxe version of the ritual, which I experienced with the Royal Hammam treatment at the Heavenly Spa at The Westin City Centre Bahrain. My lovely therapist, Flavi, welcomed and escorted me to a walk-in hot bath, where I stayed for a few minutes. This was a great start to soften my skin and to help me relax, as I was a tad apprehensive about the treatment, having only had Moroccan hammam before (which can be a tad harsh). Next, walking into the hammam brought back memories of my experience in Casablanca, but this was to be a more refined version of it. The room was like walking into a dream sequence, with a gentle flowing steam all around me. It had a large white-grey, solid rectangular marble counter in the middle with contrasting black round marble sinks on either side. I was told to lie down on a thin mat with a small leather pillow as a headrest, which was surprisingly comfortable. Flavi then brought out the Turkish loofah – essentially a white glove that looked like a rough flannel. I was dreading this part but she reassured me that this exfoliation process would be a lot gentler than the Moroccan hammam. She started by scrubbing my entire body with only hot water and the loofah, starting with my face and then my front and back. I was expecting it to be fairly rough but to my surprise it was much milder than I had expected. It felt slightly abrasive but was tolerable, especially when I reminded myself of its purpose. For someone who takes great pride in personal hygiene, I was shocked to see all the dead skin peeling off me. I embarrassedly told Flavi “I thought I was clean” but she reassured me that this was absolutely normal. I had found a new respect for my loofah! With the scrubbing finished, it was time for the foam massage, something I was quite curious about. This was my favourite bit of the procedure. She started by dipping what looked like a white pillowcase into a bucket of Turkish shower gel and flung it in the air, making it balloon up. She then squeezed it, producing a huge amount of lather to cover my entire body. This theatrical touch made me smile, not only because it added a bit of fun but also because of how luxurious it felt. As she gently massaged my body, I could feel the softness of my skin as the water rolled off it. Flavi then applied a honey mask on my full body and left it on for about 10 minutes. I thought it would feel sticky but, on the contrary, it felt light and smooth. The sweet nectar made my mind drift into decadent thoughts, and my body into a state of softness. She finished by rinsing the mask off, and shampooing and conditioning my hair. I then braved a quick dip in a chilled pool (to close my pores) and came out feeling absolutely refreshed. My skin was as soft as a baby’s bottom and felt supple and renewed. As the name suggests, this heavenly Royal Hammam treatment gives you a majestic yet relaxing experience of what must’ve been a daily ritual for past queens. Give it a try! Call 17 171-122, 17 171-000, email [email protected] or visit www.heavenlyspabahrain.com Fit for a Queen
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