Still looking for love? It was at Dessange all along, as this spoiled editor discovers.
“This natural mask prevents hair from over-drying as strawberries provide hydration and promote hair growth, while coconut oil and honey collectively add a glossy shine and combat frizz.”
There’s just something about February. Even amidst complicated times and unanswered questions, all we want is to feel loved in the month of romance – and that’s exactly what you get when you step into Dessange. The girls at the reception are always welcoming and we chat about the wonderful weather while I have my temperature checked, adding a sense of normalcy to a pre-treatment practice that somehow still feels surreal.
I am soon greeted by Roxan, my hair therapist, who helps kick off my pampering session. I’m here for a Valentine’s Day package entitled Single, and already excited by its cheeky name. I’ve been off the market for a while now, but ‘Single’ – the treatment, not the marital status – is just what I need. After years of marriage, you sometimes forget to put the same effort into your appearance as you used before tying the knot.
Be it in the world of beauty or health and wellness, I love all things natural, and guess what? We get started with the Strawberry Coconut Oil & Honey hair treatment, which consists of mashed strawberries, coconut oil, and honey – just like the name suggests. Roxan brushes my hair before mixing the ingredients into a fine purée, which is then applied to my damp hair. I’m in heaven with the scent wafting from my locks, despite my face mask, which has been firmly in place all this time. This natural mask prevents hair from over-drying as strawberries provide hydration and promote hair growth, while coconut oil and honey collectively add a glossy shine and combat frizz. Roxan explains that coconut oil by itself is too heavy, so it needs to be mixed with the other ingredients for perfect balance. Any leftovers from the strawberry purée are applied directly onto my scalp for its nourishing properties that encourage hair growth.
Meanwhile, the lovely Noli arrives to tend to my nails. I feel the need to warn her that I have dry cuticles from years of removing them and, admittedly, it’s been a while since they’ve received any TLC. Noli is on a mission to make my nails look as good as new again, delicately cleaning, cutting, shaping, filing and buffing them to perfection. Now comes the fun part – I have to choose a nail polish colour and, because this month’s theme revolves around pastel shades, I decide to pick one colour for each finger. The result is a beautiful colour palette of soft hues, and I absolutely love it!
“Just like my strands are being nourished by natural ingredients, my body is energised by this wholesome beverage.”
One set of Instaworthy nails later, I’m invited to the juice bar terrace to enjoy the February special, the Strawberry Kisses smoothie, a delicious pink drink made with almond milk, yoghurt, pomegranate, strawberry, and banana. Just like my strands are being nourished by natural ingredients, my body is energised by this wholesome beverage. A restful moment amidst fresh air and fruity flavours, the icing on the cake being that delightful scent coming from my hair – how often do we have that? I make a mental note to create ‘me time’ more often.
My hair mask is now ready to be rinsed off, so I’m seated at a shampoo bowl next to the window, and the sunset views feel just plain peaceful. I thought I could predict what’s next – the trickling of water through my hair – but boy, am I wrong. Roxan adjusts my chair and it starts to whirr and vibrate, the built-in massage rollers moving in synchrony. This is the closest we can get to a full-body massage these days, and it just gets better with each stroke across my scalp. So this is self-care done right.
It’s blow-dry time and, because of the safety measures in place, we move over to a salon chair that’s aptly distanced from the rest. One thing to note: I have very curly hair, and blow-dries don’t really help much. You know all those shampoo ads with models sporting big, bouncy waves? Merely a fantasy until now. The treatment has given my tresses a smooth new texture, and my hairstylist knows exactly what to do with it. A few minutes later, I’m ready for an on-camera hair flip myself. My strands are soft to the touch and look like a million bucks. The most obvious thing to do is take my husband out for dinner, my generosity prompted by a sudden need to share my look with the rest of the world.
After all the indulgence you enjoy at Dessange, you can go home with the Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask by 111SKIN. The technologically advanced mask marries 24k Gold with Damask Rose to soothe and brighten, erasing any skincare sins committed during soirée season. You’ll find three Valentine’s Day packages on offer when you head to Dessange this month: Single, Dating, and It’s Complicated (my favourite of them all). A pampering session is a great gift for your sister or girlfriends, and an even better gift to yourself – a gorgeous, independent woman ready to take on the world!
VALENTINE’S DAY PACKAGES
SINGLE BD 30
1 FRESH RED BERRY JUICE
1 DESSANGE GYM CLASS
1 NATURAL HAIR TREATMENT (STRAWBERRIES, COCONUT OIL &
HONEY) AND BLOW-DRY
1 HANDS & FEET POLISH
DATING BD 50
1 FRESH RED BERRY JUICE
1 DESSANGE GYM CLASS
1 NATURAL HAIR TREATMENT (STRAWBERRIES, COCONUT OIL &
HONEY) AND BLOW-DRY
1 DESSANGE EXPRESS FACIAL (30 MIN)
IT’S COMPLICATED BD 70
1 FRESH RED BERRY JUICE AND PANINI
1 DESSANGE GYM CLASS AND FITNESS CONSULTATION
1 111SKIN (HARLEY STREET LONDON) ROSE GOLD FACIAL (1HR)
1 MANICURE AND PEDICURE WITH POLISH
Call 1771 3999 for more information or to
book an appointment.
@dessangebahrain