Saturday, July 23, 2011

Self Care Girl Goes To The Day Spa

As a reward for losing almost 60lbs, I opted to celebrate by getting a hot stone massage and spa mani-pedi last weekend at Body Freedom Urban Spa Retreat
 

The spa is located in South Melbourne, just a few short tram rides from my apartment in the Docklands.  The spa has a very warm, peaceful and welcoming feel to it when you walk in.





Body Freedom is product conscious- they use and retail product lines that are free of harmful chemicals.      For me this is an essential ingredient of a good spa.   The aim of going to any spa is to take good care of yourself, so the products need to be good for you too.

The Body Freedom philosophy:


Hmmm....sounds a lot like the Self Care Girl philosophy....I like it!

I arrived a bit early for my appointment.  I was greeted by Fiona at the counter and after taking a few pictures and browsing a bit in the shop, I was welcomed to a cozy little room to wait for my appointment. The waiting area was soothing.  It is wintertime in Melbourne and a nice fire was burning in the fireplace and a pot of herbal tea was brewing.   It was a great way to transition into "spa mode".




Julie Ann greeted me when my appointment time arrived.   She escorted me upstairs to a lovely treatment room which also boasted a fireplace.   The spa aims to create a completely relaxing experience, so a conversation at the start of your appointment takes place to ensure the practitioner is up to speed on any concerns, issues or needs that you may have and then conversations are kept at a minimum during the course of the actual treatment.   I really liked this approach.    It kept the focus on the luxurious experience at hand and allowed me to get absolutely relaxed.

A few pictures of the cozy spa room:








 
Really loved the decor...especially the fabric used on the bedspread below and the pillow above


After the massage, I was brought to another room with a fireplace where two other women were getting pedicures and manicures.   This was also a pleasant experience.   A bit more social but also luxurious.

I had a nice conversation with Julie Ann about her self care philosophy.   She is a vegetarian and passionate about yoga, health and learning.   She is very knowledgeable about self care. 

One self care tip she shared:  Mornings should be peaceful times.   She is concerned that many people get up, turn on the television or radio and rush about completely oblivious to the positive energy that exists at this time of day.   Practicing yoga and meditation are just some of her suggestions for harnessing that morning energy and getting your day started off on the right footing.

Overall, I believe this was one of the best spa experiences that I have.   I enjoyed it so much I scheduled a couple's massage and will be back at the spa for more pampering (with Mr SC) later this week. 

If you are ever in Melbourne, I encourage you to check it out!

Take Good Care!
Self Care Girl

7 comments:

scarlet reynolds said...

Hi I was searching the internet for hair salon related websites and the I came across yours. On the other hand, I live somewhere in Perth and I usually get my hair salon treatments at my favourite Hair Salons Perth. Besides, a catering to hair salon treatments, they also offer body masssage. I like getting body spa treatment because the physical touch aimed at helping the muscular, skeletal, elimination, digestive, circulatory, respiratory, endocrine, lymphatic, emotional, mental and nervous systems of the body. Most importantly, it helps the body to release stress and tension by increasing oxygen flow and blood circulation. I guess, getting spa treatments will allow you to relax and release pressure during a vacation or just a weekend.

Unknown said...

That spa looks so homey, so COMFY! Wish I was there!!!

Self Care Girl said...

It is a great place, Holly- I surprised my husband with a couple's massage there a few later and I am scheduled for another hot stone massage next week. I think I might be addicted. ;)

Von Andalora said...

Oh, how was your spa treatment? Did Mr. SC enjoy the experience? Well, it's true that mornings should be treated better. It's the best time to do something good for yourself. You can eat a balanced breakfast, meditate or work-out. There is plenty of time to do other stuff! ;)

Anonymous said...

Hi I was searching the internet for hair salon related websites and the I came across yours. On the other hand,
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day spa greensburg said...

very cozy and a nice place to relax.


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