IS THIS WHAT HEAVEN WILL BE LIKE?
After all the insanity of the four-day holiday weekend filled with the celebrity invasion and 22 nightclub parties, I just had to recuperate. I needed to recharge my batteries for ‘08 so I treated myself to the ultimate in luxury: a full 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. day at the incredible 55,000 square foot Zen-inspired The Spa Bellagio.
I honestly thought it’s exactly what heaven will be like with its peace, tranquility, calmness and cooling. So whenever you need to recover from a long flight or a long night, give your skin a sumptuous, silky soaking with Spa Bellagio’s exclusive treatments. I reveled in the Tropical Enzyme Escape—two 80-minute face and body treatments created exclusively for a spa for the first time by the founder of Pevonia Botanical Skincare, Sylvie Hennessey. This is more than simply another “food-as-spa-therapy.” It took two years to formulate, using such ingredients as fruit enzymes, Vitamin E and pure marine collagen. Milder than a peel, this all-over treatment uses the power of fruit enzymes to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, making it easier for the spa products to penetrate the newly smooth surface. My aesthetician began with a body exfoliation using a Rice Powder Body Polish enhanced with essential oils of aloe and lemon. That was followed by an application of mango balm containing shea and mango butter, enzymes, Vitamin E and extracts of pineapple and mango. I was then wrapped in a foil-like sheet of Mylar, building warmth to further enhance the absorption of the rich balm. She then gave me a complete facial, including cleansing, steaming, extractions and a face and neck massage. A layer of 100 percent pure marine, freeze-dried collagen was applied and covered with a unique veil lift-off sheet containing botanics, which helps the skin retain moisture. This important step hydrates, lifts and plumps the skin as well as smoothes fine lines and wrinkles. The facial ends with an application of eye and lip cream. By then, the mango body balm had time to give me an all-over moisturization. My skin has never felt so soft and smooth. I was honestly glowing, totally unwound and at peace! I finally understood that expression “you’ll feel like a new person.”
“Clients are raving about the Tropical Enzyme Escape, and it’s quickly become a favorite because it’s the epitome of moisturizing treatments, leaving the skin moisturized for days and offering a sumptuous aroma,” said lead aesthetician, Julia Shintaku. “Sylvie Hennessey is s one of the leading professionals of the skincare industry because she developed her vision into one of the top spa product companies in the world. Pevonia is known for incorporating pure botanical materials into technologically advanced skincare formulas that now are used in thousands of spas around the world.”
Soothing water, glowing candles and elements of the earth balanced with contemporary architecture create the ultimate pampering and rejuvenating experience at Spa Bellagio. In addition to the Tropical Enzyme Escape, I could have enjoyed an Egyptian Gold Treatment ritual where real gold is dusted on the face and body—leaving guests ready for a dazzling night on the town. The spa has 56 treatment rooms including 12 skincare rooms and two Thai massage rooms. I also loved the meditation room, with its candled water walls, where I relaxed with a calorie and cholesterol free lunch from genius chef Martin Zeirling from the hotel’s Sensi restaurant. I’ve never done this before in my entire life, and I can wholeheartedly recommend it as the ultimate pleasure treat—be it on Jan. 1 to start the New Year right or every three months to really feel like a king. That’s my resolution for ’08!