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Intercontinental Spa: The SUNDÃRI facial that focuses your mind

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By LAURA TOOGOOD

Regular readers of The Sloaney’s beauty pages will know that I love discovering new facials. They are my favourite type of spa treatment and I eagerly await those precious minutes when I can step away from the rat race and indulge in the ultimate skincare treat.

When I heard that the InterContinental Spa on Park Lane had welcomed the acclaimed Californian range SUNDÃRI, it was as if Christmas had come early. I simply had to book in for my favourite treatment, hosted by one of my favourite hotel brands.

The InterContinental Park Lane

The InterContinental Park Lane

The accommodation and dining never fails to impress at InterContinental’s premium offerings, so I was hardly expecting the flagship spa on Park Lane to disappoint. As predicted it met – and exceeded – all expectations, providing a welcome solace from the hustle and bustle of Mayfair.

Soft red lighting, which alternates in colour scheme depending on the daily preference, lined the corridors and treatment rooms. With no windows allowing even a snippet of the outside world, this spa is a perfect hideaway in one of the world’s busiest cities.

The flagship spa

The flagship spa

The SUNDÃRI products are well aligned to the relaxating ethos. Created by Supermodel Christy Turlington, the Ayurvedic-inspired line promotes health and beauty by balancing the mind, body and spirit. Key ingredients range from well-known plants such as chamomile, aloe vera and lavender, to Gotu Kola (which is known to stimulate collagen production), and the incredibly versatile plant, Neem.

The InterContinental Spa has embraced this luxury beauty brand and encourages guests to enjoy a personalised treatment. The products are designed to combine Ayurveda principles, modern technology and therapeutic grade oils to nurture healthy skin through a sense of well-being. Ayurveda is acknowledged as the oldest medical science, originating from India and is focused on the balance of three doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha for optimum health.

Sundari products

Sundari products

Following a brief assessment that involved a questionnaire, my thearpaist was able to tailor the treatment according to my answers. It was immediately clear that I had high levels of Pitta Dosha, which indicates I am a perfectionist (it is not the first time this has been said!).  It also means I am working under tight time schedules, with computers for a long period of time, working too intensely, eating lots of spicy food, surrounded by car fumes… all of which are true.

Therefore, the goal of the facial was to help balance my Pitta Dosha and seeing as I fell asleep for the second half of the treatment, I would say it did a pretty good job! With gentle spa music playing in the background and a few candles adding a flicker to the soft red lighting scheme, I lay down on the comfortable bed to begin the ritual. The room temperature had been set in accordance with my questionnaire and the experience began with a gentle foot scrub and massage. This is designed to introduce clients to the experience before the traditional stages of the facial begin.

The treatment room

The treatment room, which has various colour schemes

In addition to the cleansing, toning, moisturising and massaging phases, the facial normally includes a steam and extractions, as well as an intensive mask. However, although my skin was relatively dry and dehydrated, I was not suffering any breakouts. Rather than waste the time with a deep exfoliation that wasn’t actually needed, my therapist extended the massage section.

One of my key areas of concern is always anti-aging; however, the most impressive result of this facial was the stress reduction. As I mentioned previously, not only did I drift off to sleep, which is unheard of with my busy mind, I also felt completely relaxed for several days after. I was so impressed by the results that my focus of facial treatments moving forward is now more on stress reduction, than anti-aging.

Sundari

The mind is central to the Sundari philosophy

With this in mind, I couldn’t help but enquire about the other new treatments. One in particular that looks intriguing is Shirodhara. This is a traditional Ayervedic therapy that involves gently pouring liquids over the forehead and is used to treat a variety of conditions including stress and insomnia. After reaching new levels of relaxation from the facial alone, I have no doubt this additional treatment will provide light sleepers with some respite from restless nights.

All in all, the combination of this luxurious spa experience and holistic treatment line is ideal for ladies trying to cope with the hectic demands of London life. I can’t recommend it enough if you are looking for results that go one step further than simply offering some TLC for your skin. This facial also helps balance your mind and focus your thoughts to improve general well-being.

The new SUNDÃRI treatment menu starts from £45 and is available at the InterContinental Spa at No.1 Park Lane: parklane.intercontinental.com / 0044 (0) 20 7409 3131