The AA touch on my face

What are your de-stressing essentials? For me, it’s an hour of Pilates to strengthen my back and keep it pain-free, and a body massage scheduled twice a week at home.

The moment I lay facedown with my favorite music in the background and the first trickle of warm oil on my back, I begin to snore. “A polite snore from a tiny person,” says Malou, my amused masseuse.

The blend of lavender, bergamot, arnica and other natural oil frees my tangled nerves, calms my mind and spirit.

What I do for my face, however, is a hit-and-miss affair. Whenever I think I’ve found the right kind of cosmetics that reduce my wrinkles and lighten up my sunspots, I get an allergic reaction that brings me back to square one.

“You only get allergies when the product is not pure, when chemicals, even if just a fraction, have been added,” said Bernadette Da Silva-Fava, regional training manager for Asia of the UK-based company, Aromatherapy Associates, founded by Sue Beechy and Geraldine Howard. Their products are all-natural, hand-blended under a strict quality control process with not a drop of any harsh chemical or laboratory-concocted, synthetic derivatives. “Not even a minuscule,” said Bernadette.

Spa-cial ladies: Aromatherapy Associates regional training manager Bernadette Da Silva-Fava, and May Luna, The Spa manager of Mandarin Hotel, Manila.

Bernadette flew in from Hong Kong to launch this line of facial treatments exclusively at the Mandarin Hotel. She said it’s a misconception to categorize our skin as oily or dry.

“Your type of skin is determined by factors like genetic DNA, genealogy, lifestyle, your eating and sleeping habits, and your beauty and exercise routine. That is why it is important to treat each client based on her skin’s needs and not push her into categories,“ she added.

I like this approach — give each client a personal grading and an in-depth assessment. And here’s the best part: They promise instant gratification that is so swift that you see a revitalized you, not ravaged, within the same hour. No need to wait two, three days or a week. To prove this, Bernadette gave a hands-on demonstration on Owen Samonte, Mandarin’s director of catering and conferences.

While she was applying each product on Owen, she was also explaining the inherent quality of their products: Pure rose water, lime and olive oil (skin firming, anti inflammatory/anti oxidant); aloe vera (good around the eyes) repair mask (for overnight repair especially on a long flight, for hangover, and working overtime); vitamin E, rose oil and frankincense (removes crow’s feet, cracked lips, improve inner skin, gets rid of sinus, headaches and opens up clogged areas.)

Master therapist Lowell Abiera went around the room dabbing samples of the essential oils and creams on our wrists.

Here’s a practical tip: air-conditioned rooms, lack of sleep, too much wine and alcohol can wreck havoc on the cheeks, so you can freeze rose water like ice cubes and apply on the face to reduce redness and puffiness and use lavender oil to relieve headache and dizziness. Include the décolleté when having a massage to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles; and it is all right to use different brands on your face so long as you see your skin reacting positively to each product.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and so I booked an “AA” massage. Ah, they assessed an “anti-aging” treatment for me.

The gratification was instant and spontaneous.

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To book a facial treatment at The Spa of Mandarin Oriental Manila, call 750-0968, or email momnl-spa@mohg.com.