Imagine that moment when you glide down the aisle. You'll want to look like the very best version of you - plucked, preened and polished on the outside and balanced, relaxed and refreshed on the inside. Thanks to a new wave of luxurious treatments available in Cornwall, brides-to-be can enjoy some exceptional results without crossing the Tamar, leaving you looking - and feeling - your most beautiful.

These treatments have taken the county's health and beauty scene to a whole new level. Forget those visions of a lack-lustre shoulder rub and a quick brow tidy. The county's spas and beauty studios now offer treatments and therapies to compete on a national and international level, offering rare and innovative body treatments from highly trained therapists and face framing beauty techniques from accomplished experts.



Many of these treatments put Cornwall firmly in the spotlight as a spa destination. Deluxe sanctuaries continue to spring up in the idyllic rural corners and on the wave-licked shores of the county. Embracing a strong sense of place, a series of signature treatments even utilise Cornish sea salt, seaweed, marine mud and locally sourced skincare products.

Attending to both the body and mind, succumbing to a spa experience is a fabulous way to buff, beautify and calm you in the hubbub of the pre-wedding period (and beyond!) Perfect for a hen do, couples retreat and reboot or indulgent day of solo escapism, discover the rejuvenating and relaxing effects of one of the best therapies in existence.

Let us whet your appetite with these wonder treatments...

The back booster
Back Bliss at St Michael's Hotel and Spa, Falmouth
Slip into the laid-back marine surrounds of St Michael's Hotel and Spa and sample Back Bliss, their magnificent new massage treatment with a difference.


photo Fistral Spa

A deep cleanse followed by extensive exfoliation leaves the back area buffed and super smooth - perfect for a back-baring wedding dress - before a heavenly hot stone massage teases out tension and warms your muscles into a blissful state of being. Selecting an aromatherapy blend to banish stress and soothe my mind, the finest ESPA products proved an intoxicating treat for the senses. A smooth honey and mango mask is absorbed deep into your skin while a heavenly head and scalp or foot massage completes the treatment.

The treatment for: tense muscles that need some TLC
01326 312707 www.stmichaelshotel.co.uk


photo Fistral Spa

The eastern star
Ayurvedic Rituals at Fistral Spa  
Located at the southern end of Newquay's famous beach, Fistral Spa is a spectacular setting for a spa day. What's more, you're in superbly trained hands - the spa has been selected as the only independent spa in the country to introduce the new range of ESPA specialised treatments.


photo Fistral Spa

Their amazing new Ayurvedic inspired rituals are an innovative and specialised set of treatments combining ancient eastern disciplines with modern western practices for an enlightening, holistic spa experience. Initiating with a dosha consultation, the aim is to organically select a ritual specific to your needs. I chose an intensely detoxifying treatment for balance and well being, relishing the potent cypress and juniper berry extracts combined with essential oils of lemon, grapefruit, eucalyptus and rosemary.


photo Fistral Spa

A hot-tridoshic herbal infusion and foot cleansing ritual is followed by a full exfoliation, and I could feel the flow of my circulation in force. Covered in an application of warm algae, marine mud or traditional oshadi clay, natural linens cocoon the body, which slips into a beautifully relaxed place as it absorbs the nourishing goodness. The therapist gives an Oriental head massage, applying a super conditioning hair and scalp mud in the process; warmed Ayurvedic ESPA oils are used for a dosha specific massage using hot stones that renew and re-energise while infusing muscles with heat and pressure. The effect? Hypnotic and truly heavenly.

The treatment for: frazzled brides in need of some balance, inside and out
01637 852221 www.fistral-spa.co.uk

The hand healer
Jessica Prescriptive Manicure at The Cornwall Hotel Spa and Estate
A big day is looming for your hands. Never again will they be lavished with so much attention nor star in so many photographs. Nestled in a pretty stretch of countryside, escape to The Cornwall Hotel Spa and Estate to have them nourished, softened and shaped into wedding-worthy condition with the Jessica Prescriptive Manicure.



The hands are exfoliated, the cuticles tended to and nails treated according to their nail type and shaped. For a luxurious twist, hands are enveloped in thermal heated mittens to aid the rich oils and creams to penetrate deeply into the skin. Not only will your hands look pretty and polished, this circulation-boosting treatment will ensure they glow with health for their forthcoming photo shoot. For nail colour with staying power, Shellac and Minx gel treatments are also available.

The treatment for: neglected hands seeking nourishment and polish
01726 874055 www.thecornwall.com 

The total package
Cornish Relish at St Michael's Hotel and Spa, Falmouth
New to St Michael's Hotel and Spa, Cornish Relish offers head-to-toe luxury with a Cornish twist. The lavish ritual begins with a sea salt scrub to slough off those dead skin cells, followed by an intensely moisturising body masque. Then comes the blissfully calming facial cleanse, mask and pressure point eye treatment using rose and linden eye balm. By the end of the session, you'll feel like you're floating out of the therapy room - and you'll enjoy the benefits of silky soft skin and a clear and refreshed mind for some days afterwards. It is perfect pampering preparation - inside and out - as the wedding day approaches.

The treatment for: weary minds and dull skin that needs a wake-up call
01326 312707 www.stmichaelshotel.co.uk



The face framer
HD Brows at FACEBASE
Cornwall now has a dedicated make-up studio and bespoke brow bar that has put celebrity beauty within anyone's reach. Located in the heart of Truro, FACEBASE is a cosy and glamorous setting to relax and let make-up artist Ella Butler work her magic. A high definition specialist, Ella uses a range of specialist methods to shape, define and accentuate every feature for a flawless look.


Before


After

HD Brows is a seven-step corrective procedure that totally transforms even the most over-plucked brow into its perfect shape using a variety of tinting and depilation techniques. The treatment matches a specialised tint to the mid tone of your hair colour and, after a shaping process involving waxing, trimming and tweezing, your symmetrical and neatly groomed brows are unveiled. Whether your brows are over-plucked or wonky, the effects are transformative, immaculate and beautifully natural looking - perfectly framing your face for your red carpet moment.

The treatment for: Unkempt or over plucked brows
07709 353097 www.makeupbyella.com
 
The lash lengthener
MYscara at FACEBASE
Ella will soon be offering MYscara to her range of beautifying treatments. This semi-permanent mascara lasts for between three-six weeks and is 100% waterproof and washable. Not only does it thicken, lengthen and volumise like regular mascara, it also creates luscious lashes that will stay put for a picture-perfect wedding day and honeymoon.

The treatment for: Lashes in need of some va-va-voom
07709 353097 www.makeupbyella.com


words Hannah May


Copyright WED Magazine 2011