My service, the Elemis Exotic Frangipani Body Nourish Wrap, begins with a body brushing and an application of coconut oil infused with the essence of frangipani flowers. I imagine that I am in Hawaii at sunset. When the scrub and oil massage are completed, Lindsay rubs my head and scalp, anointing my hair with frangipani oil. After a rinse-off in the shower and a delicious full-body massage, Lindsay shakes a rainmaker instrument to signal the treatment’s end. A drink of orange-strawberry water and I am on my way.
My next treatment is perhaps the piece de resistance of Eau Spa: The Platinum and Diamond Facial, a service from the spa’s unique Bejeweled collection. The facial utilizes sheets of actual platinum leaf, the purest of the metals, for its legendary tightening and hydrating properties.
My therapist, Linda, is an ageless beauty of the type celebrated by the French. Though her children are grown, her skin appears entirely without pores, fine lines, or other markers of time. “I don’t believe in invasive procedures; I just take good care of my skin,” she tells me. Vowing to follow her lead, I submit to her skillful cleansing and facial massage. After applying a creamy, gentle papaya enzyme peel by Elemis that smells like an exotic dessert, she performs a few extractions, applies a Pro-collagen Quartz Lifting Serum, and places silk compresses on my eyes containing an eye serum booster. Then she painstakingly applies the Platinum masque to my face. Those Egyptians may have covered their mummies in gold, but I feel as regal as an ancient Pharaoh! For spa traditionalists, the lavishly creative approach taken by Eau Spa may take some getting used to. No matter. There is something for everyone who steps behind its doors to explore the world of Pause, Play, and Perfect. I, for one, will be looking for the Repeat button.