All wrapped up
The Spirulina Detox Body Wrap from Kerstin Florian is an indulgent and relaxing way to soften and re-energise your skin
WORDS NORA ELIAS
Suitably enough for this time of year, when the skin can feel dry and lacklustre after a long and often harsh European, I am trying the revitalising Spirulina Detox Body Wrap from skincare brand Kerstin Florian – at The Spa at The Dorchester in London.
My body wrap, designed to sculpt, detoxify and infuse the skin with vitamins, proteins and minerals, begins with a full body scrub. For this part of the treatment, my therapist uses Kerstin Florian’s Turkish Body Scrub, containing lavender, eucalyptus and mineral salts.
The scrub, which has a fresh and subtle scent, has been developed to cleanse and awaken the skin, boosting circulation and removing dead skin cells and other impurities.
The scrub is pleasantly warm as it goes on the skin and although you definitely get the sense that your skin is being buffed clean, it at no point feels rough or as if it’s scraping the skin.
The scrub is then showered off – there is a shower in the treatment room – before the second stage of the treatment, the application of the Rejuvenating Spirulina Masque. The therapist covers my body in the cool, thick paste, before wrapping me in plastic film.
This is done to hold the mask, created to have a nourishing effect, in place and allow the ingredients to really penetrate the skin. The mask stays on for 15-20 minutes and at this stage, while simply lying there, you could easily get a bit chilly.
However, my therapist not only covers me in several towels but also places a blanket on top, creating such a snug little cocoon that even I, who is perpetually cold, feel warm and cosy. While the mask does have a tang of the sea, not surprising given the fact that spirulina is an algae, the scent is nowhere near as strong as it can be with such products.
The therapist uses the time I remain wrapped to carry out a scalp massage and even though I’m normally not a fan, I find this one relaxing and enjoyable. Once the 15-20 minutes have passed, it’s time for another shower, to wash the mud-like mask off, something that takes a little bit of work.
The third and final part of the treatment is to, as my therapist puts it, “put hydration back into the skin,” in the form of the Multi-Vitamin Firming Crème.
The cream, which is designed to tone and nourish the skin, contains shea butter, vitamins A, B, C, and E and grapeseed oil, among others ingredients.
When I leave, my skin feels smoother and more polished and I’m so relaxed that I’m slightly dazed and drowsy – in a pleasant, heavy-limbed kind of way.
The Spirulina Detox Body Wrap is 75 minutes. Kerstin Florian recommends charging from £75 for the treatment
www.kerstinflorian.com
www.dorchestercollection.com
