Tried & Tested: Hot Lava Shells massage

Clare Saxon tests the new alternative to hot stones, the Hot Lava Shells massage and finds the eco answer to an indulgent escape from the stresses of the working week. Any excuse to lie around and get covered in shells.

Why shells?

With ten-minute desk lunches the norm and a To Do list that is taller than me, the promise of a lunch-time massage was too good to miss. After escaping my office, I un-stuck myself from the sweaty crowds on the hottest day of the year so far, and disappeared into the cool, slick sanctuary that is City Point Spa in the centre of London. This is where I was to receive the new treatment which is set to take over from the old hot stones massage, Hot Lava Shells. It does what it says on the tin; the products used are still natural, but this time, shells are used rather than stones.

One reason for this is that shells have a greater sensitivity on contact, which stones don’t usually allow, and fingers are too small for. What this means for me, is that my usually stressed out stomach can get some relaxing action. We all know how important it is to look after our bellies, as they take the brunt of our hectic lives and act as the keeper of all things worrisome through cramps and those nasty butterfly feelings. Stones are too heavy for tender tummy work, so using slightly softer and much lighter shells is revolutionary in that respect too. Shells sound a lot less scary than stones, anyway.

How is it eco?

I was dubious at first as to how ethical using shells could be, because after all, surely shells are certain creatures’ homes? But it turns out these things have already been thought of, naturally. Thankfully, no clams are harvested in the making of this product. Phew. The shells are actually recycled Tiger Striped Clam shells from the South Pacific (not flown over, but shipped).

The real eco points come from the heat saving methods though. The way it all works, is by the clam shells being filled with a mixture of minerals and water which is heated and kept warm for up to an hour. The mixture is called LavaGel and needs no external equipment, electricity or batteries to generate or keep the heat like stones do, so you’re saving on emissions and money in every way possible.

The LavaGel itself is made from a breakthrough blend of self-heating natural minerals which include locally sourced algae and dried sea kelp, which when mixed with salt water, creates controlled heat for the perfect amount of time for a massage (around an hour).

Before it is heated up, the LavaGel is packed away neatly inside a recyclable tea bag lookalike, which is then slipped inside the shell, therefore, warming up the shell itself. It all looks very mermaid-esque and dainty, but the bags of gel are pretty tough and the shells themselves can be reused as many times as you like. Trained Therapists use between one and four shells to deliver a deep massage with continuous soothing heat and professional touch, but they re-use everything. Oh, apart from the bags and gel, which are totally biodegradable anyway.

Another weird eco fact that might be worth remembering for your next dinner party; strangely enough Tiger Clams are a natural reducer of greenhouse gases. They process CO2 out of the ocean water, which in turn allows the ocean to absorb more CO2 from the air. Not sure using the shells as a massage tool will aid this process, but I’m sure there’s a witty joke waiting to be made in there somewhere.

What did it feel like?

The benefits for your skin and muscles are evident almost instantly. Because the shells are made from calcium carbonate (the stuff our bones and teeth are made from), calcium ions are transferred to your skin during the massage process. Don’t worry, that isn’t as scary as it sounds.  This helps to regulate skin’s natural renewal process, to give you the taught, glowing skin you’ve been visualising in your new Fifties one-piece since February.

The heat is also great for tense areas of the body, such as  shoulders, thighs and of course tums. I admit I’m guilty of rushing meal times, and am given a calming lecture on breathing techniques as the therapist slowly smooths the shells across my stomach muscles in a clockwise motion. After this delicious treatment, I promise myself that I want to be far more careful about speeding through my food, as I feel like my tummy is getting the care and attention it has been craving for months. As I feel my tensions slipping away as quickly as the tube I should have caught back to the office, I literally float out of the spa, and whether I do or not, I feel like I’ve got that secret glow that is usually saved exclusively for pregnant women.

The Lava Shells massage is launching in salons and spas throughout the UK this month, and now I can see what all the fuss is about. Within seconds of lying down, my ‘to do’ list had slipped away into the dreamy waves of relaxation, and my constant stomach ache had long gone. Do you and your belly a favour, and take a trip to the land of soothing sea shells this Summer.

You can get the Lava Shells treatment starting at £50 for a 60 minute treatment or a 90 minute treatment which starts at £75, at the following spas: Sequoia at The Grove, The CityPoint Club, The Vale Hotel & Spa Resort, The Royal Day Spa in Tunbridge Wells, Calcot Manor, Rockley Park, Pure Urban Day Spa, Marriott Hanbury Manor, Marriott County Hall, Marriott Worsley Park, Marriott Manchester Airport, Norton House Hotel & Spa, New Hall, L’Horizon & Spa Hotel, Brandshatch Place Hotel & Spa, Dove Spas, Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes Baker Street, Park Plaza County Hall, Chelsea Harbour Club, Amida Spa at David Lloyd, The Vale Hotel & Spa Resort, Boath House and Bali Leha Spa on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island.

If you want to try the Lava Shells at home kit, £29.95, it is available to purchase from leading spas and salons nationwide.  It contains one shell, four lava charges and a bottle of massage oil, and would make a sumptuous treat for a stressed out friend or family member.
For further information on the Lava Shells Massage and At Home Kit contact Shared Beauty Secrets

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