Bliss Spa is a day Spa situated on Sloane Avenue in the heart of Central London. Launched in November 2001, our London outpost was named Conde Nast Traveler's Best Urban Day Spa - and I can see why!
When you enter this gorgeous spa you are met at reception and then directed down two flights of stairs and shown to the changing rooms - there you are met by a lovely lady who takes you to your own locker (which uses a PIN in order to secure your items away!) for you to place your personal items in and in which hangs a delectable white bathrobe and flipflops so you can truly start to get into that 'spa'-velous mood and begin the process of relaxing and unwinding.
For pre and post treatment showering, sauna-ing, and sprucing. Our luxurious locker room is always stocked with robes, slippers, shower gels, shampoos, conditioner, hair dryers, hand and body creams, combs, and towels so that all you have to bring along to Bliss is your 'body'.As you can see the changing area is gorgeous, huge and absolutely immaculate. After you have changed into your robe you can meander over to the enormous vanity and mirrors and sample all of the delights that the Bliss Range has to offer. There is also a sauna if you care to continue your indulgence and there are two showers.
On offer include hand wash, hand creams, facial cleansers and moisturisers, make up removers, cotton buds, cotton pads, combs, hairbrushes, deodorant, hairdryers and this selection ensures that you are able to leave the salon looking put together - that shiny red faced/oily hair look is not one everyone likes to rock getting the tube and train home! I don't put makeup on after a facial but I really appreciated being able to use the hairdryers and combs to blast my hair to give it some 'oomph' after being flattened underneath a headband, shower cap and towel for 90 minutes!
The changing area is quiet, spacious and full of supplies - It's fantastic as you're never rushed to go upstairs and pay in fact you're actively encouraged to take your time and enjoy the surroundings which means you don't have to rush straight out of the door as soon as your facial has finished - a big bonus for me!
Before your facial you are taken to the 'waiting area' which encompasses a small, romantically lit (much less harsh than the above photo from their website-trust me it's relaxing not clinical!) room with candles and cushions with a tray of free delectable goodies (pictured above) and pitchers of juice and water. Bliss also offers healthy smoothies which you do need to purchase. Whilst you sit in this calming area you fill out a form which details any medical problems, skin problems etc that you may have which your therapist will take a look at before they begin the facial. The facial I opted for was The triple oxygen treatment. This facial is their most-popular all-around complexion reviver and includes intensive cleansing, exfoliating, a fruit acid wash, a pre-extraction oxygen wrap, the necessary extractions, a calming oxygen and milk mask, hydrating enzyme pack and vitaminised oxygen spray. It is recommended as suitable for all skin types.
The facial begins with the usual cleansing and exfoliating you would expect from most salons, combined with a neck and shoulder massage. Then the fruit acid wash is applied and it's a strange sensation which really makes you want to touch and itch your face but it's not unbearable and painful and personally I like to 'feel' a product working! After this a hot towel was placed over my face in order to open the pores and make any necessary extractions easier, during this time I had the most delightful hand and arm massage which was a much more pleasant experience then being left alone whilst your poor face is blasted by a constant stream of steam.
My therapist then placed a very bright light over my face so she could clearly see my skin and began the extractions. I have to admit that, at times, this process was painful. I do not always opt to have extractions and a word of warning to you if you decide to - at the time, it hurts, and for the next few days I find that the areas often end up incredibly dry and flaky. My advice would be to only have extractions if you're suffering from a breakout or have very blemished skin - not just one or two blemishes which could be easily covered with makeup. I chose to have extractions as my chin area was covered in little deep bumps and I felt it would be worth the pain and dryness if I could accelerate their healing. I don't think extractions are a necessary step in every facial but they can definitely prove beneficial once in a while. I must hasten to add though - please don't try it yourself at home!
My therapist tailored my facial to match my skins needs and used the 'Steep Clean' mask on my troublesome areas and then used the calming honey and milk mask followed by their triple oxygen energizing mask which 'delivers oxygen to the skin with innovative Fluid02 technology which brightens, lightens, and tightens the skin with the most active powerful form of Vitamin C available' but most enjoyably for me, results in a fizzing and foaming sensation that feels absolutely amazing and looks very very funny as it happens! At this point my therapist left me for ten minutes to relax and unwind...but instead I decided to snap this rather amusing (and hideously unattractive photo).
Then she popped on the hydrating enzyme pack coupled with a foot and leg massage (this really is the most indulgent pampering session of a facial!). After removing this with a hot towel it was time for the crux of the facial - to be blasted with the vitaminised oxygen spray.
The spray feels cool and calming on your skin and leaves it feeling hydrated and soothed. The end result was a glowing complexion - with expected redness around my chin from the extractions. Finally, a hydrating vitamin serum was rubbed into my skin and a firming collagen mask was placed on my lips.
After I had dawdled down in the dressing room I emerged back into the bright lights of the main floor of the salon and my therapist had left a basket with suggested products for me. I'm a big big fan of Bliss products and decided to try and maintain the benefits of the facial and begin a new skincare system so I purchased the triple oxygen mask to use weekly at home as a facial (it is absolutely amazing-full review coming soon) as well as the the bliss triple oxygen instant energizing cleansing foam and the bliss triple oxygen + c energizing cream.
Overall the triple oxygen treatment was fabulously indulgent and the results were amazing. The addition of a hand, arm shoulder, foot and leg massage really led to the feeling that I was having a real Spa-day. Bliss also offer a condensed version of their most popular facial - The Oxygen Blast - which includes a quick fruit acid wash, massage with mycelated vitamins, a hydrating hot towel and enzyme pack, and a five minute oxygen spray. If you want the full works - the real selfish indulgence of a spa treatment - then go for the triple oxygen treatment. If you just want the benefits to show on your skin then chose the 30 minute oxygen blast. The results are almost identical (the only difference is this option does not include extractions), it takes half the time and costs about £60 less. In future I will probably only have the oxygen blast. If you're not one for fancy salons, or just fancy giving yourself a facial at home, I would highly recommend their triple oxygen energizing mask.
Overall the triple oxygen treatment was fabulously indulgent and the results were amazing. The addition of a hand, arm shoulder, foot and leg massage really led to the feeling that I was having a real Spa-day. Bliss also offer a condensed version of their most popular facial - The Oxygen Blast - which includes a quick fruit acid wash, massage with mycelated vitamins, a hydrating hot towel and enzyme pack, and a five minute oxygen spray. If you want the full works - the real selfish indulgence of a spa treatment - then go for the triple oxygen treatment. If you just want the benefits to show on your skin then chose the 30 minute oxygen blast. The results are almost identical (the only difference is this option does not include extractions), it takes half the time and costs about £60 less. In future I will probably only have the oxygen blast. If you're not one for fancy salons, or just fancy giving yourself a facial at home, I would highly recommend their triple oxygen energizing mask.
If you aren't convinced yet then have a little look at the photo below and you'll see why I've come to adore Bliss Spa...
Below are a couple of deals that the Spa are currently running:
If you go to http://www.blissworld.co.uk/ and click on 'Online Spa Bookings' at the top you can view a list of all the treatments they offer (a lot!) and you can book online.
xxx