The Emergence Of The Butterfly

So, have all you UK peeps been enjoying our wee 'heatwave'? How many of you headed off to the beach over the weekend?

No beach for me I'm afraid. Instead, Mr G and I packed our swim togs and headed off to the Blythswood Spa for some luxurious pampering. I was fortunate to pop my spa cherry back in November (a surprise birthday pressie from Mr G) so I had quite high expectations for Glasgow's first 5 star hotel...

The pool in the Thermal Experience

After 2 hours lolling about in the Thermal Experience (bubbles, bubbles and more bubbles!) we dried ourselves off and flip-flopped upstairs to the treatment waiting room. David had booked in for a facial and was whisked off. I, on the other hand, had gone for something a little more obscure, The Rassoul Experience:

"Cleanse your body and soothe your mind in our state of the art Rhassoul by combining the benefits of mud and steam. Begin by using the exfoliating husks of nutrient packed argan seeds and Himalayan salts to gently remove dead skin cells. After the application of traditional Moroccan mud over your entire body, sit back and relax. After 20 minutes the steam chamber will release a flow of warm water onto its ceramic seats, softening the mud as well as coaxing toxins to leave the body. The powerful healing qualities of the mud will leave your skin silky smooth. The perfect experience to share with a friend, leaving your skin nourished and your mind refreshed."

So, I'm conjuring up visions of being slathered in mud, wrapped up like a mummy and placed in a steam tomb with just me wee head sticking out...

Hmmm....

I was led back down to a wee room just off the corridor in the Thermal Experience and asked to take seat in what looked suspiciously like a gas chamber. Next, I was instructed to de-robe and cover myself in the 2 tubs of organic white mud.

"Now?" I ask as I drop my robe to the ground and begin to faff around with my bikini ties.

"Erm... not just yet. You can wait until I leave. I'm just going to explain how the experience works"

Clearly I'd gotten the wrong end of the stick. No one was going to lather me up and wrap me in bandages. This experience was of the DIY nature.

"You'll have 10 minutes to apply your mud, meanwhile the room will warm up. It'll be a dry heat and the mud will begin to harden. Next, steam will enter the chamber from your right and the lights will change colour for another 10 minutes. After the steam, the room will fill with an aromatic mist and finally, the shower will come on so you can rinse off. I've also prepared a scrub for you to use at this time. The shower will remain on for 6 minutes. If you don't get alll the mud off, you can use this hose."

And off she trotted...

So, I'm locked inside my Rassoul chamber, all on my lonesome, manically rubbing mud all over my n'ked body before my 10 minutes are up and the steam comes on. I turn white and slowly but surely my skin tightens and i begin to resemble an elephant. Good stuff, it must be working. It gets hot. Hmmm... not sure I like this. Oh! that'll be the steam coming in. This is even more un-nerving. It pours in at chest height and slowly begins to fill the chamber. Now it's really claustrophobic. *It's only 10 minutes Lisa. Relax and enjoy the 'experience'.* Just as I'm getting into it, the aromatic mist sprays out from god knows where! It's mighty pungent and takes my breath away before my eyes start watering *gasps*. This only lasts a few seconds before I start again. *Relax Lisa, enjoy the 'experience'.* WFT??!! That'll be the shower then? Cold water batters down from above. Right, gotta get this mud off - only got 6 minutes. Start scrubbing, rinsing, scrubbing, rinsing. Clean. Ready to go. But shower's still going. Six minutes is longer than you think...

I eventually emerge, like a butterfly - all silky smooth, but knackered from the traumatic transformation. I just don't think I'm cut out for this pampering malarkey.

Overall, the Rassoul Experience was fantastic for my skin and the staff at the Spa were wonderful. I just wasn't prepared for the DIY nature of the task...