The exotic skin-brightening spa treatment that’s good enough to eat
June 8th 2019
November 27th 2012 / 0 comment
Cosy and peaceful with a chilled out vibe, Cowshed is the perfect place to forget urban stresses and unwind
I won't dance around the subject: my feet have issues. While one plays host to psoriasis, the other is probably entertaining eczema. It's no party being in my shoes, and feet-related treatments can provoke extreme anxiety and wincing on both my part and, I imagine, the therapist's. Nevertheless, they must be dealt with, and the lovely team at Cowshed Clarendon Cross were entrusted with this task on a sunny Sunday morning.
Tucked away in tranquil Holland Park, this branch of Cowshed's global spa collection is blissfully homey. Pedi panic fizzled away as I sipped tea at the farmhouse-style dining table, leafing through the Sunday supplements and drooling over the blueberry pancakes being flipped on the AGA. Not even the registration questionnaire could faze me; this is one seriously chilled-out spa shed.
Sinking into a huge recliner for the Ultimate Cowshed Pedicure (£55 for 75 minutes), I placed my feet into the hands of my expert pedicurist. My unkempt soles were trimmed, filed and buffed to perfection before being wrapped in a skin-softening mask.
While it worked its magic, my therapist asked me to smell both a lime and a lavender oil and tell her which one most appealed. I chose the zingy lime, and the non-greasy potion was massaged into my scalp and shoulders until I reached a stage of deep Zen. My hair wasn't looking quite so serene - but on a Sunday, who cares?
The 75-minute treatment continued with a soothing leg and foot massage, in which my therapist took care to avoid the throbbing bruise on my shin - below the knees I am, admittedly, a disaster zone.
You would never have guessed this by the end of the pedicure, however, as my feet were astonishingly smooth and my lilac toes were unrecognisable. A week on, they still are. I will certainly be returning, especially as any spa that sells muffins as well as massages is my kind of refuge.
Cowshed Clarendon Cross, 119 Portland Road, London, W11 4LN
020 7078 1944
www.cowshedonline.com/spa_cowshed_clarendon_cross.html
February 25th 2018
Join the conversation