Last week, I was invited to experience one of Spa Esprit’s latest body massage at Spa Esprit Paragon. I haven’t been for a massage in a long time and I was desperately in need of one – especially during this stressful and hectic period of time. My body felt tired and battered due to frequent travels, late nights, stress and long hours sitting in front of the computer.

I am not a huge fan of getting body massages – mainly because I find it painful. I treat myself for spa once in a while and I normally opt for massages like Swedish, Aromatherapy or Hot Stone – those with long smooth strokes, circular movements and gentle pressure.

I was a little worried for the Back to Balance Massage I was booked for – not sure if I will find it painful.

Greeted by Nancy at the counter, I followed her into one of the treatment rooms and got changed. Interior of all Spa Esprit outlets always impresses me – each location has its own character, providing a different “feel” but with the same unique experience.

The room wasn’t overly spacious but nothing claustrophobic. The room comes with a shower too – love it.

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Inspired by the lush woodlands and its feathery inhabitants, Spa Esprit Paragon is turned into a chirpy space filled with hand-painted Pointillism of owls, wood peckers and all types of feathery creatures. The tones are a variety of creams and browns to mimic the soothing sense of the woodlands.

Spa Esprit houses 5 massage rooms and 3 facial rooms.

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WHAT IS BACK TO BALANCE MASSAGE?

This Back to Balance Massage combines 8 dōTerra CPTG (Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade) essential oils and uses a special AromaTouch Technique (ATT) that focuses on the body’s meridian and energy points to put everything back in place, creating a calm and rejuvenated body and mind.

Stress, a toxic environment and an unbalanced diet all lead to a weakened immune system and poor blood circulation, causing imbalance in the body and mind. Back to Balance Massage aims to bring our mind and body back to balance in just four steps.

WHAT ARE THE FOUR STEPS?

Using the special AromaTouch Technique (ATT), Nancy started balancing out my body and mind with me facing down.

1. starts with a stress-busting oil blend, Balance (spruce rosewood, frankincense and blue tansy), applied with long, healing strokes and followed by Lavender oil for calming effect
2. uses Melaleuca oil to cleanse and detoxify, while the On Guard oil blend (wild orange, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary) stimulates the body’s immune system, helping to neutralize the effects of toxic pollutants
3. combines AromaTouch oil blend (marjoram, basil, grapefruit, cypress, peppermint, lavender), followed by Deep Blue oil blend (wintergreen, peppermint, blue tansy, blue chamomile). The cool, relieving sensation of the oils will immediately ease any discomfort as they stimulate blood flow to surface tissues and support a healthy inflammatory response in the body
4. completes the treatment by using Wild Orange and Peppermint oils that will refresh and rejuvenate

HOW DOES IT FEEL?

Using long strokes with medium pressure, it was not painful at all. I believe this treatment concentrates mainly on the back and shoulders – and I could feel the release of tension as the therapist continues to massage.

At some point, which I reckon is step 3 – the therapist used a blend of AromaTouch and Deep Blue on my back. This mixture created a gradual cooling sensation which eases any discomfort and tightness around the area. I think I enjoyed this part of the treatment most.

The 90 minutes treatment ends with a blend of Wild Orange and Peppermint oils that instantly freshens up my tiredness.

It has been 6 days since having my Back to Balance Massage, my back and shoulders are still in very good shape. I slept well throughout the nights and I really feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

I highly recommend this treatment to those with back and shoulder aches – especially if you are afraid of painful massages like me. The price is a little steep in my opinion, I am not sure if I will go for it every month. Perhaps every 3 months makes a good fix.

For me, it’s definitely worth a try and look for Nancy, she’s professional and skillful.

If you have heard about this treatment but ain’t sure about it, I hope I have got everything covered in this post – if not, leave a comment and I will try to answer.

HOW MUCH?

Back to Balance Massage is available at Spa Esprit Paragon and Spa Esprit Dempsey. Priced at $235.40 for 90 minutes inclusive of GST.

DON’T KNOW WHICH OUTLET TO VISIT?

Let me share some thoughts and personal experiences with you.

This was my first visit to Spa Esprit Paragon. I have done two treatments before at Spa Esprit Dempsey. I drive so both locations are manageable for me although I must say, parking at Paragon can be a little chaotic. Outlet at Paragon is smaller with no scenery. Dempsey is more serene.

For city dwellers, Dempsey will provide a calm, relax and out-of-city “feel” – as if on a holiday mood which is great for couples. Have a massage and brunch over a long weekend?

Paragon, strategically located at the center of Orchard is easily reachable by public transport. Have meetings the entire day with 2 hours to spare? I think getting a massage at the end of work is a good idea or you can have it in between meetings to give your busy day a boost.

dōTERRA ESSENTIAL OILS?

Lastly, I would love to end this post with a little discovery. Not entirely new in the market but Spa Esprit carries an extensive range of dōTerra essential oils. dōTerra is a Latin derivative, meaning “Gift of the Earth” and this brand provides high quality essential oils which are more pure and potent than many other essential oils available in the market.

What fascinates me most is – some of these dōTerra essential oils can be consumed. I have limited knowledge on essential oils and I totally didn’t know you can add a few drops into water and drink or use it for baking.

Please remember to check which are the consumable essential oils with the counter staff before buying.

For those who are interested, I have a list of what’s available and their prices below for your reference. Do note that prices exclude GST.

• AromaTouch™ – 15ml, S$52.63
• AromaTouch™ Kit – S$202.39
• Balance – 15ml, S$40.49
• Basil – 15ml, S$40.49
• Bergamot – 15ml, S$55.67
• Breathe – 15ml, S$40.49
• Cassia – 15ml, S$38.45
• Cinnamon – 5ml, S$42.50
• Citrus Bliss – 15ml, S$30.36
• Clary Sage – 15ml, S$73.88
• Clove – 15ml, S$28.34
• Coriander – 15ml, S$52.63
• Cypress – 15ml, S$31.38
• Deep Blue® – 5ml, S$64.77
• DigestZen® – 15ml, S$62.74
• Elevation™ – 15ml, S$74.88
• Eucalyptus radiata – 15ml, S$28.34
• Family Physician™ Kit – S$253.01
• Frankincense – 15ml, S$141.17
• Geranium – 15ml, S$54.65
• Ginger – 15ml, S$58.70
• Grapefruit – 15ml, S$32.38
• Helichrysum – 5ml, S$151.80
• Intro Kit (6 pack) – S$232.75

Despite using a combination of 8 dōTerra essential oils during the treatment, my body ain’t as oily as I imagined. After the massage, Nancy used a hot towel to gently wipe off any excess – showers are not recommended after any massages.

If you have longer hair, ask for a shower cap to prevent oil from touching them.

All in all, I had a wonderful experience from the moment I stepped into Spa Esprit Paragon. The ambient was right and this massage is definitely my cup of tea.

Thank you for reading.