Despite our astonishingly healthy lifestyles (ahem), even Spa Spies are felled by the Dreaded Lurgy.
Yes, it’s a made-up word invented in the 1950s by comedian Spike Milligan. But this isn’t man flu. The Lurgy is essentially a vile cold/flu virus that hits your weakest spots, renders you incapacitated for days and makes you singularly undesirable to all those around you. It’s spreading around our office like wildfire, and even though it is tempting to steam it out, we would advise staying away from spas – we don’t want your Lurgy germs hanging around in the mist.
While we can’t claim to help cure The Lurgy, we have found that certain spa products help make it slightly more bearable. So here are the Spa Spies’ Top Ten Luxury Lurgy Busters that’ll bring the best of spa to you.
Kerstin Florian’s Eucalyptus Bath Oil 118ml £33
You don’t need to go to a spa to clear your head. This gorgeous bath oil has the same effect as a steam room and it’s lovely on your skin, too.
Neom Great Day Body Scrub with Wild Mint and Mandarin 332 g £34
Makes your skin tingle and gets your circulation flowing, which apparently is good to help your immune system fight off those nasty bugs.
Germaine de Capuccini Glycocure Intense Renewal Exfoliating Mask 50ml £33.40
You probably don’t care what you look like, but there’s nothing more ageing than The Lurgy and nothing better than a peel to remove years. We love this peel: doesn’t matter how terrible you feel, the results will deliver a brief glow of spa happiness in the midst of your suffering.
Lashings of Temple Spa’s Body Truffle 150ml £60
You want to feel like you’re wrapped in cashmere – the best TLC in a jar.
Ishga’s Face Oil 50ml £60
My favourite winter product. It’s nothing short of miraculous, the perfect pick-me-up for dehydrated, pallid skin and soothing on your sore bits. They don’t call seaweed the sailor’s cure for nothing.
ESPA’s Skin Rescue Wonderbalm 30g £28
The posh spa version of Vaseline to dab on red noses, with restorative and soothing natural ingredients – you can put it on your lips too. I love the bitter orange scent.
Neom’s Intensive Skin Treatment Candles – 14g £36
Pour a little loving warmth on your achy bits – ah, now doesn’t that feel good.
Aromatherapy Associates Rich Repair Eye Cream 15ml £53
Best product we tried for getting rid of puffiness – you want to be able to see so you can curl up under a duvet with a hot toddy and watch Netflix.
De Mamiel’s Altitude Oil - 10 ml £28
If you are forced to travel and don’t feel quite right in the head, dab this healing oil on your wrists and inhale. It was created for surviving flights with a cold, but it works just as well on all forms of public transport where bugs are rife.
Wellbeing Spa day at Lucknam Park £180
Essential for a post Lurgy recovery trip, this fabulous treat includes a 40-minute Haslauer Sunlight Therapy session, plus Reiki, reflexology, an aromatherapy herbal steam massage and dry floatation wraps. Head for the powerful salt inhalation room and an abundance of fresh air around their breathtaking grounds.
The Spa Spy
11th January 2017
Spy Likes:
Intuitive masseurs, inspired or outlandish treatments and design, posh products and celeb spotting.
Spy Dislikes:
Anyone po-faced (guests and therapists) or stupid, boring design and treatments.