Billed as the “Fountain of Youth Cryo Therapy Facial”, you could certainly argue this treatment had a lot to live up to. In my case, it had a mountain to climb: bags under my eyes, dark circles and dehydrated skin prone to breaking out in spots meant my therapist hardly had an easy task on her hands.
Specially formulated for sensitive skin that is over-exposed to the sun, this soap-free facial, which is at present on offer only at The Spa at The Palace Old Town, sounded ideal for anyone who has a habit of forgetting to slather on high-factor sunblock during Dubai’s raging summer. So I headed to the spa with high hopes.
All natural stone and marble, the hotel’s spa is wonderfully tranquil. My therapist started by bathing my feet in coconut milk, and the stresses of the day ebbed away as I heaved my stressed body on to the bed. First off, to desensitise my sand-slogged skin, the therapist applied a tolerance-enzyme peel, containing papaya and prickly pear. My skin tingled as it got to work removing the dead skin cells.
Then an anti-ageing serum mask was smoothed on to decongest and purify, with collagen amino acids acting as an extra-boost exfoliation. Afterwards, an algae mask was swathed over my skin. This utterly luxurious, gloopy concoction was massaged over my entire face, including my eyes and mouth. Not for the faint-hearted, it required a concerted effort not to open my eyes as it set, like a plaster cast, for 15 minutes. Thankfully it was worth it — after it was removed, my skint felt squeaky clean.
But the main event has to be the crystal globes. Using “Iced Cryo ball technology”, glass balls were left to freeze and then massaged over my face. The sensation was amazing; I literally felt my face being frozen in time. I emerged afterwards to inspect the results. My skin looked smoother, almost luminous, and the dreaded dark circles looked less prominent. A must for anyone seeking a quick-fix remedy to help the skin deal with the long hot days ahead.
