The butterfy effect

Dirt, grime and pollution had left my once flawless complexion dull and oily. And yes, how can I forget that niggling ache in my neck, thanks to sitting hunched in front of the computer for insane hours.

Even when my trusted make-up products failed to give my glow back, I finally decided to go in for a massage to rejuvenate my senses.

The first step

So I decided to fix an appointment at Butterfly pond at Cuffe Parade. Why Butterfly Pond? Firstly, the name intrigued me and secondly I never had a massage done before.

As I made my way to the parlour, I saw huge cutouts of butterflies in vibrant hues that decorated the outer walls of the salon. I realised I had reached my destination.

Sylvia Cheng, the host put my curiosity to rest.

As the name suggests, it's made of two words - Butterfly and Pond. Just as a butterfly undergoes constant transition and then reaches its beautiful stage, similarly the salon strives to transform its customers to make them look and feel pretty. And the pond symbolises my oasis where my needs will be catered to.

As I soaked in the salon's interiors in vibrant hues of orange, fuchsia pink and aqua blue, Sylvia worked on finding the right treatment for a first timer.

After some deliberation, she suggested the spa prestige massage.

Road to nirvana

After a quick change to my bare essentials, I was left in the expert hands of therapist Sushma Bali.

Sushma started off by applying a serum on my entire body. This was followed by a mixture of an exfoliating scrub and cream. She massaged this concoction gently on my hands, legs and back for around 45 minutes. The gentle kneading eased that niggling pain in my neck.

The scrub exfoliated while the moisturising quality of the cream left my skin feeling soft and supple. After the massage, Sushma wrapped my hands and legs in a muslin cloth to ensure that the skin remained soft and the moisturiser seeped deep inside.

Then came the most interesting part of the treatment. Room temperature water was mixed with the mud pack, which was then applied on a silver foil and wrapped around my body. The warmth of the mud pack coupled with the foil heated the water and provided immediate and much needed relief to my sore muscles. This lasted for around half an hour.

After two-and-a half hours of total pampering, I was in perfect bliss. My skin was glowing and I felt ethereal. All for just Rs 2,500!

I couldn't have asked for a better weekend.