I have been pregnant for what feels like two years now and I have reached a stage, 36 weeks in, where just getting up from the sofa is a job for a professional contortionist. I am still working full time so pampering has not been very high on my priority list but when the Sassy Mama team got in touch asking me if I would review the pregnancy massage service at Sensasia for their online magazine, I was literally on it.

So there I went on a Sunday morning (best time to have a pampering treat and start the week on a high, trust me!) to Sensasia’s Jumeirah 1 branch to road test their Yummy-Mummy to be massage for a whole 90 minutes of what I can only describe as pure bliss. The whole experience was flawless in my book: from the warm welcome with cold towel and fresh lemon infused water, to the perfectly executed massage itself (I think my wonderful therapist called Margie may have a been an angel fallen from the sky) and the after-treatment healthy snack and ginger tea in the relaxing room.

Being 8 months pregnant is pretty challenging in itself physically let alone when trying to lie down in a comfortable position. The treatment rooms have ridiculously comfortable massage tables and they use a bunch of lovely soft pillows and perfectly rolled up towels as props to get you in the right position. I felt so cosy I think I nodded off a few times throughout the treatment. Sorry Margie! Another bug bear of mine, and pregnant ladies out there will understand my frustration, is that usually getting a massage when expecting is not much more than a gentle light rub and a stroke up your back for a hour.

Lovely enough and better than a kick in the teeth of course but not exactly doing anything for those tired limbs, swollen ankles and painful lower back… My therapist at Sensasia knew exactly what she was doing and actually applied decent pressure to those tragically painful areas of my pregnant body and it did wonders for my water retention. I relaxed completely for over an hour, something I think hadn’t happened in about 8 months! I had read on various mama forums about the reputation of Sensasia’s mum-to-be massages and it certainly lived up to its high expectations. Their website has a warning their massages can get addictive and I am sorry to report it may well be true as I am already planning to book my next session in a couple of weeks.

All the details:
Yummy Mama-to-be Massage
A specialised bump friendly massage to prevent stretch marks, relieve fatigue, hydrate the skin or ease fluid retention.
Price: 445 DHS | 550 DHS
Timings: 60 MIN | 90 MIN
4 locations: Downtown, Emirates Golf Club, Palm Jumeirah/Golden Mile, The Village/Jumeirah 1
www.sensasiaspas.com

You get 10% off your next treatment if booked within 30 days from today on your initial massage. The offer expires on June 15, 2018.

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Forever looking for that magic answer to a head of hair that’s been damaged by everything from sun to sea plus color changes galore and three pregnancies, hearing that celebrity hairstylist Rossano Ferretti (who’s responsible for the Duchess of Cambridge’s luscious locks) had opened a hair spa here in Dubai meant a glimmer of hope for my lackluster mop. Set in a gorgeous villa just next to the Four Seasons Hotel on Jumeirah Beach Road, the thing which sets this salon and its team of stylists apart is an innovative hair technique called ‘The Method’, created and fine-tuned by Rossano and his sister over years and said to be THE best way to get the perfect style to suit your hair type. I was sold. Kids at school and a few hours ahead of me, I booked in to be transformed.

Firstly, the salon offers a complete experience that helps you relax – spa like – in a calm space that’s flooded with natural light, designed like a boutique hotel and filled with little extras from delicious coffee to a menu of beauty treatments if you fancy getting a head-to-toe overhaul. I was led to a dark-walled waiting room where my stylist, Yana (who’s worked with Ferretti for years and is a fully trained ‘Method’ director) chatted to me about what I hoped to achieve. I don’t know about you but for me, it’s simple. I need a hair style that’s easy to maintain, that doesn’t require blowdrying with a roller brush (because there’s just no way I could ever master that) and which I can feel confident about not having to hide and scrape back at any opportunity.

The secret to The Method system is that stylists use a patented pair of texturizing scissors and cut just 18 percent of your hair instead of the typical 30 percent. And it’s all about making the best of the way your hair falls naturally rather than trying to force it to do anything else, giving you a style that flatters your face and that brings out the best of what you’ve been blessed with. Intrigued by how my hair  (which is more a curse than a blessing) could possibly have anything good about it to enhance, I decided to let Yana dictate how my hair should be cut and what would suit me the most.

A luxurious wash and scalp massage later, my hair was in her very capable hands while I sat back and watched the magic happen. Instead of combing and snipping, Yana almost danced around my hair, fluttering her scissors and making tiny cuts here and there before switching to long fluid strokes. Occasionally she’d run her hands through to inspect her work, making suggestions about what foods I could eat to improve my hair texture and explaining how every stylist trained in The Method was required to refresh their knowledge every year to make sure that they were staying true to Ferretti’s technique. With plenty of broken hair around my face, Yana chopped a long fringe before drying my hair and standing back to admire her work. I have to admit, it  was shorter than usual (and if you go to get your hair cut here then make sure to tell them you don’t want it too short….unless you do of course) but it fell beautifully and I bounced out of the salon with with my equally bouncy hair. The test though, would lie in whether my style would stay true to the cut once I washed it at home with zero blowdrying skills or time to make it do what it should . And the result? Hair which looked as good the next day and the day after and the one after that too – hooray! I actually love it even more now that it’s grown out a little bit and I can jump out of the shower/sea/pool without having to do anything mega special plus chase after three kids and get them all ready in the morning with a minimal hair routine. Yup, at least now there’s method to the madness. I’ll be back to The Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa soon – apparently if the main man himself is in town he’ll often treat you to a free cut! See you there, mamas!

For bookings and enquiries contact Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa
Jumeirah Beach Road (next to The Four Seasons Hotel)
Tel: +971 (0) 4 330 0073
www.rossanoferretti.com/world/salon-dubai/

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We’ve got four last-minute treats to make the mama’s in your life feel extra special – whether you celebrate Mother’s Day today (UK!) or on 21st (UAE!). xox

Shop

Give the gift that keeps on giving with Sephora. Splurge on a gift card or shop must-have goodies online for the beauty loving mama in your life. Their delivery turnaround time is impeccable so you can expect to have the gift nicely boxed up with free samples in a day or two at your door. Take advantage of free delivery over AED 350 and look out for special offers and promo codes when you shop on Sephora.ae

Read More: Makeup Must Haves For Busy Mornings 

Spa

If you’re thinking of a quick getaway for your mum, then St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi is the destination. Whether you’re lounging around the pool all day or staying the night – make sure you book your mum in for the special Love your Mother promotion at the Iridium Spa. The 90- minute relaxation session consists of any one-hour facial, along with a complimentary 30-minute back massage, a complimentary skin analysis, an AED 100 voucher to use for her next treatment and a full day use of Iridium Spa’s facilities all for AED 570.
www.stregissaadiyatisland.com

Style

Whether it’s statement nails, a serious hairstyle makeover, or TLC treats – The Nail Spa and Marquee never cease to impress. This Mother’s Day, TNS and Marquee have specially curated nine gift packs for just about every style of mum out there – from sporty, stylish to glamorous and even for the busy mums. With plenty to choose from, these gorgeously wrapped boxes include amazing treatments and products to gift the unconditionally loving ladies in your life. Starting from AED 350
www.thenailspa.com 

Subscribe

Let’s not forget the mamas-to-be or those new moms for whom these early days might be a little overwhelming (it’s normal, honestly!). Mamas Box is a lovely subscription service that makes for the perfect gift – each box is very carefully packed according to you, your bump or your baby – plus customised to your pregnancy stage or bubba’s age and each one has a fab mix of practical stuff with a good sprinkling of surprises too. AND, this March they’re offering a FREE MASSAGE worth AED 350 with every subscription as an added bonus, hooray! Each Mamas Box contains over AED 300 worth of products (but you only pay AED 225 per month with a 12 month subscription) and there’s a #LoveYourMamasBox guarantee which means if you don’t like any of the products, they’ll simply exchange them for you. Pefect. The gift that keeps on giving!
mamas-box.com

Read More: The Coolest Box Subscriptions In Dubai 

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Whether you’re breezing through pregnancy and just fancy a little treat or you’re finding the whole thing kinda exhausting, one thing’s for sure – you deserve some pampering (come on, you’re growing a little human being!). Our beauty contributor Sonam has rounded up 5 of the best treatments to give mamas-to-be a few minutes to relax and ease any aches and pains. Enjoy!

Read More: ‘Bless’: A Beautiful New Morning Retreat For Mamas-To-Be 

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Some people want their salon visits to be quick/no frills affairs so that they can get in and out of the chair pronto. I’m definitely not one of them! Regardless of how big my ‘to do’ list is, I want my salon experience to give me that little dose of zen and a good few minutes to escape the kids quarrels and household chores – and I’ve found just the place.

The Aveda flagship salon on the rooftop of the uber lux Galleria Mall is an absolute treat. Light, bright – with views across the city and a huge urban roof garden where sunlight filters through green leaves, this place allows for instant calm even before you get into your chair.

If you’re not familiar with the Aveda concept, in an (organic) nutshell this brand is all about using plant-based products and pure essential oils plus a (genuine) commitment to the environment. Based on Ayurvedic principles, all treatments are ritual-based and designed to promote complete holistic beauty. Heavenly.

My visit started with a tea ritual – a soothing cup of caffeine free tea created to calm and relax before a scalp/neck massage with my choice of oil (stress fix – no surprises there!) – the prelude to all treatments at the salon. Chilled to the max, the next step is a chat with your stylist to nail down exactly what you’re after – in my case a little balayage to perk up some dark roots and a trim/tidy up to get my length out of that awful ‘inbetween’ stage.

Read More: Why Balayage Is Best 

Colour formulas here are made from 99% naturally derived plant ingredients (with a little help – if you want to go much lighter then you gotta expect some amonia) and are personalised and created especially for each client at a ‘Colour Bar’. Oh and they’re much better for your hair as a result – bonus given that so much of mine has fallen out since having babies…

And given that the product is much gentler, it may take you a little longer in the chair to achieve the results you’re after (but that’s ok with me – meant more tea and more relaxation!).

After the stylist delicately painted sections of my hair and then left the colour to do its thing, it was time for a complimentary hand massage before the next stage.

Every step of the Aveda experience is designed to promote wellbeing – from the products to the complimentary add-ons plus extras including special filters on all showers and recycled one-use towels to minimize negative impact on the environment while also maximizing on hygiene – I swear even the hairdryers seemed quieter to allow for a much less frantic salon floor. And as for the wash basins? Utter bliss, fully reclined on a massage chair (mama heaven?! I almost fell asleep!).

Read More: 5 Ways To Beat The Dubai ‘Hair Loss’ & Sort Your Thinning Locks 

After a couple of hours, I felt relaxed and happy to leave with much shinier, healthier hair – flecked with golden hues and scented with essential oils. Am looking forward to my next visit already.

www.aveda-me.com
Top Roof Galleria Mall, Al Wasl Road
Tel: 800AVEDA (80028332)

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Life as a mama can be exhausting, so every now and then it’s important to take time for yourself, do something that you enjoy and get some much-needed rest!

I’ve found just the place to relax, unwind and feel like me again, a little oasis of calm in the city (and away from the craziness of mama life). Yes, mamas, the moment you drive into the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club you see horses, big open spaces of green (coming from the UK this is my little bit of ‘home’) and complete tranquility. Bliss. The Polo Club offers so much – from horse riding to a huge family swimming pool, restaurants, and gym – but there’s also a hidden gem – The Spa!

The whole spa experience from start to finish is what every mama needs occasionally! Not only are the staff really friendly, experienced and knowledgeable, but there’s no rushing and the setting is gorgeous – dimly lit, calm, quiet (seriously the perfect antidote to a noisy household and the chaos of the school run!) The spa staff take their time to really help you relax and unwind and the products, natura Bissé which are used smell utterly amazing! One of my favorite treatments is a 30min back massage and mini facial which is just long enough to help you unwind and forget about making packed lunches in the morning or what meeting you have to plan for but not so long that you’re panicking about how much there’s still to do. And after your treatment, you can chill in the relaxation room or fully indulge and use the Jacuzzi and steam room in the luxury woman’s locker room.

If you’re a Mama in need of a little pampering than The Spa at the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club this is the perfect place, especially because from now until October 31^st you can choose from the following 50min packages for only AED 295

1. Relax & Rejuv – 5^th Chukka back massage + booster facial (my favorite!)
2. Renew & Refresh – Body scrub + body wrap
3. Release & Revitalize – Reflexology + 5^th Chukka back massage

For more information please contact The Spa at +971 4 362 7892 or email thespa@poloclubdubai.com
Opening hours daily from 9:00am – 9:00pm

My top tip – get the kids to bed early and go and have a wonderful chilled evening – you deserve it – and you might catch a few winks too!

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