The Best Massage Ever

I've been a fan of LUSH every since I wandered into the store and discovered what a bath bomb was.

I am also a fan of massages. I'm not sure if it's because of my history with swimming or all the slouching at the computer (I know, it's terrible) or if it's just my personality, but I tend to get terrible knots and aches in the back of my neck, and my back and shoulders. It's like all of my stress just sits right there and then gives me terrible tension headaches.

When a LUSH Spa opened up in NY I knew that I had to go and get a massage.

So did (apparently) a lot of other people. I had to make my appointment about a month in advance but let me tell you it was well worth it.

I opted to go during my lunch hour for the signature treatment: synaesthesia.

Synaesthesia is defined as: the production of a sense impression relating to one sense or part of the body by stimulation of another sense or part of the body.

I'd heard of this before when someone told me that they associated certain numbers with different colors, as if the number was lightly outlined in the color. 

The LUSH treatment is described as

Our signature Spa treatment, Synaesthesia is a complete merging of the senses into a fully choreographed massage. Simply choose how you want to feel from eleven different emotional states, and then your therapist will take you on an incredible journey into deep, complete relaxation.

Basically it's a way to pair ideas and emotions with certain sounds and scents. And it's incredible.

I arrived a few minutes early and browsed the store until the magical Alicia, my therapist, came down to greet me. She took me up to the kitchen are and waiting room, which she described as "your Grandmother's kitchen."

There we talked about the upcoming massage and what it would include (90 minutes!) and she asked me to look at the board and pick a word that described how I wanted to feel at the end of the massage.

 I chose ENERGISED since this massage was at 10 am and I had the rest of the day ahead of me.

Then she asked me to look at the little bottles and choose one based on anything from the bottle type or the color to the little word or phrase on the bottle's tag.

I wasn't allowed to smell them--or smell was lotion came with Energised, I just had to trust the process.



I waffled back and forth, trying to decide what to go with, but ultimately I chose Achieve since again it was the morning and I had a lot to do that day!

Then I relaxed in the waiting room while Alicia went and readied the room. 

She came to get me and escort me to the room when it was ready. It smelled amazing. The lights were low, the Achieve oil was steaming out of a few different corners of the room, and Alicia used the Energise lotion on my skin. An orchestra mixed with different bird calls specifically for this procedure played in the background.

 

It was 90 minutes of pure bliss.

So good that I immediate told my friends and family that a gift certificate to LUSH was what I wanted for the next birthday or holiday gift. That's it.

After it was over, I did actually feel awake and energized and ready for the day. Alicia met me back in Grandma's kitchen with some amazing tea and a bar of the Energise lotion and Energize bubble bath to take home. (Oh they've gotten some good use).

This was definitely a treat I hope to give myself again!