It’s that time of year again when you start to notices the subtle effects of the changing season and your skin silently begs you to give it a little bit of TLC. The summer sunshine, wind, sea, sand, and exercise all take their toll on your body and muscles in understated ways, so don’t disregard that much-needed seasonal massage or facial which can help add some oomph into your step. Visit one of these five cost-effective spas, which aren’t nearly as pricey as you think!
- Brigit Filmer Spa & Skin Care, Gillitts
With gorgeous mosaic art, images of silver-screen darling Audrey Hepburn, and a lovely mix of functional and girly décor, you’ll step through the entrance and feel as if you’ve arrived at your dream home when you visit this spa! With a variety of affordable massages on offer, ranging from R245 for a 40 minute back massage to R660 for their 2-hour Signature Serenity Aromatherapy Massage, you won’t be disappointed. If you choose to take one of their half day or full day spa packages then bring along your swimming costume, as they have a steam room, sauna, flotation therapy pool, and a Rasule chamber you can use. They offer a variety of facials that range from R220 – R720, and also have a loyalty programme for regular spa-comers.
Contact: 031-767-1668.
- Stones Wellness and Beauty Therapy, Kloof
Specialising in organic treatments and skin care, and with a motto of “making healthy lifestyle choices affordable to all”, you should prepare yourself for a therapeutic, immersive experience at Stones Wellness and Beauty Therapy. Treatments such as a 1 hour Full Body Swedish massage for R220, or the 1 hour Organic Facial for R220, mean you’re in for a real treat! Aromatherapy massages start from R110, organic body treatments (which include an exfoliation or wrap) ranges from R110 – R550, and a 1 hour single reflexology session is only R200. Their packages are also quite affordable such as their Le Petite Treat which costs R350, lasts 1 ½ hours, and involves an organic facial along with a heavenly back and foot massage.
Contact: 083-670-9296.
- Aqua Spa, Umhlanga
The holistic approach of Aqua Spa is admirable, as are the variety of products used and treatments offered – which is what one expects from a member of the Camelot Spa group. Conveniently situated within the Square Boutique Hotel, the neutral-themed therapy rooms invite instant relaxation. Massages range from R280 for 30 minutes to R450 for an hour session. Their body therapies and wraps are divine, with bath and scrub treatments costing individually R160 for half an hour, and body wraps starting at R400 for 45 minutes. They offer a selection of product-dependant facials starting at R250 for 30 minutes, and other beauty options include waxing, threading, tinting, permanent makeup, manicures, and pedicures. Facilities such as the steam room, sauna, pool, and gym are also available for use.
Contact: 031-566-4562.
- Harmony Skin Clinic and Spa, Queensburgh
The welcoming Harmony Skin Clinic and Spa has become one of Durban’s top-rated spas in only a year. They not only offer fabulous and cost-effective treatments, they are also a paramedical approved skin clinic. As of April 2013, they added a Schwarzkopf Hair Studio that caters to men and women; an addition that has turned them into the ideal one-stop beauty and wellness venue. A 1 hour full body Swedish massage costs R180, their 1 ½ hour Harmony Signature Massages is R400, and Dermalogica facials start from R300 for an hour. Expecting ladies are welcomed with open arms, and pregnancy care massages start from R480 for a blissful hour and ten minute treatment. Manicures and pedicures both start from R75 and other options include waxing, threading, facial peels, exfoliations, as well as body Bootcamp treatments. The offered packages are also varied and include couple massages, such as the 2 hour Chocolate Chic option from R580 per person, or bring your girlfriends and enjoy a 3-hour pamper package from R750 per person.
Contact: 031-464-4900.
- Lime Light Spa, Malvern
With beautiful ambient lighting and rooms that range from modest bamboo and thatch to minimalistic modern styles, you’ll be impressed with the attention to detail they’ve put into creating a healing sanctuary. They cater to time constraints and offer 30 minute Back, Neck, and Shoulder massages for R200 – R220. Their aromatherapy massage lasts 1 hour 15 minutes and costs R420; their Reflexology massage lasts 45 minutes and costs R220; and all of their amazing body wraps cost R320, and last for 50 minutes; while scrubs and polishes last 45 minutes and cost R220. Manicures, pedicures, waxing, and threading are offered as well. Mothers and babies, as well as moms-to-be are well catered for with a large selection packages available, and there are a variety of enticing couples massages you’ll be hard-pressed to choose between.
Contact: 031-463-1044.
Let us know which of the above you’ve been to or which other spa you’d add to the list.
Main image courtesy of Thomas Wanhoff (Creative Commons)
