HOT STONE massages and facials may fall into the stereotype of being solely for women wanting a relaxing break from day-to-day life, but with the offer of a 'men-only' FA cup themed pampering, Pioneer reporter David Waddington accepted an invitation to experience some soothing treatments.
"I THINK a lot of guys are a bit scared about coming in to somewhere like this, filled with women," said beauty therapy student Roxanne as she began rolling smooth, warm stones up my back, with Michael Bublé warbling in the background. "But we're really friendly and the treatments are just as good for men as they are women."
Rewind 90 minutes, and I was certainly one of those "guys" who would never have considered a trip to the local spa for an indulgent spoiling.
But a kind invitation to enjoy some of the therapies myself (in the name of journalism) could not be ignored.
Welcoming
Stepping into the welcoming waiting room of the Beauty Therapy and Hairdressing department at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru's Rhos on Sea campus, a group of men of various ages - all looking a little apprehensive as to what they have agreed to - sat patiently awating their FA Cup themed pre-match pamper.
Salon manager, Emma Jones, said: "We are open to the public throughout the week for beauty treatments, hair styling, nails, and all for men and women. It's the only way our students can learn by practicaly applying their skills and it means we only charge for products.
"Our Level 3 students have had to organise and promote eight themed evenings in order to complete their training, so this week is a football theme.
"It involves a paraffin wax facial with face, neck and shoulder massage, plus a back brush and deep back massage using hot stones."
After being led upstairs into the treatment room - a large, light space with beds seperated by privacy curtains, adorned with football inspired decor, stadiums projected on the wall and a table of nibbles - I was taken under the wing of Level 3 student Holly for the first part of the session, where the evening was made more 'man-friendly' with the offering of a non-alcoholic beer as I was quizzed on my medical history and asked questions about my lifestyle.
"They are just to make sure you can enjoy all the treatments," explained Holly. "Things like high blood pressure make certain treatments unsuitable."
Once I had removed my t-shirt, slipped under the towel, and was sporting a fetching hairnet, it was time to begin.
Soothing facial
"We don't get a lot of guys here, but the ones we do get are mostly older men," said Hollie as she began carefully cleansing my face. "Their partners come in to get treatments, and I guess they want to have one too instead of sitting around."
Following a thorough wash and face scrub, hot towels were used to open my pores before the electronic facial could begin.
A cool, gooey gel was gently smeared all over my face as Holly asked me to grip a conductor, similar to a clicker used by weather men.
She then placed what she described as a "probe" on my neck; turning up the electrical current until I felt a prickly, pins and needles sensation, then proceeded to work the probe through the gel.
Intended to remove the protective layer on my skin which keeps bacteria and harmful elements away, the oddly soothing sensation added to the relaxing experience.
The process was then repeated with another gel - this time intended to "rebuild" the protective layer - before the face, kneck and shoulder massage commenced.
"Sometime people fall asleep with this," warned Holly. And she wasn't wrong.
Any guilty feelings of being spoiled rotten soon evaporated as she soothingly massaged every nook and cranny of my face.
Fighting off sleep as the dulcet tones of Bublé crooning echoed throughout the room, I wasn't alone in my requiescence as any small-talk between the experienced students and fellow men enjoying this part of the treatment fell silent.
The final stage of the process was the face mask.
Opting for the moistened eye covers to enhance the relaxation (on Holly's recommendation), the offer of a hand and forearm massage while the sweet-smelling goo worked its magic sounded too good to pass; and confirmed any preconceptions of the therapy being 'girly' or 'just for women' were clearly gone.
A final cleanse, and Holly's work was done, with her classmate Roxanne then entering to give a hot stone massage.
Tension relief
After being asked to flip over on to my front, a trolly with a steel bowl filled with water and rocks was wheeled in.
"The stones give you a far deeper masage as the heat really gets into the muscles," said Roxanne. "It's also good for us as it prevents RSI."
Still a little dopey from the tranquilizing experience of the facial, she began massaging oil into my back to remove any tension.
Warm stones were then taken from the tank and (after a temperature test) were rolled, pushed and worked across my back.
As the temperature began to to cool, Roxanne placed them at key points near my neck and by my sides and introduced more piping hot stones into the treatment.
Totally unwound and thoroughly calmed, the massage was complete.
New perspective
The evening had certainly given me a new perspective on beauty threapy.
Two hours had never passing so quickly and my skin certainly felt fresher and clearer.
But although the therapies are intended to make you look and feel better than ever, with my assumptions well and truly quashed and a strong yearning to return for repeat treatments, they may have actually created a monster.
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For more information on the range of treatments available at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru and for opening hours, call the Beauty Therapy reception on 01492 546666, extension 321. The next theme evening is Wash And Glow on Tuesday, May 24 between 5pm-8pm.