Spa & Beauty Salon in Aberdeen, Glasgow & Edinburgh

Thanks a bundle

You'll feel scent-sational after this
novel take on Thai massage

A traditional Thai massage involves yoga-esque stretching and deep massage. However, a Thai bundle massage is an altogether more passive therapy and, I'm happy to report, a wonderfully relaxing experience. This treatment has recently become part of the spa menu at PURE, a hidden gem of a salon, with a candlelit relaxation area that soon helps one to forget that a bustling shopping centre is just outside.

Much like Thai food - which combines sweet, spicy, sour, bitter and salty flavours - an exotic combination of aromas fills the treatment room that I'm let into. It's a wonderful scent that I find difficult to describe - sweet with citrus notes, yet spicy with herbal undertones.

Over an exfoliating foot scrub (which PURE give to all their clients, regardless of treatment), my masseuse, Maggie, explains that the bundles, which are warming in a steamer, are a blend of herbs, tightly wrapped in muslin cloth. The essential oils that they release when heated will be absorbed more readily into my skin that they would if I were to have a conventional massage, although the benefits are similar, in that they can detoxify, relax the muscles and improve circulation.

After a mercifully quick body brush to awaken my skin - which is clearly under-stimulated - Maggie gets to work with one of the bundles. Initially hot, but not uncomfortably so, they are tapped, pressed and kneaded into my muscles, which loosen quickly thanks to the heat. As the obvious disadvantage to the bundles is that they lack the dexterity of fingers, they're used in combination with conventional hands-on massage and a smaller bundle is used on my face.

I spend a lot of the treatment trying to figure out what the fragrances in these parcels are, so I'm grateful when Maggie offers me one to take away and use as an infusion in my bath (they are usually discarded after use). At home, my bathroom is temporarily turned into a spa as, to my surprise, the bundle retained its aromatic potency, which fills the room. Afterwards, I dissected it, in the hope that I might discover what was inside (and perhaps be able to recreate its fragrance, once I'd managed to find something with a similar scent). Unfortunately, nothing could be identified and the recipe will evade me (think green compost).

CHILLING out in my towelling robe and slippers in the dimly-lit relaxation area, I simply could not believe I was in the middle of one of Scotland's busiest shopping centres.

I was at Pure Spa in Glasgow's Silverburn, awaiting my Thai Bundle Back Massage.

Relaxing before my treatment began, I tried to forget the bargains in the shops downstairs. Rajwinder Sumal, the senior beauty therapist, then invited me into the luxurious treatment room.

Before my Thai Bundle Back Massage began, Rajwinder gave my feet a perfect stressbuster - a complimentary foot ritual - which involved exfoliating, massaging and moisturising. A real surprise.

Then I lay face down on the treatment bench. Using a hot compress stuffed with natural herbs and soaked in essential oils, Rajwinder dotted it down my back, shoulders and arms.

Initially, as it's warmed in a steam machine, the compress is very hot, but your body soon acclimatises to it.

Then I experienced a firm manual back massage - the pressure can be adjusted to suit and before it begins you are asked your preference - light, medium or deep. It pummeled every muscle on my back and release blocked energy in my shoulders.

A deep Thai Bundle Massage is not for the faint-hearted but I am glad I survived.

Afterwards I reaped the benefits, I felt uplifted and my shoulders were relaxed.

Pure Spa's Becky Woodhouse said: "While other investments are falling like a stone, perhaps investing in yourself is a safer bet."

You can also choose: hot stone therapy; relaxing back, neck and shoulder massage; Elemis mini spa facial; lime and ginger salt scrub; reflexology; Reiki; Indian Head Massage; or Hopi Ear Candles.

To book just log on to www.purespauk.com or phone Pure Spa, Silverburn 0141 881 7770 or 7385.

A spa company is aiming for a 50 per cent rise in turnover as it opens its fourth outlet.

Pure Spa Group, which has two branches in Edinburgh and one at Silverburn in Glasgow, will launch in the Union Square shopping centre in Aberdeen later this year with the creation of 15 jobs.

The 3,900 square feet facility will have 11 treatment rooms, a nail bar, pedicure bar, tepidarium and an infra red sauna, while beauty products by Elemis and REN will also be available.

Becky Woodhouse, founder, said: "We started looking at Union Square in summer last year.

"Aberdeen was a key target in the expansion of our business and there is definitely a mood for more day spa facilities there. We are really excited as Union Square ticked all the boxes for us in terms of location, footfall, being close to the train station and having a large leisure element.

"You always look to improve on what you have done before. I am excited about what we can achieve in Aberdeen and believe it will be our best one yet."

The full fit-out and expansion could end up costing in the region of £500,000 which is being funded by a combination of bank debt, previous profits and personal funds.

Pure currently turns over more than £1million but Woodhouse believes the Aberdeen opening in May will see that figuresoar.

She said: "This will add probably another third to half of our turnover and take us maybe up to the £1.5m to £2m mark."

Woodhouse, a chartered accountant who trained with PricewaterhouseCoopers, admits PURE was affected by the recession but not as badly as she had feared.

She added: "It wasn't until we got to the end of the year we were really able to assess the full impact. Being in shopping centres has helped with Silverburn one of the few places which has actually grown in footfall over the last year. We open seven days a week and the convenience factor of the shopping centres with things like free parking and being open till 9pm is important. "It is all tailored to the individual client. The staff we have managing the salons are very experienced and their input along with what we feel customers would like is what makes us a successful business."

Having started in 2002 with six staff PURE will employ more than 60 people once its Aberdeen recruitment is complete

Scotland based PURE Spa group is to open a new day spa in Aberdeen, located within the brand new Union Square shopping centre. The spa is due to open in May 2010.

The 3900sq ft day spa will boast 11 treatment rooms, a nail bar and pedicure bar. Other facilities include a tepidarium and infra red sauna.

PURE will offer their full range of treatments and spa therapies, including their unique add-on treatment style, supported by some of the top beauty and spa brands including Elemis and REN.

PURE first opened its doors 7 years ago, with a salon in Edinburgh city centre.

PURE grew quickly in client base and reputation, and opened its first full day spa facility in Edinburgh’s Ocean Terminal shopping centre in 2005, followed by a second day spa in Silverburn in Glasgow in 2007.

The new spa in Aberdeen secures PURE’s growing reputation as one of Scotland’s fastest growing SME companies.

If you’d like more information about this topic or an interview with PURE’s owner, Becky Woodhouse, please contact Linda McBride on 0131 561 1408 or email linda@purespauk.com

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY - RECENT PURE PRESS