KCR WINTER 24:25 Magazine FINAL 1 - Flipbook - Page 82
Floating on Cloud Twelve
The Japanese Head Spa treatment went viral for a reason — Emily
Cotterhill tries out the experience at Cloud Twelve in Notting Hill and
昀椀nds that it really is as good as it looks.
After watching countless videos of this luxurious treatment — a cleansing scalp massage paired with gua sha sculpting and a halo-like waterfall
shower — I couldn’t wait to try it for myself. Fortunately, Cloud Twelve
in Notting Hill has a new Head Spa, expertly curated by trichologist
Ti昀昀any Hall and herbalist Jenya Di Pierro. Nestled in a mews behind a
quaint string of boutiques and cafes, the cobalt blue frontage at the end
of the row beckoned me inside.
Cloud Twelve is a combination of lifestyle services: a luxurious spa,
a boutique hair salon, and an interactive children’s club, so the kids
can play while you pamper upstairs. As I swept around the curved spa
hallway, inspired by the free-昀氀owing energies of Feng Shui, I soaked
up the personal feel of the space. Even the changing room lockers have
intricately carved wooden doors, opening up to 昀氀u昀昀y towel robes and
slippers waiting for each guest. With a little time to spare before the
treatment began, I had a chance to explore the spa facilities: a dark
relaxation room with reclined loungers and meditation headphones; a
purifying Himalayan Salt room with a wall of rosy-hued quartz; a cold
plunge bath to reinvigorate the senses, and a sauna and steam room
with air so thick that you can’t help but slow down your breath.
Feeling suitably serene, I was led to the treatment room, where the experienced therapist started the extensive 17-step Head Spa process with
a scalp and hair consultation. We discussed the desired results, mine
being hydrated and shiny locks, and I selected my preferred oil, which
coordinated with the products she went on to use throughout. Next
was the introduction of the Dermascope camera, a gadget that, when
dragged across my scalp, showed microscopic images of its condition.
The analysis showed it was relatively healthy, but seeing the e昀昀ects of
product build-up around the hair shafts was eye-opening. Most of us,
me included, live our lives rigorously shampooing and conditioning,
unaware of how it can accumulate on the scalp and make our hair lose
volume. It was a wake-up call to be mindful of each product’s impact
and to wash the scalp regularly too.
I lay down and rested my head on a suspended basin, preparing for the
three-in-one treatment that focused on the head, scalp and face. The
lights dimmed, and as clouds of herbal humidity enveloped me, I was
lulled into a zen-like state. The therapist began with a gentle application
of hair oil, followed by invigorating scalp cleansing techniques using a
昀椀rm brush, pulsating LED combs, and a soothing spider massager to
loosen dandru昀昀 and stimulate circulation. Next, the sweeping strokes
of the pebbly gua sha and a hot face mask melted away facial tension,
easing me back into meditative bliss. The variety of motions was an immensely relaxing journey from start to 昀椀nish, and I didn’t want it to end.
As the ritual came to a close, she rinsed my hair with the waterfall
shower, towel-dried its lengths and used the camera to reevaluate the
health of my scalp. The results were clear to see — all the product had
gone and the scalp was squeaky clean, making the whole treatment feel
productive as well as restorative. For those with hair loss, thinning, or
scalp issues, the treatment is also said to be truly transformative. In the
adjacent hair salon, I soon found myself sipping on a cup of herbal hair
tea while a stylist carried out a professional blow-dry, leaving my locks
bouncier than ever. As I descended back to street level from heavenly
Cloud Twelve, I still felt as though I was 昀氀oating, with a renewed spring
in my step, in my mind and in each strand of my hair.
The 70-minute Bespoke Head Spa Experience starts from £190.
To book your Cloud Twelve Head Spa treatment or to gift it to a friend,
visit www.cloudtwelve.co.uk
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