Me Time
Jon Watt discovers that personal indulgence can be very addictive
Above: Try investing in yourself
"Bad news?" Asked my lunch companion eyeing my baffled expression with concern. I reread the text and then slowly shook my head.
"Amazing." I replied in awe. "I’ve just received a message from The Treatment Rooms reminding me of my appointment."
"Treatment? What, why, where?"
"Oh, I am having a facial tomorrow and don’t look so shocked. In today’s world of the metrosexual man there’s nothing to be ashamed of in admitting to having a bit of ‘me time’. Just as it’s ok for a man to admit to using moisturiser, practising yoga or listening to Coldplay. Well, maybe not so much the last, but the fact remains that women frequently treat themselves to skin, hair, leg and organ therapies, while most men restrict themselves to investing about £20 in a hair cut."
"Well, if you say so." Said my friend unconvinced.
"I do and that’s why I’ve booked in a full day of ‘me time’ tomorrow, so I can write about it for the magazine."
My friend smiled irritatingly. "Of course it is, Jon."
With such my transparent attempts at justification, started my adventure into the life of a pampered male. I began the my day by visiting Crew Cut (020 7924 4531) on Battersea Rise, and placing my stubbled face in the hands of expert barber, Sam Elddine. This really is the ultimate in shaving luxury; a start to the day which harks back to years gone by. We begin a five-minute facial massage. This, Sam explains, is to stimulate the hairs and, in combination with the hot towel that follows, goes some way to recreating the affect of a shower on the face. Morning ablutions are essential to a good shave, I am told through a face of warm flannel. Not only does a warm shower open the pores, but your skin is also at its most relaxed and least polluted after a night’s rest. Another key to a good shave is the application of shaving soap. As Sam began to lather my jaw in precise circular motions he continued to stress vital importance of ‘thorough preparation’. It’s a good point. After all, for most men a shave is an integral part of every morning, yet it is more often than not a rushed process, with little thought given to how to make the process better. Such an accusation could not be levelled at Sam, as he’s still lathering my cheeks some minutes later, patiently applying with the with the same careful circular motions designed to stimulate the facial hair into standing up. Only then, does the somewhat sinister ‘cut-throat’ razor appear. While carefully and expertly running the blade over my face, Sam explains the rules of home shaving. First off, try and use a brush and shaving soap rather than gel. Always shave in the direction of the hair while pulling the skin taught. Do not use a razor (whatever the make) more than three times, as it becomes blunt and transfers dirt. And finally, rinse thoroughly with cold water afterwards, before moisturising with a non-oil based product.
By the end, I felt a new man; a refreshed and smooth man, but unfortunately also a man who late for his next appointment. As luck would have it though, time is an integral part of the service at Power Tone (www.powertonestudios.com) studios in Battersea. Their discreet and intimate studio off Battersea Square houses a number of power plates, machine designed to give your body maximum workout in minimum time. It’s a workout that suits my day perfectly. A session lasts half an hour and is guided by an instructor – in my case, Peter. Frankly, I’m not at all sure what to expect. The machines certainly look futuristic enough but not something you’d expect in a gym. On Peter’s instructions, I assumed a ‘deep squat’ position on the vibrating plate and after just thirty seconds, was straining to stay upright. The vibrations of the plate are only slight yet they are enough to develop muscle tone, burn fat, stimulate endorphins, increase stamina and improve circulation. Fortunately for me, no routine lasts for more than a minute in Power Tone, and as Peter gave me a countdown in the ‘deep squat’, my muscles felt as though they’d done twenty minutes of squat thrusts not sixty seconds of clenching. I hardly had time to catch my breath before Peter was showing me the next posture. Over the course of the thirty minutes we went through roughly 10 different positions, each one working specific muscles, intensely and efficiently. As my biceps begin to burn as I tried to hold a press up position on the plate, Peter explains that the technology was originally developed for astronauts to ensure that their muscles did not waste away in space. The plates can be set to vibrate at a range of frequencies from intense workout, to gentle massage – which was a wonderful way to end the session.
As I left the studio, my muscles felt satisfyingly tired and I moseyed along enjoying the promised rush of endorphins. Riding on this wave of positive energy I arrived at the Treatment Rooms (www.thetreatmentrooms.biz) at the time allotted in the text. No longer does a man have to sneak in and out of such a place as though it were a betting shop, but can enter head held high. I was welcomed by, Georgina, a qualified beautician who cheerfully informed me that I was booked in for a cellular repair MDA treatment. While I didn’t see any men in there during my hour and half stay, I was assured that this is a treatment is extremely popular with male clients. The session began with a few questions, my answers to which drew disapproving looks and leaving me in no doubt of the folly of not regularly cleansing and exfoliating. Suitably chastised, I lay back under a duvet and allowed the soothing music to lull me into a relaxed state. Over the next 45 minute my face is cleansed, scrubbed and moisturised like never before. The Microdermabrasion is especially novel, managing to remove dead skin cells, while simultaneously promoting regeneration, by bombarding it with crystals and vacuuming up the debris – and all this with a tool not bigger than a biro. The result is a feeling of cleanliness and vitality that made me feel like I’d been given new skin (which I suppose in a way, I had). The procedure is a delightful combination of treatment and pampering, which left me feeling of invigorated – a sense that stayed with me for the rest of the day.
As I relaxed with a glass of wine at home that evening, I reflected that my ventures into ‘me time’ were a real education. Much of what I’d received, could have been, and is, practiced at home, and that in a way is part of the pleasure – to put yourself in the hands of a professional and enjoy the sensation of investing in yourself for a change.