December 2nd, 2010
For the 2010 holiday season, ESPA International has introduced new gift collections containing brand new products, festive packaging, and more approachable pricing. Four of the new gifts are listed below – two for her, one for him, and a new candle as well.
NEW FOR HER:
A FLYING START – $70
Includes
NEW Invigorating Body Reviver 200 ml
NEW Energizing Body Lotion 100 ml
NEW ESPA Duck
What better way is there to get off the ground in 2011 than with a duck; a purple, pink-lipped rubber ducky, to be exact! The duck a perfect addition to any bath tub ledge and completes the perfect bath time routine when paired with ESPA’s new Energizing Body Lotion and Body Reviver Scrub.
THE LITTLE BOX OF CALM – $18
Includes
Soothing Body Oil 15 ml
Soothing Bath Oil 15 ml
This soothing bath and body oil intro kit gets loved ones to relax after all that holiday pressure – a great stocking stuffer, definitely in the budget for those looking to scale back on December spending.
NEW FOR HIM:
SMOOTH ENCOUNTER – $76
Includes
Facialfoam 60ml
Shavemud 70ml
NEW Moistureboost 35ml
For the man who has everything…except an exceptionally smooth shave. Includes ESPA men’s Shavemud, the bestseller of the men’s products, as well as the gentle facial foam cleanser and the new deeply hydrating Moistureboost.
NEW CANDLE:
RESTORATION DRAMA – $46
200g, 40 hr burn time
When the stresses of the festive season become too much, relax and unwind with this delightful new candle fragrance based on the therapeutic oil blend used in the ESPA Restorative oils. Stress reducing myrrh, sweet orange oil, lavender, and palmarosa are combined to create a wonderfully soothing aroma to fill the house with a sense of calm.
November 9th, 2010
This is the final week to vote (and test!) your favorite recipes in Lufthansa Airlines’ Flavors of India contest. The chef of the most popular dish, voted for online, and the favorite dish of the chef of Surender Mohan’s – of The Leela Palaces in Mumbai – will win a trip package from the Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts.
For the lucky winners, we suggest a stop at the ESPA Spa at The Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur. Set amid the courtyard gardens with views over the lake, the spa’s Divine Relaxation treatment is just the thing to lose the edge after waiting for contest results. The four-hour session combines holistic total body care with hot stones and an intensive facial that is guaranteed to have even Gordon Ramsay calm and collected.
Winners will be announced on Monday, November 15, so hurry up and submit your recipe! Only one vote per day for a favorite. Good luck and don’t forget to spice it up a notch!
November 8th, 2010
Hello and welcome to our very first “AMPR’s FYI”. Here at AMPR we get a real insider’s view of some of the most incredible people, places and things and we just can’t keep it bottled up inside anymore – we have to share what we know! Each week an AMPR staffer will post a personal account of a unique adventure, little-known fact or must-try experience that you would perhaps otherwise never have discovered.
To get the ball rolling, my name is Sarah Winters and I am a fairly recent addition to the AMPR team. I love to travel and I love anything to do with skincare and make-up (and sparkley things.) This week, I have decided to give you the 411 on a little gem of a product: ESPA’s Soothing Cleansing Bar. Yes, soap!
Once I had decided that I simply must dish the dish on this heavenly hunk of dirt remover, I realized that I would need to set some relatable parameters for my review. Here are the criteria for my sudsy evaluation: Scent, Handiness, Lather, Scour Power and Lastability.
At core of ESPA’s modus operandi is to provide quality natural products that serve a multi-purpose, and with the Soothing Cleansing Bar they do not disappoint.
- Scent: The Soothing Cleansing Bar contains aromatherapy-active essential oils, namely, Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang, Lavendar and Patchouli. Let me tell you, it smells fantastic – an androgynous just-home-from-the-spa kind of smell that appeals to both men and women. The combo of steam from the shower and the essential oils makes for a refreshingly fragranced and very relaxing rinse – this soap definitely lives up to its name.
- Handiness: I know this is a subject to which people will have given little thought but it is of no less importance. While I like to think that I have a proportionate body, my hands do tend toward the smaller side and sometimes soaps can be a little unwieldy, especially when fresh out of the carton. What I love about the ESPA Cleansing Bar is that they have disposed with the usual rectangular or oval shape and have chosen to go with something that is halfway between a cube and a rectangle. It fits perfectly in the palm of your hand but is still a satisfying chunk of clean-maker, whether you have big hands or small.
- Lather: I have strong feelings about the lather of soaps. Some seem to repel water and won’t even dispense with a single sud, yet others seem to coat you with a layer of impenetrable goo – leaving one fearing that one might break one’s hip if one puts one’s foot down after washing it. The Cleansing Bar scores another point in this department. Made with Palm Oil, Coconut Oil and a selection of other naturally occurring moisturizers, it soaps up nicely and leaves your skin feeling fresh and smooth and clean – not dried out or super slippery.
- Scour Power: While gentle and suitable for all skin types, ESPA’s soap really does the dirty on dirt. On the streets and subways of New York in the summertime it’s hard to completely avoid the city grime, so I put the Cleansing Bar to the test on my walk-everywhere feet. Sure enough, those little hooves were clean as a whistle after the lightest of scrubs.
- Lastability: If there’s one thing I hate, it’s soaps that start off looking like they’ll get the job done – think Hulk Hogan, but soap – but after a few days they’ve wasted away to a miserable-looking Woody Allen of a thing. This little bundle of soothing cleanliness gives you the best of both worlds: an appropriate level of lather without dissolving into mush on the soap-holder.
In sum, ESPA’s Soothing Cleansing Bar has proven to be one of the best beauty/bathing discoveries I’ve made. I’m hooked and it has my man’s stamp of approval too, no easy feat! If you want to try it, too, let us know and we’ll send you one for your own personal road-test; the only condition is that you report back using the criteria above.
November 5th, 2010
Recent reports detail President Obama’s busy schedule preparing for his upcoming trip to India. Outside of delegation meetings and state dinners (will there be any crashers this go-round?), we have compiled a few things the President shouldn’t miss!
Need a quick pick-me-up between appearances?
President Obama will be in Mumbai November 6 and 7. May we recommend, Mr. President, visiting the ESPA Spa at The Leela Kempinski Mumbai as a spot for an instant pick-me-up after a day of demanding meetings. For the United States’ top executive, the Executive Stress Tonic treatment is suggested. An hour and a half of back, neck, shoulder, hand, arm, and scalp massage will relieve tension caused by hours hunched over a desk and long periods of time spend on a plane.
Looking to unwind after a jam-packed schedule (diplomatic, or otherwise)?
Park Hyatt Goa will instantly relieve stress and offers the perfect place to get a Presidential tan. A true escape, the resort was designed to replicate ancient Indian villages and is set amid 45 acres of lush beachfront gardens. The property is divided into five courtyards, each distinctive in theme, architecture, and landscape, creating a series of individual guestroom clusters within the resort, set apart from one another by lagoons, tropical gardens, bridges, and interconnected with cobbled village streets. The Sereno Spa offers daily yoga and meditation classes designed to reconnect the body and mind – something every leader and fellow traveler can appreciate. Sessions are designed to improve energy and creativity, steadiness of mind, improve breathing and lung capacity, and relieve fatigue in the eyes. As a final addendum, Park Hyatt Goa is also home to India’s largest swimming pool with water slides!
Escape the election fever…
After recent mid-term elections, the President might be feeling the urge to truly disconnect for a few days. Shakti’s Kumaon village experience in Uttarakhand provides the chance to take in the stunning mountain scenery and rich culture of the remote, unspoiled, and undiscovered North Indian state. Take in staggering views that include the snow-tipped twin peaks of Nanda Devi, India’s second highest mountain. Guests take daily walks through the forests of grey pine, cedar, and rhododendron, and overnight in village homes that have been gently retouched to include Western creature comforts. The nearby four-room retreat, 360˚Leti, is a true escape perched at an impressive 8,000 feet. It lives up to its name, with 360° panoramic views and floor-to-ceiling glass windows. There is no Internet, no cell coverage, and only solar power — a real opportunity to unplug. A 90-minute trek along a narrow trail to the hotel takes guests past waterfalls, brooks, and terraced hills lined with rice paddies and rows of wheat.
Appeal to the activists…
To increase those ever-important approval ratings, it’s crucial to reach out to a cross-section of interests. A trip to Sikkim with Shakti offers a sure-fire boost. This tiny, Northeastern India state finds itself sandwiched between friendly neighbors Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet, and is the least populous and second smallest in all of India. Sikkim is culturally and topographically not unlike its neighbors and the only state in India to share an open border with China (very global). Sikkim also offers a dose of natural beauty sure to perk up environmentalist curiosity. With over 4,000 plant species and 450 exotic orchids, virgin rhododendron forests, indigenous birds, 650 kinds of butterflies and endangered species like red pandas, snow leopards, and blue yaks, it’s as far from Pennsylvania Avenue as you can get. Catch views of Mt. Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain, while passing fluttering Buddhist prayer flags on the trail to Rinchenpong Monastery. Explore this remote but enchanted land, learning about the region’s religious history and present day Buddhist and Hindu cultures as you go.
To experience a Presidential quick-trip…
As a traveling world leader, schedules rarely allow time for extended stays anywhere outside the Oval Office. Crystal Cruises’ 2011 World Cruise line up features two itineraries next March that visit India, with two overland excursions full of adventure and sightseeing. The Ajanta & Ellora Caves excursion explores the wonders of ancient India, following part of the Silk Road with stops at the famous Buddhist caves at Ajanta and the magnificent carved rock temples of Ellora, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. For the classicist, the Journey to the Fabled Taj Mahal excursion offers an overview tour of Delhi’s highlights, sunrise and sunset visits to the Taj Mahal, and a visit to Agra Fort. The two excursions can help split the 23-day Asia cruise, and provide your own version of Obama’s upcoming Asia tour!
November 5th, 2010
It’s a little less than a week away from the AsiaSpa Awards and we can’t wait for the results! Of the nominees, a couple of our favorites include:
COMO Shambhala Estate, Bali, Indonesia
Spa Retreat of the Year; Destination Spa of the Year; and Spa Cuisine of the Year
Anantara Spa, The PuLi Hotel & Spa, Shanghai, China
Urban Spa of the Year; New Spa of the Year
ESPA, The Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur, India
New Spa of the Year
Anantara Spa, Anantara Bophut Resort & Spa, Koh Samui, Thailand
Spa Design of the Year; Men’s Spa Treatment of the Year: “Golfer Massage”
ESPA at Phulay Bay, Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Thailand
Spa Design of the Year
‘Bamboo Harmoniser,’ The Peninsula Spa by ESPA, The Peninsula Shanghai, China
Spa Treatment of the Year
The Peninsula Spa by ESPA, The Peninsula Beijing, China
Spa’s Therapist Team of the Year
The Peninsula Spa by ESPA, The Peninsula Tokyo, Japan
Spa’s Therapist Team of the Year
The Peninsula Spa by ESPA, The Peninsula Bangkok, Thailand
Men’s Spa Treatment of the Year: “Mankind”
Susan Harmsworth,ESPA International
Spa Personality of the Year
MSpa International, Thailand
Spa Academy of the Year
ESPA
In-Spa Training of the Year
Spa’s Therapist Team of the Year
Check back next week for the results. Moisturized fingers crossed!
September 23rd, 2010
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, The Peninsula Spa by ESPA, New York is offering a “Think Pink” 60-minute Holistic Massage that includes an exclusive and complimentary ESPA Pink Hair and Scalp Mud application. For each treatment, the spa will donate $5 to benefit the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides against Breast Cancer” fundraiser.
The “Think Pink” Treatment is $195 and is available from October 1-31, 2010. To secure an appointment, please call (212) 903 3910 or e-mail spapny@peninusla.com. Click to view the full Treatment Menu.
August 12th, 2010
With just a few summer weekends left, pamper your skin with ESPA’s Essential Body Duo and receive a complimentary gift with purchase.
The duo includes ESPA’s popular Body Smoothing Shower Gel and Essential Moisturizing Balm. These products work together to exfoliate, smoothe, and moisturize all skin types throughout the long, hazy days of summer and into the fall. The complimentary gift? A travel-sized Invigorating Salt Scrub – a special spa treat perfect for revitalizing and energizing before a big event!
The Essential Body Duo is priced at $96 and is available online at www.espaonline.com. All orders over $70 are shipped complimentary.
August 12th, 2010
AMPR ticker tape…AMPR ticker tape…AMPR ticker tape…AMPR ticker tape… AMPR ticker tape…
Hot off the press…
AUGUST 2010
Here is our monthly news in tweetable form.
New and Notable
Hotel Parq Central
- Up up and away for #BalloonFestival! #HotelParqCentral opens on 9/23/10. Rates starting at $179/night including breakfast and other treats.
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas
- #AnantaraBophut in Koh Samui, #Thailand will be getting an upgrade! And we have the pics (http://bit.ly/cSwDte) to prove it!
(more…)
July 27th, 2010
Congratulations are due to Susan Harmsworth, the CEO and founder of ESPA International! Recognized as part of the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honors, Sue was cited for her outstanding services in the spa and beauty industry. Sue now proudly holds the title of MBE, which stands for Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
Sue founded ESPA International in 1993; the company now operates spas in 55 countries internationally and has an ever-expanding line of naturally effective skincare products and spa treatments. Her work with ESPA has made Sue the premier expert in the spa industry – she now sits on a number of international spa and hotel boards.
Despite her new grand title, Sue is always available to offer the best expert spa and skincare advice. From diagnosing skincare issues to creating your very own at-home spa, Sue can guide you through the ins and outs of spa and skincare. Let us know of any questions you have and we’ll find out what Sue would do!
July 9th, 2010
Its summertime and it is HOT out there. For ladies who have to step outside and face the heat at some point during their days, this means sweaty skin and drippy makeup. Forget about plastering on the face powder and looking a patchy mess; help combat the heat with these products from the skincare experts at ESPA.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE use ESPA 24 Hour Balancing Complex
This special complex is the perfect moisturizer for summer because it has a gel consistency that feels cool and refreshing upon application. The complex actually decreases sebum production so you sweat less and the essential oils of tea tree and lavender kill any bacteria produced by sweat to stop pimples from forming. Skin will remain tight and refreshed – for 24 hours!
THROUGHOUT THE DAY use ESPA Floral Spafresh Spritzer
This non-drying toner can be spritzed right on top of your makeup throughout the day, refreshing skin instantly without messing up your carefully applied skin, eye, and lip makeup. The uplifting floral scent also keeps you smelling shower fresh – bonus!
Keeping skin fresh in hot weather is the key – and these two products will help you achieve that!