Feeling in the pink

Caroline Bingham visited The Grange Spa, located in the village of Pointon, near Sleaford to experience innovative, organic treatments by Pinks Boutique.
There is an innate serenity to Grange Spa which I am sure most of their guests pick up on very quickly. The surrounding tranquil countryside is a perfect backdrop but owners Matt and Emma Craven are not only relaxed in themselves and in harmony with their surroundings, they also have great expertise when identifying treatment brands and staff which complement their therapeutic and holistic approach to the Grange Spa experience. I was there to have two treatments from Pinks Boutique, an organic professional skincare range which has developed a series of spa treatments unique to their brand.

Grange Spa was built to the highest standards with a well-equipped gym, twelve-metre pool and a choice of heat experience rooms. After the formalities of a medical check and welcoming coffee I swam and relaxed in the scented gemstone steam bath. There is also a herbal bath scented with mint, plus a warming scented sauna. I don’t like to shower under chilled water but taking a handful of crushed ice from the bowl and rubbing it across my skin gave a refreshing tone up.

It is very indulgent to have time and space to relax and I was appreciating every moment to wind down from a hectic pace at the office and at home. I was ready for my first treatment.

PINKS BOUTIQUE STRETCH AND ALIGN MASSAGE
There are four core body systems developed by Pinks Boutique, all organic and bioactive, each designed for slightly different skin types and to achieve a range of sensory effects. Escape uses island aromas of Sweet Orange, Neroli, Ylang Ylang and Patchouli suitable for all skin types but offers an immersive experience of escape. Lemongrass and Mandarin are the main ingredients of Detox, designed to refresh and detoxify while Invigorate includes Wild Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Geranium and Lavender to revive tired minds and bodies, especially if you are under the weather. Angela, my therapist talked me through the options and I chose Relax, with Organic Rose and Rose Geranium. This system is prescribed for sensitive, dry and mature skin and would be calming and soothing. I also had the choice of a soft, middling or vigorous massage. I chose the middle option but explained to Angela that I do like to feel the benefit in my knotted muscles. Pinks have certainly developed a treatment which I found refreshingly unique. Angela is a very accomplished therapist who delivered the treatment in a flowing ritual. There are exotic aromas inhaled as mist spray accents to open and close work on each area of the body. This is a whole body massage which lasts an hour and is delivered with balance, depth and power. More fluid and calming than a sports massage but certainly with those muscular and frame benefits. My stress and tension was released using long stretch movements with Pinks Boutique massage oils rich in anti-oxidants, omega fatty acids and vitamins. This is a massage which may not be for everyone but I came away with a heady feeling of my body benefitting from exercise while my mind had been relaxing and de-tuned.

PINKS BOUTIQUE ANTI-AGEING FACIAL
After a delicious Greek salad lunch and a while spent in the cosiness of the Relaxation Lounge, I was ready for my second treatment.

Pinks have developed three Facial System Blends: Organic Rose for highly sensitive and mature skins; Ocha which is packed with white and green tea for high anti- oxidant anti-ageing skin care for normal to dry and dehydrated skins; and Lemongrass and Mandarin which is an antiseptic and restorative for combination, oily and younger skins. Rose and Geranium Flower Water room mist spray opened and closed stages in the treatment which began with an upper back exfoliation using Bamboo and Oatmeal Polish followed by a massage which again focussed on the areas in my neck and shoulders which become tense.

Once lying on my back, my face and décolletage received a first cleanse with Ocha Cleanser, a second cleanse with anti-ageing Deep Cleanse Melt and were toned using Ocha Toner. There were delicious scents of flowers and botanicals to these products and especially the Rose Clay and Rosehip Mask which followed. Gorgeously rich and soft to the skin this product smelt good enough to eat. Angela was again my therapist and my facial massage included fine focus on my pressure points, jawline and eye areas. While the mask was in place my head and scalp was stroked and massaged. This treatment replaced the vigour of the Stretch and Align massage with very precise accent on nourishing and rejuvenating the skin. The Anti-Ageing Facial has been described as a natural facelift and a product I brought home with me was the Anti-Ageing Serum. This rich oil has a gorgeous aroma and is designed to combat the effects of sun damage and age. It feels wonderful on the skin. My treatment had lasted for an hour and fifteen minutes and yes, my skin was smoother and brighter.

Pinks have developed a range of beautiful products but furthermore they have redefined how these are delivered as a spa experience. Innovative, extremely client focussed and tailored to the individual they have gone beyond what are my normal expectations for massage and facial treatments.

Pinks Boutique and Grange Spa are a natural fit for their shared ethos, organic credentials and customer focus and there are more Pinks treatments to anticipate.

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