Scottish spa treatment: Scents of Wonder, Union Yoga, Edinburgh

The treatment

A massage and facial with yoga teacher and therapist Emanuela at Gaia, Union Yoga, Edinburgh, £45 for one hour, or £160 for a block of four sessions (£40 each). Choose from therapies including the Dreamer Massage, Facial Yoga Massage or Island Bliss Massage, or let Emanuela do something bespoke, as I did.

Why go?

Gaia consists of a large new treatment room just off Union Yoga’s huge, bright yoga space, but Emanuela performs treatments between classes, so it’s always quiet and serene in here. She’s also teamed up with an Edinburgh aromatherapy business, Wizardrops, and uses their gorgeous holistic potions in her treatments.

Our spy says

You’re asked to choose a Wizardrops’ oil to be used in the diffuser. You could pick Energising, Cheerful or Calming, but I go for Breathing, which contains eucalyptus, cypress and pine – a combination that’s helpful if lying face down makes your nose stuffy, or you’ve been in a polluted environment. Emanuela starts with my back, before moving onto my arms. With garden birdsong playing on the stereo, she uses a combination of acupressure, Chinese massage and shiatsu techniques, with smoothing, pinching, rolling, chopping and rubbing movements. It’s pleasurable and relaxing, but stimulating too.

She also uses silicone cups, but moves them swiftly and gently across the surface of the skin, so they don’t bruise. More than any other massage I’ve had recently, I really feel that my circulation is stimulated and my skin is glowing with heat.

Onto my back, and Emanuela performs a blissful facial, with a cleanse, spritz of toner, hot towels and the application of gorgeously scented potions including Wizardrops’ Rosehip Face Oil (I’m a big fan of rosehip for ageing skin like mine). For what she describes as a “natural face lift,” after a gentle regular facial massage, she picks up miniature versions of the suction cups she’d used earlier. These are traced along contours, round lips and brows, to plump up and increase the blood flow to the skin. Yes please.

The results

You get the perfect blend of results and relaxation with this lovely treatment, and I appreciate that Emanuela can tweak the therapy to how you’re feeling on the day. Also, Wizardrops’ cutely packaged products are available to buy, should you want to use them at home (from £5.50 for a double-layered face soap, split into Day and Night sections).

• Union Yoga, 25 Rodney Street, Edinburgh (0131-558 3334, www.unionyoga.co.uk)