What: Medical Pedicure at Sisters Beauty Lounge
The atmosphere: The new pods at Sisters Beauty Lounge, Dubai Mall are pretty exciting so it’s worth getting a treatment done there. It feels very private, with your own TV to keep you company.
The experience: The treatment started with crystal filing (instead of the usual file), before getting a nail serum on the nails to open up the cuticles and hydrate the nails. Post cuticle work, foot oil is applied on the nails with intense dry foot filing (the intensity really does give you soft feet!). My feet were then soaked in emu oil and Lemon Myrtle (Margaret Dabbs loves organic emu oil in her treatments for its anti-aging, moisturizing and healing properties). My feet were then scrubbed with the foot mousse before ending with a paraffin treatment for 10 minutes followed by a foot massage.
Final note and results: My pedicure lasted longer than any other pedicure, and my feet were the softest they’ve been in a while!
Cost: AED180
Contact: http://www.sistersbeautylounge.com
Extra notes:
-Margaret Dabbs is a renowned podiatrist, so it’s pretty exciting that Sisters have introduced her treatments to the salon!
-They have a range of different treatments from the Dry Skin Cure, Broken Skin Remedy to detox and Hygiene Fresh Treatment.
Recommended rating: 8/10

What: Arabian Massage at the Anantara Spa
The atmosphere: I went during the day, so it was nice and quiet. Anantara is one of my favorite hotels when I think of a getaway in Dubai. As soon as you enter, you feel like you’ve just arrived in Thailand or Bali.
The experience: As soon as I arrived, I was greeted to a hibiscus honey juice and a cold towel, before being directed to my treatment room. Before the massage, my therapist started the treatment with a milk bath and a lavender sea salt scrub for my feet. If you want something oriental or Arabian, this is a great recommendation for a spa treatment. I went for the Arabian massage, which is a 60 minute treatment using Spice Oil with your choice of pressure. The therapist tends to use her forearm and elbow for most of the massage.
Final note and results: Super relaxed and felt like I was on an island getaway!
Recommended therapist: Feli
Cost: AED550
Contact: http://dubai-palm.anantara.com/spas.aspx
Extra notes:
-The treatment rooms have a view of the Anantara lagoons, which are beautiful.
Recommended rating: 8/10

What: Reflexology at the Armani Hotel Spa
The atmosphere: I’ve stayed at the Armani Hotel once before, and the spa really reminded me of how the rooms looks and felt. Everything follows a grey palette and is super minimalistic.
The experience: I mean, it’s already pretty amazing that the treatment takes place inside the tallest building in the world (The Armani Hotel is located inside the Burj Khalifa). As soon as I arrived, I filled in a quick questionnaire before getting served a refreshing juice (which included watermelon, cucumber and elderflower syrup) with a hot towel.
Final note and results: Even though the treatment usually takes place on a bed, I decided to have mine on the chair. The treatment started with a foot bath in a gorgeous stone sink (I loved the dome room), and I was able to choose which of their signature three oils I wanted my therapist to use for the 60 minute reflexology treatment (it was between jasmine, cedarwood and citrus — I picked jasmine)
Recommended therapist: Chalee from Thailand
Cost: AED600
Contact: http://dubai.armanihotels.com/spa-en.html
Recommended rating: 9/10

What: Clay treatment at Be Bar Salon
The atmosphere: I visited Be Bar when it opened not long ago, and it really defines a blow dry bar for me. It has the perfect mix between Dry Bar in the US and Duck & Dry in the UK. Everything from the staff and the scent, to the designs and the kettle corn popcorn really make the atmosphere and experience.
The experience: This is a great treatment for women with oily hair. As soon as I arrived, I was taken to the hair wash room which feels very zen, with dim lighting to some of the most comfortable shower beds. The treatment, which is by Maria Dowling, is made out of ingredients like clay, sesame oil, argan oil and honey to name a few, and was applied in sections to the scalp before it was massaged and left on for 15 minutes. During those 15 minutes, I was pampered with a complimentary hand massage, which made this hair treatment feel like a spa experience. Fifteen minutes later, it was massaged in and thoroughly removed.
Final note and results: I decided to really take in the benefits of the treatment, and didn’t style my hair. It smelt lovely (super natural) and felt great, and hydrating too.
Recommended therapist: Sashi or Ria (Ria gives an incredible head massage!
Cost: AED150 and AED220 for very long/thick hair. They offer a 20% discount on the blow dry following any of their treatments.
Contact: http://mybebar.com
Extra notes:
-They send email reminders, which are very helpful!
Recommended rating: 9/10

What: So Sweet Almond Dip treatment at The Nail Spa
The atmosphere: There are quite a few branches of The Nail Spa in Dubai. I tend to go to the one in Jumeirah as it’s quite close to my home. It’s always lovely and quiet there which I love, as opposed to the other branches that can get much busier.
The experience: In my opinion, there are a handful of places in Dubai I can trust for a good manicure, and The Nail Spa is one of them. In addition to the typical manicure – cuticle, cleaning, massage etc. – the sweet almond oil dip is an additional treatment to the manicure. After the cleaning, filing and cuticle work, your hands are dipped in warm almond oil for 10 minutes, before it’s massaged into your nails for it to be absorbed.
Final note and results: It’s not recommend that you add any polish post manicure because the oil will make the nail polish peel. My nails have been feeling very dry and weak because of all the traveling and gel manicures, so I definitely felt like my nails felt nourished after the treatment, so this is something I’d do for the next two manicures to really build up the strength of my nails.
Recommended therapist: Fhe
Cost: AED95
Contact: http://thenailspa.com
Recommended rating: 8/10