Beauty treatments often push the boundaries of good sense. Who cares?

Fishy business

When we said we were going to be eaten alive by fish, most people winced. But garra rufa fish, or mei ti yu (beautifying fish) are the latest in a line of beauty crazes promising brand new skin and eternal happiness. Well, no pain, no gain right? After a few phone calls to locate the magic shoal, we found them at the Rome-themed, casino-esque, “super, five-star, large-scale place” (their words) Shanghai Orient Rome bathhouse.

Inside was the first floor bathhouse for guys. Having stripped, we walked through to the pool, faced up to the hundreds of little fish, and gingerly got in. The idea is that the fish eat your dead skin cells, and indeed, after a few tentative pecks, they were soon swarming around our feet. The first few nips tickled like little kisses; we flinched, and the fish flinched. But as we built up a tolerance, they became more brave, and before we knew it, they were working their way up our legs, a couple of pecks on the hands, a few nibbles on our shoulders, then the neck and back. Yes, it is strangely sensual, even erotic – until we looked down and saw one of the bigger fish (what did he eat?) heading for certain areas that shall not be named. We tried to relax, but the moment it took a nip, we shrieked and the whole thing was over.

We got back in, this time with a well placed hand. Apart from seeing a dead fish being mauled by some of the very fish nibbling us, and then another defecate on our arm, we remained happy. Sadly, two more guys got in, all giggles, making the fish flee. When the fish came back, we now had to share piscine attendants with two other bodies. The effect was diluted, so we returned to dry land. The fish may have had a proper feed on our heel and toes, but the shriveling effect of the water made our body look wrinkly.

We were next offered a milk massage, and, carried away by visions of ancient Rome and a Cleopatra-style treatment, we agreed. We expected pure-bred Mongolian ewe’s milk, but the guy just whipped out a ¥2.5 sachet of milk from Alldays. We were not too dismayed, however, as the massage immediately softened our skin, and left us smelling like ice cream. Sensing our enthusiasm, he then offered a salt massage. In for a penny, in for a pound, we say. The saltmilk mixture proved to be an effective exfoliator, even if we started to smell like cottage cheese. Thinking he might get even more out of us, he offered to add honey to the concoction, but we declined. What’s he trying to turn us into? A cake? Being fish food was enough for one day. After that it was off to the sauna, where we half expected to bake into a pudding. But after a shower, we must admit that our skin was feeling soft, smooth, and very, very clean.

Price: Garra rufa fish treatment, ¥49; Rub down, milk, and salt massage, all ¥39 each.
Shanghai Orient Rome Bathhouse, 1420 Jiangning Lu, near Suzhou Creek. Call 6660 0666.

Additional reporting by Dan Bignold.

Dust yourself down

Jiaosu Spa is the first to bring the traditional Japanese skin treatment Kouso to Shanghai. The word “kouso” probably doesn’t mean much to many, but it’s a mix of Chinese juniper wood dust, enzymes, live bacteria, and rice husks. When mixed together, this motley collection triggers a chemical reaction that heats up to 30°C, creating a sort of hot sandpit into which you step.

At Jiaosu, a medium-sized room has been converted into a pool and filled with kouso. “Before going in you have to complete a short questionnaire and have your blood pressure checked. After this, you take a shower, and then put on the white, paper outfit,” explains spa manager Annie Wong. A large hole had already been dug for us, so all we had to do was climb in and make ourselves comfortable. At this point, the staff used a large spade to cover us with kouso. While it wasn’t too hot, it felt a little strange to be immersed in dirt, although on a cold winter’s day, a kouso dip would be wonderfully warm. Twenty minutes later, we were up, showered, and inspecting our red and sweat-soaked skin.

According to Wong, a 15-minute kouso dip boosts metabolism, accelerates blood circulation, and rejuvenates the body. It also smooths and firms the skin, especially useful for older people who feel their skin succumbing to gravity. Unsurprisingly, Wong advises repeating the process at her spa for lasting effects. But as the sweating eventually eased off and our red skin returned to normal, we have to say we felt quite fresh and smooth.
Price: ¥198 for three 15-minute sessions, ¥298 per session thereafter. Ten session card available, ¥2,500. Jiaosu Spa, Xinyuan Hotel, 1900 Hongqiao Lu, near Hongxu Lu. Call 6242 6688.

Wrap star

Lotos Spa currently offers a Cellulite Slimming Skin Summer Package, which includes both a massage and a body wrap designed to smooth and firm your skin. The package started off with a slimming massage, which was a combination of Swedish and Chinese techniques. Spa supervisor and consultant Ren Lele explains that “customers themselves should choose which part of their body they want slimmed.” How, you ask, can you slim you figure through massage? According to Ren, the fast fingertip massage reduces cellulite and leaves the skin firmer, creating a more lean impression. “Obviously you need to do this a few times before you see results,” she added. Yes, of course.

After the massage came the the body wrap. Being covered in mud brings back fond memories of childhood, even though it is a bit different having to pay for it. The fragrant mud hails from the Dead Sea, where it is claimed to have a slimming and smoothing effect. “However, you can exchange the Dead Sea mud for a lemon grass wrap (which has a whitening effect), a herbal wrap, or green tea wraps if you want something else,” says Ren. Once the mud is applied, we were wrapped in plastic, followed by a heating foil and a towel. And while the wrap worked its magic, we enjoyed a head massage.

Although we weren’t convinced that we were now slimmer and cellulite free (we forgot to measure our waist beforehand), our skin sure felt smooth. And after almost two hours on the massage bench, both body and mind were blissfully relaxed.

Price: ¥580 for 1 hour 45 minutes.
Lotos Spa, 2/F, West Tower Somerset Grang Shanghai, 8 Jinan Lu, near Taicang Lu. Call 3308 0088 or visit www.lotosspa.com.