THE world of beauty and pampering is big business and long gone are the days of the occasional leg wax or a file and polish.
The average woman now splashes out more than £600 every year on beauty therapies and there's hardly a street in the Capital these days which doesn't house a spa offering the latest and most indulgent of treatments.
From energy acupressure facials
and Vakruti balancing to chemical peels and zit removal courtesy of electrodes, there is nothing that beauty spas don't offer now.
As a result, competition in the beauty world is intense. Keeping clients has become increasingly important, and winning awards vital – with the best being a coveted British Beauty & Spa Award.
"It's been an amazing journey," says Jayne Lewis-Orr, editor-in-chief of Health & Beauty Salon magazine, the official sponsor of the awards. "The beauty and spa industries have grown and developed and the British Beauty & Spa Awards has grown in line with their development. There are so many professional therapists, salons and spas in the UK."
Each year, thousands of beauty hopefuls nominate their business for the British Beauty & Spa awards. They recognise industry innovation and excellence in 15 categories but, of those nominated, just 75 make it to the finals. And five of the spas this year are from Edinburgh, with Celeste Beauty Spa, Pure Spa, One Spa at the Sheraton, Norton House Hotel and Zen Lifestyle shortlisted and up there with the London heavyweights.
Celeste, Pure and Zen are all also battling it out to win North West and Scotland spa of the year.
So what it is about these spas and salons that make them some of the best in the UK?
ONE SPA AT THE SHERATON 8 Conference Square 0131-221 7777THEY'VE won so many industry awards that this destination spa is now in the Hall of Fame at the British Beauty & Spa Awards, as well as a regular winner with Condé Nast Traveller. Head therapist Jamie Chalmers has also won Body Therapist of the Year in 2006 and 2007. He's now through to the finals in attempt to win it a third time and enter into the Hall of Fame once more.
The 34-year-old has only worked at the salon for six years, but is an expert in the field. Following 18 months in India and Nepal over ten years ago, rather than enrolling on a conventional beauty therapy course, Jamie focused on massage.
His signature treatment is Vakruti balancing, a unique fusion of ayurvedic-influenced massage and reflexology. Deeply relaxing, the three-hour treatment restores natural balance, releases tension and reduces stress. Plus, each treatment is tailored to individual requirements, so no two treatments are identical.
Jamie performs a lengthy deep-tissue massage using free-flowing movements, energy point massage, hot stone massage, joint release, scalp massage and shirodhara.
Then there is reflexology. It is without a doubt one of the best body treatments out there, and Jamie knows his stuff. No wonder he's predicted to win once more.
"The whole feel and ethos of One Spa is just amazing," says 31-year-old Linda Finlay, a boutique owner from Bruntsfield. "From the gym to the pools and the thermal suite, it's all state-of-the-art , yet serene and peaceful. I actually feel quite privileged to have such a spa in Edinburgh."
VERDICT: The consummate expert of the beauty industry
CELESTE BEAUTY SPA Leven Street, 0131-221 1900THE sleek, stylish and friendly seven-room salon has already bagged the coveted North West and Scotland regional award twice before. And it's clear to see why. Offering everything from holistic treatments, prescriptive facials, relaxing massages through to St Tropez spray tanning and flying up top London cosmetic doctor Rita Rakus for botox, restalyne and non-surgical facelifts, Celeste knows what its clients want – and offers it at a reasonable priced.
"I find the salon very friendly, welcoming and not at all intimidating," says Amanda Wilson, 33, a sales rep from Balerno. "The treatments are some of the best I've had."
Kareen McKay, 52, a housewife from Fairmilehead, agrees: "The prices are reasonable and you don't feel ripped off at all. I like the fact that each month there's a special offer which gives great value for money. And, most importantly, the therapists are fantastic at what they do."
The salon, previously nominated for numerous awards including Body Therapist of the Year, Beauty Therapist of the Year and Facial Therapist of the Year, clearly prides itself on customer care.
The waiting area is stylish, as are the treatment rooms, and the therapists are highly trained. It was nominated for Regional Salon of the Year in 2002, 2003 and 2004.
VERDICT: A stylish retreat with the all-vital friendly factor.
PURE SPA, 138 Lothian Road 0131-221 9133 THE bustling salon offers an altogether different concept in beauty and body therapy. Treatments are designed to be convenient, simple and flexible so that clients can fit some 'me time' into their busy schedule. No wonder it's opened more spas in Ocean Terminal and Glasgow – demand here is high.
It's about time this refreshing concept got acknowledged by making it through to the finals, as its "add on" treatment ethos means that every booking is bespoke. Some treatments take just 15 minutes for those quick fixes, or last hours for some serious pampering.
"I love the fact you can pop in and get everything you need done quickly and professionally – all too often other spas and salons waste time," says student Saskia Miller, 21, from Fountainbridge.
Sarah Pierce, 23, a recruitment consultant, agrees: "I get what I want, how I want it and for less. Plus the therapists are so friendly and lovely."
VERDICT: Its unique concept and chilled-out spa may just bag it a first award.
NORTON HOUSE HOTEL Ingliston, 0845-072 7468AFTER a £13 million revamp, the hotel now has 36 new luxurious bedrooms, a garden suite and its health club and spa, which opened in January this year.
Set in country surroundings, this is a tranquil and spacious spa which blends the traditional with the modern. There's an 18m deck-level pool surrounded by relaxation beds which overlooks the terrace garden; a therapeutic hydrotherapy pool and showers with relaxing aromas; traditional sauna; crystal steam room and a state-of-the-art gym. And with atmospheric treatment rooms and a jaw-dropping relaxation room, it's little wonder this hidden gem is already up for Destination Spa of the Year only eight months since it opened.
"I stayed here when I was at a guest at a wedding last month and it was an amazing spa – I couldn't quite believe it when I saw it," says Aileen Cotton, 35, a pharmacist from Joppa. "I didn't want it to end. I'm now going back for a Girl's Night package to stay over as I loved the experience so much."
VERDICT: It might just have that all-important 'X factor' to bag that Destination award.
ZEN LIFESTYLE, Brunstfield Place, 0131-477 3535, and Teviot Place, 0131-226 6777OPENED in 1999, Zen Lifestyle has bagged eight national awards, including UK Salon of the Year in 2003. This year the salon is up for six awards, including North West and Scotland regional category, and the customer care category.
With a wide array of beauty treatments, the therapists offer everything from waxing to anti-cellulite treatments in a tranquil and uber-relaxing setting.
VERDICT: It does what it says in the tin – Zen-like.
