#ELLETriesIt: 3 at-home spa services

WHAT: Sparsa massage
WHERE: TooYoo by Tattva Spa, New Delhi. Tel: 0 99998 35852
DURATION: 60 minutes
PRICE: Rs 2,500 with taxes
All it took was a phone call to have a therapist at my doorstep, armed with a foldable massage table, towels and other essentials. She created a soothing spa ambience with mellow music, scented flowers and candles. The therapist began by smearing some milk and honey on my legs and followed it with a light massage. As the mask dried, it was used as an exfoliator to remove dead skin. She continued the treatment on the rest of my body for another 45 minutes. Towards the end, I was half asleep and completely relaxed. After a warm shower, my skin felt rejuvenated and super smooth.
- Devika Wahal

WHAT: Luxury candle wax pedicure
WHERE: The Home Salon, Mumbai. Tel: 0 80802 23388
DURATION: 60 minutes
PRICE: Rs 950 plus taxes
I like to do as little as possible in any situation if I can help it, so having even the monthly trip to the salon replaced by an at-home service is a luxury I happily embraced. The pedicurist began by lighting aroma candles suffused with Dead-Sea minerals that made my living room smell like a spa. A standard pedicure — cutting, filing, cleansing, buffing — was followed by a slow, relaxing 30-minute massage using the wax of an aroma cream candle. The essential oils in the wax are said to deeply nourish skin and true enough, my feet looked hydrated and cared-for. We finished with a cherry-red polish and I’ve been finding reasons to wear sandals everywhere since.
- Cheryl-Ann Couto

WHAT: Anxiety-relieving massage
WHERE: The Four Fountains De-Stress Spa, Mumbai. Tel: 0 99870 04004
DURATION: 60 minutes
PRICE: Rs 2,349 onwards
Getting an appointment with the multi-city spa was easier than dialling in an Uber. The therapist arrived on the dot with a massage table, disposable robes and slippers. I signed up for a full-body massage, and the therapist started by easing the muscles in my back. All my fears about being pummelled excessively or doused in oil turned out to be unfounded. She was almost intuitive in finding where the knots were and liberal (but not sloppy) with the oil. She used an in-house concoction infused with lavender, geranium and marjoram essential oils, which was both fragrant and relaxing. When I finally felt flubber-like — all loose-limbed and blissed-out — it was not ruined by the usual rush to get back to the grind. I could happily vegetate in bed and nod off to sleep. The shower would have to wait.
- Sonam Savlani