Urban Beauty Academy
184 Bukit Timah Road
Tel 6733 6616

FOR adventurous spa junkies always on the lookout for new remedies, the latest treatment to check out is the Shiatsu Gemstone Massage Therapy - a massage that combines the therapeutic benefits of both Shiatsu and gemstones. This is the brainchild of lifestyle training school, Urban Beauty Academy, which has teamed up with Shiatsu master, Terry Liew, from The Shiatsu School, to create the new treatment protocol.

Explaining the rationale for the new therapy, Eugene Goh, Urban Beauty's director, says there's a big market in Asia that is keen on treatments linked to the therapeutic use of stones. 'However, most spas are offering pampering but not healing, which the gemstones can do.'

Thus, the idea is to harness the healing properties of both Shiatsu and gemstones that go beyond merely indulgence or sensorial enhancements.

When combined, the new treatment is supposed to improve the body's drainage system. This will help remove toxins and relieve stress, bringing about balance to the face and body, depending on where the treatment is applied.

Although healing using gemstones - also known as crystal therapy - is still viewed with the scepticism accorded most alternative therapies, Urban Beauty says they can help in the acceleration of the oxygenation of cells. Different gemstones are also said to yield different therapeutic properties depending on their size, shape and exact composition.

For instance, jade is supposed to strengthen the body's filtration and cleansing systems; jasper improves circulation, energy flow and detoxification; aventurine aids in physical healing, clears congestion, enhances relaxation, promotes calmness and improves skin conditions; obsidian rids the body of pain and speeds up the healing of wounds; and unakite helps balance emotions.

The academy says it uses high quality stones which come in patented designs - in this case, polished, doughnut shapes - which are also crafted so they are easier for therapists to control and apply correctly.

Meanwhile, Mr Liew, who is trained and certified by the Japanese Massage and Bodywork Institute and the creator of several signature treatments for international spas, is proficient in Anma traditional Japanese massage. This form of massage is based on the yin and yang principle of balance, with the yin portion involving the stimulation of pressure points, while the yang part comprises deep kneading and rubbing.

Under Mr Liew's confident hands, my Shiatsu gemstone facial massage was a calming and relaxing session which started with cleansing, followed by the heated gemstones being rolled and gently pressed over different points on my face. The 60-minute treatment also involved the use of a mask and was finished off with a moisturiser. Since it was a one-off treatment, it's difficult to gauge how effective the therapy was, but it's safe to say you can expect a restful, stress-relieving experience.

Urban Beauty is now training therapists in the new treatment, which it will roll out in different spas in January.

Meanwhile, those who don't want to wait can preview it at Urban Beauty at $150 for the facial and $220 for the body therapy.

Thsi article was first published in The Business Times on Nov 22, 2008.