I have been, and likely always will be, a huge LUSH Cosmetics fan. Since moving to Center City and living within walking distance of this yummy scented oasis, I have continuously enjoyed trying new products and watching the company grow. One day this past summer, I popped in to LUSH Walnut (1525 Walnut Street) to pick up some essentials before their impending brief closing & heard some amazing news – they were opening a spa! And after months of waiting, the spa is finally open for business. It may not be like the best spa in austin, but I’m sure it will come close once opened to the public later this year!
I was invited to visit LUSH Walnut last week to get a peek at the new spa & learn more about the treatments. We started our tour with an intro from Tina Juden, the spa’s manager. The first LUSH Spa was opened in London in 2009, and Philly & NYC now mark the first “English” spas in the United States. The spa’s consultation room is anchored by a gorgeous reclaimed barn wood table and surrounded by empowering words up on the wall. Each client first meets in this room with their therapist to determine their needs and how to personalize each treatment, over a cup of tea at that! (But we had cocktails…)
Once your treatment & personalizations are selected, it’s time to head upstairs. While to some spas, the music playing in the background is just an afterthought, the movements at the LUSH Spa are choreographed to each treatment’s specific soundtrack. Plus, the therapists must train for four months in order to work at the Spa.
We started with the Spa’s signature treatment, Synaesthesia (80 minutes, $230). This treatment is a fully choreographed massage based on how you’d like to feel at that moment. The colors, scents & music you experience are all tailored around your instinctive choice of “emotional state” decided upon in the consultation room.
Our second room featured The Validation (60 minutes, $140), a non-invasive facial meant to treat your skin and make you feel beautiful from the inside out. You get to pick 13 products to use during your session, and even take home the leftovers!
Next, we moved on to The Spell (60 minutes, $120), a “magical” treatment meant to help you let go of worry and move forward in life with ease. This one is literally all devoted to the feet, with the added bonus of a scalp massage. I think I know a few men who would like this one . . .
Our next room was The Good Hour (70 minutes *get it?*, $180). This treatment is a full-body, deep tissue massage that is choreographed to a boisterous soundtrack featuring sailors & mariners from the ’50s & ’60s. The music seemed a little too much for me, but if you’re into that sort of transformative experience, this might be fun.
Our last stop (though there are two more treatments available) was The Comforter (60 minutes, $170), and this may have been my favorite of the bunch. The Comforter is an exfoliation & rolling body massage treatment on a fluffy, heated duvet under a dark room filled with stars. The scents used are chocolate and rose, and I really loved the music.
The Spa was really a treat to experience. And when I get a treatment there, it will also be a treat. Yes, the prices may be a little more than what you’re used to paying in the Philly area, but I can assure you, your experience will be one of a kind.
