Senses Working Overtime: Lush Spa

We’re seriously impressed with the new Lush Spa on Whitechapel. Yes, this city’s got a surfeit of spas, but none quite like this. The Spa harnesses the bizarre effects of synaesthesia – Mark Constantine, Lush founder, has ‘scent/shape synaesthesia’, where he perceives everything he smells as having a definite shape. He commissioned music by Simon Emmerson, composer and musician of the fantastic ‘The Imagined Village’, who has ‘sound/colour synaesthesia’, resulting in his perception of sounds as colours. Curious, but a well documented condition. Lilting English folk music beats library CDs of pan pipes any day, in our Spa book.

Together, they’ve worked with behavioural therapist (Lady Helen Kennedy) to create a series of mood-altering treatments that work on all five senses, and possibly more, to pummel away your woes, bring a glow back to your frazzled old face, and leave you into a better state, physically and mentally. And, let’s face it, we could all do with a bit of that these days.

So, yeah. Beats a botox and tanning salon in Kensington, doesn’t it?

The Spa’s Lush’s biggest outside London (CORRECTION: It’s the biggest in the world!), and one of only six in the UK – offering treats such as the intriguingly titled ‘Validation Facial’ (we know plenty of Twitter people who are constantly seeking validation. Maybe we’ll give them some gift tokens) and the ultimate mind and body MOT, the Synaesthesia (£125) a one and a half hour, all over body treatment (some treatments include hot or cold stones, depending on prescription).

With ear candling, tuning forks and singing bowls – Lush might sound like a new age ironmongers, but we think it actually could be something magical in our midst.

LUSH
9-11 Whitechapel,
Liverpool,