The Lighter Side Of Life
11 September, 2006 SYIDA LIZTA AMIRUL IHSAN tries the new Clarins tummy treatment and comes out feeling lighter.
ALTHOUGH I'm not proud of my waist, I am not the first to dash out for a slimming massage just so I can get into a sequined Seven7 jeans. I am a staunch believer (though not a practitioner) in diet and exercise and since I indulge in eating and hardly exercise, I accept the way I look.
No, the question of self-esteem doesn't arise. I think there's no relation between how much you weigh and what you feel about yourself. Chances are, if you have low self-esteem, even if your waist is 66cm, you'll feel low seeing another slim woman who (you think) looks better than you.
But I was assigned to try the new Clarins Pro Tummy Trim, a treatment that, as the Press release says, "will be loved by Asian women who are generally slimming fanatics." Of course! That's why we see super-tiny clothes in our stores.
The 45-minutes treatment includes massage and a mud wrap for the stomach. My therapist Katherine Wong started with a "diagnosis" of my body. She said I had "excess fat around my stomach".
Wong started with massaging my legs, moving up to my waist. At times she asked me to stiffen my legs. Apparently, massaging on stiffened muscle helps break fat.
She then went on to massage my stomach and its sides. I found the massage to be quite painful but I reckon it takes such force to help reduce the accumulated fat. So I endured it patiently.
The best part is the detox vegetal wrap, made of minerals and essential oils. It is supposed to amplify the draining of waste and reduce water retention. This greenish mix which looks like algae was spread across my stomach.
Then, a plastic wrap (like the kitchen cling wrap) was wrapped around my stomach. It felt very warm, like putting a hot water bottle on your tummy. A white thermal blanket was then placed on top of the plastic wrap to keep it warm.
While waiting for the wrap to absorb, Wong massaged my shoulders and scalp. It was very relaxing, especially when listening to the soft piped-in music.
After 15 minutes, I was asked to take a shower to rinse off the wrap. The wrap is quite oily but the high water pressure and warm water helped remove it fast. After I'm done with the shower, I go back to the room where Wong then massaged me with a body cream.
The cream smelled really nice. It contains sunflower extract to help rid fat.
The treatment room was excellent, the lighting was not intrusive, making the whole experience relaxing.
By the time I walked out of the room, my body felt lighter. I can't say if I have reduced one pants size, but then, there's no magic pill for anything. Clarins public relations manager Grace Ong said what you need is not just the treatment, but a holistic approach to your lifestyle.
Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Monday/Features/20060910140319/Article/index_html
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