Completely Cornish The Lizard’s Elixir
Spa Days“The thing I love most about our spa – among so many things – is that we pair truly world-class facilities with a uniquely Cornish experience.”
St Michaels’ spa guru and Catey Spa Manager of the Year 2015, Lucy Mingo waxes lyrical on her favourite Cornish products and shares some of the secrets that never fail to make her feel good again.
“The thing I love most about our spa – among so many things – is that we pair truly world-class facilities with a uniquely Cornish experience,” says Lucy. “Not unlike our chef who takes pride in sourcing from farm to fork, we too are thrilled and privileged to be able keep it local.
“And with a spa partner that hand-harvests sea salt from the Lizard peninsula, just to the south of sunny Falmouth, and another that hand-makes each of their products in Cornwall using herbs, flowers, oils and other botanicals that all have their provenance tracked, we are spoiled for home-grown choice.”
The Lizard peninsula and its surrounding cobalt waters are something of a geological anomaly. An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, among many classifications, it is made up of ‘ophiolite’ where the earth’s oceanic crust has been uplifted and exposed above sea level. This extremely rare occurrence gives easy access to minerals and rocks usually found on the sea bed.
Living Sea Therapy is able to use a 3,000-year-old artisanal process to retrieve these minerals and, in mixing with nutrients from hardy Cornish seaweed, concoct a powerful restorative for your skin.
Lucy explains, “At St Michaels, these products are put to work in both our Cornish Hand and Feet Rituals as well as in one of our steam rooms. It’s great that we can work with our local suppliers to create something genuinely special and unique.
“In fact, our guests often describe our Cornish sea salt steam room, the only one in the world, as one of the most surprising elements of their visit. Halotherapy is a simple treatment that rewards with a host of wellbeing benefits, including healthy-looking skin, deeper sleep and clearer airways.
“Striking a harmony between the intimate interiors of the spa and the breathtaking landscapes on our doorstep, it’s an exceptionally revitalising experience not unlike a dip in the sea.”
Made for Life Organics are behind the skincare products crafted locally by hand. Lucy continues, “With sustainability a topic on everyone’s minds, it’s reassuring to know that the products used within our spa not only help make us feel better, but aid our local environment and economy too. Plus, they’re simply divine!
To celebrate these Cornish concoctions, we’ve created our Completely Cornish spa day. Combining Made For Life’s Hand on Heart treatment for the head, face, back and shoulders with a Cornish Hand or Foot Ritual, together with use of our hydrothermal facilities and a sumptuous lunch in our Garden Kitchen, this is a deeply relaxing and restorative day.
Completely Cornish spa day costs £199. The Completely Cornish spa break, featuring a 2-night stay and dinner in Brasserie on the Bay one evening is available from £295 per person.