100% natural beauty therapy at Librisa Spa

Five star spa indulgence with pure Africology and Sodashi treatments at the Mount Nelson Hotel

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Updated 2022: Visit a spa in the city that draws on ancient techniques.

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Past the luxurious Mount Nelson swimming pool, Antonia and I are greeted with serene white lillies and white gerberas as we walk into the Librisa Spa. The wooden reception desk creates an earthy atmosphere. Everything is pristine and gentle and a cold glass of water quickly arrives on this scorcher of a day.

The Librisa Spa at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town is one of Cape Town’s leading holistic day spas and care is taken to use only 100% natural and chemical free spa products. 2011 sees two new product houses launching at the Librisa Spa: Africology and Sodashi. Both product houses pride themselves in their commitment to natural ingredients and being gracious toward the environment.

We are here to try out these products through enjoying a combined body scrub and facial treatment today. The gentle jojoba body scrub from Africology is perfect for my sensitive skin, while Antonia looks forward to indulging in the pure luxury of Sodashi.

Africology: energy cosmetics and inner well-being

Africology believes in the interaction between the skin and the restorative energy of plants, challenging the culture of fast and cheap products with ones that are natural and respects the environment. They don’t stop at skin care and indeed the treatment starts with the invigorating aroma of essential oils. The citrus aromas uplifts my mood and fills my senses. There’s nothing like the power of smell to relax and revitalise.

My therapist then gently scrubs me down with jojoba after which I take a quick shower to wash off the excess product. I feel as though I have a new skin, soft like cashmere. Then I lie down on the treatment bed once again for a generous lathering of body butter applied using soft massage techniques. As the creams and oils soak into my body, the therapist moves on to attend to my face. I smell flowers and plants as she uses various facial products to complete my facial. Somewhere in between I doze off while she uses the time that the mask takes to sink into my skin to do a quick head massage.

Sodashi: pure, potent, therapeutic plant essences

When it’s all over my therapist wakes me by releasing another evocative aroma close to my face. It’s a lovely way to ease me out of my day dream and back to this sensual treatment room at the Librisa spa. I look over to Antonia and she returns my gaze with one of pure bliss.

Her Sodashi treatment was done with a sea salt scrub which put minerals back into your skin as it exfoliates. Sodashi spa producs are recognized for being one of the purest spa treatments in the world, and they're especially renowned for their anti-aging and therapeutic properties. Sodashi is a Sanskrit word which means “wholeness, purity, and radiance.” The products are designed to promote inner peace and contentment while enhancing physical, emotional and spiritual well being. Sodashi relies on active plant phytochemicals from organically grown plants as well as Ayurvedic principles and aromatherapy.

Antonia and I sit in the tranquil relaxation room for a long time before saying anything and I see that feeling of vibrance and vitality reflected back to me in Antonia’s eyes. A body scrub and facial combination is a great way to get back in touch with my body and feel beautiful all over. Especially being sure that the products used are not only luxurious but pure, natural and only good for the skin.

By Lize de Kock

Why not make an occasion of it and stay over for a night or two at the Mount Nelson Hotel.