Aiste A Daubaras reveals her personal all time favourite in Bahrain.
Long before Romans invented the calendar, that most of the world is using now, humans were trying to create a method for keeping track of days and larger divisions of time. And those schemes of timekeeping were and are not merely useful for counting days or months, they allow our weak human nature, again and again, to turn over a new leaf and start afresh, as in “I shall definitely go on diet from next Monday’, “I’ve enrolled into a yoga class starting in April”, “We will cut chocolate and carbs in the New Year”… Eh, the magic clean slate and endless opportunities that await us in the promised land of “New Year”. And why not! Imagine if we had to drag around the gruelling weight of all our mistakes and transgressions, our progress and ability to move forward would be severely haltered. Therefore, I am a firm believer in “Manjana”, as anything is possible there…in theory, at least.
And thus, on the last strike of midnight, I too vowed to get into a rigorous new beauty regime and emerge at the end of this year looking all healthy and glowing and at least ten (ok, some) years younger. Clearly as important as eating reasonably healthy or exercising fairly often, I’ve discovered that, for a lady of a certain age, it is equally important to get regular facials (that’s apparently what French women do, according to the book “French Women Don’t Get Facelifts”). And coincidently, in my well-travelled opinion, one of the best places to get a good quality, attentive and customised treatment, is here, in our sunny little island. Big city beauticians seem to be too indifferent, overworked, underpaid, or simply bored and demonstrably lacking any interest in their chosen profession. I am not saying that it is a rule without exception, rather more of an emerging current trend, but I did struggle to get a good facial last time visiting London. And although we, expats, more often than not, tend to compare things in favour of our home countries, let’s give praise where praise is due.
Even without any official survey, just by a glimpse of a naked eye, one could say, we have perhaps the highest ratio of the hardworking, diligent and knowledgeable beauticians per capita. Wherever I went, whatever treatment I tried, never did I leave unsatisfied. My personal all time favourite, is unquestionably “Sparadise” at Elite Resort and Spa. But overall competition is tough, because there is so much to choose from, as the striving to please a customer is very genuine in this service orientated culture. What a difference does it make when a person takes pride in his trade and genuinely loves what he does. So let’s invent no excuses to delay our re-invention and rejuvenation; do let’s embrace The New Year with a spring in our step. And even if our energetic intentions will get a bit jumbled along the way, a good start is half of the work, isn’t it? Happy New Year, Happy New You!
Aiste is a Socialite, Writer, Jewellery Brand Ambassador and Advisor for International School of Etiquette, living in Bahrain.To share your feedback, email: aiste.anusaite@gmail.com