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USP Having battled my way through rush-hour crowds, I arrived at Calmia late and slightly out of breath. Not a great start perhaps, but I soon learnt that I'm just the kind of person that Calmia caters for - harassed city-goer in need of relaxation, inner calm and re-balance. Situated in the classy area of Marylebone High Street, Calmia prides itself on its holistic and spiritual approach that looks to the needs of the whole person and not just appearances. Drawing on the techniques of yoga, meditation, herbal medicine and massage, it aims to fuse spiritual philosophies of the East with modern Western science and technologies. Besides specialising in facial treatments and massages, Calmia is also a holistic lifestyle store. Before or after your treatment you can browse through the wide selection of what it calls 'relaxation' clothing - beautifully made with soft fabrics and subtle shades, as well as a selection of skin care products, self-help books and meditation CDs.

AMBIENCE Therapeutic background music, pastel shaded walls and pools of petals placed around the spa combine to give it a fresh, peaceful feel as you walk through the door. A nice touch is the floor which is covered with an unusual, water lily design. Upon entering I was met by a Nordic looking blond with a serene (almost angelic) smile, who has clearly spent many peaceful hours wafting around this oasis of calm. After showing me to a seat in the reception area she offered me some flavoured water - a toss up between 'de-stress' or 'vitality' (I opted for vitality thinking it will probably incorporate both). After filling out a detailed questionnaire asking a series of probing questions, I was led across the water lily floor to a changing room. Prior to my treatment I was given some time alone in the meditation area - a small, candle-lit room with background chanting music and a few Buddhist statues for company. Alas, my sojourn here was brief one; after just ten-minutes I was whisked off the treatment room.

EXPERIENCE The treatment I had was the 90-minute Pure Skin Facial, which I'm told is new at Calmia and so far very popular. Lana, the spa manager, explained that it heals, nourishes, repairs and re-texturises the skin using techniques such as reflexology and a lymphatic facial massage, along with various healing serums and cleansing lotions. Following a series of questions about my skin (the spa prides itself on tailoring treatments to individual needs), Lana proceeded to use what she called a 'Chinese mapping' technique to tell me how I could improve my skin. The idea is that the face is a map for the whole body, and by studying various parts of my face Lana was able to ascertain three key things about me - I'm dehydrated, need more sleep and I need to lower my stress levels. I was initially quite disturbed by this (should I be checking into my doctor's surgery rather than the spa?), but then I reassured myself - this diagnosis is probably true of most Londoners who lead busy lives. The slightly painful part of the treatment was the 'extraction', where Lana spent a good 20 minutes squeezing what must have been dozens of black heads on my face (I wasn't aware I had any at all), by which time I felt like my skin must be well and truly wrecked. Following a pressure point eye and facial massage the rest of the treatment became a blur as I felt myself drifting into a hypnotic state, largely thanks to the background chanting music. I noticed my skin looked slightly blotchy after the treatment, but the next day it felt great - and noticeably smoother.

IN CROWD I was one of the last bookings of the day so there were very few people around, plus it was a pleasant summer's evening - not the kind of day to be sitting in darkened, candle-lit rooms.

FOOD No food was offered except for flavoured water and a selection of herbal teas on arrival.

WALLET WATCH The 90-minute Pure Skin Facial will cost you £95, or £65 for 60 minutes. For £20 extra you can have an additional head or neck and shoulder massage. A massage alone will range from £40 for a 30-minute back massage to £115 for a full body massage.

NEED TO KNOW Since 2004 Selfridges on Oxford Street has been stocking Calmia products, the spa's first UK commission. So you need not trek as far as Marylebone Street to try out the range of products.

Calmia, 52-54 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 5HR (0845 009 2450; www.calmia.com)

Calmia lifestyle store, 2nd Floor Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street, London W1A 1AB (0845 009 2450).

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