by Sunaina Serna Ahluwalia

‘Making friends and raising funds’ is the guiding principle of the Women’s Guild in Oman and to convert that into reality, the WGO Committee is always looking for innovative ways for its members to have an enjoyable experience as well as contribute their money towards various charities in Oman. Add to it the fact that the WGO is committed to supporting local businesses, and there you have it, a memorable morning at the Ayana Spa in Muscat.

On Tuesday, the 6th of May, I was one of the 20 ladies who made their way to the Ayana Spa located in Al Sarooj and experienced a delightful morning- one in which it was easy to forget the blistering heat outside and have a couple of hours of exclusive ‘me time’. At the end of it, I walked out with a smile on my face, a great manicure and pedicure and the aches and pains in my neck and back all miraculously massaged away by one of the most relaxing head, back and shoulder massages I can remember.

As it happened, a television Crew from Singapore, Three Six Zero was filming at the Spa that morning and it was a good opportunity to tell them what the WGO stands for, and how we do our best to help local charities and encourage local businesses – a great case in point being the Ayana Spa which is one of the WGO’s many business partners.

There is absolutely no doubt that visiting a salon/spa is one of the best ways to unwind after a stressful day, week or month as the case might be, as it allows you to pamper yourself and enjoy the relaxation of having a professional help you improve yourself. In addition to helping you look your best at all times, a salon/spa can also help you feel your best by using relaxation techniques such as massage and aromatherapy to soothe you after a long and stressful day.

Ayana is Oman’s first Organic Green Spa inspired by nature using premium organic products that are safe for the body and the environment. They have carefully selected luxurious treatments from around the world to rejuvenate and beautify the skin and hair, as well as calm the mind and harmonize the soul. A relaxing ambience of soothing music and the fragrance of pleasant organic aromatic oils fills the senses and every now and then, the option of regular or ginger tea made with honey is an ir- resistible offer that many would find difficult to refuse.

Looking around me I could see all the ladies looking relaxed and peaceful as the skilled ladies at the spa worked their magic on tired hands, feet, necks and backs! Catherine, who had opted for a body massage told me that she “felt like a new woman” after her treatment, while Mary and myself compared manicures the next morning at Coffee, very pleased with the fact that it still looked almost as good as when we had just stepped out.

As if all that pampering wasn’t enough, we also had some delightful cakes, cupcakes and cookies provided by WGO Committee member Elaine Parry and the ‘bite sized delights’ were a great accompaniment to our ginger/regular tea as we waited between treatments.

A new range of handmade natural soap was launched by Ayana Spa in Dec 2012. I had a chat with Mae Ballout, the owner of Ayana Spa as to what led her to create her own range of soaps and learnt that the high usage of chemicals in commercial soaps was the main reason as to why she wanted to do so. Her range consists of 12 different kinds of soap and seasonal specials and only natural and organic ingredients are used in the soap bars, formulated for different skin types.

“Soap making is a craft. When I started making the soap I was very conscious of the ingredients that I was using and wanted to source as many products locally as possible. In addition to making them Omani products, it also cuts down the carbon footprint of each bar of soap,” Mae said. The frankincense in the soap is hand-picked by a supplier in Dhofar. “He ensures that it is the highest grade possible for my soap. The goat’s milk is also sourced from Oman. The main ingredient in the soaps is extra virgin olive oil from family orchards in Lebanon.”

And because she wanted all the ladies to experience what her creations were all about, each of us received a beautifully packaged natural soap on our way out. Mae had specially made all the soaps in pink, an almost exact match to the colour of the WGO logo and like all the others, I was delighted with my ‘going away’ present.

Would I do this Spa morning again? The honest answer- I would. Over and over again!