Hot Stones at Belle Chic

The Healthy Living feature in the forthcoming April edition of the Newbury Business News is taking me around many of the therapy centres in West Berkshire, and it was nice to be able to walk to one this afternoon when I visited Belle Chic in Hungerford.

Tucked just off the High Street this is a little peace of heaven (pun intended) run by Mel Tozer and her team of professional therapists.

I was especially fascinated to learn about Hot Stone therapy; over the years I have learned about many different therapies and indeed enjoyed a good few too - but I had never seen or experienced this one first hand.

So with Mel Tozer selflessly volunteering to undergo the treatment so I could photograph it, I ask Holistic Therapist Karen Barrass to explain how the treatment works.

She said: “The stones are basalt, volcanic rock, using both hot, and depending on the treatment, cold stones, I massage the client using the edges of the hot stones and can also place them on key points of the body. The heat and weight of the stone penetrates deeply and is incredibly relaxing.

“I can also do reflexology using hot stones; you can still feel the areas of the feet that correspond with parts of the body and feel any problems, but the real difference is how the heat from the stone amplifies the effects and can make it so much more relaxing than straightforward reflexology.”

However, the relaxed murmers of appreciation from Mel actually told me all I needed to know and rest assured I shall be heading back to Belle Chic very soon!