Beauty Fix: Four Seasons Hong Kong's Oriental Head Massage and Rhassoul treatment

Rhassoul is a mineral rich clay from Morocco and has been used for centuries as a skin cleanser. Shoshana Weinberg, senior spa director, Asia Pacific at the Four Seasons is bringing it to Hong Kong with a luxurious rhassoul and head massage combo.

The treatment is recommended for people suffering from blocked sinuses, headaches, stress or emotional exhaustion.

The therapist, Rosa, lets me choose from two types of oil for the head massage; I go for the lavender and palmarosa oil which is relaxing and recommended for muscle strain. I lay face-up while she gently places heated towels under my neck and begins to work the oil into my scalp and neck, with a drool-inducing neck massage. Then, using two smooth pieces of jade, she begins a Chinese "gua sha" style scraping; with short, brisk, upward strokes from the hairline to top of the scalp. It's invigorating, and more pleasant than it sounds.

After a deep scalp massage, Rosa applies a cool, herbal hair mask, and gently pulls me back to consciousness by pressing my neck, arms and legs. We then walk back past the reception to a small private room within the spacious water facilities and relaxation area. There, three different scoops of mud await: rose for hydrating, a purifying black mud, and a green seaweed-based one for detoxing.

Modest types might feel awkward standing in disposable pants while the therapist paints mud over their entire body, but you can bring a bikini along, or opt to self-apply.

There's something a bit "Martian" about sitting there, painted green, surrounded by first by dry heat, then increasingly thick steam, watching tiny lights changing colour (light therapy, to help you relax and meditate). After 20 minutes, the light above my head goes on and a warm rain shower pummels me. I wash off the hair mask, face mask and mud and return to my human form, glowing and refreshed. Tessa Chan