Though many fashion bloggers may have you believe differently, fashion week is not actually a matter of life and death. It is, however, an immensely stressful time for those in the industry: be you a buyer or a backstage runner.
While it may be rather difficult to sympathise with the fashion pack, what with all those Instagrams of Champagne flutes and Sophia Websters, Fashion Week is actually a highly pressurised time for the editorial elite: a month of early starts and late nights, too little sleep and far too much coffee.
Now that the Fashion Week fuss has mostly calmed down, and those pressing show reports are all but finished, it is time to relax, rejuvenate and revitalise. Though you may not have all the time in the world to spend on number one, an assortment of luxurious London spas are offering a little serenity in the city. Quick but effective treatments are the way forward, and these treatments are just what your mind and body needs.
Switch off your iPhone, kick off your Manolos and relax for a moment. You've earned it, sweetie.
BEST FOR: Rush Hour Rejuvenation
Set over four floors of the glorious Corinthia hotel by Victoria Embankment, the Espa Life spa is the ultimate inner-city escape.
The changing area is a treat in itself complete with steam rooms, sleep pods, heated rest beds and delicately scented Espa products.
With a menu of short but satisfying treatments, the Rush Hour beauty treatments are ideal for post-Fashion Week pampering. Offering a transformation from "city bleak to city chic", the treatments are cleverly designed to fit around a busy schedule while addressing the client's individual needs. If jet-setting has taken it's toll, opt for Flight Focus or make a beeline for the Instant Radiance package.
For something truly special, book in for the City Conditioning treatment. A great way to round off the working week, the package begins with a tailored shoulder and scalp massage using Espa Rejuvenating oil and Pink Hair and Scalp Mud Mask. The indulgence continues with an expert Daniel Galvin blow dry (ask for Ricky) and an ultra glossy Shellac manicure.
City Conditioning Treatment - 90 mins, £190
10 Whitehall Pl, London SW1A 2BD
Contact: 020 7930 8181, www.espalifeatcorinthia.com
BEST FOR: Restoration and Relaxation
The first of its kind, Grace Belgravia is a private members club with a difference. Housed in a charming townhouse on West Halkin Street, Grace Belgravia is a place for your mind, body and soul to reconnect: the ultimate place for frantic fashion insiders to seek solace.
We all know how stressful work can be, and it is easy to forget the importance of downtime. A massage is the best way to rid yourself of tension and toxins, and the Grace Signature Massage is a comprehensive, tailored take on the practice. Integrative bodyworker Monika Skrzydlewska designed the massage, seeking to "restore the balance in the body and introduce self awareness and beautifully supported healing." With sweeping softer movements partnered with deep tissue work to ease tension, it is difficult not to fall under the spell of this treatment.
The Grace Signature Massage - 60 minutes
11c West Halkin Street, London SW1X 8JL, www.gracebelgravia.com
Contact: membership@gracebelgravia.com or +44 (0) 20 7235 8900
BEST FOR: Hair Affairs
The effects of stress are noticeable from top to toe- literally. Extreme tension can be terribly ageing, and in some cases can even cause hair loss. Coupled with poor diet and too many toxins (ahem, coffee) times of stress = serious hair distress.
Make amends to your split ends by taking a trip to the Bvlgari hotel in Knightsbridge. Oozing high-octane glamour from every pore, the Bvlgari hotel feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of central London.
Alongside classic body treatments, the spa also offers a menu of deluxe hair remedies at their own Neville hair studio. Using Shu Uemura products, the stylists assess the condition of the hair before prescribing all manner of delicately scented lotions and potions. For my dry, damaged hair, Reem applied a light hair oil to the ends, before steaming the hair to lock in moisture and finishing with a creamy restorative mask. She then blow-dried the hair with lots of volume for optimum post-salon swish.
Treatments start from £30 at the Neville Salon in the Bvlgari Hotel
Bulgari Hotel & Residences London, 171 Knightsbridge, SW7 1DW
Contact: + 44 (0) 207 151 1055, www.bulgarihotels.com
BEST FOR: Skincare SOS
If you are a fan of all things natural, then look no further than the Neal's Yard Remedies boutique and spa on The Kings Road. The perfect place to detoxify, the Neal's Yard Remedies spa offers a number of virtuous treatments with an array of delicate plant formulas and age-old natural remedies.
During times of stress, many of us are prone to break-outs. Though it is tempting to mask the problem, it is better to address the issue with a tailored, organic facial.
At NYR, facialist Alicija will talk you through your skin issues before adapting the classic facial accordingly. With a number of comprehensive stages, the facial is thorough and effective.
Following the treatment, Alicja prescribes a number of specialist products, while also offering her expertise on nutrition and relaxation. Her solution for post-Fashion Week stress? Rosehip Oil, Sleep and plenty of Neal's Yard Beautiful Skin Tea.
Purifying Palmarosa and Lavender Facial- £68 for 60 minutes
124b King's Road, SW3 4TR
Contact: 020 7225 2050 or beautyspa.kingsroad@nealsyardremedies.com
BEST FOR: A Ticket to Tranquility
Sometimes all we need is a sense of escape. Although our schedules may not allow for a fleeting trip to Mustique or Morocco, the St Pancras Spa offers a little touch of the exotic with their menu of unique treatments.
The spa itself is truly beautiful with deep blue tiles and soft lighting. The inner city retreat is calming and restorative with a worldly charm.
For the ultimate escapism, opt for the Ritual of Five Flowers Facial. The name in itself is enough to entice, but the ritual, favoured by Balinese Princesses, cleanses and purifies with five fragrant floral oils including frangipani, ylang ylang and lotus flower.
Ritual of Five Flowers Facial at the St Pancras Spa
St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Road, London NW1 2AR
£120 for 60 minutes (Friday-Sunday) £105 for 60 minutes (Monday-Thursday)
Contact: 020 7841 3578 or spa.stpancras@renaissancehotels.com