The latest reviews of Scin Spa, Notting Hill.
Salon Spy, The Times. 12.07.08
ATMOSPHERE AND CLIENTELE: Given its location, Scin is a remarkably unselfconscious establishment. The staff are trendy but not intimidating, and many come from the local area, which lends an atmosphere of easy conviviality . The customers are mainly well-heeled yummy mummies, shading into prefessional single women towards the evening, and even the occasional metrosexual male. Upstairs is white and airy, downstairs more relaxing.
PRODUCTS AND TREATMENTS: The focus is on high-class beauty treatments. Our spy had a manicure and pedicure (£50) and a full-body massage (£65). The latter was one of the best she has ever had. Expertlly and with enormous energy, the therapist (trained by Anna, one of the two susters who run the salon) smoothed away tenstion, working diligently on areas of extra tenderness to leave an overall feeling of extreme wellbeing. The manicure and pedicure were equally thorough, the mancurist dealing sensitively and efficiently with our spy's ragged cuticles and unkempt extremities. The salon stocks a cariety of product lines, including Jo Wood Organics and Dermalogica.
HIGHS: Professionalism, service and enthusiasm.
LOWS: A bit cramped downstairs - but that's Notting Hill for you.
Marks out of Five: Five.
Good Spa Guide Review. November, 2007. "A great spa for busy city dwellers"
First impressions?
Situated in trendy Notting Hill, Scin is just along the road from some rather cool designer shops and grand Victorian townhouses, so you start to feel just a little bit glamorous before you get there.
The "boutique spa" is fronted with large windows which give a glimpse of the über-modern, pure white interior, which mirrors the spa's approach: a no-nonsense menu of treatments using the latest ranges of clean, organic products.
You enter into the waiting room / nail bar. On arrival, I was greeted by co-owner Nicky Noble. The front room is pristine white from top-to-bottom, with a large curved seat and manicure tables, and displays of the natural and organic products on offer.
How did they welcome you?
Very pleasantly. Nicky offered me a cup of herbal tea, then introduced me to Anna, her sister and co-owner, who is also a therapist at Scin. Anna has designed the treatment menu to offer straightforward but effective treatments, cutting out fussy treatments such as wraps in favour of facials and body massages.
Scin does have limited space - it is more salon than spa - so this is really a place to drop in for that essential massage or pick-me-up facial rather than a full day of indulgence. But I imagine that this does suit the local clientele well.
What happens next?
I filled in a health questionnaire before being introduced to my therapist, who took me down a small flight of stairs to the corridor leading to the treatment rooms and the hydrotherapy pool tucked into an alcove.
There are four treatment rooms fitted into a relatively small space, so this does mean that each one is quite compact. My room had to have the massage bed placed diagonally for it to fit, and there is a basket for clothing a valuables and a hanger on the back of the door.
To be perfectly honest, as this was a spa where I would be spending an hour or so having a massage before heading back into the city, I wasn't that bothered. The massage bed itself was comfortable, and the massage was fantastic, so I managed to drift away quite easily anyway. I didn't have that much with me, but a small chair or something to pop your things on would have been a good addition.
Which treatments did you have?
I had a full body massage using organic essential oils. My therapist was informative, explaining what products she would use, and what massage techniques, and she took heed of my preferences.
What were the treatments like?
The massage was thorough, and very professionally executed, with my therapist getting to grips with my hunched computer-shoulders! She had both listened to what I had asked for, and had intuitively worked on the knots I had ignored. The massage technique she used was a good balance of targeted pressure and relaxing strokes.
How did you feel afterwards?
Very relaxed. In fact, I wandered so dreamily down the road that I completely lost my bearings and took ages to find the tube station again! I definitely noticed the difference for some days afterwards, especially across my shoulders.
What happens afterwards?
After my massage, my therapist left me to get dressed. I returned to the nail-bar area, where the staff offered me water.
I relaxed for a short while before getting ready to head back into the real world. As I was leaving, the spa was filling up with locals popping in for their regular manicures and massages, and it felt like a friendly, restful place to be.
Was it worth it?
Yes, I thought the massage was well worth the price. I felt relaxed from the treatment, and from the friendly atmosphere that Nicky and Anna have created.
What else could you have?
Scin offer organic facials using Circaroma blends, but they also offer the ever-popular Dermalogica facials, too. They offer waxing and tanning, and an anti-cellulite treatment, as well as a range of targeted massage.
While there are some special packages, the spa menu is mainly individual treatments, and there aren't any lunch facilities, so you'd be more likely to visit for a weekly massage than a full pampering day. There are plenty of cafés and restaurants nearby, though, and with the shops just around the corner, you could quite easily arrange a girls' day out in Notting Hill.
What do you wish you'd known before you went?
It was a pretty straightforward spa experience visiting Scin, so there weren't any surprises. Their website provides all the information that you will need before visiting. I might have taken a bigger bag to put my clothes in, though...
Any special features?
The hydrotherapy pool. Just big enough for two, it's a nice addition to give Scin more of a spa feel than just a salon atmosphere. Some chatting and relaxing in the pool with a friend lengthens that all-important me-time! The natural product ranges offered are interesting, too; some of the brands such as Suki and Taer Icelandic are not the usual names that you find in spas or beauty counters.
Who do you think would like it?
Anyone who wants to avoid chemical nasties and have a straightforward but effective facial or massage using natural, organic products. And pregnant women: Scin do an organic pregnancy massage with a specially designed couch. It's a great spa for busy city dwellers but, as it's so compact, Scin is not a spa in which you could spend the whole day.
Why did you give the spa this rating?
We gave Scin 4 bubbles because while the treatments and customer service are very good, the treatment rooms are a bit cramped and so held us back from the coveted 5 bubbles. As a salon, Scin suits its location perfectly, but it does not offer the kind of services that you would expect to be on offer in a larger spa.
Would you go again?
If I lived within a reasonable distance of Scin, then I'm sure I'd be a regular customer for manicures and massages!
Salon Spy. The Times. 30.11.07.
Atmosphere: This well-lit and airy boutique salon is owned and run by sisters Anna and Nicky Noble. Nicky runs front of house while Anna takes care of treatments downstairs. Nicky’s friendly and relaxed manner makes the reception warm rather than intimidating or aloof. Scin prides itself on its natural and organic approach to beauty, stocking ranges such as Jo Wood Organics and This Works, as well as the fail-safe Dermalogica products.
Staff and treatments: Manicures and pedicures are performed upstairs in the shop, while downstairs the five rooms are used for everything from tanning and waxing to massage and anti-cellulite treatments. As a bonus, Scin also has a hydrotherapy pool to loosen up your muscles before a massage. Our spy had a Deep Tissue Back Massage, which was thorough and penetrating, as a good deep-tissue massage should be. The session lasted for 60 minutes and was dedicated entirely to the back. Anna’s small frame belies her strength, and our spy left completely knot-free.
Highs: Friendly, no-nonsense approach.
Lows: The downstairs treatment area is very dark.
Marks out of 5: Four.
Scin Spa, Notting Hill, London. "Bespoke treatments and boutique charm".
Jo Giles, The Times. 23.08.06
USP Located in achingly hip Notting Hill, just around the corner from Portobello Road, Scin combines boutique charm with the practical philosophy of "providing simple, quality treatments that work". Bespoke facials and specially designed massage are just a taste of what you can epxect from this newcomer, founded by sisters Anna and Nicky nine monhts ago.
AMBIENCE Upstairs the white decor is fresh and modern, and avoids being too stark with shelves displaying a colourful array of coveted beauty products; I'm like a child in a sweet shop. Beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows flood the spa with sunlight, making this the perfect place to relax and watch the world go by while having a pedicure or manicure. Downstairs things get a little cosier, with body treatments and milk chocolate hued rooms with delicious scented essential oils wafting throughout.
EXPERIENCE As I walk through the door, all flustered and desperate for a cup of tea (I have a 9am appointment), I am greeted with a warm welcoming smile and I start to relax. There are plenty of wonderful things on the thoughtfully conceived menu at Scin, from an eyebrow wax to a very delicious sounding, Face, Scalp and Body Massage. I find it difficult to choose but, after a consultation, I plump for package number 2: Hydrotherapy, Buttock and Thigh Treatment, Pedicure. I have felt rather sluggish of late, especially in the lower half of my body with the dreaded cellulite making a comeback and leaden-feeling legs. I was eager to see what could be done. The package kicks off with hydrotherapy, (a warm water treatment to increase circulation and relac muscles - ideal pre-massage as it gives the therapist a head-start on breaking down knots and tension). In the downstairs treatment room I change into my swimming costume and prepare to submerge myself in the most gorgeously dinky candlelit hydrotherapy bath. Designed for two, I enjoy having it all to myslef, sipping a perfectly made cup of tea while being pummelled by warm, white water rapids - and this is just the start! I emerge after 15 minutes feeling rather ingorated. Next up is the Organic Circaroma Buttock and Thigh Treatment. Designed by Anna herself (the therapist half of the sister team), she expertly takes me to task. First Anna body brushes me, then using a high quality orange scented oil, she combines perfectly paced and pressured deep tissue massage and lymphatic drainage massage techniques to release built-up tension, toxins and water retention to get my sluggish system moving. This is so effective that I immediately feel lighter and more energised. My upper body feels very left out. To complete the package, I return upstairs for my luxury five step OPI pedicure. To be honest, I am not a big fan of the pedicure. I love having perfectly painted nails, but find it all a bit fiddly. However, on this occasion I enjoy every minute. By the end my feet are so soft and perfectly painted I barely recognise them. I returned to the office with a definite spring in my step.
