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Aromatherapy Associates
Who and What are Aromatherapy Associates?
Specialising in aromatherapy products and treatments, Aromatherapy Associates have become a leading international spa brand. Their products can be found in many spas in the UK, where the brand originated, and across the world.
The company was founded in 1985 by Sue Beechey and Geraldine Howard, aromatherapists who trained and practised at the renowned Micheline Arcier clinic in Knightsbridge. They felt that a professional brand was needed to support aromatherapy treatments in spas, as such a brand was lacking at the time.
The principles of aromatherapy are now so widely understood and practiced that it is now highly unusual to see a spa treatment menu that doesn't include at least one aromatherapy massage. Aromatherapy Associates set themselves apart from other brands by priding themselves on "simply, genuinely, expertly" providing real aromatherapy products and techniques that help make the most out of the therapeutic properties of essential oils.
Their bath products, home fragrances and skincare products are available in eight ranges, all easily identifiable by their associated coloured packaging:
Relax: Soothing essential oils, packaged in blue.
De-stress: To ease muscles and clear the mind, in purple.
Revive: An uplifiting, detoxing citrus-based blend, in turquoise packaging.
Support: For relief with breathing problems and sensitive skin, in black.
Renew: Rose oil and Damask Rose water for radiant skin, in delightful girly pink.
Balance: This white-packaged range contains anti-bacterial oils and gels for oily skin.
Enrich: Chocolate-brown packaging, relief for parched skin - read our Spa Spy reviews
Anti-Age: Smoothing, firming, packaged in white. The newest range.
They Say:
"It is our mission to share with people the amazing results we have seen and experienced through using essential oils in our products and treatments over the last 30 years, and to practice real aromatherapy.
We select our ingredients by sharing in a pool of expert knowledge going back nearly 40 years to a time when aromatherapy was in its infancy in the UK.
This wealth of experience and knowledge ensures that Aromatherapy Associates products contain the finest quality natural ingredients, extensively sourced from around the world."
We Say:
"The Aromatherapy Associates products we tested were gorgeously scented - as you would hope for, from a dedicated aromatherapy range! The rose-based Renew range is unashamedly girly, but the De-stress and Relax products will appeal to those of the gentlemanly persuasion as well, who would like to fill their bathroom with inviting wafts of sandlewood and rosemary.
A unanimous thumbs-up for Aromatherapy Associates from The Good Spa Spies."
Aromatherapy Associates products - What have we tried?
Renew Rose Intensive Skin Serum and Renew Rose and Sandalwood Facial Oil
Single Spy got to try two gorgeous products from the gloriously pink Renew range: the Rose Intensive Skin Serum and the Rose and Sandalwood Facial Oil. Before we issue her with anything else, we're sending her on a "How to Read the Instructions" training day.
She reports: "I love rose-based products and, as these two were both rose tinctured and in rose-coloured packaging, they immediately appealed. First off, I tried the serum. This is packaged as simply and cleanly as all Aromatherapy Associates products, and comes in a clear pump dispenser. It contains rose water, evening primrose oil, jojoba and geranium. It also claimed to hydrate and energise my skin, enhancing radiance. So, as it smelled pretty good and looked pretty good - it's a clear, almost gel-like serum - I spent about a month slathering it on my skin and checking the mirror daily for radiance. The serum absorbed into my skin easily, enveloped me in a fantastic smell, but left my skin feeling rather dry and tight, to be honest. At that point, I started leaving it in other Spies' in-trays. When they kept giving it back, I finally got round to reading the rest of the instructions... Hmmmm... apply to clean skin before choice of facial oil or moisturiser...
But what's this lurking at the bottom of my in-tray? Yes! It's a Rose and Sandalwood Facial Oil. Perhaps I should just try that on top?
The pink package contained a bottle entirely designed to be applied after serum. So, that's what I did for the next month. Serum, oil. Serum, oil... I was a bit dubious about a facial oil, to be honest, as probably many of us are, remembering our teenage years when we first started to take care of our skin. The idea of slathering a small waterfall of oleaginous substances onto my forehead was very unappealing. But then I opened the box.
I tried it.
It was not unappealing any more.
The oil is formulated for delicate or dehydrated skin, and contains evening primrose oil as well as the two named ingredients. Like the other products in the range, it smells of rose petals and your grandma's garden. It absorbs fantastically quickly, locking in the serum, and the two together leave your skin soft and smooth. Not a hint of greasiness remains after just a moment. The scent lingers and uplifts. I was sure the massaging of the oil was helping my tired skin, too.
I was entirely happy until, hanging out in the Good Spa Sauna one day, I read the next bit of instruction: For maximum effect, use with Renew Moisturiser. What? You mean I could have been even more radiant?
Time to go looking for it, I think.
De-stress Body Wash
200ml, RRP £17.50
Sensitive Spy:
This body wash can be used in the shower or as a foam bath. You need very little: a tiny squirt of this soothingly herbal wash gives you a clean, aromatic shower. A bigger squirt gives you a relaxing bath with a pleasing amount of bubbles. I'm often allergic to bubble bath if I stay in the bath for any length of time - no such problem here. It was gentle enough for a good twenty minutes of indulgent bathtime wallowing.
The scent is a lovely blend of wild camomile, frankincense, and rosemary - and the rosemary isn't overpowering, as it can sometimes be. Mr Sensitive Spy liked this one too, so I think I'll have to buy the pink one in the future to stop it being pinched.
Relax Deep Bath and Shower Oil
55ml, RRP £30.00
Sensuous Spy:
The Deep Relax bath and shower oil comes in a frosted glass rectangular shaped bottle in a tasteful lavender coloured box with a decorative ribbon. The oil is a lovely deep amber that goes milky when dropped into the bath. It's pretty concentrated, and just one capful disperses to scent an entire bath, giving up to 20 bathfuls per jar.
As soon as the jar is opened you're hit by the strong spicy aroma - sandalwood is by far the strongest scent, and I can't say I was aware of either of the accompanying scents (vetivert and camomile). Basically, if you like sandalwood, you'll love this product. Personally I prefer softer, more feminine scents in my bath when looking to relax (lavender, rose otto etc.), but my husband loved the smell, which lingered in the bathroom for a good while after the bath had emptied.
Revive Body Wash
200ml, RRP £17.50
Shy Spy:
With so many natural aromatherapy products available, my first thought was, well, is it worth spending this much on something that touches my skin for all of three minutes daily, and which I get through gallons of, while gladly lathering myself in suds? When I first sniffed the clear gel Revive Body Wash, I was almost immediately won over, and as I lathered the gel with water, the bergamot, pink grapefruit, and neroli oils really did wake me up with a gorgeous zingy scent.
You need to use a relatively small amount, as it's packed full of essential oils, and leaves your skin soft afterwards. Coming in a simple, sky-blue squeezable tube, it's easy to get the last drop out too! I'm off to try the rest in the range now...
Where can I try Aromatherapy Associates products?
You can try Aromatherapy Associates products at these spas:
...and many other UK spas.
Where can I buy Aromatherapy Associates products?
See also:
* What is an Aromatherapy Associates facial?
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