Review of Aqua Sculpture treatment rooms

Aqua Sculpture - 4 bubbles

Aqua Sculpture is a high-street treatment rooms in Hammersmith that specialises in high-tech treatments -- they currently have the only Time Thermal Capsule in the UK -- but they also offer more holistic options. These treatment rooms are a good choice for West Londoners who want a specialist and personalised beauty or well-being experience.

First impressions?

How did they welcome you?

What happens next?

Which treatments did you have?

What were the treatments like?

How did you feel afterwards?

What happens afterwards?

Was it worth it?

What else could you have?

What do you wish you'd known before you went?

Any special features?

Who do you think would like it?

Why did you give the spa this rating?

Would you go again?

First impressions?

The glass shop front of Aqua Sculpture sits discreetly amongst shops and restaurants in busy Hammersmith.

How did they welcome you?

The receptionist greeted me politely at the front desk, offered me a glass of water, and took me on a quick tour of the treatment rooms.

Aqua Sculpture is split into two levels. The retail/manicure/relaxation area is on the ground floor, and the treatment rooms and changing area are in the basement. On entering, you have the retail area to your left, and the reception desk to your right. Behind the shelves of products is a manicure area for those finishing touches, and behind that, an area for waiting, or relaxing in some big comfy seats whilst reading a magazine.

Concealed downstairs are Aqua Sculpture's main selling point: the treatment rooms kitted out with some rather flash equipment. They can steam you in high-tech capsules, rejuvenate you with electrodes, or wrap you to lose inches!

What happens next?

Agata, my therapist, showed me to my treatment room. While the upstairs area of the spa is flooded with daylight, downstairs is softly lit with candlelight, and is very peaceful, given the busy road outside.

My treatment room was very spacious. It had to be really, given that the room accommodates the spacecraft-like Time Thermal Capsule -- currently the only one in the UK. Agata asked me a lot of questions about my skin and the results I wanted to achieve from my treatment (including looking at the rather scary lower layers of my skin in a skin analysis machine). Agata then left me alone to change into the ever-fetching paper spa thong.

Which treatments did you have?

We'd been invited to try the Aqua Signature Package: this includes a full-body exfoliation in the thermal capsule, a body massage and a prescription facial (80 minutes, £85).

What were the treatments like?

The treatment began with me attempting to climb gracefully into the capsule -- a piece of equipment that resembles the spaceship in Flight of the Navigator. I soon realised that such a manoeuvre was nigh-on impossible if, like me, you aren't particularly tall. Plus, you're naked apart from the paper knickers so this didn't feel very elegant.

Once in the capsule, you lie on your back on a plastic layer shaped for comfort, a little like an angled treatment bed. Agata turned on the capsule so warm steam started to rise beside me. With the capsule lid still open, Agata used a sugar scrub to exfoliate the front of my body and, with my legs bent, the backs of my legs. I then sat up so Agata could exfoliate my back.

While the oils were still on my skin, Agata closed the capsule to let the steam do its work. Your head doesn't go into the capsule, so you enjoy the warmth of the steam without ever feeling overwhelmed by the heat. I didn't feel claustrophobic as there was plenty of space inside the capsule. Coloured lights shine from inside while you relax, in a form of light-and-colour therapy (you can use specific colours for different conditions). The combination of steaming whilst lying down comfortably (steam room benches really aren't the same) and the soft lights was far more pleasant than I had imagined.

Agata cleansed my face whilst I was in the capsule, using the steam to assist. The Vichy showers in the lid of the capsule rinsed away the scrub (Agata finished off the difficult bits with a shower head), then I was ready for my massage and facial.

Agata asked what kind of pressure I preferred for my massage. "Firm -- or as hard as seems necessary." On hearing this, Agata got stuck in to my computer-hunched shoulders. Her massage was thorough, leaving no aching muscles neglected.

The prescription facial used products customised to my skin with gentle massage. The facial was relaxing and my skin looked fresh and bright afterwards.

How did you feel afterwards?

My skin felt beautifully soft and smooth. The massage stopped my shoulders feeling like rusty door hinges. So, I felt as relaxed and beautified as I had hoped I would!

What happens afterwards?

After I had dressed, I attempted to find somewhere to brush my hair and apply a bit of mascara before leaving. As the changing area was dimly lit, smartening-up was harder than anticipated, so I had to make do with a quick fix.

I didn't use the changing area while I was at Aqua Sculpture, but while the area does have the benefit of an infra-red sauna in one corner, the space isn't huge; the layout doesn't allow for much room to change if there are a number of people in the changing area at the same time.

I headed back to the sofa upstairs to have a sit down before braving the streets. A herbal tea allowed me some time to adjust to daylight before heading home.

Was it worth it?

I thought that the Time Thermal Capsule might be an unnecessary gimmick, but the experience of using one was very enjoyable. The capsule is a great way to steam, and worked well as part of my body treatment.

I was very impressed with my treatment outside the capsule, too. Agata gave me a fantastic massage that eased the knots in my back. Despite the ungainly aspects of the treatment, Agata made me feel very comfortable.

What else could you have?

You can have microdermabrasion, oxygen facials, Caci treatments, the popular Universal Contour Wrap for instant slimming, or the more holistic options of reflexology, hot stone massage or ear candling.

Aqua Sculpture has a menu that includes men, teens and kids, couples and brides, too.

What do you wish you'd known before you went?

That bikini bottoms might have made climbing into the capsule slightly less like flagrant exhibitionism!

Any special features?

The spa's Time Thermal Capsule is the only one of its kind in the UK. I hope they take off (not in a spaceship kind of way, though).

Who do you think would like it?

Aqua Sculpture is neutrally decorated so would suit both women and men. These treatment rooms are ideal for West Londoners wanting a specialist treatment, or those who fancy trying something a bit different.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

We gave Aqua Sculpture 4 bubbles as they offer very good high-street treatment rooms. There is plenty of equipment for the more unusual treatments, the spa is clean and friendly, and the treatments are of a high standard.

However... perhaps some of the equipment could have made way for more room for relaxation. I'm not sure I'd want to sit in my robe in a waiting area in bright daylight where someone might see me. An infra-red sauna is nice, but is it necessary if you don't have that much spare space in a changing area?

Overall, though: a good place to get a good treatment.

See more on how we rate the spas.