Most of my experiences thus far have involved some level of physical activity, so I welcomed the opportunity to try a new spa experience today. I have long been intrigued by an Indian Head Massage, a type of massage that focuses only on your head and scalp. It took me a while to find a spa in San Diego that listed this service but today I prevailed.

Located in Escondido is Bellissima Day Spa, which is short on modernism but long on size. The spa is over 11,000 sq ft. and offers 11 treatments rooms for their spa services. I’ve never seen a spa so huge. My appointment was for an Ayurvedic Scalp Treatment, and I couldn’t wait.

Ayurvedic Scalp Treatment (50 minutes)
Warm oil is applied to the third eye (center of the forehead) which profoundly relaxes and balances the central nervous system, creating a calming and soothing effect and nourishing the hair and scalp. Then stimulation of the scalp by a brushing method and scalp massage is performed, improving circulation and encouraging hair growth. An herbal mask is then applied, followed by a hot towel wrap to help the oils and nutrients of the herbs penetrate, nourishing the hair follicles, controlling dryness. A face, neck, chest, shoulders, and foot massage is included in this treatment for total pampering.

Although the staff is very friendly, I found the spa to be very dated. I could imagine the grandmother’s coming in to have their hair set and styled once a week. I was whisked into the lounge to change into my robe upon arrival. The furnishings within the lounge were old and reminded me of time spent in Sochi earlier this year. Upstairs, I met Gina, the therapist who would be conducting my massage.

For the first 15 minutes of the massage, warm oil was dripped onto my third eye. It also found it’s way to my first two eyes and ears. Occasionally, Gina would wipe the excess away, but after a while the dripping became less of a focus and the oil running onto my scalp became tedious. After the bottle of oil emptied, Gina spent the rest of the session brushing my hair and massaging my scalp. At this point, I became interested in the experience. I love the feeling of having my hair brushed so I was far more engaged once we had finished the turkey basting. Gina also massaged my hands, neck and feet while the oil saturated my hair.

The overall experience was mixed. I appreciated the hair brushing but found the oil dripping to be about 10 minutes too long. Following the massage, I made my way into the steam bath but could barely see the door because the steam was so intense. I only lasted a few minutes.

The photo below is a highlight – Gina turbaned my towel to intensify the oil penetration but I felt like a Smurf.