When Team TMN found out about a new cupping therapy that promises to provide health and slimming benefits, we couldn’t wait to put it to the test…
What: Cup Kiss body massage – Chinese cupping massage therapy.
Where: Tips & Toes, Al Barsha
When: Tips and Toes is open from 10am until 10pm from Sunday to Thursday and 10am to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
The promise: The Cup Kiss body massage is an ancient Chinese therapy dating back thousands of years and was used to treat royals and superiors. The therapy utilises special vacuum silicon cups to squeeze out excess fluids and toxins from the body while reducing stress levels and loosening the muscles.
Did it Deliver? The Cup Kiss body massage is nothing like Team TMN had imagined, it was the epitome of a perfect spa experience. As we walked into the spa, we were greeted by the receptionist who was warm and welcoming, making us feel comfortable. We were then directed to the spa waiting room where we sat on cabana beds while waiting for our session to start. The soothing sound of running water in the fountain created a peaceful atmosphere along with the dimmed lights and calming interior building the perfect aura for that unforgettable experience.
The lovely lady that gave us the massage was clearly a professional and her gentle techniques put us at ease immediately. She first introduced herself, then we were given warm lavender scented towels to put on and asked to lie face down in a comfortable position. The therapy then began with her aligning our body so that we were lying straight, she then rubbed oil over our body in a light circular motion, massaged to balance the blood flow and loosen the tension in our muscles. The cups were up next. She placed light silicon vacuum cups that were no wider than a small bottled water, on different parts of the body using it to kiss the skin underneath and pulling it downwards with our muscles to squeeze out excess fluids and toxins that appear as cellulite. She started from across the top of our shoulders all the way down the back, then from the spine out, basically working with our muscles. The process continued for the whole 90 minute session and throughout we could feel how gentle the cups were placed on our body, it didn’t even feel like it was sucking up our skin and pulling it to the surface.
After we had ended the session, it is safe to say that we wished this moment would not come to an end and found ourselves in a deep semi-trance. When we stepped out of the session we could already feel our muscles loose and extremely relaxed. We were asked whether we wanted to have anything to drink and at that point a lemon ginger tea seemed like the right beverage to slowly ease us back to reality. The combination of a 90 minute cupping massage, a soothing atmosphere and calming tea was the perfect spa experience to kiss the tension goodbye.
The verdict: The aftermath of the therapy session lasted for nearly two weeks and we never knew our muscles could feel that relaxed. It was also to our surprise that unlike other cupping therapies that will always leave circle marks after the session, this one was a light dose of a traditional and ancient treatment that left no marks. The use of silicon cups prevented any marks from appearing on the skin and helped with the sucking process during the session. However, although the cupping was moderately done all over our body, we did feel more suction when done on our legs and thighs, which was the only pain we felt and was so subtle – it barely even disturbed our snooze. Thus, realistically speaking for just AED275 to AED320, we would recommend it once or twice a month as it improves circulation, heightens energy levels, reduces spider veins and helps even out hormone imbalances.
