Monthly Archives: January 2012

Hammam Spa Location & Travel

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We are located in the heart of King West at 602 King Street West at the corner of King West and Portland Street.

PARKING: There are three paid parking lots close by. One on King West in the Starbucks lot, another North on Portland at Richmond street and the third located South on Portland at Wellington st. There is always paid street parking as well! Just make sure to pay attention to the times you can and cannot park. If you underestimated your time spent at Hammam Spa and need to add more time to the meter, our front desk staff will be more than happy to help you out.

TRAVEL: We are very easily accessible through transit. By TTC, you want to get off at St. Andrews subway station and onto the streetcar, head West along King Street past Spadina ending at Portland Street. There is a stop right in front of Hammam Spa. There are a bunch of variations to arrive at Hammam Spa by TTC, this is the most popular and basic.

If you are driving either from the West or East end, you want to get on the Gardiner Expressway and exit off at Spadina, head North on Spadina and West on King Street. Keep your eye out for the Starbucks parking lot mentioned above on your left side.

TTC and Traffic is always unpredictable, try and check out the TTC service advisories or CP24 traffic to allow yourself alot of time to travel to Hammam Spa on time.

There are also plenty of clubs and restaurants available and close buy. Our favorite restaurants include Kiwe Kitchen, Blowfish and Buca. If you are planning on staying the night check out The Thompson Hotel right down the street from us!

We hope this makes it easier for you to travel and look forward to having you at Hammam Spa.

Hammam Spa Etiquette

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All spas have an etiquette guideline to ensure the spa runs smoothly and for their clients to get the most out of their visit. We have ours listed on our website, but if you have stumbled upon our blog – we also have it here! See Hammam Spa’s Etiquette below:

ARRIVAL

  • Please plan to arrive at least 20 minutes prior to your treatment so you can relax, enjoy a refreshment and prepare for your treatment.
  • First time guests must arrive a half-hour before their treatment to allow time to fill out a personal health profile. This profile will outline information that will enable your therapist to provide you with the most appropriate and effective service.
  • Please let your therapist know if you have any special physical or medical needs, conditions, or considerations.
  • Cellular phones are not permitted beyond the front reception area.

What to Wear

  • You will be provided with a robe and slippers when you arrive at Hammam Spa.
  • During all treatments, your body will be fully draped, except for the area being worked on.
  • For your luxury and complete spa experience we offer the use of our Hammam (steam room) to members and guests who have purchased a spa package or individual session.
  • You may always add the use of the Hammam to your services that do not automatically include the Signature Hammam Ritual.
  • Hammam Spa is a co-ed facility, and wraps and bathing suits are mandatory.

Lockers

We will provide an electric key locker with your own personal pin made by you to store your belongings. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items.

Age Restrictions

Guests under the age of 16 are eligible to receive facial treatments and nail care, only when accompanied by their parent or legal guardian, and excludes steam room use for safety considerations.

Amenities for All Spa Guests

Visit the Boutique at Hammam Spa to find amazing treats for yourself or the perfect gift for someone special. Our shelves are brimming with those must-have essentials! Complimentary fresh fruit, beverages and teas are always available in our Tea Lounge. Indulge yourself or someone special.

Cancellation Policy

Due to the popularity and demand for Hammam’s spa services, we would appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

  • If you have booked a single treatment and need to cancel, you must notify us at least 24 hours in advance.
  • For multiple treatments you must notify us at least 48 hours in advance.
  • Cancellations or no-shows with less than the allotted time will be charged at full value.
  • Group and Parties cancellation policy must notify us one week in advance of the booking.
  • Arriving late will simply limit the time of your treatment. Your treatment will end on time so that the next guest will not be delayed and the full value of your treatment will be applied.
We want you to get the most out of your treatments and enjoy your time at Hammam Spa. Our front staff is always here to answer your questions and concerns to make you feel at ease and relaxed for your services. Feel free to call before your treatment to clarify any questions or concerns you may have!

Peels at Hammam Spa

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Peels are another great form of professional exfoliation. At Hammam Spa, we are very proud to be using the Skin Fitness professional line for all our peels. Skin Fitness is a popular line used among Dermatologist, Skin Therapists and Plastic Surgeons.

Just like Microdermabrasion, a Peel improves the skins texture by sloughing off the outermost layer of skin. It works by having a high concentration of Salicylic or Glycolic acid that gently starts to peel and resurface the skin as it is massaged in. This results in fresher more even toned skin that is able to absorbed products more to get the most out of them.

Skin Fitness has an amazing line of peels full of antioxidants, vitamins, fruit pulps and minerals to further improve the look of the skin.

(Arne Roslund Photography)

Hammam Spa has over 8 peels available to use for every single type of skin- including sensitive skin!. The type of peel you get is determined by a skin analysis from one of our trained Skin Therapist. To get the most out of your peel, it is recommended to have a 90min Luxury Facial (a Peel and Casmara masque is included with it) and a proper at home skincare routine that our Therapist educate you on.

Having a chemical peel is a great way to introduce a client to professional skin resurfacing and transforming the skin to the best it can be. Call us today to book with one of our Skin Therapist to find out more and have your questions and concerns answered.

Tea In The Sahara

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Not only do our services leave an impression, but so does the tea!


Sahara Tea is always served in our tea lounge, flavors are rotated daily and sold in our boutique. Some of our popular flavors are Beautiful Foolishness, April in Paris and Himalayan Trance.

This tea is an all herbal tea made from fresh aromatic ingredients consisting of fruits, spices, herbs and flowers. It is available in all types of tea such as Green, White, Oolong, Rooibos, Black and Wellness blends and described on thier website as…

An exotic collection of aromatic and flavourful teas that evoke your senses while taking you on a journey to faraway places from your cup. It’s truly A JOURNEY IN EVERY CUP®.

Enjoy a warm cup of Sahara Tea in our tea lounge today or stop by our boutique to take some home with you!

 

 

Microdermabrasion at Hammam Spa

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Microdermabrasion removes the outermost layer of dead skin cells, making it an effective way to attain fresher, healthier, younger looking skin. Multiple micro treatments can help decrease shallow acne scars, hyper pigmentation, fine lines and helps your product penetrate up to 50% more. It is recommended to do a minimum of 6 treatments two weeks apart to get the best results.

The microdermabrasion machine works by dispensing the crystals through a tube along with suction. The abrasion tool is then moved across the face in a sweeping motion covering all areas of the face. The crystals resurface and renew the outer layer of skin and the suction pulls the dead skin and used crystals to a filter that is later disposed of.

At Hammam Spa we have a top of the line medical grade microdermabrasion machine and use corundum crystals. Our microdermabrasion service includes analysis of the skin, double cleanse, micro, mask, hand massage and finishing it up with a toner, eye cream, serum, face cream and SPF. Wearing an SPF after a micro service is very important, because we removed the outer layer of your skin – it is now fresh skin that can be easily burned and overly sensitive for the next couple of days. After your microdermabrasion, it is recommended that you do not steam, tan or excessively sweat (eg. working out) to prevent irritation.

Hammam Spa has highly educated and trained Skin Therapist performing the micro service. Any questions or concerns they will be more than happy to answer for you.

Benefits Of A Steam

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Here at Hammam Spa we have a 500 square foot custom built Turkish Hammam for our clients to enjoy. We always suggest clients to give themselves plenty of time before and after their services to enjoy the Hammam. A Hammam is more than a relaxation tool and has many benefits for our body.

Our Hammam is Eucalyptus scented, this helps prevent cold and flu symptoms and clearing the sinuses. A Steam also detoxes the body, boost your immune system, relaxes the muscles, prevents muscle injuries and help alleviate current muscle pain. Having a steam after running a marathon, a gym training session or on a Friday night after a full stressful week at work are all perfect ideas.

The Hammam is also a perfect idea for the skin. For those with problematic skin on their face or back, a steam will open up the pores and release toxins causing the breakouts. To further improve your skin, book a back treatment or facial to cleanse, purify and have professional extractions done.

Anyone with high blood pressure, heart issues or pregnant, may want to consult their doctor first before entering a steam room. For all those taking advantage of our Hammam, you may also want to check out our Tips For The Hammam to get the full benefits of the steam as well as to ensure you are steaming safely.

 

Gelish Polish at Hammam Spa

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Gelish is by Nail Harmony, Shellac is by CND Nails. Gelish and Shellac are the same thing, just different brands. Just like OPI and Essie are both nail polishes just different brands.

We carry both brands at Hammam Spa. We did this to have more variety for our clients and find they are both comparable, none is better than the other. Gelish has over 72 colours now in their line and are always expanding. Gelish is also applied exactly like Shellac and removed the same way.

Check out Gelish colour swatches here!

Right now at Hammam Spa we do not carry all colours by Gelish, but have tried to have all colour shades available to you. If you see a colour you love and we don’t have, let your therapist know and we will have it on our order list for next time.

So, if you book a Shellac manicure and choose a Gelish polish… No worries! Same price, same product, just your favorite colour* We look forward to seeing you on your next manicure or pedicure visit!

Shellac Polish at Hammam Spa

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We have had Shellac Polish at Hammam Spa for over a year and a half now. It continues to be our most popular manicure among clients and staff. It is designed as a hybrid gel polish. There is no damage to the nail, no dry time, no fills needed and lots of colours to choose from!

A Shellac manicure has all the steps of a regular manicure…just in a different order. We start of with the shaping of the nail, cuticle work and buffing. We apply NO OIL to the nail before the Shellac polish application and do this all at the end. Oil on the nail will prevent the polish from curing. So next we apply the polish! It has a base coat and top coat just like regular polish, only difference is that we will be curing under the UV light in between each layer.

STEPS: base coat, cure, 1st coat colour, cure, 2nd coat colour, cure, top coat, cure.

After the top coat is applied and cured, there is a sticky residue left over. We remove the sticky residue with alcohol and… Oh no! your polish is wiped off too! … We are only joking. During that process, just the sticky residue is removed and you have a beautiful, shiny, fully dry nail polish colour ready to last 14 days! It is at this time that we finish with conditioning the cuticles and a relaxing hand massage.

Now you are all set to dig into your purse to reach for your keys, you are ready to go to the gym or ready to go back to work because you came on your lunch! Shellac polish is perfect for busy moms and hard workers.

Close to the end of the 14 days of wear, you may notice the polish starts to lift and it is tempting to peel off. Don’t do this! You will also peel off the first layer of your nail and slowly thin it out. Come in and see us instead for your removal. A removal takes 15 minutes and must be booked and mentioned when your are re booking for a Shellac polish manicure and you have old Shellac polish still on your nails.

To remove we use pure nail polish remover and saturate a cotton ball with it, place it on top of the nail, wrap up and let it sit for 8-10 minutes. This starts to dissolve the polish and make it flaky. We then take our orange wood stick and flake off the polish, file, buff and condition the nail.

Does it damage the nail? No, Shellac does not damage the nail. We are using the same tools, nail polish remover and method as a regular polish manicure. Over buffing the nail or peeling off your Shellac can thin the nail out and dry it up. We always recommend breaks every so often to re hydrate the nail. Dehydration is the cause of flaky, peeling nails and can be easily cured by having bare nails and saturating them in oil at night.

Book your Shellac manicure with us today and feel free to ask more questions to your therapist! They love to help out and educate.

 

Tips For The Hammam

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Our 500 square foot Hammam is our pride and joy here at Hammam Spa. It really completes any treatment we have and is very beneficial for the body. Here are some quick Tips for the Hammam in order for you to get the best results and steam safely!

(1) Drink Water : Make sure you are drinking lots of water to prevent dizziness and dehydration. Especially if you go into the Hammam after a massage or body treatment. Water is provided all throughout the spa including in the Hammam for our clients.

(2) Take a Cold Shower : Hot and cold are a great combination for the body. Taking a cold shower when you step out of the Hammam tightens your skin and pores and prevents you from over heating.Two showers are available right outside the Hammam for our clients to hop into in between steaming.

(3) Eat : Make sure you are well nourished before you steam to prevent you from feeling weak and faint. Help yourself to the fruit and cookies in the lounge area or ask our front desk staff to add on a gourmet spa lunch to your services.

(4) Take Breaks : Some people may be able to handle staying in the Hammam for 30 minutes straight but we suggest taking breaks in between. Try steaming for 5 minutes and rest for 2 minutes. While you are resting, this would be when you take a cold shower and drink water* Then head back into the Hammam for another 5 minutes and rest for another 2 minutes.

(5) Exfoliate : The Hammam softens up the skin and loosens dead skin cells. This makes it great for exfoliation afterwards. Book our Turkish Bath Treatment after 15 – 30 minutes of steaming and you will see what we mean!

(6) Use a Cold Compress : We have provided Eucalyptus scented cold compresses available in the fridge in the Hammam. Bring it into the steam room! Place on the back of your neck to cool your body temperature down or place it on your face to breath easier.

(7) Treat Your Hair : Heat helps penetrate hair products deeper. Buy our Macadamia Nut Oil or Hair Mask, apply it to your hair and tie up in a bun while you steam! Rinse with cold water and your hair will be conditioned and shinier than ever.

You may follow all these steps or some to get the most out of our Hammam!

Happy New Year!

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Goodbye 2011…Hello 2012!

Happy New Years! Thank you for your loyalty and help making 2011 a successful, memorable year. We jump into 2012 with excitement and new things here at Hammam Spa and look forward to sharing it all with you! Cheers*