Three wellness centres that offer lifestyle management and salon services in Delhi-NCR

1. VLCC

Credited with catering to the whims and fancies of the famous and the common, Vandana Luthra’s VLCC has been a preferred choice for most women over the decades. It is a lifestyle and wellness centre which personalised solutions to suit the needs and lifestyle of the clients. VLCC offer services across 11 countries in Asia and Africa where it operates wellness facilities. It is equipped with some of the latest US-FDA and European-CE standard compliant appliances. Moreover, it has salon attached to all its outlets which means that there is regular beauty care as well. Some interesting treatments:

• Express Facials: The 35-minute Express Facials are done with Swiss and Korean products. The Mini Hydra Boost Facial will infuse the skin with intense moisture and reduce oxidative stress, while the Mini Brightening Boost Express Facial brings a glow.
• 3 D Body Contour Power Dose Therapies: This is for those interested in skin firming and tightening after pregnancy or weight loss, getting rid of fat, especially around the waist and other problematic areas like hips, thighs, abdomen, arms or for general detoxification and a healthy skin, and cellulite reduction. 3D Body Contour Power Dose is available in four different treatments– 3D Tummy Treatment, 3D Body Contouring, 3D Body Sculpt and 3D  Body Firmer, that use a unique 3D body contour power dose serum made from natural vegetable and algae extracts, which penetrates the skin and hypodermal layers.

2. Abhayangam @Kairali

In a world where machines have overtaking human functions, there is a place in the Capital where the traditions of the ancients lives on. Here, hands and human techniques count, the knowledge of the ancients has been harnessed in the architectural structure along with treatment with medicated oils and herbal medicines. This is Kairali, the Ayurveda centre offering massages and medicines, in the by lanes of Chattarpur, near Qutub Minar, Delhi.

Offering relaxation and cure through traditional massages and ayruvedic medicine, the centre is a trip back to the India of yore. Constructed in manner so as to remain cool even during the hot, humid months of Delhi, Kairali is an education on how some things never transcend time.

With therapists trained in the traditional way, I was treated to the detoxifying and destressing abhayangam massage. This 45-minute therapy with hot medicated oils needs two therapists who work in perfect unison, their hands not missing the beat even once. Together they work on both sides of the body, up and down with long swift strokes. And then the back is turned. Head to toe, the duo, one speaks in Hindi and the other in English and the massage continues.

Men work on men and women on women. The table is solid traditional wood and there are no air conditioners as the body needs to function on room temperature. The rooms are constructed in a manner that you don’t feel the hot weather outside. The red and white building has the feel of a cozy home with a courtyard in the centre and rooms around it. The towels and cover cloth are all south Indian cottons, soft and light. Even the spa wear is traditional style.

Then its steam time and I sit in a wooden box as the two keep turning the knob for steam high and low, depending on what I am comfortable with. Five minutes over and wrapped in a check cotton cloth, I am off to the shower room.

The soap is a dry powder and I take handfuls in my hand to rub all over me. This was my first experiment with dry soap. There are no plastic bottle containers for the shampoo and soap; it’s all in metal bowls.

The ambience is old world Kerala, warm, friendly and respectful. Dressed and ready to step out of the room, one of the therapists comes running, putting some herbal powder on my forehead and throat to prevent catching a cold or get a headache going out with wet hair.

If anyone needs advice for medical problems, then there is a resident Ayurvedic doctor and a medicine counter. Depending on the nature of problem, you could be suggested different kinds of massages. Some need more sittings while others work for single sitting.

3. Pachouli Wellness Clinic

This salon and spa has been founded by nutrionist and cosmetologist Preeti Seth. My tired body was subjected to a much-needed massage with special pay special attention to legs, feet, shoulders and neck area. Even the head was massaged. The ritual begins with a bell, that’s the time to close your eyes. And then 45-50 minutes later the bell rings again and you know its time to open the eyes. The centre offers a body care routine with slaon, slimming and spa services.

Seth shares three tips to manage weight:

• Drink lots of hot water after every meal
• Soak jeera overnight and have that water early morning on an empty stomach.
• Start your meal with a salad and do not mix your dal and curd.

Click to find wellness

The buzzword is collective and AyurUniverse has brought many practitioners in the healing space on one portal. Tête-à-tête with the founder and CEO Vijaykumar Karai

What inspired you to bring together so many wellness players on a single platform?
Prior to starting AyurUniverse, I was co-investor of an ayurvedic spa in Mysore, where I realised the potential for an online wellness portal. India is home to over 4,000+ wellness centers, spread across the country, all run by experienced ayurvedic specialists but without proper marketing expertise. As a result these centres are not able to reach out to the right customers and struggle with poor occupancy rates.

AyurUniverse is the first-of-its-kind, online market place, with a wealth of resource on the ancient but extremely popular Indian wellness systems like ayurveda, yoga, meditation, siddha, kalari, marma chikitsa, all under one roof. We aim to provide wellness enthusiasts better know-how and easy access to these wellness centers.

The website also features an informative blog section that offers extensive information on these traditional practices and treatments – providing visitors with all the knowledge they may need to understand how ayurveda works.

Wellness centres listed with us have the opportunity to reach out to a global wellness audience offering them a brand new customer base. Our digital marketing efforts and online presence on social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram gives them exposure to a global online market of wellness enthusiasts.

What is the USP of the site? Who would it benefit the most?
AyurUniverse offers a comprehensive listing of verified wellness centers with best-in-class flexibility when it comes to choosing a wellness programme of their choice and to book it online safely based on location, price, rating, facilities at no extra booking cost.
We also offer a 24-hour chat service and have our own in-house ayurvedic doctor who offer online (phone or chat) consultation and make treatments and package recommendations for you.

Are you offering any physical assistance as well to people using the site?
Our chat agents and customer support team can guide you step-by-step through the entire booking and payment process. Once a package is booked we can also assist with airport transfers, if the resort does not offer it already.

How many wellness centres have tied up with you?
We currently have over 170 wellness centres offering nearly 900 packages.

Which parts of the country are you targeting?
Our key source markets are US, Europe (Germany, UK, France) Australia, New Zealand and UAE. We will also tap the domestic market with our weekend/non-residential wellness programmes.

Where do you find major bookings from?
We are seeing a huge demand for our Yoga Teacher Training courses and Yoga Retreats from Australia, Canada, US and UK. A lot of Indian residents and NRIs are looking for specialised ayurvedic treatments for serious ailments like arthritis, diabetes. There is also an increasing demand for authentic panchakarma (detoxification) programmes.

This blog post is part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023 challenge.

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