One of The Trusted Beauty Guides 2010 'Product of the Year' nominees

Lava Shells Vs Hot Stones, Have we left the stone age?

When I first heard of Lava Shells, I thought this was going to be a gimmick or a fad that would be around for a while and then disappear. This was before I had a chance to try them out as a Therapist.

I've been doing massage for 16 years and have used hot stones in my salons and spa's for years so you can only imagine how much these shells had to live upto my expectations.

Lava Shells for professional use are completely natural sea shells from the Philippines. They are usually thrown away by villagers as they are deemed as waste after they have been eaten, this is known to be a huge part of their diet so there are plenty of shells left over. These recycled shells are handpicked according to size and structural integrity. They are smooth in texture and are heated easily in two simple steps, using a gel sachet and liquid activator. It only takes around five minutes to heat up and stays warm for over an hour.

As the shells are lighter in weight than Hot Stones I was expecting to have to put lots of pressure. My pressure is usually very firm so on the other hand I was concerned that I might break the shells. None of these were the case though, the shells are robust so I could still put the pressure if I needed to. It turned out to be a wonderful massage tool, the shape of the shell gives great pressure and I could use the top of the shells to effectively get into the nodules around the shoulders and around the neck area.

With Hot Stones, there is a lot of preparation work for the therapists.

For a start you need a heated water tank, ladle to remove the stones from the tank and stones of assorted shapes and sizes. You also need a power point to plug the tank in. Getting the right temperature of the stones can be quite tricky and they do cool down quite quickly. The stones are polished and hardened basalt volcanic rocks.

With the Lava Shells, the therapist uses upto four shells. The preparation takes around five minutes and all you need is a Lava gel packet and a Lava activator for each shell you are using. If you hold the shell in one position, it heats up more so the heat can constantly be generated. Everything from the shells to the gel and activator are completely natural and biodegradable.

Having used both Hot Stone and Lava Shells I must say I do prefer working with the Lava shells, I felt my massage was more flowing without the need to worry about my stones being too hot or cooling too quickly. I also like that I can get into all the knots with the edge of the shell.

Generally with Hot Stone therapy, stones are placed on specific areas of the body to help open up the meridians and melt away tension. It's a method which has been used in many ancient cultures. There is another therapy called LaStone Therapy which is a trademarked style of massage that uses hot and cold stones.

It's a personal preference for the massage therapist as to which method they use and for you as a client it depends on how good the massage therapist is. You can have the best massage tools in the world but it's all down to the therapist doing your massage.

The best thing about Lava Shells is that salon's can't get the professional use shells unless they have received professional training so you know you are in good hands if you go to a spa who offers the professional Lava Shell Massage. Shared Beauty Secrets, provide training and Lava Shells in the UK have seen a huge increase in Spa's and salons using Lava shells.

Lava Shells have a fab home kit in addition to the professional treatment, which contain a shell, created from a blend of porcelain plus 4 LavaGel packets, 4 Lava activators and 4 applications of botanical massage oil. Put it on your Christmas 'must have' list and you won't be disappointed. I've used my shell on my neck and shoulders when they've felt tense. It's great for breaking down tension nodules yourself, you could pop it into your handbag and use it at your office desk when you're feeling tense. You can also get your man to massage you with it too, I'm sure he'll be happy to put one in your stocking if he knew there's something in it for him. A fantastic gift idea!

Duncan James (Blue) afterward his Lava Shell massage described the experience as “a magical and very healing experience that worked on many different levels for me. Not only did I find the massage rewarding and relaxing but on a deeper level it helped with rebalancing and aligning my whole body especially my stomach which seems to be a key stress point. The whole treatment was new, exciting and extremely beneficial after all the rehearsals I've been doing for Legally Blonde. I recommend this massage to everyone!”

Duncan was not paid to sponsor or promote Lava Shells and gave the above testimonial purely because he enjoy the experience so much!!

  'Product Award' given to Lava Shells!

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