When heading to Emirates Palace Spa for a treatment, one expects nothing short of a smooth and painless service.
Therefore you could understand my surprise when the barber at the in-house men’s salon, Gentlemen’s Tonic, stuck two earbuds loaded with hot wax up my nose.
“Relax,” Tony said soothingly. “I know what I am doing.”
Indeed, he did. What initially seemed like a medieval torture practice was actually an effective method to get rid of unsightly nose hair.
The quality of the blue wax, which eerily looks like dish detergent, also made the extraction process – about 30 seconds for each nostril – not as painful as I expected it to be.
This was part of the spa’s recently launched Just for Men treatment, a ritual that packs in a haircut, shave, massage and facial, all within two hours – perfect for businessmen on the move.
What binds everything together is that all of the products – from shaving cream and blade to facial scrubs – are designed by London-based men’s fashion salon Gentlemen’s Tonic. Despite its ritzy reputation, the brand prides itself on delivering chrome-sleek efficiency instead of razzle-dazzle – it’s an establishment more suited to James Bond than Austin Powers.
For someone who gets his haircuts at the noisy neighbourhood barbershop, the salon felt intimate, plush and serene. The lighting was subtle and a flat LCD television was embedded in the mirror facing the chair (considering the clientele, it was not surprising that it was tuned to CNN).
I decided to get my head shaved, a task that was carried out with grave grandeur. The treatment started with the application of a pre-shave oil, recommended for those with sensitive skin. The shave itself was leisurely and exacting. Tony’s face was tense with concentration as his blade glided easily around the contours of my scalp.
It was the same experience when it came to my beard, but this time he used a smooth and deceptively lathery cream made from babassu and bergamot, which left my cheeks feeling fresh and tingly.
Next came the aforementioned nose-hair removal, after which a masseuse escorted me to a different room – more of the same opulence, but this time with Ottoman arches and marble decor.
The massage was satisfyingly deep-pressured and delivered on its promise. The masseuse, always attentive and never obtrusive with questions, took his time to methodically alleviate each knot in my upper back.
The 20-minute facial was equally relaxing and efficient and employed a babassu and bergamot scrub, in line with the aftershave applied earlier. The treatment ended on a sweet note, with a reviving cup of hot tea and delicious piece of Turkish baklava.
Smooth, effective and enjoyably luxurious, the package is exactly was it claims to be: Just for Men (on the go).
• The Just for Men treatment at Emirates Palace Spa, Emirates palace, Abu Dhabi, costs Dh1,032 (including service charges) for 120 minutes. For details, call 02 690 7978 or email spa@emiratespalace.ae
sasaeed@thenational.ae
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 (Tosun 9', Doucoure 93')
Rotherham United 1 (Olosunde 56')
Man of the Match Olosunde (Rotherham)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
World Cup qualifier
Thailand 2 (Dangda 26', Panya 51')
UAE 1 (Mabkhout 45+2')
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo (BMW B58)
Power: 340hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,600-4,500rpm
Transmission: ZF 8-speed auto
0-100kph: 4.2sec
Top speed: 267kph
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh462,189
Warranty: 30-month/48,000k
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
About Krews
Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: January 2019
Number of employees: 10
Sector: Technology/Social media
Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support
Confirmed bouts (more to be added)
Cory Sandhagen v Umar Nurmagomedov
Nick Diaz v Vicente Luque
Michael Chiesa v Tony Ferguson
Deiveson Figueiredo v Marlon Vera
Mackenzie Dern v Loopy Godinez
Tickets for the August 3 Fight Night, held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, went on sale earlier this month, through www.etihadarena.ae and www.ticketmaster.ae.
Company Profile
Company name: Hoopla
Date started: March 2023
Founder: Jacqueline Perrottet
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Investment required: $500,000
Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell
Four stars
Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Revibe
Started: 2022
Founders: Hamza Iraqui and Abdessamad Ben Zakour
Based: UAE
Industry: Refurbished electronics
Funds raised so far: $10m
Investors: Flat6Labs, Resonance and various others