Spa Cordon is tucked away in a quiet corner in Downtown Dubai. The glass-fronted exterior is bright and welcoming, and upon first glance you might presume the spa is quite bijou. Actually, it boasts more than 3,500 square feet of treatment rooms, Oriental bath suites and private relaxation areas. Once you step inside, you’ll be aware of the “all-natural Balinese retreat” feel: the reception desk is made from coconut lumber, the walls have mother-of-pearl artwork and the ceiling is lined with rattan. As I flicked through the list of treatments in the meet-and-greet area, I was served sparkling date juice.
Having heard so much about the spa’s eco-friendly treatments, I was keen to try the signature manicure and pedicure. Price-wise, a mani-pedi will set you back between Dh100 and Dh150 for a standard clean and colour. Longer-lasting applications such as Gelish, are about Dh220. In comparison, an express vegan mani-pedi at Spa Cordon costs Dh140, and adding extras such as a scrub, masque and reflexology, will cost Dh330 for 75 minutes.
My therapist introduced me to the “interactive beauty bar”, which was stocked with creams, scrubs and oils – a selection of which could be used in the process. A novel idea and certain to appeal to those who are pregnant or have sensitivities and allergies to certain oils and emollients.
For the dissolvable water bombs, placed in foot- and hand-spas, I opted for a combination of cinnamon, milk powder and ylang-ylang. The cubes, which are prepared on-site, fizzed and released aromatic vapours.
For the exfoliation, I selected a scrub with oatmeal, coconut and black seed oil. The final stage, before the nail-painting, was a softening wrap for the hands and feet made from date syrup, honey and peppermint leaves. While the wrap worked its magic – it has to be left on for a full 15 minutes – I was treated to a wonderful back massage, topped off with a heated lavender neck scarf.
Polish-wise, I plumped for a vegan brand called SpaRitual, which claims to be free of all known nasties, including DBP and camphor. The other brand available was Zoya, which offers a long-lasting nail lacquer, also containing only natural ingredients. Although SpaRitual’s nail polish didn’t last quite as long as those packed with chemicals and enhancers, it initially went on smoothly and had a beautifully glossy finish. Once the mani-pedi was completed, I was given another brief back massage, and rose water was spritzed over my face, hands and feet.
The manicure and pedicure aside, I would try one of Spa Cordon’s signature facials, mainly because one great advantage the spa has over its rivals in the region is that it is the sole distributor of Epicuren facial products. The luxury American brand uses an enzyme-protein complex – often referred to as the Mediterranean complex – as a key ingredient. This when combined with soluble vitamin B and applied to the skin, has well-documented rejuvenating and plumping effects.
Spa Cordon won Best Day Spa 2013 at the Middle East Spa Awards, and a certificate of excellence from TripAdvisor in 2012 after just one year of trading. All in all, it’s a well-considered concept in a well-laid-out space, and manages to provide something a little bit different in a market saturated with lookalike spas and feel-alike treatments. Give it a try. You never know, you might be converted to veganism more easily than you think.
• A classic manicure and pedicure at Spa Cordon in Sky Gardens, DIFC, Downtown Dubai, costs Dh330 for 75 minutes. To book an appointment, call 04 421 3424 or visit www.spacordon.com
rduane@thenational.ae
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3
Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)
Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)
Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)
Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
Sweet Tooth
Creator: Jim Mickle
Starring: Christian Convery, Nonso Anozie, Adeel Akhtar, Stefania LaVie Owen
Rating: 2.5/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 4-cylinder 2.5-litre / 2-litre turbo
Power: 188hp / 248hp
Torque: 244Nm / 370Nm
Transmission: 7-speed auto
On sale: now
Price: From Dh110,000
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
EA Sports FC 24
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, PC and Xbox One
Rating: 3.5/5
FROM THE ASHES
Director: Khalid Fahad
Starring: Shaima Al Tayeb, Wafa Muhamad, Hamss Bandar
Rating: 3/5
Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Stoke City v Tottenham
Brentford v Newcastle United
Arsenal v Manchester City
Everton v Manchester United
All ties are to be played the week commencing December 21.
CONCRETE COWBOY
Directed by: Ricky Staub
Starring: Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome
3.5/5 stars
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
match info
Manchester United 3 (Martial 7', 44', 74')
Sheffield United 0
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
Company Profile
Company name: Namara
Started: June 2022
Founder: Mohammed Alnamara
Based: Dubai
Sector: Microfinance
Current number of staff: 16
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Family offices
Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)
Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
Results
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m; Winner: Mcmanaman, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
6.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Bawaasil, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Bochart, Fabrice Veron, Satish Seemar
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Mutaraffa, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.50pm: Longines Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,00 (D) 1,900m; Winner: Rare Ninja, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.25pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Alfareeq, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
9pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Good Tidings, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
9.35pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Zorion, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi
TWISTERS
Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung
Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos
Rating:+2.5/5
Griselda
Director: Andrés Baiz
Starring: Sofía Vergara, Alberto Guerra, Juliana Aiden Martinez
Rating: 4/5