BODY TREATMENTS AND FACIALS

“If you’ve got any type of contagious skin disease – scabies for instance – let us know when booking as you risk spreading it not only to us, but to our other clients. And don’t be nervous about revealing a spotty back, as massage can really help treat outbreaks.”

''“Try to arrive sweat-free please. It's really hard to massage over skin that's wet as you can't gte the right type of slip with the oil. We point out there is a shower facility which is open to everyone - feel free to bathe.”

“We work on different pressure points during a massage that can sometimes mean the body automatically breaks wind. Most clients are mortified but it happens all the time. The best advice is to just ignore it – I don’t want to talk about it either.”

“If you’d rather not have a male therapist, that’s fine, but please do tell us in advance so that we can arrange a replacement before you arrive.”

"People are conscious of not having shaved. It truly doesn't matter if your legs are prickly or not. We feel all kinds of lumps and bumps so don't disrupt your waxing schedule for us."

“Falling asleep, snoring, dribbling, they’re all really common. It’s the biggest compliment to your therapist – it means you are truly relaxed.”

“I’ve never had a client walk out mid-treatment but I’ve had a few complain about the pressure of the massage after it’s finished which is really irritating. Speak up and I’ll adapt it."

“When you arrive at a spa, we give you a fresh robe, slippers and a packet of paper pants to change into. You'll need to remove your bra but we don't actively encourage nakedness - especially if a woman is on her period - but if you'd rather not wear the pants, that's fine. Just be comfortable.”

“I prefer it when clients don’t talk during a facial. It makes it really hard to apply products. It can’t be relaxing for the client either.”

“Clients sometimes panic at the appearance of their skin following a facial. A flushed, pinky look is totally normal and will disappear after a couple of hours. If you’ve got an important event coming up, make sure you book your facial for at least 5 days in advance, to give the skin time to settle down.”

“The one thing I really hate is when clients bring their BlackBerrys to the bed and start sending off emails while I’m trying to calm them.”

Picture credit: Rex Features

The Insiders' Guide to Spa Etiquette