I was recently invited to meet Bastien Gonzalez and experience what I hear was the ‘best Pedicure in the world’. The Bastien Gonzalez Mani-Spa is located at One&Only, The Palm. On arrival at the resort, after valet parking, it was a short walk through the serene pool and garden area in a tranquil spot next to the Guerlain Spa.

As I entered the studio, I was greeted by the Spa Manager and Bastian himself. They both instantly made me feel welcome and immediately at ease which was welcomed after being a few minutes late due to the rush hour traffic.

They proceeded to escort me to a private room where the 60-minute treatment would take place, A cushioned Spa chair awaited me, and as I sat down, it felt like melting into clouds and the stresses of the day began to pass away surrounded by the tranquil Spa music.

Admittedly, I had never had a pedicure before this experience which I was slightly embarrassed to admit to Bastian. However, he did mention the feet are the part men tend to forget about when it comes to a grooming routine but are on display most of the time; hence living in the UAE, our feet are often in sandals or at the beach.

 

Back to the actual pedicure, Bastien’s approach is about caring for the feet and making your nails look healthy and clean without using nail varnish or washing the feet. In a discussion with Bastien, he mentioned water softens the skin too much, which can result in removing excess skin. He proceeded to clip my nails and rounded the corners using a glass nail file, something he had specially created.

He exfoliated my nails with another specially developed tool that echoed the design of a dentist’s drill. Bastian assured me there was nothing painful about the process, just a bit ticklish if you have sensitive feet like myself. Next, my nails were buffered with a hard grain buffer then, followed by a high-shine buff. During this process, we exchanged stories of how our grandmothers used this technique in bygones gone by.

Following this process, he applied a luxurious cream from his own line of treatment products containing mother-of-pearl which polished the nails. After this, I was invited to touch the nails and skin, and it’s safe to say I was shocked at how I had neglected my feet for this long. My nails looked brand new, and the dry skin had melted away.

Thinking I was about to leave happy with my new nails, Bastien informed me there was a final step: a deep tissue massage of the feet and calfs. He mentioned the massage is to restore mobility, increase blood circulation, and re-fluff the fatty cushions of the feet. After gently massaging all the ligaments in my feet and calves, they instantly felt loose and well rested with feet I’m no longer embarrassed to display at the pool and beach.

It’s easy to see why Bastien Gonzalez has a loyal base of clients, VIPs and multiple Mani-Spa’s around the world with his Artisan approach and technique. I highly recommend a visit to the Frenchman himself and make it part of your grooming routine.

Visit One&Only, The Palm  for more information or to make a booking. 

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Images: Supplied