The beauty in tradition

UPON arriving at Tanamera's signature store at The Starling Mall in Damansara Uptown, I was ushered to the treatment room by their beautician and masseuse, Isya who said I will be experiencing their Malay Traditional Massage and Traditional Facial.
She explained to me that unlike their other massages, the Malay Traditional Massage involves stretching, stepping, long kneading strokes and pressure being applied to various parts of the body. I was rather nervous listening to her explanation and requested her to be gentle as it was my first time trying such a massage. However, those who enjoy massages can request for firm or strong.

Isya began by applying pressure on the legs, back and shoulders, followed by long kneading strokes across different parts of the body. I could feel my calves being relieved of its tenderness and my back being kneaded in all the right ways. I thought I would feel most ticklish at my feet but turns out I was most ticklish around my shoulders that I couldn't restrain myself from flinching a little.
Although I was hesitant about the stretching involved, it was truly an eye-opener to feel how Isya skilfully bends each body part and uses her body weight to stretch the relevant areas. I almost thought I was being folded into a yoga pose that I surely couldn't do on my own. The stretches left my body feeling a lot lighter than it was before.
Tanamera uses their own blend of massage oils and Isya recommended their Ginger Blend Massage Oil, a favourite among their customers, which helps relieve muscles and stress. Taking a shower after the treatment, the oil has worked its magic leaving my skin feeling smooth and supple.
Moving on to the Traditional Facial, Isya started by washing my face with their Mild Facial Wash followed by their Sengkuang Facial Scrub which refines the skin leaving it clean and clear. As my skin did not have much problems, Isya said that face scrub was most suitable for me. Tanamera offers various different scrubs for different skin types such as the Mangir Facial Scrub for oily and acne-prone skin.
She then proceeded to massage my face with Virgin Coconut Oil followed by the Face Compress or "bertungku" where a warm pack is pressed on to the face to lift the skin while improving blood circulation. The session ended with a cold Hibiscus Facial Mask which helps reduce irritation and promote growth of skin cells.
After the treatment, I could see my pores refined and my skin lifted and feeling smooth to the touch.