Spend The Day With Miriam at The HVN
Nestled discreetly away from the bustling streets of London's chic Knightsbridge district lies a hidden oasis of tranquility and rejuvenation— the HVN. Inspired by the ethos of conscious wellbeing this urban retreat empowers people to feel, look and live healthier. Recognizing the gap in the market to establish a unique wellness concept, three dynamic females Muriel Zingraff, Jo Harris and Dr Tanja Philips, combined their 70+ years of experience in the beauty wellness and spa industries to bring this concept to life. Combining ancient therapies with modern science, the HVN provides highly tailored treatments to combat common issues such as gut health, chronic pain and hormonal imbalance through treatments like acupuncture, osteopathy, nutrition, vitamin infusions and massages.
Honoured to be chosen as a brand ambassador for this pioneering concept I spent a day discovering the space and experiencing its ancient therapy meets modern science treatments. Read on to see what I discovered..
Alqvimia Queen Of Egypt For Ladies Ritual
Entering the cocoon room, where all the rituals take place, I already started to feel a sense of calm come over me. The HVN Hydrobed, specially designed for the space cradles your body on a warm temperature-controlled water mattress. This allowed the therapists to exfoliate wrap and shower me without the need to get up, enabling me to enter a state of deep relaxation. My 90-minute session combined face, body and energy-emotional treatment to connect with myself. Centered around the ancient Egyptian belief, where queens were considered living goddesses, the therapists used Alqvimia's Queen of Egypt Body Oil which contained with Frankincense and Myrrh oleoresins, making the olfactory experience just as rewarding as the treatment.
Ear Acupuncture
I was very excited to try the ear acupuncture therapy which was first introduced in the West in the 1950s by Dr Paul Nogier. Ear Acupuncture is a micro-acupuncture technique similar to acupuncture which treats various ailments such as inflammation, circulatory, and digestive problems, insomnia and mental disorders, migraines, smoking, anxiety, acute or post-surgery pain, depression, digestive issues and behavioural health. I settled into the capable hands of Dr John Tsgaris. Dr John is a pioneer, expert and educator in cosmetic acupuncture having introduced the concept in the UK, a celebrity acupuncturist, and a lecturer. During the treatment, the ear acts as a network of trigger points on nerve endings to stimulate brain responses, working as a dynamic whole to identify specific imbalances within the body. Dr John firmly presses ear seeds into my ears to trigger a reaction.
Forest Bathing
For some downtime between my treatments I head to the sensory relaxation space for some forest bathing – yes forest bathing in the heart of Knightsbridge, a stones throw away from Harrods! The nature-inspired hues of the space combined with biophilic elements and integrated natural sounds and birdsong aim to lower blood pressure and lower cortisol. Such is the attention to detail of the HVN that even the soothing birdsong is a result of 24 hours of recording various bird species and other forest sounds such as gentle streams and wind rustling through the trees in Epping Forest (an ancient forest just outside of London). I quickly learn that by scanning a QR code I can ‘take home’ the forest sounds.
Skin Analysis
Expert facial and skin analysis is the cornerstone of the HVN’s initial assessment. A 30-minute session saw me receive the most in-depth analysis of my skin conducted using ‘The Visia’. This is best-in-class specialized equipment that uses multi-spectral imaging to reveal damage and signs of ageing on and beneath the surface of the skin that is not visible to the human eye. Additionally, the system can further assess wrinkles, texture, pores, red and brown spots, UV damage and much more. This allows the skincare professionals to recommend a personalized treatment plan for me and track my progress over time.
Fotona Facelift
I head in for my personalized 90 minute Fotona4D treatment which promises to be like a nonsurgical facelift, tightening, volumizing and restoring collagen to my face. The non-invasive procedure is a full lifting treatment which eliminates the need for fillers or toxins. The machines four different modes work on deeper, medial and superficial connective structures of the ski, reducing wrinkles and tightening my skin. With no downtime needed I am excited to come out looking naturally rejuvenated.
360 Integrated Health Evaluation
The next two hours I spend having my overall wellness evaluated. At the core of the HVN’s mission is to help people and the planet to thrive. They take a collaborative and holistic approach to support people with their personal wellbeing journey. With the Medical Director and Functional Medical team at hand we cover my medical history, skin and body concerns, lifestyle, nutrition & diet, emotional health, stress response, sleep, posture , life stages, and imbalances – incorporating my Visia skin analysis along with other relevant and initial tests l get a full picture of my overall health. I am entitled to two follow-up sessions and a follow up report which will help the team put together a restorative, reforming, rebalancing and solution driven programme specifcly for me, ensuring positive and long-lasting outcomes to enable me to look feel and live healthier.
Osteopathy
Last but not least I head into a 40 minute session to make sure that my osteopathy is in check so that I can keep busting out the Pilates moves. We go through a case history of my symptoms together with more information about my wider health and lifestyle. I am asked to do a few simple movements which help the osteopath make a diagnosis and identify my points of weakness and strain.
Aftercare
After my visit to the HVN I am pleasantly surprised to come home to an email with all my recommended treatment plans. These included everything from recommended supplements, skincare advice to a recipe for a daily adrenal tonic and even breathing exercises.