Ishga at Crerar Isle of Mull Hotel and Spa
The brand is known for its anti ageing credentials and its beautiful history. Having had their treatments at spas before, especially at the likes of Blythswood Square Spa in Glasgow and Ellenborough Park in Gloucestershire - both of which are known for their high end luxury feel, I already knew that this was a brand with its finger on the pulse.
However, I was curious to know whether the spa vibe could be just as effective at home. Obviously few things beat good therapist expertise, but with the opportunity to sample a selection of their products post treatment, there’s definitely an opportunity to keep all that good work going post treatment… they also make excellent gifts!
I am a massive fan of candles and have them peppered over the house, but it’s hard to find ones that actually smell lovely once they are burning and that really make the house smell lovely. The Ishga candle is hand poured with a sprinkle of seaweed and blends mandarin, geranium rose and patchouli. The result is so potent and (for want of a better word) spa-y that just taking the lid off and leaving it in the room for a day made the house smell lovely, so I was already a convert. Everything down to the packaging is hand drafted on the Isle of Lewis, so there is a real authenticity to it as well.
The Invigorating Body Oil does exactly what it says on the tin. You can put it in the bath or apply it directly to the skin post wash, and it really is invigorating. Moisturising and revitalising for skin, the seaweed contains vitamins A, C and E, along with trace elements and amino acids which improve circulation, increase skin’s moisture content, firms, regenerates, detoxifies and nourishes. I am also told it reduces cellulite which I am very much looking forward to with longer term use! The scent is almost lemony which really is a good way to help wake up in the morning and it goes very nicely with the candle scent, so they work beautifully in harmony together.
Similarly to the body oil, the face oil has a fresh, lemony scent - only it is a little more subtle. You only need a couple of drops of the oil and you can apply it as a moisturiser after cleansing and toning, or as a serum before your regular moisturising cream. The lovely thing about it is that despite being an oil it doesn’t feel at all greasy and my skin was noticeably smoother, no doubt courtesy of the geranium, jojoba, sweet almond and, of course, seaweed.
A really beautiful, thick cream that feels a bit like a souffle and smells a little like applying lemon meringue to your skin, I adored this cream. You can apply it after your toner or after the facial oil, whichever suits you best, but either way it has all the markers of a high quality product and is also great for my super sensitive skin. Once again enriched with seaweed extract, it contains a myriad of lovely oils, and topped off with Hebridean natural spring water, it softens, repairs and moisturises, leaving the skin with a protective barrier.
I love a salt scrub, especially in the summer when it makes you feel all glowey, and this really is one that makes your skin feel as soft as a baby’s bottom when you wash it off. Once again it has a very lemony scent which is invigorating and makes it great for morning use or to revive after a long day. Completely natural and unrefined, it retains over 60 naturally occurring trace elements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc, all of which are essential for good health and wellbeing, topped off with the brand’s signature blend of essential oils that creates that lovely smell I keep talking about.
While you don’t need the whole collection of products to feel utterly spoiled, having all these lovely skincare items to try really has made me feel beautifully pampered, and really extends the spa experience once you return home. I am already earmarking the once I intend to buy as Christmas presents!
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