Alila Living: From luxury resorts to beauty products!

When we think of luxury hotels, the first things that come to mind are the exclusive opulence, elegantly appointed rooms and first class service all coming together to create a unique ambiance that only the best brands can offer.

An integral part of that luxury experience has always been the spa, a haven for beauty buffs who can relax, rejuvenate and have their worries pampered away in surroundings that the word chic was invented for.

At the forefront of this trend is Singapore-based Alila Hotels. And anyone who has ever been fortunate enough to spend any time in any of their properties in Indonesia and India will know they are a brand which pays particular attention to that side of hospitality.

We’re pretty sure that anyone who has soaked in their Balinese inspired spas would have wanted to take a little bit of that bliss back home with them. So it comes as no surprise that the group has decided to make its range of in house beauty products available to the public at large.

Alila Living – which is available via their website www.shopalila.com – was born out of the weight of customer demand, so us mere mortals should really doff our caps to those luxury hotel guests who badgered the chain into submission.

From skincare to hair, bath and body, essential oils and more – all the Alila products are chemical-free and made in Bali using natural ingredients and extracts like Indian Fig, the rare brown lavender, ginger, lemongrass and more. The best part? Those lovely people at Alila put all the luxury and love into the products, and forgot to add it to the prices, meaning we can splash out and get the experience at just a fraction of the cost.

Being fans of everything holistic here at Marie France Asia, we tried some of the products for ourselves as soon as they launched. And while everything smelled delicious, felt great and lived up to the Alila standards, a few items exceeded our expectations so we wanted to share a little more about them with you:

Body butter: Balinese Blossom (USD27)

Otherwise available in warming Cocoa & Honey, invigorating Green tea & Lime, and refreshing Mandarin & Grapefruit scents (yes we tried them all!), The Balinese Blossom body butter stood out for us. Perhaps because it reminded us of the smell of famous Balinese flower, Frangipani, this body butter was delicately scented, rich yet fast absorbing and left our skin feeling soft for a good few hours after applying it. If you want to take a piece of Bali with you, then this is the one!

Coolcumber Body Milk (USD6)

This fresh scented body milk is perfect for those of us who live in a humid and warm climate. Its crisp smell and velvet texture did not leave us sticky once we stepped out. We love the hints of lavender and lemon which further add to the freshness of the cucumber seed oil and leave a zesty moist feel after we apply it. Its handy size means you can carry it in your purse so don’t hold back!

Deep Sleep Pillow Mist (USD6)

Ok we have to admit, this has to be our favourite product of the lot, simply because we love having a good beauty sleep! Not to mention because once sprayed on the pillow, this blend of lavender and chamomile essential oils tricks us into thinking we’re staying at the hotel so we automatically relax and surrender to deep sleep.

Indian Fig Finishing Cream (USD28)

First developed as Alila’s men’s range, this cream has won over so many of their female customers that it is now more of a unisex product!

Tamarind – or Indian fig – is well-known for its antiseptic, skin-tightening and anti-oxidant qualities which makes it a perfect ingredient for this moisturizer. Teamed with vanilla extract and rare brown lavender absolute, the smell of this cream is more on the heavy side but totally intoxicating and leaves you feeling ready to conquer the world.

Suitable for women as a daily moisturizer – and for men as a soothing aftershave, this might be one product to fight over with your other half – or perhaps happily share.

Rana Wehbe-Flinter

Alila Living products are available online at ShopAlila. Worldwide shipping available.