Everything before you book
Frequently asked questions
The questions I am asked most often, grouped by when they come up. If yours is not here, write to me: I reply within 24 hours.
Before the session
- How far ahead should I book?
- Two days ahead where you can, subject to availability. For a particular date or a weekend, allow a little more time.
- What happens if I am running late?
- The session starts at the agreed time and ends when it was due to: if I have to wait, that time comes out of it. Please be ready to let me in on time, ideally ten to fifteen minutes beforehand — I need that time to set up. I have appointments through the day, and a delay pushes back everyone after you.
- How much space do you need?
- About 2 m × 2 m is enough, and 15 minutes to set up. I bring the table, fresh linen, the oils and the music: you need to prepare nothing.
- Do you come to hotels and villas?
- Yes, to hotel rooms and villas alike. If the property asks for it, simply let reception know I am coming.
- Do I need to choose my massage before the session?
- Not at all. Every session begins with a moment to talk, so I can understand exactly what you need. I then draw on everything I know to create something that is yours alone. My hands adapt to what your body needs, there and then.
- Which oils do you use?
- A neutral oil, unscented and without additives, which suits everyone. No essential oils. For reflexology I use talc, and the Gentle Thai Massage is done without oil.
- Are there situations where you will not massage?
- Yes, and they are listed in the box at the foot of this page. Tell me everything when you book: you will fill in a short health questionnaire before the session.
During the session
- Do I need to undress?
- For the oil massages, you keep only your underwear on below the waist (women remove their bra). Your chest is covered with a towel and the rest of your body by a sheet. Choose underwear you do not mind about, as the oil could mark it. For the Gentle Thai Massage you stay dressed in loose clothing; for reflexology only your feet are uncovered. (Wellness massage, strictly non-erotic.)
- What if the pressure bothers me?
- Tell me, and I adjust or stop. I also keep asking as we go. You can say stop at any moment without having to explain.
- What is the Ritual in three movements?
- An arriving breath, sitting down, then the massage shaped around how you feel today, then a returning breath with a glass of water. A body does not relax on command: it needs a beginning and an end.
- Can I add reflexology to my massage?
- Yes. The Reflexo option adds fifteen minutes of foot reflexology at the end, for €20 more. You choose it when you book, and it costs €10 with the Wellbeing Follow-Up, the monthly plan.
Payment and cancellation
- How can I pay?
- On the day, in cash or by MB Way. Remotely, for gift cards and packages, by PayPal.
- Can I cancel or reschedule?
- Yes, free of charge up to 24 hours before the session. After that the session is payable, unless something health-related comes up.
- Is there a travel fee on top?
- Travel is included within the Albufeira council. It is €15 to Vilamoura, Quarteira and Armação de Pêra, and €30 to Lagoa, Portimão, Loulé, Almancil and Faro, with a 90-minute Ritual or two people minimum. Beyond that, it is quoted case by case. See every town and its travel fee
- How do gift cards work?
- You choose an amount from €80, or a massage. I prepare the card and email it to you. It is valid for one year.
Languages
- Which language will we speak?
- I speak French and Portuguese fluently. English I am still learning, and I get a little better every week. Speak to me simply, with a little patience, and we will understand each other very well.
How I work
- Are you certified?
- Yes, a wellness practitioner certified by the École Internationale du Spa in Paris. Before that I spent fifteen years in hospital work, in the pharmacy and then in the operating theatre.
- Is this medical care?
- No. These are wellness massages, not medical. They replace neither medical advice nor any course of care, and they promise to relieve nothing. My role stops where a doctor’s begins.
- Are the massages strictly non-erotic?
- Yes, without any ambiguity. Intimate areas are never massaged, the sheet covers you throughout, and any inappropriate behaviour ends the session immediately, with the session still payable.
- Do you see men?
- Yes, women and men. Only the Mum-to-Be Ritual is, naturally, for pregnant women.
Cannot find your question?
Write to me — I answer you myself, within 24 hours. No question is silly, least of all before a first session.
Wellness massage, not medical, and strictly non-erotic.