A year on from moving into a larger premises, the Alkemí hair, beauty and holistics salon and centre has become widely known as a focal point for beauty and well-being, the range of inter-related services and treatments attracting clients from all over the region.
Feeling great and looking great are often inseparable: physical and emotional well-being shine through in our appearance, and if we are confident we look good on the outside, it unquestionably helps us to feel good on the inside. Diana Dudas, the top hairstylist and holistic therapist who created Alkemí, understands this completely.
Diana wanted to offer clients more than making them look fabulous on the outside. She wanted to offer them the chance to feel healthier and more balanced as well. She wanted to help clients “to feel better in themselves, and about themselves.”
Beginning with our ‘crowning glories’, the Alkemí hair salon has a reputation as one of the best in the Levante. The Alkemí hairstylists, Stella and Pat, are British-trained, highly experienced and always bang up-to-date on the latest looks, trends and hairdressing techniques and products for ladies, gents and children.
Stella and Pat cover the full hairstyling spectrum: wet and precision cuts, complete restyles, root colours, perms, full head foils and much more. It is not just their extensive styling skills which stand out though. It is also the individual client attention. Stella and Pat take time to consult each client to discuss their preferences in cuts, styles and colour effects, to talk about the client’s lifestyle and the time they can dedicate to maintaining their hair, ensuring the client walks out the salon with the look which suits them best all-round. They also offer clients invaluable advice on hair condition and care.
Unsurprisingly both Stella and Pat have many regular clients; so many in fact that appointments do need to be made at least a week in advance.
A recent and very welcome addition to the Alkemí team is part-time receptionist Sue. Always friendly and highly efficient, Sue deals with appointments and general enquiries.
Diana credits her highly professional team for being the “secret behind the Alkemí success story”, stressing that having such trusted, highly thought of and skilled staff allows her to concentrate on further developing the well-being side of the business,.
Diana has many years’ experience in cutting and styling hair, including a number of years in New York, but over a decade ago now, she began turning her personal interest in a complementary, holistic approach to health into an additional career. Today, Diana is not only a qualified therapist in various holistic treatments and a member of the Federation of Holistic Therapists, she is also qualified to teach and train other therapists.
Diana is a firm believer in addressing the root cause of health problems and ailments by treating the whole person to find long-term cures instead of quick fixes dealing only with isolated symptoms. The continuously growing number of enquiries and clients for the holistic treatment side of Alkemí strongly suggests that increasingly more people share Diana’s confidence in the effectiveness of a complementary approach to health.
“In the past people were not so aware how powerful holistic treatments can be and how important they can be in preventing illness caused by long-term stress or emotional problems”, Diana commented.
“I’m really excited that now so many people are seeing the importance of holistic therapies and of taking care of themselves, opting to have treatments on a regular basis for long-term relief as an alternative to running to the doctor for a pill every five minutes!”
Many of the clients for the Alkemí holistic therapies are also clients for the hair styling and beauty treatments, who regularly set aside a morning or an afternoon for their visit to Alkemí, allowing them to enjoy a complete pampering and well-being experience.
Aromatherapy is just one of the therapies clients can enjoy at Alkemí. Aromatherapy is based on the concept that plants’ essential oils have different healing properties. Diana therefore customizes the combination of oils to the needs of each individual client, combining the treatment with therapeutic massage, which assists the body to absorb the oils and carry them through the circulation system to the organs. This creates chemical changes in the body’s system which in turn brings about physical effects. There are also psychological effects from inhaling the fragrances.
Reiki is another very popular therapy at Alkemí. The treatment effectively draws on life’s “universal energy” to assist the body to relax and to stimulate self-healing. Diana incorporates crystals in the Reiki session to further enhance the healing benefits.
Massage offers a variety of benefits, among them aiding relaxation, easing aches and pains, improving blood and lymph circulation, increasing energy levels and feelings of vitality and helping to trigger the body’s natural painkillers. Diana is qualified in a number of different kinds of specialised massage, including Swedish and Thai, and tailors the massage type to the client’s specific needs or symptoms. She also offers Indian head massage, which she recommends for clearing congestion of the neck, shoulders and upper back, and helping to relieve eye strain, tension headaches and stress, among other conditions.
Diana says that for pain relief and treatment of stress-related conditions such as backache, sciatica, arthritis and digestive disorders, reflexology may be the most appropriate treatment.
Reflexology is based on the principle that reflex points on the soles, tops and sides of the feet are connected to corresponding areas throughout the body and that by working on these reflexes using special massage techniques, a reflexologist can help correct imbalances in the body and release blocked energy. The knock-on effects are to boost the immune system, improve circulation and reduce stress, leaving the client with an overall sense their body is more in harmony. There are the same ‘mappings’ on the hands, and Diana can work on the hands if a client prefers not to have their feet touched
Sinus problems, ear problems and tinnitus can also be painful, troublesome conditions. Once again, Alkemí and Diana can come to the rescue – with Hopi ear candling, another very gentle and relaxing treatment.
“Mehta” massage, also known as facial rejuvenation or a natural face-lift, is an Alkemí treatment which falls into the inner and outer beauty categories is. Mehta massage is a holistic and non-invasive way to help reduce the visible signs of ageing and improve skin tone, helping clients to look and feel fabulous.
Some clients may have a good idea of the holistic treatment which would be most appropriate for their particular condition or requirements. But there will be many who though keen to try holistic therapies will be somewhat in the dark as to what kind would be best for them. Diana invites anyone to drop into Alkemí for an informal chat or to pick up a brochure with information about the different treatments to take away and read at their leisure.
Before actually beginning a therapy on a new client, Diana carries out an in-depth consultation, establishing the client’s complete medical background. This allows her to recommend which treatments would be most suitable for each individual, and most importantly, to ensure the treatments are perfectly safe for the client according to any medical conditions from which they may suffer and that they are compatible with any medications they may take.
Diana will always recommend a client try a complementary treatment for which they would have to go to another therapist if that would offer greater benefits, emphasizing that advising people on the treatments they should try, how they can help themselves at home and giving them on-going advice is a crucial part of a holistic approach to health. She emphasizes too the personal gratification for her of seeing clients feeling better and more positive because they have followed her advice.
Alkemí also offers the opportunity to learn how to give treatments yourself, equipping you with the ability to help others and to take more control for your own well-being. Diana, an experienced lecturer, runs workshops and courses with demonstrations and hands-on experience in Reiki levels I, II and Master, Hopi ear candling, hot stone massage and Indian head massage, as well as feng shui. A number of the courses Diana runs are specifically aimed at already qualified therapists, providing an opportunity to build on and develop holistic skills and qualifications.
The most recent development at Alkemí is a logical progression from the workshops and courses: the Alkemí Therapists Support Group, which has the full backing of the Federation of Holistic Therapists. Diana realized there was a need for a support system for holistic therapists of all kinds in this area, allowing “like-minded people interested in health and well-being to get together, network, and learn from each other.”
The idea is to organize workshops, training days, days out and social events, and for the group to serve as a forum for ideas and a therapy exchange. Diana stresses that by no means is the support group limited only to specialists in the therapies available at Alkemí. She is arranging for speakers to give talks on a whole range of related topics - there will for example be a talk on the Bowen Technique on 14th November – and Diana is keen to hear from all local holistic therapists and anyone who would be interested in giving a talk on a relevant topic to the group in the future. She would also like to organize therapy taster days in the future, which would give the public an opportunity to come and find out more about the broad range of holistic therapies offered in this area.
The natural beauty and complementary health retail side to Alkemí is the perfect complement to the salon and holistic treatments, and has really taken off as interest has grown and more and more people drop into the centre to, as Diana puts it, “purchase items which make them feel better.”
Products on sale include organic shampoos, conditioners and shower gels, crystal deodorants, massage oils, vitamins and supplements, Hopi ear candles, detox patches, aromatherapy oils and much more; Diana is continuously updating and adding to the range and type of products available in response to customer demand. Diana will always do her best to source specific items requested by clients, but if she can’t get hold of them herself, she will point them in the right direction. And she is always more than happy to offer advice on any of the products.
Many of the items available at Alkemí make lovely presents, and Alkemí offers gift vouchers so friends and family can choose exactly what they want for themselves. Alkemí can also supply products wholesale, and many of the retail clients are complementary therapists.
For more information about the Alkemí hair and beauty offer, the range of holistic therapies, the workshops and courses and the products for sale, check out the Alkemí website: the site has the facility for on-line purchase of products and for course and workshop bookings. Better yet, pop into the Alkemí salon and well-being centre in person.
The centre’s location in Pueblo Laguna, just by the Las Buganvillas roundabout, makes it ideally placed for clients from all around the Levante area, as well as for tourists during the holiday months. There is always plenty of parking near the centre and it’s on the Vera bus route – actually the bus stops right outside Alkemí.
The atmosphere at the centre is relaxed and friendly, and clients soon discover that not only does the entire Alkemí team rank very highly for expertise and experience, but also for good old-fashioned customer service.
“We’re all very customer service orientated, and we take care of our clients”, Diana stresses.
Diana set out to establish a centre which stood out from the crowd for bringing together such a comprehensive beauty and well-being offer under one roof, but also for always putting the client first. The ongoing success of Alkemí shows these are aims which Diana and her team have undeniably achieved.
