Something Peridot Bridesmaid Dress Review

I have featured in my fair share of bridal trains in my lifetime, at least i can recall about 18 off the top of my head, so you can say i'm well versed with the bridesmaid world and the drama that typically comes with it. This was the major reason i opted for having no bridal train for my wedding, i had enough on my plate to deal with while planning my wedding without the extra stress. 

I had happily bowed out of being a bridesmaid for the rest of my life, after my friend ND's wedding in Feb, 2014. ND bought our bridesmaid dresses while abroad and it cost N15,000. It was a gorgeous dress and thankfully i have been able to rock it on several occasions after the wedding, unlike your typical Bridesmaid dress that is banished to the back of your wardrobe, taking up space and never to be worn again.

You can therefore imagine my dilemma when my close friend called me to be on her train, she explained that one of her bridesmaids had to opt out because she was preggers and she'd love to have her friends around her on the train, how could i say no to her?! I agreed and asked how much the dresses were, she said N40,000, i gasped and immediately wished i could backtrack or opt out but it was too late. The amount is the highest i have ever heard for a bridesmaid dress in my life, i'm told it's even an affordable price for your typical Lagos dressmaker/designer. I honestly did not have that kind of money to spare at the time and told her, she told me she was just informing me and payment wasn't going to be made straightaway, all i needed to do was send in my measurement.

I asked for the name of the person making the dresses and she said 'Something Peridot' (Peridot Official on IG). I looked them up immediately on IG searching for a justification for the cost of the dress (fabric, unique styles, etc.) and couldn't find any. There was nothing extraordinary about the pictures, the dresses in them looked well finished and fitted but the styles were not out of this world. I figured i'd been out of the bridesmaid game too long and did not know how things were done anymore. I eventually sent my measurements sometime in September according to the measurement sheet provided and i sent my payment early November as requested. Once all that was done, nothing about the dress came up, i did not get to see the style, sketch,etc. and just trusted that the bride-to-be had chosen a style she wanted us to wear and everything was going according to plan. We discussed Hair styles, Shoes, Jewelry and Makeup which is the norm for bridesmaids.

December arrives and i have added some inches since sending my measurements in September. Most of the other bridesmaids on the bridal train with me were from out of Lagos/Nigeria but made it down for a fitting. I was unfortunately unable to make the fitting 'cos I was stuck in the airport for 7+hours on the day everyone went for the fitting (Tuesday, Dec. 27th). I quickly informed the group that i had to get fitted and asked if alternative arrangements could be made 'cos i had added weight and the dress might not be my size if it was a fitted dress (remember i did not have a clue the style of the dress). 

The store-owner informed them that they would be closing for the year by 1:00pm that day and all her workers would be in Ogun State afterwards. I found that surprising 'cos she was well aware of the date of the wedding (Dec 29th) and knew most of us were from out of town and will require some form of fitting, it was also not a public holiday or a weekend. It definitely will not have been asking too much to have someone available a day to the wedding or on the morning of the wedding to address any issues that may arise. If this couldn't be done, the bride should have been informed way ahead of time so we could all find our way to Lagos earlier to be fitted or find an alternative. 

I also did not have getting fitted in mind when i booked my flight, i actually thought the fitting would be done a day before the wedding (Wednesday, Dec 28th). I had planned to fly into Lagos, visit some friends and just chill before entering bridesmaid mode before i got the message while at the airport that they were having a half day and would close for the year afterwards. 

It made no sense to me for the amount that was paid, even my local tailor who charges me wayyyy less  (I'm talking as low as N5,000 sometimes, depending on what he's sewing for me) makes sure my outfit is well fitted on me regardless of schedules because his name/business is at stake. He knows how important it is that his client looks good in his outfit 'cos that is how he gets referrals.

I finally got to see and try on the dress on the night of Dec 28th when we were all at the hotel and though i had been told the dress wasn't exactly a beauty to behold, i honestly did not expect it to be that bad, especially the Zip. *SIGH*

It was a simple monostrap dress that we should all have been able to rock at the wedding and even afterwards.

Everyone tried their best to censor their comments on the dress so as not to hurt the bride's feelings or make her feel some type of way. My dress was understandably tight as i couldn't get fitted but i did not understand why all the other bridesmaids who had made it to the fitting still had issues, some even had new issues they did not have prior to the fitting. It's either proper notes of the adjustments needed were not taken or her tailors just did as they pleased without supervision.

The bride mentioned that the style of the dress was not even what they agreed on, the dress was not supposed to be as fitted as it was, but since i never saw the sketch i won't dwell on that. 

I was told the owner of the store had an attitude and wasn't open to suggestions to help solve the issues with some of the dresses as follows:

1. A bridesmaid suggested that my dress be made a bit looser than the measurement i sent in 'cos it'd be easier to take the dress in to fit me than if i couldn't get into the dress at all. I think that was a very good suggestion as i could have found a tailor for that easily. I heard the store owner shutdown the suggestion and said i had to be there to be fitted even though they had explained to her that i was stuck at the airport and could not make it due to flight delays.

2. A bridesmaid had the issue of the dress lining being too tight and she was told to rip the lining open to fit into it O.O I don't know about you but i'd expect more care for a dress that cost N40,000.

I believe sizing, length and fit of the dress are contingencies that should be planned for especially when the bridesmaids you are catering to are not in your city/country and have to send in their measurement. It is always safer to add extra inches to the size and length of the dress, so when the person is physically present you can fit it to their perfect size. Afterall it is easier to take in and shorten a dress than to open it up and elongate. 

3. When she was told my dress wasn't my size and asked if anything could be done-maybe recommend a tailor we could go to or something like that-she said the best she could do was come on the morning of the wedding to help zip me into the dress (she mentioned her child was ill so the conversation was cut short with no solutions offered to the problems mentioned).

I should add that a friend who had worn a 'Something Peridot' dress on another bridal train had nothing good to say about her experience either. She told us that the store-owner had an attitude to her clients and after performing her bridesmaid duties she ended up leaving her bridesmaid dress on the hotel room bed (that's how much she disliked the dress). She said if she had known much earlier she would have advised us to use a different Brand.

My major issues with the dress and service from Something Peridot:

1. The store-owner was not the nicest nor willing to go out of her way to provide support and wasn't open to suggestions either as mentioned above. I don't understand why. All the bridesmaids (the clients) are hardworking grown women who paid for their dresses with their hard-earned money and have come together in the best interest of the bride. The money is income for the business so what would it hurt to give good customer service?

2. Some Adjustments to be made after the fitting session with the other bridesmaids were not done: 

a. Two Bridesmaids had their boobs 'spilling out' the side of the monostrap dress and had to keep adjusting it at intervals. It was so bad that a church attendant mentioned it and said they should cover up properly with their scarves. We ended up using a pin to make one of them fit better after the church ceremony.

'Spilling Boob' situation 

b. The Chief Bridesmaid had 'extra hips' on her dress before the fitting and it was never fixed. She mentioned this over the phone to the store-owner and was told to iron off the hips, that obviously did not work.

c. A bridesmaid did not have any hook added to the top of her zip to help secure the dress properly even after this was brought up during the fitting

d. Another bridesmaid ended up with her dress too tight after the fitting

3. The finishing of the dress was tacky, moreso for the amount it cost: 

a. The 'Exposed Zip' was an absolute eyesore (She said the bride approved of it but i'm sure it was  probably based on the store-owner's advice), that was the 1st thing that caught my eye as out of place when i saw the dress. It was obvious no thought was put in the color of the zip against the dress and it looked nothing like the images of exposed zips i saw when i googled the term. Several people asked about it as well, as kindly as they could. My local tailor laughed out loud when i showed him the picture and asked for his opinion.

b. The thread  used in the sewing of the dress was visibly different and peeking in some areas (maybe its just my OCD)

c. The hemming of the dress was not done in the slit part of the dress and the one at the bottom of the dress came apart for most of us after church ceremony. The slit of the dress also started ripping upwards.

4. The dresses were not ironed as they should have been with a steam iron 'cos of the type of fabric used for making the dress and when the Chief Bridesmaid brought it up the store-owner made it seem like a non-issue, afterall its just ironing ba. Nobody was ready to risk burning the dress by ironing it themselves and we had to wear them like that, thankfully it wasn't too noticeable in person and pics.

5. When it was time to pick up the dresses, i was told the store-owner kept repeating that she wasn't going to release the dresses until her balance was paid and she did not say this in a 'give me a second let me finalize with the bride on how to get my balance, then i can release the dresses' type of way. It's not a crime to ask for your balance when you have completed your work but she could have easily picked up the phone, asked the bride about it and sorted it out without making the bridesmaid that went to get the dresses feel uncomfortable.

Only one bridesmaid seemed to have no known issues with her dress after the fitting.

Let the quality of your business/brand speak for itself.

If the dresses were nice and looked great on all the other bridesmaids that were fitted, i would have looked for an alternative way to fit into the dress but I honestly could not wait to get out of the dress, which i eventually did after dancing into the reception venue with the bride.

Another bridesmaid also changed out of her dress because the slit had ripped open, she was fitted and hadn't had the dress on for up to 4 hours (she did not get to dance into the reception with the rest of us).

At least 4 of us on the bridal train are potential clients lost, talkless of us not being able to recommend or refer the brand to anyone due to the service we got.

No matter how Insta-famous or connected you are you need to have good customer service, strive to always make a good 1st impression. 

I did call the store-owner of 'Something Peridot' and let her know how we felt about the dresses and overall experience with her service. She apologized and immediately said she was sending a refund, i should send my account details and drop off my dress at their store. 

I had not called with the intent of getting a refund or anything like that, the whole experience just did not sit right with me and i made it clear to her it was not even about the money paid anymore. She however insisted on sending a refund and she sent me the full refund for the 6 dresses N240,000. 

I contacted the bride and told her about our conversation and the refund, the bride asked why she sent the refund since we had already used the dresses and the ceremony was over and i let her know i did not ask for it or expect it, i had called strictly to give feedback and to let her know i would be reviewing our experience with her.

The bride said she would speak with her and that i should transfer N200,000 (without my N40,000 payment) to her and drop my dress for it to be returned to Something Peridot, which i did. 

The Bride eventually sent back the N200,000 to Something Peridot and that's that about that.

Don't get caught up in the hype.

We will look nice in the pictures (if you use your Instagram Zoom feature, you will see some of the flaws, despite the filters used), 'cos we all posed at angles that were flattering and did our best to hide the flaws of the dress (i doubt you'll find any professional pics showing the back of the dress) plus the photographer was good at his job. 

However the experience we had with the dresses and having to manage them to make our friend happy will stick with us for a long time and honestly bridesmaids shouldn't have to be put in such a position after committing their time,money and energy to being a part of their friend's special day. 

We are lucky to be living in a time where we can capitalise on social media and use it to promote businesses but no one can deny the power and impact of an outfit speaking for itself (people complimenting you, asking where it was made and for a contact because of how good it looks on you), referrals, recommendation, feedback and word-of-mouth which was how most businesses made their name back in the day. 

Feedback/Positive Criticism is crucial to the growth of any business/brand.

This review is to help other brides-to-be & bridesmaids make a somewhat informed decision when selecting a dressmaker/designer instead of falling for the pretty Instagram pictures and ending up let down. 

I believe as Nigerians we need to do better with reviews, if you had a bad or good experience with a product or service (salon, dressmaker/designer, makeup artist, etc.) write or talk about it (give feedback), it will help other customers know what to expect and make informed choices and ultimately the business owners will have to improve their standard. 

We settle too much and this is why we are handed the mediocre for over-the-top prices. Any Brand that wants your hard-earned money should be able to meet up with the expected quality & service delivery. 

Buying Nigerian shouldn't mean compromising on quality. 

We could have easily gotten a great ready made dress and had it fitted to our individual sizes for way less than £100 which is the approximate equivalent of what the dress cost.

I don't know if our experience was a one-off (maybe too many orders, December holidays, workers acting up, etc.) and if the store-owner usually puts out better dresses & service than what we got but all it takes is one time to make a bad impression and your brand/business pays for it.
I am officially done with being a bridesmaid in this lifetime and sadly i would not recommend the 'Something Peridot' brand.

I'm glad and relieved to put this entire episode behind me, thankfully i still had fun at the wedding after changing into another dress. The experience was unnecessarily draining and i felt bad the bride was dragged into the discussion  after the wedding on our feelings about the dresses 'cos of my call to the store-owner and the refund made.

On a lighter note check out this YouTube Video on Nigerian Tailors.

I hope there is a resolve to do better in 2017.

Toodles!XooX

Lumo Naturals Salon *4th Time's a Charm* Major Upgrade!

*insert Beyonce's 'Upgrade you' here*

Reception Area

View from the Wet Room

Lumo Naturals has moved to Concept Plaza and i believe this was part of what they needed to take their services to the Next Level. 

I have not been to the salon since August 2014, i reviewed them twice before, read here and here. The 1st post i was a super unhappy customer and expressed my opinion about the salon and things that could be changed and the 2nd post was an update. I honestly did not do it to spoil their business, just to create awareness of where they were lacking from a neutral customer's point of view. 

I'm really glad they have stepped up their game and can now proudly say i don't quite mind making the trip to their salon in Gwarinpa to get my hair done. 

Here is the list of things i highlighted in my 1st post and i think all of them have been addressed:

• The salon arrangement
• The scheduling process for customers
• The seating provision for customers
• The no. of staff
• The no. of appliances,shoulder towels, shower caps, etc. for customers to use
• The customer service
• The provision of entertainment for waiting customers (can be looped Natural Hair Youtube videos-hairstyles, advice, products, etc.)
• The storage of hair products for sale (against theft)

Gwarinpa is totally out of my way and i probably would have not visited Lumo Naturals if not for my friend Tutu, she was visiting from outta town and getting her hair washed though so i decided to meet up with her and see how the salon was doing. I initially went to their old location but got their new address from their website, luckily it was walking distance. I was very impressed when i got there and was rid of the bitter taste in my mouth from my previous experience there. They had a reception area and a spacious, well arranged and nicely furnished salon. They also had natural hair videos playing on the TV and the staff seem to have been well trained to handle natural hair as they required no supervision. 

I really like the Ankara decor, mirrors, pot plants and the Product Shelf. It was a breath of fresh air.

They also have a fridge to buy refreshments.

Product Shelf

My friend was well catered too, she had her hair washed, conditioned and steamed, there is now a dedicated 'wet area' for washing your hair, etc and it has 2 separate wash basins and you have the option of warm water. 

The owner came in at a point and was quite warm this time and we had a nice brief  hair chat with her, which was nice. I believe they have a manager's office in the salon.

The Manager was really nice and i liked that their price list (really decent prices for a natural hair salon) is framed and in view at the reception.

This time around i had a very pleasant experience there and i wasn't even the customer, i have been super-busy and super-tired from work lately so i'm gonna put DIY on the backburner this week and go there to get my hair washed, steamed, etc. I'll add a quick update to this post after that, as a customer.

Price List

Lumo Naturals
F101, Concept plaza, beside Emirates hotel, 5th avenue, Gwarimpa.
08094823173 | 09-2911727 (They actually work!!)

My Experience (Update)

I got to the Salon on a Friday around 5:30pm after calling to book an appointment and i was done by 7:46pm which was a satisfactory time gap for me. If you've read my other posts you would understand why.

I had not combed my hair in forever, i just left it in a bun so it needed serious detangling. The hairstylist that attended to me was Fatima and i thoroughly enjoyed the service.

She sprayed my hair and put a mix all over it for some mins before proceeding to gently detangle my matted hair in sections, it was practically painfree, i couldnt believe it, afterwards my hair was shampooed in sections and washed with warm water, it was quite delightful. When i DIY i'm to lazy to heat up water for my hair.

She then applied a mix to my hair and a showercap over it with a paper wrap to prevent water dripping out and ear muffs to protect my ears. This was without a doubt my most comfortable steam. It lasted about 45mins i think before i had it washed off then she applied conditioner to my hair and i had it on for about 5mins then she combed my hair in sections before my final rinse with cold water (seals the hair cuticles) #bestfeelingever!

I loved that my shoulder towel was changed after my steam session and a dry microfibre towel was also used on my wet hair after conditioning.

I requested to have my hair dried with cool air, 'cos i did not want my scarf to get wet (it cost #500) and also told her i did not want any product with coconut oil used on my hair ('cos my hair is protein sensitive) so she used shea butter instead. My hair was dried and 'buttered' up and put in loose chunky twists. I love how my hair smelled from the fragrance of the shampoo and conditioner-very yummy.

Proper tools were used on my hair and i liked that (wide tooth comb,shower caps,ear muffs,soft microfibre towels, hair clips, etc.)

I entertained myself during my hair session by reading (Lupita's Vogue Edition) from their selection of magazines, that made time go by faster.

I paid #4,000 via PoS when i was done which is definitely a very decent price for the service i got (hair products & tools used,light-gen,water,services).

The Salon was quite full and i did not notice any customers waiting as they now have quite a good no. of staff. 

I noticed a sign at at he reception stating that MEN are not allowed in the main salon, most likely because of muslim women that may be getting their hair done, which is understandable.

Regarding my Past Review of the Salon-Honest Feedback from customers on services/products is important though most Nigerian businesses are not used to it, they should embrace it as it will ultimately improve their business; although mine was written laced in anger hence the tone, it was mostly constructive criticism because of the perceived potentail. 

I think its a plus to have been able to win me back.

I can now confidently recommend this salon to my fellow naturals. Call and book ahead though so you can avoid waiting, they were fully booked for Saturday.

I have ZERO complaints this time around, i got my money's worth, TLC for my hair and a break from DIY.

Toodles!XooX

New Phone!!HTC Desire Eye

front view

side view

I have gone through my fair share of Blackberry phones- Bold 3, Bold 5, Bold 6.

The Blackberry Bold 6 was the last one i used before i hung my BB boots n fully joined d android train and it was long overdue for a change. It had battery issues, was restarting/freezing at will, the touch screen/scroll pad had a mind of their own *SIGH! u catch my drift. I had joined briefly with my Nexus 4 but neva got to fully experience it before it was stolen. 

I now have the HTC Desire Eye (light blue color) thanks to my lovely hubby. He got it for me along with a Dot Case sometime in June 2015 as a late birthday gift (I got him the One+2 android phone for his birthday, so he was trying to match up.lol). He did the techie research part on the phone and decided it would be the best for me, all i wanted was a phone with an awesome camera.

Verdict on my new phone-Great Choice & Purchase!! Loving it so far.

The hardest part for me migrating to an android phone is the data plan, it is pricey! n i definitely miss my 1k5 per month Blackberry data plan. I go through at least about N4,030 (4030mb) monthly for data 'cos i end up renewing twice a month. I have learnt to manage my data usage better though, i monitor it n use strictly wifi for data zapping apps and i've been able to reduce my data cost to N2,015 (2015mb MTN data plan). I DO NOT miss my Blackberry.

It was easy transferring my contacts, the phone had a setup for me to do that via bluetooth. What i had issues with transferring was my notes, i had to manually copy and mail them to myself. I installed the Google keep app to resolves this issue in the future so i can easily access my notes if i change phone. I'm not a fan of memory cards as i have had too many crash on me n loose my data, in cases where i did not backup. I just manually copied selected music n pics directly to d phone memory. Apps and Updates take wayy too much internal storage space though.

DotView case on

I totally love dis phone, only complains are there isn't much internal storage and the pricey MTN data plan. You can reduce data consumption by selecting 2G mode when the phone is not in active use and by disabling background data for apps and autosync. I do app updates only over wifi and use data consuming apps like Snapchat, IG, Youtube on it. You can monitor ur apps to see which uses the most data.

what is Other??!

Hubby also got me a 64GB memory card to solve the storage issue (he knows i love taking pics and vids), the 1st one (Transend brand) crashed but the 2nd one (Sandisk brand) has been working just fine. I still backup my phone regularly on my laptop though, so i don't lose my data, in case my memory card crashes again or my phone gets stolen, etc.

Asides dat i'm a happy bunny. 

Favorite feature on the phone-13 mega-pixel front facing camera with flash.

Favorite phone accessory- My HTC earphones and Dot View Case Get instant access to your phone, without even opening the case. HTC Dot View lets you use voice controls, answer calls, receive email notifications, schedule reminders, get weather updates and more (some features not available on all phones). We've also added some secret surprises that are sure to make you smile.
Change the way you use your phone with the dual-purpose case that combines form and function.

Some DotView Features:
- Redial recent calls with a swipe up
- Review notifications by swiping left or right
- Skip songs or pause playback
- Personalize your HTC Dot View with theme
- Play games
- Display a scrolling message
- Turn on your speaker during a phone call
- Control the flashlight and voice recorder (only available with Sense 7 or later)
- Snooze alarms

I have quite a no. of apps on my phone, some came with the phone while i installed the rest. Here's a list of my current active apps:

Social Media

• BBM
• Whatsapp
• Twitter
• Snapchat
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Swarm
• Foursquare
• Skype

Camera/Photo Editing

• Camera 360
• VSCO
• PicPlayPost
• Layout for IG
• Repost
• PicMix
• Photoshop Express

Video

• Youtube
• VLC
• Flipgram

Religious

• Devotion
• Bible

Language

• Duolingo
• Byki 
• Dictionary
• Yoruba Dictionary
• Google Translate

Google

• Gmail
• Google Chrome
• Google Play Music (i need another music app though, this one keeps erasing my playlists at will)

Organization

• Calendar
• Google Keep
• Office Suite

Battery Saver

• DU Speed Booster

Games

• Fruit Ninja
• Subway Surf
• Sudoku
• Wordsearch

I cracked my phone screen sometime in December when it dropped screen first on a concrete floor, normally the case would have protected it but it was torn (someone pulled at the case till it got a tear in it and it just got worse from there till the front part of the case completely ripped off) and not covering the screen properly and i'd been managing it like that.I have now gotten a screenguard and new Dot View phone case (rily loving the color, i believe its raspberry, my former one was blue) to prevent any more cracks and dents on my preciousssss *in smiggles voice* lol.

I would definitely recommend this phone to anyone looking to get an android phone. Click here for more in-depth technological information on the phone.

Toodles!XooX

Beyond Indulgence Spa Review

spa premises

My bestie, Antonia, was in town for the Christmas & New year holidays! I hadn't seen her since December, 2013 (she was around for my birthday) and it was an absolute delight having her around and catching up. She got me a lovely spa set, notepad, caftan and a birthday card containing the sweetest words for my birthday. I hosted her, my sis and other friends @my house with plenty food, small chops, drinks, cake and karaoke for my birthday (i shall do my usual bday post with more info) it was really fun. Coincidentally her house is just 'bout a 5min walk from my house so we got to see each other every other day *big grin!

Anyways i digress, i had been wanting to visit the spa for a while and when i mentioned it, she said i should pick a spa and we could go together as my birthday treat (isn't she just the bestest!). That's how i started spa hunting-googling & making calls -i wanted an affordable spa and sadly my usual spa (MB hammam) have hiked up their prices.

We settled on Beyond Indulgence Spa 'cos it had the most affordable price, looked decent from our research and i wanted to try a different spa.

MB Hammam

Basic Hammam N15,750 (used to be N10,000)

Traditional Hammam  N16,800 (used to be N12,000)

Six Senses Spa

Body Scrub N11,500

Morroccan Bath N18,500

Special Bath N25,000

Beyond Indulgence Spa

Basic N10,500

Complete basic (with Henna) N12,500

Traditional/Herbal Hammam N15,000

Soukhla Hammam N20,500

Reception

I called to book our appointment for 4:30pm, we got there on time and were welcomed at the reception. I asked if they have a PoS, they said it wasn't working but after the treatment they would have someone follow us to the ATM and collect the money. No wahala. We were led to the waiting area and were offered tea and water, which we declined. 

Waiting area

We only waited about 5mins before we were led through the salon to where we changed our shoes and were given constructible slippers and up the stairs to the spa section. We were led into the changing room which was really small and not quite welcoming (maintenance issues); we changed into towels and were given shower caps and free disposable undies.

Stairwell

Changing room

We went into the bath area where some olive oil based black soap was rubbed on us and we were led to a real nice steam room (it was white and bright with seats and looked like something out a sci-fi movie), i noticed the steam took a while to build up though n escapes real quick when d door is opened and this happened a couple of times. We were given a face towel for stopping sweat getting into our eyes and bottled water to drink in the steam room. There was nice soothing music playing in the background all the while.

Steam room

After about 20 minutes, we were taken out of the steam room and back to the bath area which had two tile slab beds with yoga mats (mine was yellow and had black stains and dots on it. i wasn't happy with that) on them. Warm water was used for us throughout, we laid down face down on the slab and were lathered with soap n were scrubbed proper and then we turned over for a repeat. The yoga mat was quite unstable and i kept sliding up and down the direction i was being scrubbed, i had to grab unto the tiles to avoid sliding off and there was no cushion to put head on so my braids got wet during rinsing. I'm not sure if the scrubbing sponge was new n used just for us.

Bath area

Bath area

The scrubbing was quite vigorous for me but definitely much needed, i guess their staff was bent on ridding me of all the dry peeling skin from my spots thanks to my Pityriasis Rosea episode (i'll do an update soon on my current situation and the effects harmattan has had on my skin) She did a good job. We were rinsed afterwards and given soap to wash our face, after proper rinsing we were sprayed with rosewater, tied our towels and headed for the changing room. Sadly we had to use the same 'unravelling' slippers we wore in the bath area to the changing room, it was soaking wet and frustrating 'cos it wouldn't stay on our feet.

Unravelling slippers and wet floor

Thanks to our wet unravelling slippers, the carpet in the changing room also got wet and it was difficult sliding moving around to change.The towel i was given was shedding n left annoying white fluff on my body, there was no moisturizer in the changing room n everyone knows how drying Hammam is talkless of during harmattan, luckily we brought along body moisturizer n shea butter which we used. It would have been nice to have partitions for privacy to change & dress up and a seat to do my makeup. I had to makeup in d lounge restroom which had better lighting

They had attentive n courteous staff, no PoS like i mentioned earlier so we had to drive Keystone bank with their guard n give him d cash

It was nice getting to have a spa time with Antonia this time around, the last time i had to leave her all alone at MB Hammam.
I rate them 6/10. They lost points for the following:

• Need for minor renovations on the premises-peeling wallpaper, cracked walls, etc.
• Not having a Pos 
• The several black unknown dots/stains on the yellow yoga mat placed on the slab where i was scrubbed
• No moisturizer or chair to seat or privacy partition in the small changing room
• Small showercap and no cushion to place my head during the bath so my hair got wet at the back
• Towel was shedding white fluff (sooo annoying)
• Tacky slippers that kept unravelling and making it hard to walk
• The scrubbing sponge used did not look new and we were not informed if it was or not

Toodles!XooX