Situated above La Bodega, that backbone of Telawi life, Ozmosis feels a world away from the blazing sun that always seems to accompany Bangsar. Quietly decked out in wood, trickling water and the perennial scent of essential oils, it’s peaceful, small and clean.

The latest treatment to hit the Ozmosis spa menu is the Lava Shell Therapy, in which tiger striped clam shells harvested from the South Pacific islands are filled with an allnatural lava gel which self-heats when activated and stays hot for over an hour. Basically, they’re the new hot stones (those are so last year), with the added benefit of staying warmer longer.

Unlike hot stones though, the shells are not just placed at key points but used to deliver the massage – first in long, smooth strokes down my back, then kneading at the shoulders and the base of the spine. The rounded crown of the shell is used for the broad strokes, and then it’s turned on its head to use the hinge for working out knots and pressure points. At first the shells are tingling, moving sensation across my back but I soon grew accustomed to their warmth as they were pulled across my soles, up my legs and down my arms. Then I fell asleep. Besides the obvious immediate effects of stress relief and relaxed muscles, the shell therapy also claims to regulate the skin’s natural renewal process and improve blood circulation, detoxification and sleep. I can attest to the last. Emma Chong