Perched on a quiet hill overlooking Colombier and Flamands’ blue waters is the right ambiance to get away from it all: Pure Altitude Spa. The location of this St. Barts spa is an indicator of the sereneness and calm you experience when you walk into Villa Marie St. Barth.
When it comes to spas, I’m a great test subject for uncovering how good a spa and its products truly are. Why? Because of my ultra-sensitive skin. When a product isn’t good, I feel a tingly burning sensation within seconds that makes me want to jump out of my seat and my eyes start to burn and tear up. To truly test out the high-quality of products used in a spa, send me to the evaluate. After putting Villa Marie St. Barth’s Pure Altitude Spa to the test? The St. Barts Spa passed with flying colors. So much so, that I even left with a few Pure Altitude products of my own. And if I bought beauty products, it means they’re good quality and you can trust me.
Heading down to Pure Altitude Spa 
The entrance
Like the rest of Villa Marie St. Barth’s opulent pleasures, Pure Altitude Spa is a horn of plenty, with unique signature offerings that can last anywhere from 25 minutes to 6 hours and 30 minutes for both men and women, including:
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Located near the reception, I was greeted with a great big smile and namaste by Spa Manager, Marine Victoria. After an eye-opening gap year spent soul-searching in Australia, Marine discovered her true passion for wellness and decided to pursue a spa degree at the Elegance Academy in Nice, France. She started off her career working at Maisons & Hotels property in Megève and (lucky me!) eventually took up working at the St. Barts spa at Villa Marie St. Barth.
Marine brought me inside Pure Altitude Spa and talked me through the origin story. Owner Jocelyn Sibuet had an alpine garden at the Megève property. She worked with a botanist and uncovered the magical and powerful skin benefits of the plant Edelweiss that inspired her to launch the skin care line Pure Altitude.
All the products are made in France and grown and harvested sustainably. Pure Altitude products uses rare plants that many don’t have access to. The plant they use like Edelweiss, Maca root, Antarcticine, and Birch Sap, have extremely potent healing powers. They are vegan and contain 0% parabens, phthalates, and all the other junk you usually see in products. Basically, Pure Altitude are products in their purest, raw form. They rely solely on the power of the plant.
We blow by the small boutique shop set up at the front and head straight for the backroom. We walk down a narrow white hallway with hats, woven baskets, and bags on display and enter a light mint blue colored room. I immediately start to snap pictures and capture content uncontrollably. From the wooden lamp with dry leaf-like frays to the rattan chair. After a few minutes, Marine gently pries the camera away from my fingers. “You won’t need that here,” she says with a sweet voice as she leads me to the padded table in the center of the room.
~ The Treatment ~
She points to a marble slab sitting on a light mint blue high-top table. She begins to walk me through the process and products we’ll be using for my 80 minute Soin Bol D’Air Pur treatment (160 euro value). The total face care treatment, which starts off with a back massage to unwind, involves a manual pressure point massage accompanied by hot Basalt stones and cool jade rollers.
She leaves me to prepare for my massage and I lay on the padded table listening to the the instrumental music wafting into my ears, instantly putting me in a relaxing mood. When she returns she sprays Pure Altitude’s mild, signature scent or eau de maison into the air called Fleurs de Neige, or snow flowers. The mist fills the room with the scent of narcissus, cyclamen, broom, and aromatic mountain herbs. As I close my eyes, I’m instantaneously transported into the South of France.
~ Back Massage ~
Marine begins with a back massage to loosen me up. She asks if I want a strong, medium, or mild massage. When in doubt, always go for medium. She covers me in oils and uses several different techniques. She massages me with such a deft touch that I feel nothing but warmth between her hands and my skin. I was so relaxed, my eyelids dozed off on the massage table.
~ Cleanser and Toner ~
After about 30 minutes, Marine asks me to lie down on my back so she could begin my facial. She begins to stir lotions and potions in a bowl. She begins by cleansing my skin and removing my sunscreen with Lait des Alpages (or alpine milk) with Edelweiss and Arnica. It was extremely nourishing for dry and sensitive skin like mine. The arnica calmed down any residual inflammation I may have had from my trip to Flamands Beach just an hour prior. I’ve become very familiar with arnicas healing properties following a recent ankle sprain so know how amazing this plant is! Marine then proceeds to tone my skin with a revitalizing herbal toner called l’eau d’Herbes à la menthe et à la mélisse with mint and lemon balm.
~ Hot Basalt Facial Stone Massage ~
I hear her grab the hot stones and rub them against one another before placing them on my face and collarbone. She proceeds to very lightly move the hot basalt stones in a circular motion. The facial stone massage instantly made me feel more relaxed. The stones act as iron on the muscles stimulating circulation, while the heat melts away tension and stress. Basalt stone massages are great for people with bad circulation, such as myself. By the end, the hot basalt facial stone massage relieved the tension in my neck and increased and balanced my circulation and energy.
~ Jade Roller Massage ~
We’re all aware of the Jade roller trend, but how many of us have actually experienced it? I know I hadn’t till now. Jade rollers are steeped in hundreds of years of history. Around 550 BC, the Confucius deemed Jade of supernatural origin. They believe it contained the essence of life, virtue, and eternity. I actually always thought of the tool as kind of silly. Yet for the next 5-10 minutes, Marine proceeded to roll the jade stone over my face in a cooling yet soothing motion that tightened the whole face and closed my pores. My sinuses also felt relieved following the treatment, probably because it aids in lymphatic drainage as well.
~ Exfoliation with Oat Face Scrub ~
This was the favorite part of my treatment. The exfoliation using a light oat face scrub or Le Gommage Flocons de Céréales. She spread the scrub onto my face and I shivered at the chilling sensation. She then proceeded to lightly move her fingers around in a circular motion to exfoliate and remove any dead skin cells. The oatmeal provided my face with antioxidants and minerals to my tired and/or sun damaged skin, while the Edelweiss combined with wheat, oats, and barley renewed and nourished the external part of my skin. Marine proceeded to tell me that there was also ground almond shell known for its astringent and purifying properties that was brightening and restoring a glow to my complexion. The cooling sensation from the oat scrub was sublime. I was snapped out of that state for a toner that revealed my vibrant and smoother skin.
~ Oil-Based Serum and Gel Face Mask ~
Marine massaged my face with Élixir à la Racine de Maca to restore my otherwise fatigued skin. Maca is considered the sacred plant of Peru, it stimulates the cellular metabolism and gives your complexion a glow. She finishes by applying a soothing and repairing gel face mask, Masque Fleurs de Givre, that is icy and fluid to relax my facial lines and renew skin. My face is then mummied in a heated towel. By the end, my face felt as smooth as newborn babies
~ Restorative Face Balm ~
Next came a restorative face and body balm, not a moisturizer per se, called Baume des Montagnes that contained essential oils like lavandin, coriander, mint, orange, petit grain, sage, and geranium massaged languidly into my face. My skin glistened tautly and I looked absolutely reborn. I sat up cautiously and was told to head out to the front of Pure Altitude Spa when I was ready.
~ Herbal Tea ~
By the time I emerged from the room I was so limp I could barely walk down the hall. Marine sat me in the chair in the boutique store and offered me Pure Altitude’s Signature detox herbal tea or tisane, Infusion des Fermes de Marie. The soft anise and licorice tea was the final step in ensuring I was completely relaxed and finished unwinding. What truly makes this St. Barts spa stand out from the others is its unique Pure Altitude products.
Before heading out of the St. Barts spa, I stop to browse the boutique store that sells a few items of clothing selected by Marie herself and of course the Pure Altitude products. I ended up purchasing the oatmeal face scrub, Le Gommage Flocons de Céréales, which is a big testament to how good their products are. As proof, I didn’t even buy it day of. I waited a day or two to see how my skin would settle and was so pleased with the results, I went back to purchase the product.
I left the St. Barts spa with every cell in my body breathing a new breath, having renewed energy in every sinew, and feeling more alive. Of course, the picturesque view of Flamands bay below and the surrounding hills separated by the turquoise sea is no less a massage for the eyes. You can get a treatment or buy a day spa pass at Pure Altitude Spa for only 160 euro, which includes one 50 min treatment of choice such as a relaxing massage, facial, or scrub, lunch by the pool with a starter and main course or main dish and dessert, and a sun lounger by the pool.
The St. Barts spa Pure Altitude Spa is open everyday from 8AM to 8PM.
>> Next: François Plantation Restaurant, St. Barts
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