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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Some alternative spa treatments at D'Orient Spa's new location downtown have some mall patrons emerging from the Yk Centre looking more relaxed.

D'Orient Spa and Rejuvenation Centre owner Melody But has opened a new express location of the spa in the Yk Centre. - Thandiwe Vela/NNSL photo

An oxygen lounge and aqua massage bed, which involves water jets beating against a leather bed, are among the unique services featured at D'Orient Spa Express, which opened on the mall's lower level this summer.

"I didn't want to do the same thing as everybody else," said Melody But, who also owns D'Orient Spa and Rejuvenation Centre at Monkey Tree Mall. "I wanted to do something different."

Express does not offer manicures and pedicures. It focuses on 10-, 20- and 30-minute services including the oxygen lounge, waxing, stand up tanning, aqua massage, and traditional massage services with a registered massage therapist.

Oxygen bars have proven popular in places such as Las Vegas and Japan, by those who sometimes overindulge, But said.

"It's really good for hangovers," she said, adding the spa's oxygen concentrator produces 95 per cent pure oxygen. "It's more or less filtered. It purifies. It's good for fatigue, if you feel sluggish--it's uplifting."

But has wanted to open the downtown spa location for several years since opening the original D'Orient Spa in 2004, to cater to clients who might live 20 to 30 minutes away from the Monkey Tree location, and those with short breaks during the workday.

The challenge of finding staff for a downtown location was overcome by the arrival of family members in town, including father Tom But, who operates a Chinese Tea Room at the first location.

The new location also features a retail area with skin products that come with "all the no's," But said.

"We don't use any artificial colour, fragrance, no lanolin, no mineral oil, SD alcohol, formaldehyde, and no myristate."

In addition to D'Orient Spa Express, Yk Centre has seen a run of new businesses open in the mall in recent weeks, including ladies denim shop Damsels in Blue Jeans and Tamarack Computers, which relocated to the mall from its NorthwesTel Tower storefront this summer.

Yk Centre administration had no comment on the new offerings.

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