t spheres, a Pocket Spa for Travelers

by Annie Scott (RSS feed)
Sep 7th 2010 at 2:02PM

It's not easy to bring the luxuries of home on the airplane with you anymore. With TSA regulations and bag checking fees, bringing a bottle of your favorite calming lotion or even face cream can be challenging. t spheres is a new product which aims to give you that do-it-yourself spa experience right in your hotel room (or your living room, or your office) without creating a hassle at the airport. We tried a set on a recent trip to see if these little aromatherapy balls can really be considered "luxurious."

The t spheres, or "tranquility" spheres, were created by Stephanie Whittier, a professional massage therapist who has studied "movement in relationship to pain relief" for over 17 years. The compact burlap package consists of two rubber balls about two inches in diameter and a mini spray bottle filled with the aromatherapy oil you select when purchasing. Spritz the oil on your hands or the spheres and massage it into the spheres to begin.

Once your t spheres are oiled-up and smelling great, there are all kinds of therapies you can try. For example, you can roll them under the sides of your spine on the floor, stick them behind your lower back while you work in a chair, and roll them under your feet. You can simply rub them into the back of your neck or along the backs of your legs; anywhere you feel needs relief. You can heat or cool them to create whatever relaxing, tension-releasing sensation you prefer.

The t spheres are reusable and need only to be rinsed with water to be cleaned. One good oil infusion can last up to three months in the spheres, which were carefully created to retain the scent -- the burlap pouch is lined with EVA for storage.

So, how did the t spheres fare? Well, we had the most success with placing them under the sides of the spine and lower back while lying down. You can move around to roll them, creating a surprisingly massage-like sensation, but for us, that required too much work to call it "luxurious." Simply laying on the spheres and placing them at various pressure points provided relief, and the oil smelled wonderful and soothing.

A thing about the oil -- you must be careful what you're wearing and what you're lying on (or sitting against) when using the spheres, as the oil can ruin a delicate garment. We found it was a little safer to not use the oil on the spheres, but to dab it on our wrists and temples for the aromatherapy effect and then use the spheres dry.

Our verdict? Yes, the t spheres, which have received positive testimonials from Brooke Shields, Coldplay and Rita Wilson, can provide a luxury experience. These make a great gift for someone heading out of town on a trip or even for your officemates to use at work in their chairs. t spheres cost $20 to $35 per package.

Tags: aromatherapy, Brooke Shields, Coldplay, diy, do it yourself, massage, Rita Wilson, spa, Stephanie Whittier, t spheres, t-spheres