The lowdown

I booked my much-anticipated six-hand massage weeks ago and the fact that I have cracked a rib the night before has not deterred me. I enter the crystal Tardis (aka Venustus) and meet the effervescent owner, Jeannie, and her three miracle-worker therapists. Jeannie explains how energy levels can be boosted by the treatment and then it begins with strategically placed heat packs and the burning, or "smudging", of sage to purify the space. I lie face down and six hands work over my feet and legs with rhythmic movements and then graduate to my back. The same process takes place on my front.

Pain factor The rib pain is all but forgotten as the therapists smooth my body into submission.

Downtime Ninety minutes.

Results I am on a massage high for the next two days.

Where to get it

Sydney: Venustus, venustus.com.au. Cost: $549. No six-handers available in Melbourne but we love the Lomi Lomi (Kahuna) Bodywork at Willow Urban Retreat, willowurbanretreat.com.au. Cost: $190.

At home Try Om Facial Water, $59, venustus.com.au.

Add to Cart

As summer shines on, what better beauty booty to covet than Becca's Light to Medium Face Palette, (sephora.com.au, $78) with luminiser, blush, contour colour and blur powder all in one. Wear this perfectly portable kit on cheeks, eyes, lips … pretty much everywhere, really.

Ask Stephanie

How do I shrink pores on my nose and chin?

That is a tough question. Pore size can be almost impossible to minimise permanently but using retinol-based products at night will assist with cell turnover, and therefore help to keep pores unclogged. A series of Fraxel laser treatments may also help.

Follow Stephanie Darling on Instagram @mrssdarling. Send questions to stephanie@darlingbeauty.com.au.

This article appears in Sunday Life magazine within the Sun-Herald and the Sunday Age on sale January 20.