In a world that rarely slows down, time to pause can feel like a luxury. At Adeva, soothing aromas, warm herbal balls and traditional wellness practices come together to create a sensory escape from the noise, deadlines and demands of everyday life.
A Ritual of Rest and Renewal
People always remember how an experience makes them feel. As the therapist at Adeva Holistic Aromatherapy Spa rolled the warm herbal balls over my skin, I felt a soothing blend of relaxation and calm. The 90-minute session with the experienced therapist was a much-needed pause from the pace of everyday life.
But the experience did not begin when I lay on the massage bed. It started the moment I stepped through the door.
The scent of aromatherapy oils wafted through the air, immediately welcoming me into a different world. Each blend is carefully curated by Adeva’s in-house IFA-registered aromatherapist and co-founder, Anson Pan, who ensures the herbs and oils are selected with their intended uses in mind.
At the counter, I was seated for a brief consultation about my allergies, preferred carrier oil and the scents I wanted. I was impressed by the range of aromatherapy oils available, each selected to cater to different preferences and needs.
As someone who believes in a holistic approach to wellness, Adeva’s ‘Peace of Mind’ body oil, a blend featuring peppermint and eucalyptus globulus, was what I needed at that moment.
There was no deadline to worry about and no phone calls to answer. For a while, there was simply the feeling of being cocooned in a gentle embrace of calm.
Perhaps that is what makes a holistic treatment different from an ordinary massage. From the entrance to the massage bed, which is equipped with a thermal warmer, and finally to the moment I stepped back outside, every detail seemed designed to leave me feeling lighter, calmer and more present.
A curated experience
Greeting me at the door, Adeva co-founder Chinee Ann Teo offered a warm smile.
The spa, established in May 2024, centres on aromatherapy and traditional holistic wellness practices, offering treatments such as Hilot, Malaysian urutan and its signature Herbal Therapy Ball.
According to Chinee, the concept is rooted in creating an experience that goes beyond a conventional massage by combining therapeutic techniques, carefully selected aromatherapy oils and traditional practices to meet individual client needs.
For Chinee and Anson, having well-trained therapists is an important part of delivering that experience.
“When people go for a massage, they are usually focused on how they feel during the treatment and how the therapist makes them feel. That is why we make sure all our therapists undergo skills training and obtain the necessary certificates.
“We also provide training every six months to ensure their skills remain up to date,” said Chinee.
But service is only one aspect of Adeva’s approach. Chinee said selecting the right carrier oils for different skin types is equally important.
“Each of us is born with a different skin type. Some people have sensitive skin, while others have dry skin. So, we do not use just one type of carrier oil.
“We have almond and grapeseed oils for our clients to choose from. We also have jojoba and coconut oils,” she said.
A herbal ball with Sarawak’s identity
Aromatherapy oils are central to the Adeva experience, with each blend thoughtfully curated by the centre’s in-house aromatherapist.
Beyond the oils, Anson also formulates the ingredients used in Adeva’s signature herbal balls, giving the treatment a distinct Sarawakian touch.
Among the spa’s offerings, the herbal ball blends are perhaps the most distinctive, incorporating carefully selected local ingredients to complement the treatment.
Adding to its local identity is litsea, a homegrown plant associated with the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC).
According to Anson, litsea is incorporated into the herbal ball blend for properties traditionally associated with focus, relaxation and healing.
The herbal ball treatment uses heated bundles filled with a carefully selected mixture of herbs and spices, which are applied to the body as part of the relaxation treatment.
Chinee said that, besides litsea, the herbal balls contain ginger, globosa, chamomile, lemongrass and peppermint. The ingredients are selected for different purposes, including soothing the muscles, providing antioxidant properties, supporting sleep and promoting relaxation.
The herbs and spices are mixed with locally sourced rice before being wrapped into the herbal balls.
“We source all these ingredients locally because we want to support the local community here,” she said.
Leaving lighter
Eventually, the session came to an end.
The scent that had greeted me at the entrance was still lingering faintly in the air, but somehow, I felt different from when I had first walked through the door.
The deadlines were still there. The unanswered messages were still waiting. Life, unsurprisingly, had not paused while I was away.
But perhaps I had.
For 90 minutes, I had allowed myself to step away from the constant noise of everyday life — to breathe, be still and simply let someone else take care of me.
Perhaps that is what holistic wellness should feel like: not merely a treatment for the body, but a moment that gives the mind permission to slow down, too.
As I walked out of Adeva, I realised the experience was not defined by one particular element — not the aromatherapy oils, the herbal balls, the heated massage bed or even the techniques used by the therapist.
It was the way all these details came together.
From the first breath of aroma at the entrance to the final moments of the treatment, every element had been carefully considered.
And sometimes, when life feels as though it is moving a little too quickly, being given the space to simply stop for a while can be its own kind of luxury.
