Tête-à-tête with Rahima Sultana Reeta
Rahima Sultana Reeta is one of the most prolific women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. Besides being a TV personality she is a beautician, counselor and a great cook. Currently she is a judge in the famous cooking competition "SheraRadhuni" and the owner of Harmony spa, Kleopatra Beauty Salon. We sat down with her over a cup of tea, talking about her achievement as a beautician.
WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO BECOME A BEAUTICIAN AND TO BUILD THE HARMONY SPA, KLEOPATRA BEAUTY SALON?
A few years ago, when there were but a few beauty parlors in the country, fair polishing was quite famous among people. Very few people were aware of how harmful it was for the skin. That made me interested in working in this field. I started studying this subject and took a variety of courses from different countries and a few years down the line, I started my own venture which you see today.
WHAT IS BEAUTY TO YOU?
First of all, I think beauty does not define a particular thing, it is rather a conglomeration of a lot of things. A healthy mind, a peaceful environment and a fit body creates beauty. When the mind and the body are in unison, beauty flows from within.
MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY ARE BARELY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR BODY AND SKIN AND HAVE MINIMAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE SPA THERAPY. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?
Our body needs to get rid of the toxins that it endures from day to day life. If we don't take proper care of it, both our body and mind faces a conflict. So spa is basically a way of relaxing, to get all the toxins out of the body, to get all the negative energy off of the mind and to make the body light and stress free.
WHAT FACILITIES DO YOU PROVIDE IN THIS SPA CENTRE?
We have two different categories of spa therapy. The first one is the regular spa for maintenance which includes facials and body massages with creams and oils. The other one is the Ayurvedic spa treatment where we follow the Chinese methods of healing. We use acupressure and various types of herbs in these therapies. Hot Stone body massage, Navarakkhi, Shirodhara are quite famous in this category. There are certain treatments for getting rid of discomfort in certain areas of the body.
WHAT MAKES THE HARMONY SPA DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF OTHER PARLORS?
In this center we not only emphasise on maintaining the body, we provide facilities to cleanse the mind. I believe that a healthy unity between mind and body is necessary for a good life. I have a degree in Clinical Psycho Therapy from University of Dhaka which has inspired me to start counseling people. In Kerala, I learnt about the ayurvedic health care which taught me that not only does spa treatment help relieve the body, it makes the mind stress free and more focused. We give equal importance in cleansing the mind as well as cleansing the body through these spa therapies.
WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU SUGGEST EVERYONE SHOULD DO IN ORDER TO BE BEAUTIFUL FORM THE INSIDE?
I think, as human beings, we should at first have a cheerful state of mind. In order to be happy, we have to be healthy from the inside and have to take care of ourselves. I suggest meditation, yoga and a balanced diet. And when stressed, one should never hesitate to go for a spa treatment. I have my own show " Rupkotha" at Masranga Television which can be of great help to people who are eager to learn more about health care and beauty.
Harmony Spa, Kleopatra Beauty Salon is located at :
Road # 27(Old); House # 43(New); 4th Floor; Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka;
Phone: 01741219624, 9140611, www.kleopatra.com.bd
By Mormee Mahtab
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Model: Sadia
Make-up: Harmony Spa
Shoot coordinator: Anila Tabassum Hridi
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