Sally Foran: I can't recommend this celebrity-loved lymphatic drainage treatment enough

Sally Foran travels to Belfast's Merchant Hotel to review the Dimple Amani Method

The Dimple Armani method is a must according to beauty editor Sally Foran

It is no secret that I’m a big fan of lymphatic drainage. I adore its transformative results – helping with water retention and bloating, leaving me feeling lighter, refreshed and rejuvenated, and my face absolutely glowing.

So, when I was invited to experience the globally renowned Dimple Amani Method performed by Dimple herself at the Spa at Belfast’s Merchant Hotel, I couldn’t RSVP quickly enough.

London-based Dimple began her beauty career at just 18 and opened her own salon at 20. Her distinctive approach to beauty and wellness is deeply rooted in her Indian heritage. Over a delicious cup of her ‘miracle tea’, made with a unique blend of Ayurvedic herbs to support digestion and rejuvenate skin, which all her treatments end with, she told me how she was inspired by therapies passed down from her grandmother.

“Growing up, my grandma used ancient herbs and remedies to cure illnesses. She was always oiling my navel and hair, and was a firm believer in treating everything naturally. She thought that presentation, keeping everything clean inside and out, matters.

So, after training as a beauty therapist in my late teens, I went to the Himalayas to train with practitioners of Ayurveda, and spent 16 years travelling the world and learning from some of the most respected Ayurvedic gurus and wellness experts before bringing these ancient practices together with modern Western wellness techniques.”

The result was the Dimple Amani Method – an award-winning, bespoke approach combining these Ayurvedic principles, Brazilian lymphatic drainage, Finnish infrared therapies and ancient East Asian Gua Sha techniques. Specialising in face, head and lymphatic drainage treatments, it blends traditional knowledge with modern technology. Trust me, this is lymphatic drainage like no other you’ll ever experience.

Inspired by this Ayurvedic wisdom, Dimple has created a unique range of treatments, doctor-formulated oils and teas designed to rejuvenate the body, balance the mind and calm the spirit.

In Ayurveda, herbs like ashwagandha, turmeric and triphala play a crucial role alongside diet, yoga and meditation to support stress relief, digestion, detoxification and energy balance.

I had the body lymphatic drainage treatment, her most popular treatment, which began with heated sesame seed-infused body and navel oil, slowly poured onto my stomach and into my navel to aid relaxation. I was a bit apprehensive at first, but need not have been – it was an absolutely divine sensation, though a little uncomfortable at first, indicative of my digestive state. I even brought a bottle home and have been practising this ritual nightly since, and I’m definitely sleeping better. (Caution is advised with bedclothes, as the brightly coloured oil will stain!)

Dimple then used strong, sweeping, sculpting, rhythmic strokes across my body, applying gentle but firm pressure from my feet upwards to help reduce water retention and blockages.

Then she used the most magnificent tool I’ve ever seen to enhance the sculpting process, helping move stagnant fluid towards my lymph nodes. The results were astonishing. Dimple demonstrated the difference by holding up one treated limb against an untreated one, and my body looked instantly sculpted, snatched and toned. Sculpting the body without setting foot in a gym? Sold!

The treatment concluded in the Spa’s relaxation room with the aforementioned ‘miracle tea’, containing turmeric, ginger and fennel, served in a pure copper cup. The ingredients are great for digestion, while the tea is said to help flush out toxins, support skin pH balance and boost immunity.

I was delighted to discover that the sculpting tool could be purchased in the Spa to maintain the results at home. It’s honestly the most genius of tools. Although I saw aesthetic results immediately, regular sessions at home with this and the products would further improve my results – and this is what the Amani Method encompasses: the 360 approach.

Aside from the instant sculpting effect, it was one of the most blissful hours of my life. I left feeling considerably lighter, my clothes were looser, my stomach visibly flatter and my problem area, my ankles, less puffy. I slept like a log that night, and my skin remained soft and supple for days. The drainage also continues naturally over the following few days, helping my sleek silhouette remain.

I vowed to return for the face and scalp treatment, but in the meantime, I’m considering starting a petition to bring the Dimple Method to Dublin, which I’m hoping is only a matter of time...

It’s the ideal luxury treat if you sit at a desk all day, need to destress, want some self-care or have a big occasion coming up. It’s such a holistic healing experience, a full-body reset, that I simply cannot recommend it enough.

• Three signature Dimple Amani rituals are now available at The Spa at The Merchant, with introductory prices starting from £144 for a limited time.