Meet Marina, Celebrity Massage Therapist
Marina Baratashvili, a go-to massage pro for ballerinas, models, and celebs, sets up shop in Huntington.
Marina Baratashvili sees clients in NYC, Connecticut, the Hamptons, Los Angeles, and now Huntington.
Huntington continues to emerge as a major beauty hub on Long Island, with numerous worth-the-parking-hassle destinations peppered throughout the village and on the outskirts. The latest notable pro to set her sights on Huntington Village is Marina Baratashvili, a massage therapist known for her unique brand of body-sculpting treatments. I was lucky enough to snag a session with Baratashvili on her first day in town, and the experience was unlike any other body treatment I’ve had before.
When I sat on the table, draped in a sheet, Baratshvili, who hails from Georgia, said, “This is not going to be a relaxing massage.” I had prior warning from some beauty insiders who regularly see the massage therapist that it’s a bit, um, intense, if not painful. She started kneading my thigh. I winced. Intense, indeed.
Baratshvili studied massage and acupuncture in China and has worked with the National Opera and Ballet Theater of Tbilisi. She developed her method, which lengthens muscles, reduces inflammation, and gets deep into the fascia, the bands of connective tissue beneath the skin. She says her technique helps with chronic pain, reduces swelling, tones the skin, helps the body eliminate waste, calms the nervous system, and more.
It’s a 45-minute treatment. “That’s all people can take,” she says with a sweet smile. “But 45 minutes is like three hours of exercise for the body.” After Baratshvili finished on my thigh, she had me compare it to the other leg. The skin appeared more taut—and less lumpy and bumpy. She worked my entire body, including my face, performing lymphatic drainage techniques, and finished the treatment with cupping. This natural medicine technique helps with blood flow, inflammation, and chronic pain. It’s also said to help the body eliminate toxins. It was my first time cupping; I felt pinching and pressure as she put the small plastic cups in place, but I got used to the feeling over the next seven minutes.
I felt invigorated when my treatment was done—like I just had an intense workout. I also felt leaner and longer, maybe an inch or two taller. Baratshvili told me to drink a lot of water—two liters before 2:00 pm and another liter by 5:00—and to expect some soreness. The next day, I felt that familiar post-workout soreness, even in my ab muscles. The cups left deep purple circles all over my back. According to Eastern medicine, that means I have stagnant blood flow and toxins. Baratshvili said it won’t look like that after a few sessions as the blood flow and detox improves. I’ll have to go back for more to find out.
Baratshvili suggests at least 10 treatments for best results. A body sculpting treatment is $250. She sees clients on Wednesdays in the same space as ManeInk (198 New York Ave), so you can get an incredible scalp facial while you’re there. Then head next door to VAVRA New York for a vintage shopping spree.
Follow Marina Massage Therapy on Instagram @marinamassages and find more info at marinamassagesnyc.com.
All smiles after I endured my intense body sculpting session with Marina Massage Therapy.
A day after my cupping treatment. Woah!
