To say Marina Baratashvili is massaging celebrities and models would be a misnomer.
Baratashvili, a massage therapist hailing from the country of Georgia, would tell all of her clients that what they’re about to experience with her signature body sculpting experience is a “treatment” not a “massage” because of the — to be frank — pain that’s involved.
Baratashvili, who treats Bill Murray, Chloë Grace Moretz, Gabriela Hearst, model Veronika Heilbrunner and many more, says the incredible results are from her brutal technique.
During the treatment, Baratashvili digs into patients’ bodies all the way to their fascia to reduce inflammation, de-bloat, improve circulation and, of course, sculpt.
“My main target is to work on the localized fat, get rid of cellulite, and reposition the muscles. After my treatment, you can immediately see how the forms and contours of muscles have changed,” Baratashvili tells Page Six Style. “In addition, you can witness a difference in your mood.”
Baratashvili, who travels for her clients or treats them inside her studio apartment in Hell’s Kitchen, received her education at the Tbilisi Medical Institute in Georgia and then trained at First Military Medical University of China only to end up back in Georgia working with prima ballerinas and then models.
“Before Fashion Week, we do intense sessions (at least four days a week). Though it is also customized, some girls have a particular goal, such as reducing inches in their hips, and we could go even daily,” she explains, adding that after treatments clients also say they are “happier” and have “better” skin quality.
Such results come at a cost. Baratashvili charges $200 for her famed body sculpting massage, which she recommends happens consecutively for the first 10 treatments. After that, clients enter “maintenance mode” and should go two to three times per week.
“I need time to work on muscle, and after it becomes flexible, I can sculpt it,” she explains. “It’s crucial to bring each muscle into the active phase, meaning that massage removes the dead epithelium [thin tissue], increases oxygen supply and restores blood supply function. Therefore, muscles can take responsibility to fulfill their duties.”
For anyone who can’t pony up the funds to sculpt their bodies with Bartashvili, she has a much cheaper option: drink a ton of water (think 3 liters before 5 p.m.) and do Pilates or ballet-style exercises such as barre.
“You should devote yourself to being the better version of yourself; there’s no point in doing this if you don’t commit,” she says, bluntly. “I believe it’s a whole package; it is about eating nourishing food, doing workouts, and of course, massage sessions to get rid of that little extra that can’t be done with exercise or dieting.”
