Review: Super White Skin Lab

I was invited down for a trial facial by Jean Yip to experience their new product offering at Super White Skin Lab. Ok, I have to admit, the shop’s name is beyond tacky. It’s like bad English! But anyway, it’s a new facial salon concept by Jean Yip and they just opened its 1st outlet in VivoCity in March.

The interior design of the place is black draping  with clean lines and chandeliers. “EXPENSIVE PLACE” is what it is. They do not have rooms, but rather, chairs separated by the same heavy black curtains.

Waiting for facial to start

SWSL’s concept of facial is way different from the usual facials we’ve experienced. Here, they boast a technology of using nano water to allow the whitening ingredients to penetrate deeper into your skin. There are 4 different ampoules which are suited for different skintypes which the therapist will add to the water before the nano steam is applied. Also, nano steam will not leave your skin dripping wet as it has fine particles which will not condense on your skin.

The machine that sprays nano-sized goodness onto your skin

Their facial steps are: cleansing> nano water steam> acupoint pressure facial massage> facial mask> moisturizer+sunblock. Altogether, it takes around 45-60 mins. Also, the therapist will mix and match products suitable for your skin. The different ranges use ingredients such as Chinese medicinal herbs, fruit enzymes, and proven chemicals for whitening.

I didn’t really like the facial experience there. I believe most of us go for facials, not only for the skin benefits, but also the relaxation it provides. Over at SWSL, they do facials sitting upright when steaming, or on a reclined chair when cleansing and rinsing off. Also, because they do not have enclosed rooms, I was in wide view of my surroundings and I didn’t like that.

If you require extraction, please do not come here. If you would like your eyebrows trimmed at the same time, please do not come here. If you want a good relaxing facial and shoulder massage, please do not come here.

If you like new technology, do give them a try. This nano steam technology sounds interesting, but the skeptical in me would like to give it more time before I bite the bullet of $138 per session. Especially when I require more ‘work’ to my face.

Review: Spa Vintage

Spa Vintage is a well-kept secret… it’s my favourite massage/spa salon with an exclusive location. The prices are not cheap (averaging about $100 for 2 hours massage, depending on which treatment you choose), but the therapists’ skills are top-notch. They are not middle-aged aunties who suddenly decided to change their jobs, nor are they pseudo-masseurs. They are adequately trained and have even taken up certification courses for different types of massage. I go there about once every 4-6 weeks, always doing my favourite green tea massage for 1.5 hours or 2 hours if I’m particularly tired. Above is the locker area, and you can also enjoy a warm foot bath before you start on your treatment.

After the foot bath, you will be led into your treatment room and while the single room is small, it is sufficient for the therapist to walk around without shifting the bed. Each room has its own air-conditioning unit so the temperature can be adjusted according to your preference. The beds are warm and towels are clean and plush. If you visit the place with a partner, you can also request for a couple room which comes with an attached shower area. The rooms have piped-in music and the walls are also fully boarded up, so you have your own personal space without having to listen to other customers’ conversations (one of my pet peeves during treatment is that some customers talk NON-STOP during treatments… how irritating!!)

My favourite treatment would be the green tea massage and deep tissue hot lava stone massage. The green tea massage uses green tea oil for moisturization and it uses a combination of Javanese, Balinese and Swedish massage techniques, together with hot lava stones for a relaxing and soothing massage. The deep tissue hot lava stone massage is hardcore stuff, I usually choose it if my muscles are extremely sore. Either way, I love having hot lava stones incorporated in my massage because the warm stones just relaxes my muscles so much, I could turn into jelly.

The therapists do not hardsell at all, and they are usually quiet during treatments (some therapists yak away… especially those in Malaysia… sigh). I’ve brought my parents and my sis to this secret place of mine, and all of them love it so much! I’ve been a regular since 2010 and the therapists there remember me and my dad! Great personalised service! I do not usually sign packages but these quaint little spa haven has an affordable package of only $500 (+ $150 free treatments), that I have since signed on at least twice. I usually finish 1 package in a year. They do not restrict you which kind of treatments you can do, but rather they go by the value of the treatment you choose to do during your session. They also have monthly promotions which allow customers to try different treatments if they wish to. Members enjoy 30% discount on one full body massage treatment (regular price) on their birthday month.

 

Review: Ucara Spa (Facial service)

I was a customer of Ucara for about 1 year+ before I stopped visiting them. I kinda liked their facials because I had a great deal with the outlet manager. Imagine 20 facials for S$1280 (before GST)! And it was sorta like a treatment facial, using equipment and masks. Pretty good deal, if you ask me. To be honest, I was a little hesistant to sign a package with them initially because Ucara was like this unknown facial place, in the shopping ‘mall’ near my house. However, my sister convinced me that at $64 a facial, it’s pretty worth it, and so we took up the deal.

Atmosphere: Ucara places a lot of emphasis on natural, botanical extracts, so even the refreshment drinks that they serve before treatments are freshly brewed. It may be red date tea one day, chrysanthemum tea another day.

Products/treatments: Ucara uses their own house brand products for the facial, but they were pretty good. I mean, I haven’t had any allergies though my skin can be quite sensitive to alcohol and fragrances. However, the products are pricey if you were to buy and use at home. They are averaging $60-$80 for a toner or a facial mask! If I’m not wrong, my facial package is the Botanical Facial. The steps include 1) makeup removal, 2) facial cleanser, 3) scrub, 4) steam, 5) extraction, 6) shoulder and back massage, 7) facial massage, 8) facial mask, 9) moisturizer & sunblock. Sometimes, the manager would use the microdermabrasion machine on me instead of the manual scrub. Sometimes, she would also use some ionic machine on my skin after extraction. If my skin was acting up a little due to the monthly period, the high frequency machine would be used to help kill the bacteria and prevent acne from spreading.

I soon signed up for an eye treatment package with them as my dark circles were really ‘jialat’ due to me facing the computer day in and out. I liked the eye treatments because a soothing ionic massager was used together with the eye serum. It felt like a treat and I dozed off soon after. My eyes were also less tired and strained (probably due to the lymphatic drainage treatments).

However, I did not continue my monthly facials after my package ended because 1) I couldn’t get the good price anymore, and 2) the salon manager left the company. Mom was really lucky to have won their lucky draw in April, and had won $1000 worth of products. We had actually stocked up quite a bit when we went to Korea within the same month, so we got the spa to extend the voucher validity period for us till August. They were in the midst of changing their product range in August and so, quite a number of items we wanted were out of stock. However, we got the

1. makeup remover (S$59):  A water based and oil-free makeup remover that effectively breakdowns color pigments and other makeup ingredients without causing irritation. Their makeup remover was surprisingly pretty good – works similar to Mandom’s cleansing water. Just soak cotton pads with the solution and wipe gently over face. A bottle generally lasts about 10 weeks, with 2 people using it nightly.
   
   
2. Hydrating Cleanser (S$59): Its rich, creamy texture gives an immediate sensation of comfort and freshness. It cleans and purifies the pores deep down.
   
   
3. hydrating freshener (S$59): An alcohol free freshener that removes make-up residues and other impurities from face and neck without tightness feeling. Formulated without alcohol and colourings, it is chockful of herbal extracts such as licorice and chrysanthemum.
   
4. Oxy Calm mask (S$59): Reinforces oxygen into the skin and purifies the pores at the same time thus revealing a lush and radiant skin complexion. Dull skin is often caused by the lack of oxygen, so I thought this might be a good way to brighten up my skintone (my forehead looks really dark compared to my cheeks).
   
5. Vitamin C Plus (S$99): Restore skin’s healthy glow while balancing the growth of pigmentation. The ultimate skin booster that stimulates cell renewal and improves skin texture, thus brightening and illuminating the skin tone.
   
   

Review: Refresh bamboo massage

Social media cannot be neglected when it comes to marketing nowadays. And many like to hold contests on Facebook & Twitter for their members cos it’s so simple to organize and it’s free! I recently took part in a contest of some sorts held by Refresh Bodyworks (the foot reflexology place at my local mall) and all those who took part won a free 60mins bamboo massage session worth $128.

According to Refresh, “bamboo has long been said to symbolize energy, prosperity and longevity… it is a symbol for eternal youth and strength… the continued rolling motions of the bundled bamboo help to stimulate the breakdown of fatty deposits and deliver a pleasurable massage.” WOAH! That sounds right up my alley! This March was unusually long and stressful, so I visited the spa for a treat after I came back from KL.

It is my 2nd time visiting Refresh Day Spa, and the ambience is still the same: relaxing and zen-like. The recep area was very plush looking with Victorian-looking arm chairs. Behind the recep is a myraid of rooms and connecting doors. The rooms were simple without fuss, complete with cupboards to store your belongings and hangers to hang your clothes and they also provided a bathrobe. The towels were clean and the bed was lined with a thermal blanket. A nice touch as it can get quite chilly sometimes.

I was mistaken in thinking that bamboo massage is a relaxing massage. It is actually a slimming massage and man, it was painful for me cos I have a lot of cellulite! It was only comfortable on my calves and arms where I do not have that much fatty deposits. But it was pure hell for me when the therapist rolled the bamboo thingy over my thighs, especially inner thighs. I vowed to exercise more regularly, not wanting to subject myself to such pain every again. According to the therapist and consultant, bamboo massage helps to break up the fats but it will only be effective if you do it regularly, like say once or twice a week. I also got some acu-pressure massage on my knotty shoulders and neck that was pure bliss. I think I will stick to acu-pressure & hot stone massages from now on.

The bamboo treatment is only available at the Refresh Day Spa at Far East Plaza. Do call 6733 6344 to book an appointment now! From now till end of March, you can enjoy 2 free sessions upon signing a 30-session package with Refresh!. The 30-session package is quite worthwhile, as a 60 min session only works out to be $40. The package is transferrable, and can be used at all outlets (they have 14 outlets, including Macau (1) and Changi T1 Departure lounge). Besides massages, Refresh! also offers body scrubs and wraps at the Day Spa outlet.

Review: Clariancy facial treatment

Place Reviewed: Clariancy

Price: S$30 for 90 min facial (I bought a special deal voucher from StreetDeal.sg in Jan)

Available at: Jurong Point, Raffles Hotel Arcade

Services available: Facial, massage, body scrubs & wraps, hair removal treatments, slimming treatments

Review:
Before the treatment: I have been on the lookout for facial promotions on group buying websites as my current facial package was about to end and the salon wasn’t giving me a good deal anymore. So I have been dabbling a little here and there to try out facial services at various salons. Clariancy sounded very professional and the lady who took my appointment was eloquent and polite. Brownie points here! I can’t stress how important language skills are when it comes to the service line. ANYWAY… .

Atmosphere: When I arrived at the place, I felt a little uncomfortable. The place was actually a retail shop, in crowded Jurong Point, with a few partitioned rooms as the treatment rooms. I had to wait for a while for them to prepare the room (not sure why they couldn’t have done this beforehand since they already know they have appointments!) and I was left outside to browse the products they’re retailing. The therapist zoomed to me and blabbered on sales pitch if I lingered at a product for more than 5 seconds. C’mon! Give me my browsing space!

The room I was brought to was bare and minimal. The room was big but empty, with the treatment bed on the left, the sink in the middle, and a row of cupboards on the right. The bed was small and wasn’t heated though the aircon was freezing. The blanket (what blanket? It was merely a bath towel!) provided was thin and didn’t provide enough warmth. Even when I was wriggling halfway through the treatment to indicate that I was cold, the therapist didn’t offer me an additional ‘blanket’. The walls were thin and I could hear the salespeople serving the customers outside, every single sales pitch, complain and laughter, I heard it all. If you have been to Jurong Point on weekends, you’d know that the whole place is swarming with people and it’s extremely noisy.

Treatment review: The therapist was a little chatty in the beginning, but I was a lady of few words during such treatments so after a while, she just concentrated on her work. The treatment started with a cleanser, then a liquid peeling gel of some sort, after which she used the steamer on my face (how old school!!!) for a few SECONDS. Not sure if the few seconds of steaming helped to open up my pores because the extraction was over in a minute. The treatment was followed by a facial massage then a gel mask.

I wasn’t impressed with the treatment at all. The atmosphere was less than ideal, the therapist was bordering on slipshod and unprofessional (if you need to inform your colleague something, excuse yourself and do it outside the room. I’m not interested to know if you’re having fish soup or deep fried fish beehoon for dinner. And I still found some blackheads on my nose after the treatment), and the treatment was definitely NOT WORTH $200. There wasn’t even a shoulder massage! I reckon the massage gel used for the face massage was aloe vera gel or something like that because it didn’t provide any glide on the skin, even to the point of tugging at my skin when it was almost all absorbed into my skin. Unlike other facial treatments I have done, there was no visible effects after the treatment, no glow, not even a “your skin looks very clean” look.

The therapist still told me “the products will absorb into skin very quickly. There’s no sticky feeling” Erm, yea right! The products used were from an obscure brand from Japan and they were sticky as hell! Even after 30 minutes.

Rating: 1/5 (If I could, I would get a refund! Total waste of my time & money)

Would I go back again: Obviously not!!

Review: ONLYaesthetics Mario Badescu Signature Facial

Place Reviewed: ONLYaesthetics

Price: S$25 for 60 min facial (I bought a special deal voucher from StreetDeal.sg back in late Dec)

Available at: Holland Village, The Cathay

Services available: Facial, massage, body scrubs & wraps, hair removal treatments, slimming treatments, nail treatments

Review:
Before the treatment: I jumped at the chance to try the acclaimed Mario Badescu signature facial when I saw that StreetDeal was having a deal for only $25! More Christmas presents for myself eh? I also bought an extra voucher for my sister who wanted to try their hair removal. So I promptly made an appointment for 2 in January (I’m paranoid of forgetting that I had such vouchers and let them expire before I remember). The lady who took my call had a friendly disposition and it was easy to get an appointment as well (perhaps because I made the appt one month in advance)

I was a little less than pleased when I received a call from OA the day before and the lady insisted that my appt is at 2pm, when I clearly remembered that I made the appt for 1pm. Anyway, that aside, the entire treatment was enjoyable.

Atmosphere: When I arrived at the place, I had to change into their ‘slippers’ (white crocs!) and make my way upstairs to where the outfit was located. I was met at the reception area and asked to fill up a form with my particulars and any areas of concern. After which, I was brought to a room and changed into their robe. The room was clean and white, but it felt a little claustrophic – there was barely enough space for anything else, except the treatment bed, a small chair to put your belongings and 2 trays of products. It was narrow and had a high ceiling. There was piped in music but I think the rooms were soundproof for I couldn’t hear anything when the door was closed. But when the therapist had to go out of the room to change the water or prepare my treatment, I thought that the music was very loud when she opened the door. And worst off, they had Chinese New Year songs (sans lyrics) playing… for an upmarket place like OA, CNY songs felt very out of place.

Products used: The therapist was a lady of few words throughout the treatment, which I appreciated. Thus some of the products used for the treatment are my own guesswork (clearly stated in my review). I know some of the products used for the treatment because I’m a fan of MB products and can recognise the scent or that the therapist told me what was she applying on my skin.

Treatment review:My treatment started with a cleanser to remove my tinted sunscreen, followed by Silver Powder. I’m not sure what cleanser was used but it might be either Cream Soap or Makeup Remover Soap - whichever it was, it stinks pretty badly. So the Silver Powder was left on my face for some time (not exactly sure how long was it cos I dozed off, VERY QUICKLY! ), then the therapist came in to remove the silver powder and started to extract blackheads off my nose.

Silver Powder

After extraction, she used Alpha-Grapefruit Cleansing Lotion-soaked cotton pads to give my face a rinse and to tighten the pores. A facial and shoulder massage followed. Oh, the facial massage was GOOD. I love it when the therapist focused on my eyes because I feel that a good eye massage always makes my eyes look brighter and less tired! I found myself drifting to lala land again.

After the massage, she used facial tissue to wipe off the massage oil from my face and the Seaweed Cleansing Soap for double cleansing. It was now time for the facial mask, which sadly I had no inkling what was used. All I know was that she applied a layer of serum or gel of some sorts, then some tissue paper around my hairline and chin, and a gauze mask around my nose and mouth. She then applied a cold mask on top of the gauze. The mask didn’t smell familar so it wasn’t the strawberry mask (smells like strawberries), or healing mask or whitening mask (smells of grapes) or azulene calming mask.

When the mask was removed, she applied presumably some moisturizer and sunscreen on my skin and my skin was bouncy smooth! “Doink doink!” The clogged pore that I had on my left cheek was noticeably flatter and my sister commented that my skin looks very clean and had a glow. I didn’t have the opportunity to look at myself in the mirror until I got home later (funnily enough, there were no mirrors to be seen in OA). I was surprised when I saw that my skin really had a glow to it (in a good way) – now I know what people mean by radiant!

As usual, I was brought to a room after the treatment and had a ‘special talk’ where I was offered special deals. The usual price of $58 per facial treatment is affordable and I would gladly pay for a maintanence facial. I was pleased with the treatment, but the location was a little inconvenient since there was no direct train nor bus that I can take from my home to go to Holland Village.

Rating: 4/5 (They need to work on their locations… it’s too far from the north-west! And please include free eyebrow trimming!!)

Would I go back again: Yes!

I got this fantastic deal from Streetdeal.sg. Join them to receive such deals like I did!

Review: The Ultimate Spa *revisisted*

Place Reviewed: The Ultimate Wellness Haven

Price: S$299.60 for Javanese Mandi Lulur treatment (60 min massage + 30 min scrub (I utilized my spa voucher which I won from an Expat Living competition, so I got the treatment for free! ^^)

Available at: Shaw Centre, Bt Batok, Changi Airport T2 Transit Hall

Services available:

List of services & pricing from http://theultimate.com.sg/sitebranches/oursvcs/images/TU_SpaMenu.jpg

Review: This is my 2nd visit to The Ultimate Spa (read about my first visit here). The Ultimate is, undoubtedly, one of the best spas I’ve been to, in terms of treatment services, therapists and ambience. My therapist was a nice Thai lady named Nancy. She was quite friendly too, asking how was my day but without chatting incessantly during the treatment.

I chose the Javanese treatment which actually consisted of a 60 min massage & 30 min hydropool soak, but the hydropool was under maintanence the day I went, so I opted to get a body scrub instead. The massage started with the petite lady climbing onto my back and applying deft pressure so that my joints and bones would be loosened up. I tell you, I love it when the numerous bones on my back go “cracccckkkkk” and I feel so much lighter and flexible immediately. I like firm pressure massages and the lady had just the right amount of force. It wasn’t painful, it wasn’t too light – just how I like my body massages to be. However, I was a little confused when the massage also included the Thai style of twisting your body. Not that I’m complaining though… whichever style it was, it was good. I also liked the little detail the therapist put in – she switched on the electric blanket so that I wouldn’t feel cold. The head massage was also very relaxing and it didn’t mess up my hair too badly. Some places I’ve been to made my hair really oily after the treatment, or that I’d get very bad hair tangles.

An hour passed by very quickly and it was time for my scrub. I chose Marine Algae and was glad that I did. It smelt really wonderful – reminded me of H20+… very fresh and clean scent. The scrub particles were big but not too abrasive. As I rinsed off the scrub in the attached toilet in the room, it felt like I was in Maldives (or how I envisioned a trip to Maldives would be…). Heaven.

The bad? The price was scarily high… I mean, I wouldn’t pay close to $300 for 90 mins of body treatment!

the clean wide bed with electric blanket. I like!

the room came with attached bathroom. i love! sorry for the mess at the sink... I took the picture only after I was done with the treatment.

Rating: 4.5/5

Would I go back again: If I had a discount coupon… maybe…

Review: Element Spa

Place Reviewed: Element Spa

Price: S$18 for 45 min massage (I had a special offer card from GLOW magazine)

Available at: Ion Orchard & The Cathay

Services available:
Facial, massage, body scrubs & wraps, hair removal treatments, slimming treatments, nail treatments

Review:
I actually went for a trial massage with Joyce (she’s officially my massage buddy!) back in February when it was her birthday month and I got an offer card from GLOW magazine – it was only $18  each, so why not?

Now, when I’m searching for the website for more information and pictures to write this review, this was displayed by Google:

I thought: how on earth is it Singapore’s leading spa?? Quality was even spelt wrongly!

The spa at ION was a little tricky to find, only ONE single lift is accessible, and that lonesome lift is hard to find. Having said that, Swensen’s  is on the same level and next to Elements Spa, which made me wonder: why is Swensen’s at such an obscure location?!

Anyway, the spa was pretty crowded, as the take up rate for the GLOW offer was pretty good. The spa is also open to men, so there were many couples. But don’t worry, it’s not the sleazy type of spa place.

We were offered ginger tea before our treatment while the consultant arranged for suitable therapists according to our requirements. The treatment rooms are all behind this huge sliding screen that reminds me of a hospital (don’t know why either). LOL.  The treatment room I was brought to was quite ok, pretty simple – just a mirror and sink, cupboard to keep your clothes and bag and the bed. They had parquet flooring and allowed customers to wear their shoes right into the rooms so all throughout my massage, I could hear people walking.  The massage started swiftly after I changed.

The therapist had chosen to use a lemongrass & ginger scented massage oil which I didn’t really like because I prefer something more relaxing for my massage like lavender. She also didn’t really get the pressure right, mostly a little too light. When I go for a massage, I prefer the therapist to just concentrate on it and not talk to me (cos I want to fall asleep). Luckily, the therapist was quiet but I didn’t manage to fall asleep due to the awakening properties of the lemongrass and ginger scent.

The massage was, at best, just so-so. It didn’t feel fantastic but it was a slight relief as I always have tense shoulder & neck muscles from using the PC all day long. After the massage, the consultant met us at the same room again and tried to sell us packages, even throwing in free spa pool use etc. But I didn’t like the therapist’s skills and it was too crowded for my liking. Besides the location was far for me.

Rating: 2/5

Would I go back again: Don’t think so…

Review: The Ultimate Wellness Haven

Place Reviewed: The Ultimate Wellness Haven

Price: S$35 for 60 min massage (I had a special rate voucher)

Available at: Shaw Centre, Bt Batok, Changi Airport T2 Transit Hall

Services available:
Facial, massage, body scrubs, hair removal treatments, body masques, slimming treatments,

Review:
I’ve been on a spa whim lately, going for cheap deals when  I see one. This time, I came across The Ultimate when I was working one weekend. $35 for a 60 minute massage, $48 if you want to add a body scrub, is a pretty good deal!

So I visited the Bt Batok spa last night as it was pretty near me and I think I needed to destress after working my March weekends away. The Civil Defence club was easy to locate as I’m familiar with the area, but once I’m in, I took 5 minutes to find the spa. The many blocks did not link to each other, and if they did, it was only on certain levels. Totally confused me!

Entering the spa, I was greeted by an air of elegance – soothing music, warm ginger scents and the distant sound of waterfalls. The staff was friendly and quick to greet me, and also well-trained. Customers (both waiting for  their treatments, and those who have just finished their sessions) were sitting quietly enjoying their drinks. I was served a ginger tea to warm my senses while waiting for my therapist to come pick me.

The rooms were behind this screen that brought me to a different world. This  is where the ‘waterfall sound’ came from – the setting was almost like an outdoor spa! I was brought to this discreet room where there was an attached toilet and a massage bed. I quickly changed and got started.

The therapist first started by sprinkling some lavender EO on the cloth where I was lying face-down to help relax my mind and switching on the electric blanket so that I wouldn’t feel cold. I love lavender so I was drifting away pretty fast.

I requested for firm pressure and I found myself turning into jelly when the  therapist massaged my legs and arms with firm, long strokes. It was like she was pushing the stress and tension out of me. I also enjoyed it when she cracked my joints – totally enjoyable, though somewhat  scary cos not everyone  can do it (you could suffer a sprained neck or worse if not done  properly). My neck and lower back were loosened up after the treatment. As she massaged my scalp, I was away in lala land.

After the treatment, I was brought to the same recep area and was served ginger tea and a dessert (barley with beancurd skin – supposedly good for skin). The dessert was a tad too sweet for me so I didn’t finish it but it was cooked to perfection – the barley was tender to the bite and the beancurd skin was soft. The sales consultant came by to speak to me, but she didn’t do much hardselling. I wasn’t prepared to purchase a package because I hardly have time to utilise the sessions and it was often way out of my budget. When I told her that I’ll think about the package she offered me (30 sessions for $2200, I think), she was cool with it, and still very friendly.

A big thumbs up for this spa and its staff! Pity spa prices are always sky high, so unless there’s a great promotion that I cannot say no to, I won’t take up a package. Usual prices for a 60 min massage is from $180 onwards.

Rating: 4/5

Would I buy again: Maybe, if there was a good promotion.