Shangpree – the place to go for a chic Korean facial
For my latest Seoul trip, I knew a Korean style facial wouldn't go amiss. After some research and validation by Korean blogger Chriselle Lim and Alicia Yoon of Peach&Lily, I knew Shangpree was the best choice. The estheticians are well trained and can't lay a finger on guests unless they have undergone 3 years of training which was very reassuring to someone like me, who's got sensitive skin.
While there are 6 branches of the Shangpree spa, I decided to book a S-energy facial at the Myeongdong location since I was staying in the area and planned on heading straight to the hotel after my 8pm booking. After arriving at Shangpree, my friend and I were warmly greeted by Miji who had responded and confirmed by booking via email. In fluent English, she went through in detail what the S-energy facial would include and having decided on the oily skin for my friend and anti-aging treatment for me, we were escorted to the changing room to place our belongings in the locker. We donned on tube dress-like dresses and were taken to one of the treatment rooms where we were taken care of with other guests in the same area.
The heated bed felt great since we were still chilly from the cold, my esthetician prepped my face for the facial with cleansing. Later she used an ionic device to remove impurities mainly around my T-zone and chin area. It was a little uncomfortable, but by no means painful.
The impurities which she scraped was later placed inside a small bowl of water for my viewing - Yikes!
The facial not only took care of my face, but also my legs and back. Early on in the facial, my feet were wiped with hot towels and wrapped in air bags all the way up to my knees, and massaged using air pressurising motions. It helped me relax and Elsa said she was interested in buying a set if she found them! If anyone knows where to buy them, drop me a line in the Contact moi section.
I also enjoyed the facial massage to prep the skin before the gold rubber modeling mask. It was definitely different from other facial massages I've experienced, compared to those in Hong Kong, Sydney, Taiwan and Thailand, this felt more vigorous and structured, I wonder if this was the element for my anti-aging treatment.
Finally, the moment of the gold rubber modeling mask arrived, it was a cold, gooey texture that was gently applied onto my face. I chose to cover my mouth and eyes to get the maximum benefit of the mask.
While the mask was on, my esthetician added to my pampering session with a thorough massage that involved rubbing oil onto my chest and back. It hit the spot and after it was over, I was still longing for more.
I was struck by how clear my skin looked and as you can see, quite refreshed as well. The dark circles under my eyes weren't as evident, even though you could still see them.
For 130,000 won it was great value with 'glowing' results, I also bought their DIY gold modeling mask which comes with a bowl and some under-eye patches to extend my Shangpree experience back at home.