Hello, My Little Chickadees!
First, and foremost- I have to apologize. I started this blog with every intention of regularly updating it with more in-depth reviews. Then…reality smacked me in the face and was like “Yeah…uh no. We aren’t doing that”. So- I have indeed started this blog with a big fat FAIL! But I am hoping to redeem myself and this post was the first start.
For those of you who don’t know, It has been just a little over a month since my trip to Korea (May 2017) and I’m missing it terribly! I am itching to run back to Korea as soon as possible. Between the food, shopping, friends, and adventures I had…I will always cherish these memories close to my heart.
One of which occurred on the day I arrived in Seoul. I was extremely privileged to have been invited to experience a complimentary facial at the Shangpree spa when they learned I would be visiting Seoul. After conversing back and forth with the lovely Cecilia, she recommended me to the Cheongdam location.
Day Of Treatment // May 2nd, 2017
When I arrived at the spa…I was completely exhausted. I had just landed in Korea that morning at about 4:30 AM from an overnight flight from Chengdu which was riddled with delays and I was running on about 4 hours of sleep. So- I definitely was ready to lay back and experience the luxury that I had heard so much about.
First and foremost, I really have to have a disclaimer at the beginning of this review so you can understand where I am coming from. I had high expectations of this spa because of a number of awards and recognition this spa has received in the press from the likes of Forbes, New York Times, and Allure. This spa also totes a very impressive list of A-list celebrities that have come to visit their spa for services. The final cherry on top was the spa’s commitment to the utmost quality of their estheticians. In order to be an esthetician at Shangpree, you must apprentice for 3 years before they allow you to touch a client. Cecilia explained to me that this is because Shangpree believes that the energy of the esthetician is transferred to the client…and so it has to be the most calming energy possible. Pretty cool right?!
When I arrived at the Spa- Cecilia, as well as the staff, were patiently waiting for me with bright smiles. They welcomed me to Shangpree and I sat on the couch in the lobby and explained quickly to Cecilia what my skincare concerns were before being whisked to the back for my service. There were no forms to be filled out like a typical spa- and I did not make a selection of the specific facial I wanted which I found interesting.
Once I was brought to the back- I was shown a wrap to change into before entering the facial room. I left my belongings in a locker and quickly changed…at this point, I was very excited!
Now…this is where things get a little nitpicky. Because of all of the hype around this spa and how luxurious it was…I was expecting a very relaxing and luxurious space. But unfortunately for me…the spa didn’t quite hit the bar in this respect. The room I was led into was very bare bones and had several beds in it. I was alone for my facial but I assume at times this is used for multiple clients. The overall ambiance was very basic to me and mimicked any standard spa I visit here in the Bay Area but they are at a much lower price point.
When I laid on the bed my esthetician was as sweet as can be. Her hands were alarmingly soft to the touch and even when she was simply removing my makeup…it was extremely gentle. After chatting a bit and having a few laughs my energy levels started to dip and therefore I started to slowly semi drift in and out of sleep.
After the initial cleanse, my esthetician applied soothing cream to my face and then a mask concurrently after. She left me for a small amount of time and returned and removed the mask. While I was relaxing with the mask on, I was asked if I would like to have a leg massage. Now, I had read reviews of Shangpree prior so I knew this was an automated air compression type massage to encourage overall circulation in the legs. Two sleeves were attached to my leg and when it was turned on it would constrict and relax for a compress type massage. For the first couple minutes it did feel nice, but then after about minute 10 I was itching to get them off..it just felt very restrictive.
After she returned to the room and removed the two sleeves, she removed my mask and continued to the main part of the facial…the ever so famous Gold Modeling Mask. She applied the mask with complete ease and skill (If ONLY I was able to reproduce this at home instead of a gloopy mess). After she applied the modeling mask she left the room for what seemed like a very long time. I would guess 20-30 minutes. Towards the end of the mask, my esthetician came into the room and gave me one of the BEST DANG MASSAGES EVER! She massaged all the areas that were sore or stiff from my back to my neck. She also massaged certain points to encourage lymph node drainage. This definitely was one of the best parts of the experience! I have never experienced such a unique style of massage before!
Once the mask was lifted off my face she quickly applied moisturizing cream, eye cream, and a protective SPF. And then it was over!
I will be quite frank- I felt a little conflicted at this point of the experience. Although the products themselves felt nice. I felt as though at times the service was very rushed or frankly…super basic. I really questioned how simply cleansing, a mask, and then some skincare products would make me glow and gleam for the Gods like many others had gushed about and I felt like I was left out sitting in the cold not allowed to hang out with the cool kids. So I quickly exited the room and sat and enjoyed a cup of tea before departing.
And then I looked in the mirror and it hit me….holy crap. My skin was so VELVETY! My skin was soft, supple, and had a subtle “lit from within” glow. I was extremely impressed how my skin looked following the facial treatment and it didn’t stop there…this good skin continued for days! I was impressed, to say the least.
Overall, I think the results speak for themselves. My skin looked better than it had in weeks in a mere 90 min facial and the results continued for days. Although I was disappointed in the initial ambiance and lack of “high end feel”- all of that was quickly dismissed because of how my skin felt. And let’s face it- that’s what matters right?
I received the S-Energy Treatment complimentary to review which is usually priced at 130,000 Won which is approximately 120 USD.
I honestly and sincerely really enjoyed the staff, the massage, masking, and my overall skin results I received from Shangpree. But for 130,000 Won this is a steep price for many for a facial. If the price is not an issue- then I say you should definitely give this place a go and experience one of the most well-recognized Spas in all of Korea. But for those who cannot or simply are not able to visit the spa in Seoul- I recommend picking up the Shangpree products and doing a Spa Night at home. I feel as though it is the products that are the real star and so, therefore, you are better off just purchasing the products to achieve the same results.
Additional Information:
Cheongdam Address: 32, Dosan-daero 51-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Shangpree Website: Click Here
Shangpree E-Mail Reservations: Click Here
**As stated before, I received this facial treatment in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.