AN HOUR OF HEAVEN
THERE I was, under the covers on a massage bed in nothing but my underwear. That was one clear sign what I was about togo through was not a regular facial.
I was in Heaven by Deborah Mitchell at Shangri- la Plaza to experience the buzzy Bee Sting Facial. The “intense anti-ageing” treatment uses natural and organic serums, and promises immediate lifting, tightening and firming of the skin. The treatment room looked, smelled and sounded more like a spa than a skincare clinic. The clinic, which I would find out is not exactly a clinic but rather a salon, offers natural massage-like touch-based cosmetic services that only utilize the brand’s proprietary line of products.
The centerpiece of this line is the trademark Bee Venom Mask derived from actual bee venom synthesized into the patented top-secret organic formula, Abeetoxin. Aside from being used in the treatments, the products are for sale at the salon for a holistic personal skincare regimen.
The holistic approach applies to the treatments as well. The one-hour Bee Sting Facial starts with deep cleansing, followed by exfoliation, toning, facial strokes, another round of cleansing but with a mask this time, and ends with moisturizing. Most steps make use of products containing Abeetoxin that are applied with deliberate manual strokes encompassing the face, neck, shoulders, upper chest and upper back.
The hands, arms, legs and feet get their share of pampering too, which explains why the client needs to be shirtless and pantsless during the process.
It was arguably one of the most relaxing 60 minutes I have ever experienced and I didn’t want it to end. Each stroke made by the facialist felt like a touch of heaven (* wink*), especially since the products had a whiff of coordinating essential oils, making for an excellent aromatherapy session as well.
The treatment ended with the application of the Bee Venom Mask and Bee Venom Eyes formula. The client is encouraged to allow the products stay on their face overnight. That means no washing until the next morning. The mask is described as “a revolutionary organic cream that works to control the facial muscles for immediate lifting, thightening and firming white tar
- geting frown lines and wrinkles.”
It is “completely natural, nonevasive with real, immediate results” that works “as the natural alternative to Botulinum Toxin or Botox” reportedly used by celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham, Kylie and Danni Minogue, and Nicole Kidman. Well, if it’s good enough for the queen of Goop, it’s good enough for me.
After the session, I felt rejuvenated and recharged. But how did my skin look? As expected, I had a heavy sheen on my face because of all the oils that were less slathered visible on fine me, but lines I did and notice there was a feeling of tightening, like my skin was gently being pulled up and out ( which is a good thing).
Having naturally oily skin, I was afraid that I’d look too greasy so I patted paper towels on my face to remove the excess oil and prevent myself from looking like a mirror. That worked and I didn’t feel too oily the rest of the evening. (I had my treatment in the late afternoon.)
I also got to take home some of the products to help me maintain and reinforce the work done at the center. So the following day, I cleansed my face using the Hydro Cleansing Milk, applied some Orange Flower Cell Renewwal Hydrogel, and finished off with a dab of Age Defiance Cream. At night, I repeated the process and added the Dream Oil Serum into the mix. The serum not only conditions and makes the skin supple, it also supposedly induces sleep so best not to use it in the morning.
Trying out new products usually gives me immediate breakouts, so I was curious how this line would affect my face. I am happy to report that I don’t have a single pimple or irregularity on my face. Though because of the tropical heat and my innately overactive sebaceous glad, applying oily substances on my face does not make for a matte look. But having trusty absorbent paper towels on hand can easily solve that.