FREE: For Beloved One Mask Spa

Author: James Awyong

To celebrate National Day and Sephora Suntec City’s anniversary, For Beloved One is holding a pop-up Bio-Cellulose Mask Spa event for the public to enjoy a free facial treatment and to try out their signature Bio-Cellulose mask!


Date: 8 – 14 August 2016
Time: Between 11am – 6.30pm
Venue: Sephora Suntec City

Participants will be able to enjoy the following at a beauty counter at Sephora Suntec City:
Personal Beauty Consultation
Deep Cleansing
Personalised For Beloved One Bio-Cellulose Mask Treatment
Personalised Face Massage with For Beloved One Skincare
Flash Makeup Service
Duration: Approximately 80 minutes

Participants will also receive a free gift worth $20 at the event! Those who spend $99 and above on For Beloved One products on-site will also receive a Melasleep High Sunscreen SPF50★★ (Beige).

To sign up, go to For Beloved One’s Facebook or Instagram and simply comment on their promotional post or drop them a message with the following details for an appointment!
Your Name
Reservation Date & Time (Between 8-14 August, 11am-6:30pm)
Phone Number
Email

*Maximum 2 customers on the same registration time and date, on first come first served basis. Limited to 1 spa treatment per person.

In return for the free facial treatment, all you are required to do is to simply post a picture or video of the For Beloved One pop-up spa on Instagram, and tag @forbelovedone and #FBOMaskSpa.

Review of Yunomori Onsen & Spa Singapore

Author: James

To our local friends who have been to Japan, Bangkok and yet still missed visiting the Onsen Spa? OR rather the local Japanese population missing your therapeutic hot bath back in hometown? Rest assured! You guys are going to get your wish granted immediately with the opening of 1st Singapore Onsen Spa – Yunomori Onsen & Spa !

Location

Spanning a huge space of 16,000 square feet, the Onsen Spa is nestled within the Kallang district. To be more exact, it is located in the ever-buzzing Kallang Wave Mall within Singapore Sports Hub. For those commuting by our MRT system, you can alight at Stadium MRT station (not Kallang Station).

When I first heard about this Onsen Spa, it got it really excited! This is simply because I have always been catching this Open Bath concept on ‘Japan Hours’ & snippets of it in Japanese-themed movies BUT never officially get to try it before!

Now, the opportunity just came and I am ready to knock at its door! Yesss!! And here we are..





Facilities & Space within Spa

Wondering what does Yunomori means in Japanese? It simply refers to the hot water in the forest. Ah! Sounds like exactly what our urbanized Singapore with its wide array of skyscrapers need!

This Onsen spa has easily the largest number of pools as compared to any other popular local spas with a total of 11 pools and up to 6 different variations serving very different health and wellnessfunctions.

And this is not all! They have no lack of other facilities such as steam room, sauna, resting and treatment rooms etc to help you pass time easily and relaxingly.

Just to share one interesting fact, I was told that the part of this ‘forest’ customers get to see & experience is only ONE/FORTH of the entire space!

What happen to the other 3/4 space then?! Think about the technologies & machineries that goes behind literally to treat these hot & cold bath. They sure does put a lot of serious effort into closely mimic those original natural ones in Japan!

With this said, are you ready to dwell deeper into this brick and mortar ‘forest’ with me? If yes, ‘Dozo Yoroshiku~!’ (which means ‘Glad to meet you’ in Japanese). Let me be your guide for today and let’s move on!!





Outfit within Spa (Yukata)

Notice that I am wearing the beautifully-designed traditional Japanese outfit which is commonly known as the ‘Yukata’. You are going to see customers walking around the spa, dressed in this outfit.

If this is the first time you are wearing a yukata like me, you are going to face a tiny bit of trouble putting it on especially the part on wrapping the obi(slash) around your body. Fortunately, they have instruction posters and friendly staff to help you along for this part. With that, I am well-cladded & ready to take that very Instagram-worthy #OOTD shot! 😛





Entry to Spa (What to expect and What to Do)

After you head over to the counter to sign in, the staff will direct you to place your shoes in these shoe lockers outside the spa. This is to ensure the cleanliness of the spa’s interior environment (with wooden planks). As such, not only does the interior feel fresh and clean but it also makes you feel at home too!

They will also give you a wristband tag which you will need to access your own locker in the changing room (based on the number on the wrist band tag) and for making additional payment (not covered within the entry fee) such as for the food. For convenience, please do remember to wear your tag at ALL times even into the pool as they are all water-proof!

Bath Zone

It is a straightforward procedure after you access the locker. But please note that once you are at the locker area, you can NO LONGER be using your phone for privacy reasons. Remember this is an Open concept bath!

For the whole duration in the spa, you will only be given 1 big and 1 small towel. (Any additional towel will have to be purchased at a cost). So don’t say I did not warn you in advance: Make sure you do not throw them into the baskets lying around the locker rooms unnecessarily!

For a start, I did felt slightly a bit uncomfortable as this is the first time I am stripping down to almost full nudity around many other men. However, this awkward moment is going to only last a few minutes as you will notice no one is really feeling awkward or mindful.





You will pass two doors before you reach the actual Bath & Pool zones. Beyond this point, what is left around your body should just be yourself and that small towel & wristband tag. Not even your own underwear is allowed! This is mainly for hygiene purposes!

To ensure hygienic practices is maintained, all customers are encouraged to head to the shower area and wash clean first before entering any of the pools!

I was a bit clueless as to what to do within my own bathing compartment. You will notice stools at every compartment. Yes! Those are for you to seat down while you bath which is quite the unique japanese showering experience! So don’t be a weirdo by standing + bath in here! Basins are also given for you to wash your towels.

Pool Area

Finally, the main highlight of Yunomori Onsen & Spa: The Pools! You are going to see 6 & 5 different variation of pools in the male and female onsen respectively.





The recommended soaking procedure is to start from the Soda Spa first where the water is the least warm among all the other hot pool. Let your body temperature slowly adapt along the increasing temperature.

Like I shared, every pool has its health benefits. Take for instance the Soda Spa is enriched with high concentration of CO2 which helps to increase your blood oxygen level and hence improve circulation, reduces high blood pressure and detoxifies the blood.

*For sanitary purposes, do not dip your own towel into the pool! I know I am being a bit naggy here with all the sanitary instructions. But well, if you want a clean pool/environment, then please do respect the instructions!

My Favorite Pool

If you ask me what is my FAVOURITE pool?

It definitely has to be the Hot Onsen Bath itself. It is the most mineral-enriched pool, so much so the water is purple in color which signifies the presence of these minerals. The temperature of this pool is approximately 40-43 degree celsius. The heat helps to relaxe the mind and muscle whilst the mineral content of the water works to alleviate numerous aliments. Definitely the best pool for your elderly!

I shall leave the other pools e.g. Cold Bath, Bubble Bath, Jet bath and so on for you to explore on your own! >< More can be read up here: http://www.yunomorionsen.com/2015/sg/yunomori-onsen-spa-feather-bath.php )

Other Facilities

The Steam Room where you get to open your pores and detoxifies the skin and body. They even have a bucket of Salt to further help you in this function! End of it all, you are going to feel your skin well rejuvenated and your joints and muscle pain relieved!





Resting Area





Treatment Rooms





All-Day Dining Area

The Dining area houses a nice little cafe for customers to enjoy Japanese food & drinks. The best part is these items such as the coffee milk (shown below) is not commonly found in outside supermarkets nor Japanese restaurants.





The quality of the food is excellent & you are given a good variety of palatable Japanese delicacies!





Portion is also very generous which ensure you get your every penny spent worth its value! The pricing for these dishes are also very reasonable; they do not cost more than any outside Japanese restaurant. Mostly, roughly in the range of S$10-20+.





Pricing

Now for the most critical question all local Singaporeans are most concerned with: Pricing of Entrance Fee.

Glad to share that the entrance fee is priced reasonably at S$38+ (for Adult) & S$28+ (for Seniors of 65 years & above and Children of 15 years and below). This will entitle you to full access to all their Hot & Cold baths plus the facilities such as sauna, steam bath and such. However, if you are interested to try their massage and treatments, these will come at additional costs which starts from $68 and above.

Conclusion

One day MIGHT NOT be enough or at best JUST enough for you to explore the whole Onsen & Spa.

I like their level of cleanliness, customer service and the concept of health benefit conveyed through Hot baths. I will be more than happy to be back to try out their treatments the next round!

Other Details

Yunomori Onsen & Spa
Kallang Wave Mall
#02-17/18
1 Stadium Place
Singapore 397628
Opening hours: 10 am to 11pm
Contact Number : 6386 4126 / 6385 7985
Email: info@yunomorionsen.com.sg

Calla Spa – A NEW Sanctuary in the Heart of the City for Urbanites

With our basic needs settled, many would start looking into moving up their Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This is where they look towards achieving work-life balance or rather a sanctuary well away from their stressful urban living. This is also where a decent wellness retreat would fit perfectly in! Today, I would like to share one of the new & most exclusive spa I have been to: The ‘Calla Spa’

Calla Spa is conceptualised as a modern day total wellness centre located in Suntec City Tower 2 and it offers a one-stop experience for complete head to toe therapies from hair care services, facial and body treatments to casual fine dining where guests can enjoy delicious fusion cuisine that changes weekly.

Don’t be tricked by its small front counter, this well-designed spa could easily house up to 60 guest at any point of time while offering sufficient privacy for everyone in there!





As we dwelled deeper into the spa, the space started to open up and we were both left in awe not just by the huge interior but also how luxurious its design was!





Look at these high ceiling ‘Changing rooms’ with very hi-tech lockers ! Felt as though I just stepped into a swiss bank!





I must say I would score Calla Spa quite high when it comes to attention to details! Why so? Very simple, you can try this out when you are at your own spa next time.

Just check if their ambient music changes when you walk from one space to another within the spa! For Calla Spa, this was simply the case! As simple as this might be, they did not neglect this aspect & seek to create the right mood for their customers in every corner!

‘Treatment Rooms’ are divided by gender with the exception of the couple rooms (as seen below). Well, goes without saying we had the honor of enjoying their couple treatment room!

*Instant Rejuvenation!*





Back & body massage are not the only treatments offered in the spa. For the foot massage lovers, there is more than ample space allocated in two ‘Relaxation Lounge’ areas which house a total of 24 seats for foot reflexology, fitted with a high tech retractable touch screen entertainment system and headsets concealed within the arm rest.

One of the place I love to hangout is their ‘Dining Area’ which can seat up to 36 pax! Not so much about the undeniably cool interior design but by their MENU which changes on a weekly basis to provide variety to their regular guests !





The best part of it all is the fact that guests get to enjoy their first order of main entrée with compliments while the rest of the items on the menu are available on a FREE-Flow basis!





Some of the wonderful cuisine which we had that evening!





They also have a wine menu which offers a chargeable selection by glass or bottle is also available for guests who wish to unwind or pair their meals with some popular wines.





Furthermore, specialty gourmet tea Newby from London is also offered as part of the beverage selections in the bistro.





They even have desserts such as Lava cake with Gelato Ice-cream!

Looking at the well-crafted menu, I couldn’t ask for more, can I?





On the other hand, J’s favourite hangout place in the Spa was these ‘Mineral Pools’ of varying temperatures of 40 degree Celsius, 38 degree Celsius and 7 degree Celsius are set in a lush green setting reminiscent of an outdoor onsen.





These pools are filled with mineral water using a newly upgraded chlorine-free system combined with the latest original NASA ionization oxidizing system to offer the most ideal balance to any type of skin conditions!





Situated conveniently right next to the three mineral pools are modern ‘Sauna’ facilities with an automated water refill (right in the middle) so that the guest can enjoy the session without the hassle of adding water themselves.





Another new feature is the special ‘Steam Room’ equipped with aromatherapy mist! I am simply spoiled for choices for rejuvenation! I came in tired and battled! Now, the smile found its way to my face again after a short dip in the mineral pools!





Time just zipped by so fast within the spa! In fact, we were so unwilling to leave this place when nearing its closing hours at 11pm daily!

You can find them at Suntec City Tower 2 #01-500 or call them at 6336 2552.

They are also having a promotion right now. More details on the poster below.


Passage New York Spa

I think I just went to one of the better SPAs in singapore! Other than the posh exterior and interior, the staffs were also approachable and friendly.

The spa I am talking about today is Passage New York. It has a reputation for providing the best in today’s women lifestyle needs.

The spa is centrally located in the heart of the business and financial district, providing facial or body massage for the career and modern woman in the society. They also have excellent ambience and settings for utter serenity. I could do with an entire day or work and head down to the spa right after that.

Interestingly, it does not only do facial or body treats services. They also sell leather goods and designer clothes.

All I wanted that afternoon was a good full body massage while my buddy wanted a facial as she is getting married soon!

I told the consultant that I have shoulder aches very often so she recommended me to go for a 90mins premium collagen milk body massage with body scrub and a hot stone massage after that.

I was greeted by a clean and warm room (toilet?). The full body massage includes a combination of specialized massage technique and pure collagen milk.

The milk left my skin feeling silky smooth and refreshed!!! How many times do we actually get to soak or bath ourselves from top to toe with collagen? The hot stone massage was my favourite. Although the stones were REALLY hot, but they were super shiok at the same time! No pain no gain! My shoulders ached for another 2 days due to the massage but it was all worth it!

The masseur therapist told me that she have been working there for the past 9 years. Talk about experience! No wonder the entire massage felt so good!!

Sorry, but I had clothes on in the picture above. SO, I AM NOT NAKED.

The buddy had a 90mins premium intensive facial with collagen eye mask.

The facial will deeply cleanse and exfoliate the skin to rebalance skin’s PH, healing and reduce skin congestion.

It started off with double cleansing, enzyme peel, extraction, application of ampoule, hydro cream face massage, shoulder massage, eye collagen mask, and lastly, a 20 minutes application of a soft mask.

She told me that she could feel that the face felt cleaner and brighter instantly. When asked for her ratings, she gave me “Omg, this spa is really damn good!! I like their facial!!”.

Heh, when everyone is busy working on their Mondays, here we are, at the spa doing facials and body massage.

They are also having a promotion right now!

Free Leather Bag ($480) when you enjoy 2 Luxurious Spa Treatment at $98 (U.P.$530):
– 90min Vitamin C Whitening and Anti-Aging Facial
– 45min Signature Full Body Massage

Terms and Conditions:
– Valid till 31 August 2014
– Valid for first-time female customers, Singaporeans, PRs and EP holders, aged 25 years and above.
– Prior booking is required, subject to availability. Please call 6226 0888 to make an appointment.
– Not valid with other promotions, discounts or privileges.
– Free Leather Bag is while stocks last, designs and colours may vary.
– Passage New York reserves the right to alter and amend any terms and conditions without prior notice.

Passage New York is located at 133 Cecil Street, #01-01 Keck Seng Tower Singapore 069535.

Ring them up if you need further details or if you want to make any reservations: 6220 2210

2x $260 Facial giveaway at Spa Elements

I went to Spa Elements recently and did some treatments which I really enjoyed a lot.

1. Chiropractic treatment
2. Tui Na Massage (which the Spa is famous for)
3. Catabolic Slimming
4. Customized facial for my skin

What makes this spa stands out from others is that they have Chiropractic treatment. Spa is not just about massage or facial. Hence, Spa Elements can treat you inside out.

I was really amazed by the chiropractic analysis as I didn’t know that there was something wrong with my structure, even when I am standing straight!!

Let me share my results with you:

From the first picture, you can see that my whole body is tilted to the right (left in the picture).

From the side, I would say that it looks okay but not exactly straight enough judging from the red line.

According to the doctor, my head is also slightly tilted infront than upright which could be due to my sitting posture when I am using the computer. I believe that I am not the only one having this problem because computer has been an essential part of almost everyone’s life!

Abnormal posture has been associated with the development and progression of many spinal conditions and injuries including: increased muscle activity and disc injury, scoliosis, work lifting injuries, sports injuries, back pain, neck pain, headaches, carpal tunnel symptoms, shoulder and ankle injuries as well as many other conditions.

It is for these health consequences you should strive to improve your spinal and postural alignment towards normal.

If your case is not that serious yet, you could perhaps visit the chiropractic doctor and let him take a look. It is always better to treat it early so that you can avoid a surgery!

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The Tui Na Massage ($120 for 60 minutes) was also pretty comfortable, especially when I have been suffering from upper back ache. And I asked the lady if she could focus more on my upper back.

They have different type of oil for the massage and since mine was muscle ache and all, I picked the Calm (the bottle in blue).

I do not have to say anything else and she went “The muscles on your neck area and lower back are quite tense! Do you have a busy life?” And YUP, BINGO, I do!

The whole session loosened up my muscles and gave me a kind of ache which I love. It’s something like muscle ache after gyming but in a comfortable way. The ache didn’t last long though. Probably only 30 minutes.

Immediately after the Massage was the Catabolic Slimming.

You may go “Aiya, you’re so skinny, what is there to slim?”
But you’re wrong. Tummy fats are the hardest to get rid of!

The Catabolic Tummy Massage is at $100 for 30 minutes which involves a Colonic Massage and Meridian Infra Ray Moxibustion – stimulates specific acupuncture points of the body.

The massage can improve the body’s immune, circulatory and digestive system to restore balance and promote healthy body weight.

Benefits like reduce constipation, promote gastrointestinal motility and flattens the tummy can be achieved.

It was kinda hot at first but as my body gets used to it, it becomes warm and it was very very comfortable. It leaves the tummy with a kind of ache which lasted for half a day.

But the results was surprising. I could see a flatter tummy in just 1 session.

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Next next! The facial room!!

Like the massage room, it was dim and comfortable.

I don’t really have pimples but the irritants from the haze gave me breakout!!! (Espeically on the forehead).

Though dim, you can still see pimples on the forehead (face palm) after removing the make up.

The products they used are all from natural sources and Made in France – Centella Asiatica, a magical herb from India which promotes metabolism and repair skin, both for the face and the body.

Not that I am old, but I was giving the Hazelnut Firming and Hydrating Mask for anti-aging purposes, which smelled really good!

Each facial includes: Light exfoliation and extraction, Cream mask, Acupressure Massage with Chromotherapy Micro Mist Steamer.

For my readers:

I’ll be choosing 2 lucky readers to enjoy 2 facial sessions EACH 🙂
Each session is 60 minutes long and worth $130!

All you have to do is to:
1: Like https://www.facebook.com/spaelements88
2: Like https://www.facebook.com/maybelinesimpage
3. Share and comment on the article regarding Spa Elements
4. Follow me on Twitter @maybelinesim (optional)

Are you feeling lucky? It’s $260 for each of you!!

How do you cleanse and mask effectively?

I am one of the lazy girls who doesn’t mask diligently. But when I do, I make sure I do it right.

As of now, I am using Beauty Clinic masks.

I.P.I Lightmax for my mom because she has dull and uneven skin tone and N.M.F Aquaring for myself to hydrate my skin.


Masking is not just slapping a piece of mask onto your face and there, lie down for 20 – 30 minutes.

I would say that it is insufficient for all you might not know, your pores might be clogged or clean enough.

Inefficient cleansing can lead to build up of dirt and chemical traces of UV and even make ups!

So step 1: Cleanse your face.

I am using Biore Facial Foam in this picture.

After cleansing the face, change into a set of comfortable home clothes and get ready for a pampering session.

Like I said, cleansing might be insufficient. So I would use Ionic Steamer from Panasonic which uses nano-ionic steam which can be penetrated deeply into the skin to quickly moisturize skin for deep moisture retention.

I would also use this before masking to “open up the pores on the face”.

Well, that’s my own theory, but it kinda work for me.

As things can get a little messy and wet, I prefer to put all my hair to the back.

This steamer is good for deep cleansing! Love the hot steam. It is extra comfortable when I use it in the air-conditioned room.

The hot steam can lift dirt and oil from the skin which hence, enables deep cleanse.

1. Cleanse.

2. Hot steam.

Enough? Yup! More than enough for a home based “spa” 🙂

Not just for cleansing, as the steam can penetrates deeply, it can allow the skin to have deep moisture retention.

It is especially useful for people who put on thick make ups or have dehydrated skin like me.

Sometimes, I get too comfortable that I don’t wanna let go of this steamer. Lol.

Anyway, I steamed the face for 10 minutes before passing it to my mom (the recommended time was 6 minutes only).

Juicy mask in the foil. And all the goodness is going to be absorbed into my skin in no time!!

Deep cleansing from the steamer removes the dirt while the juicy masks replenish the required essences.

Don’t judge me!! But this is how all of us look when we mask!! NO NO NO NO???!!!

I prefer to slap the mask on my face evenly so that every part of it gets what it deserve!

Unlike my mom, who is so lazyyyy, she just put the mask all over and NAP!

Anyway, I share most of my skincare stuffs with her 🙂

Don’t you dare judge her hor! She is just an aunty who doesn’t have perfect skin, but to me, she’s perfect just as she is. Just as pretty as she is 🙂

I know most people apply the masks for around 15 – 20 minutes but I prefer to put it longer. For about 30 minutes but never more than 30 minutes because the pores need to breath.

After everything, go to bed and wake up to a QQ skin the next morning!

Even application of make up seems so much smoother 🙂

In case you’re also interested in the Facial Ionic Steamer by Panasonic, you can visit http://panasonic.net/beauty/products/steamer.html for more information 🙂

You can have baby skin too!

Due to my constant juggle with events, school, family and friends, I rarely have the chance for a proper rest and this made me a victim of dark circles, eye bags and some other problems that will be discussed later.

Hence, I am on a mission to babify and save my skin with The SPA-Lon!

I could see visible results just from the first session! (Pictures as evidence. 100% without photoshop)

On my first session, I was consulted by the senior beautician, Irene, and was told that I have quite a few areas of concern.

1)Dull complexion (due to congested skin, not properly cleanse)
2)Dehydrated Cheeks (due to poor circulations)
3)Dead skin cells (on forehead, chin)
4)Laughing Lines (caused by sagging muscle)
5) Dark circles (caused by late nights)

You know, all along, I thought that the only problem was probably my dehydrated skin because I hate drinking water. I never knew I had so much problems. I guess they are not really visible or major like acne for me to notice and that is probably why I always thought that my skin is pretty good except a little dry.

We all know that with better complexion, comes higher confidence.
And with The SPA-Lon’s help, I can be confident! 🙂

To me, The SPA-Lon is a very comfortable, classy yet relaxing place.
No tension, no noise, just pure relaxation.

This was a corner of their toilet. You can choose to take a quick shower there before starting on the facial. Isn’t it always better to feel clean rather than lying down with a long day sticky body with a clean face post facial?

Before the lady began the whole treatment, she massaged my head, neck and shoulders a little to loosen me up. It was so comfortable that I almost fell asleep.

Cleansing the face.

After cleansing, I was quite afraid of the huge equipment beside me because I have low tolerance for pain. I was told that I would be doing Micro-peeling as one of the procedure and the word peeling hurt me a little. LOL.

In the end, the micro-peeling was probably lesser than an ant’s bite. PHEW.

Here is a picture of the before and after with Left being before and Right being after.

This picture is probably the best evidence for the visible results after 1 treatment. Can you see the glow on the post-treatment picture on the right?! :O

This is just the first session. So you can still see some flaws on the close up picture.

Another point is that my face was ultra smooth. Yes, super was an understand so I used ultra. Even the application of make ups were so smooth and easy for the next few days – a week. Irene also told me that the treatments should be done weekly (for I am not sure how long), to see more effect. So do look forward to my second entry on my second session 🙂

Let me give you more details on the treatments that I did that day:

5 treatments to address the 4 main problems that I have.

1) Dull complexion and Dead Skin Cells
Micro-Peeling Treatment – To cleanse the skin and exfoliated dead skin cells together with removing fine lines on the face with minimal discomfort. Pigmentation and dark spots are also reduced to brighten the skin.

Photo Rejuvenation Treatment – Combined with Micro Peeling Treatment so that you can’t see any post peeling redness. It also helps in increasing the collagen production and regulates melanin levels (for dark spots and pigmentation), resulting in more radiant skin.

2) Laughing Lines/ Aging
Radio Frequency Treatment – Provides an immediate tensor and lifting effect to the skin and has a filler effect to the wrinkles, combining all signs of aging. Sounds painful but nah, it is 100% un-invasive and pain free. It was like massaging my face and nothing else.

3) Dark Circles
Cryocooling Treatment – Done by a soothing, low temperature hand piece. Eye bags and dark circles were visibly reduced and the surface of the eye contour was smoothened. It was very cooollldddd but comfortable.

Eye-Lifting Treatment – The eye contour was lifted by electromagnetic waves as well as smoothening expression lines and crows feet.

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You can compare the old photos in the other blog posts and those which I just took recently. Look at the face contour and glow! 🙂

If you’re interested, head over to their facebook page to find out more! :
https://www.facebook.com/thespalon