By Mansi Shah
09-Aug-2024
I am a beauty enthusiast which means that my Instagram feed is often filled with makeup launches, skincare routines and hair videos. And now, Japanese skincare and Korean hair spa rituals are showing up on my explore page, showcasing glass skin and lustrous hair, which makes me want to take a trip to these countries immediately.
A massive departure from your regular face and hair treatments served in salons in India, the Japanese and Korean beauty rituals involve elaborate routines, the steps involving multiple levels of cleansing, exfoliating, actives that have to be layered and deep levels of hydration. Curious about these rituals, I looked up the offerings in Mumbai and found Zah Salon offering several Japanese facials- the benefits of which range from anti-ageing to brightening and much more.
I headed to the Zah salon branch in Khar where, after a skin consultation, I was suggested the Jamaican Sorell facial which is known for its anti-aging benefits. This is a one hour facial. The first step was a cleanser, which was applied all over my face, and decolletage. The therapist let it sit on my skin before taking it off with a sponge. This was followed by a second cleanse- this felt more dense on my face - and was also cleaned away with a sponge.
I am very particular about the hygiene at salons, and I was glad that the therapist here wore gloves throughout the facial. With cleansing done, we moved on exfoliation. This was a chemical exfoliation, gently applied to my skin with a fan brush that gave me a very gentle tingling sensation. Something I believe is an indicator that the product is working. After she washed this off, my therapist mixed the Concentrate Drops from the Kanpeki facial kit, mixing it with another product in a petri dish. She massaged the concoction into my skin till it was absorbed and my skin felt hydrated and plump but not sticky.
Next, a toning mask was applied to my skin, and she allowed it to sit on my face for a couple of minutes before cleaning it off with a sponge. My face was now given steam to loosen up my white heads and black heads, of which I had plenty on my nose. A few uncomfortable minutes later, extraction was done, and it was time for a relaxing massage. This was a firming and moisturising massage and as my therapist’s hands gently worked on my face, I fell asleep, waking up relaxed only when she had to take off the excess product. In the final step, the therapist put a gauze over my face, and then slathered on a thick, gloopy mask that covers your eyes and mouth- everything except your nostrils. She kept this on for about 5 minutes before tugging at the sides, after which the mask slid off almost immediately. A moisturiser and sunscreen were then applied.
I walked out of the room and looked at my skin in the mirror. I was thrilled, my skin was glowing. While immediately my skin looked brighter, it was after three days that I saw a noticeable difference with my lines reduced, blemishes on their way out and, of course, it helped that I got plenty of compliments for my skin from everyone I met. So if you’re pursuing glass skin and are not sure about the first step, I suggest calling Zah salon for an appointment.
