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| The London Orchid Reception |
The London Orchid, A British Owned and Operated Beauty Therapy
Salon, Bukit Damansara
Hearing my moans about the inconsistency of treatments I’d experienced in beauty salons and spas recently, a friend recommended that I visit London Orchid in Bukit Damansara for unbeatable professional service and care.
The Location
Located in the Bukit Damansara shopping area, it’s not difficult to find if you follow the street numbers. The salon is on the first floor of a shop in Jalan Medan Setia 1. While The London Orchid sign is not prominent, if you just look at the building numbers it’s easily found. Street parking is available. Be sure to purchase a ticket from the machine and put it on your dashboard before you head up to the salon.
An uncomplicated palette of black and white trims the reception and treatment rooms. Fresh orchids provide pretty adornment. Tea lights softly illuminate the halls leading to four private rooms. OPI and Elemis products line the shelves and, fabric draped across the ceiling, supplies a cozy atmosphere. Lounge music hums in the background. This is not your typical, in my opinion all-too-common, Balinese style spa. I do love a Balinese experience but appreciate more people who don’t follow the crowd and create something unique to fill the needs of an alternative niche. This is The London Orchid.
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| The London Orchid – It’s directly above the Korean restaurant – accesible via lift to the left |
The Therapists
The foremost reason for frequenting London Orchid though, is not the ambience, or the high quality products. It’s the therapists. All are perfectly fluent in English, have years of experience and, most importantly, hold UK Beauty Therapist certification. The CIDESCO diploma involves 10 months of intensive training and is the highest qualification available in the world. It’s equivalent to having a PhD in beauty! Besides that, the girls are full of fun and useful beauty tips. At the end of a session, you feel as though you’ve had an afternoon hanging out with friends, but will also come away with a little more knowledge about how to take care of yourself too.
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| Elemis Products for Sale |
The Menu
Eye Lash Tints and Perms and, Spray Tans are hard to come by in Malaysia and these are two standout treatments at London Orchid. Manicure and Pedicures with OPI Gel Colour, Facials using the Elemis skin care range, waxing, scrubs and massages complete the line-up. They’re not just for the ladies either. There are a host of options, which cater specifically to the needs of men. But… more on that later, when hubby describes his experience at the spa. I came for a Facial, Manicure and Pedicure.
Manicure and Pedicure with OPI GelColour
I often book in for pedicures but shy away from manicures as I find my nails chip within hours of painting (sometimes before I’ve even reached the car!). The team at The London Orchid however, introduced me to a new type of polish, OPI GelColour, which lasts longer than regular polish and dries almost instantly!
A foot soak in warm water softens the skin and preps it before the treatment. Nails are filed or cut as required and, a scrub is massaged into feet ridding them of excess dry skin. Cuticles can be cut if desired, but the preference is the safer practice of pushing them back. My nail technician regularly checked in on my comfort levels with temperature and pressure and, explained each part of the treatment before continuing.
As my toenails rarely chip as often as my fingernails do, the regular OPI nail lacquer was applied on my feet. My hands however got the long lasting OPI GelColour. A base, colour and topcoat were applied and each set
under a special blue-light lamp. The varnish was dry before I even left the room and has lasted numerous days now since my visit. I’m told I should expect the colour to last for a number of weeks. The only catch however is the removal. A special soaking is required and is probably best done by a beautician. So, unless you just wait for the colour to grow out, you will need to return to the salon when you’re ready to change shades.
Shape and Re-Varnish of hands or feet costs RM35. The same using OPI GelColour is priced at RM85. Add a little more pampering and purchase the Spa Manicure for RM65 (with GelColourRM115) or Pedicure for RM85 (with GelColour RM135).
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| Manicure and Pedicure Room |
Anti-Aging Facial
The London Orchid has all types of facials, but their Anti-Aging menu was the most enticing. After consultation about my skin type and daily care routine, the Anti-Ageing Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial (RM395) was recommended to suit my personal needs.
The facial lasts one hour and promises to “peel away the years,” and smooth and renew the complexion. A number of different serums are applied to the skin, some giving a tingling sensation (which I quite like as it feels as though the product is working). A mask too is applied and, while it does its magic, an arm, neck and shoulder massage relaxes the body and mind.
My skin felt refreshed, moisturized and protected after the treatment and, I particularly appreciated that my neck was also given the same attention as my face. A sunscreen lightly pressed (not rubbed) onto my face was the final touch. Advice to limit sun exposure and to shield with an SPF30+ too was recommended. Throughout the session I felt in expert hands. Each stage was described and questions answered if asked.
Hubby came out beaming from his day of beauty. He experienced a massage, scrub and men’s pedicure. Here’s his account:
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| Treatment Room |
Sports Massage
Owner and therapist Leagha is a football, rugby and martial arts fan. She knows what it takes when you’re feeling sore after a sports match. I was still a bit stiff after the previous night’s tough basketball game, so when I saw the Musclease Massage (60 minutes RM150) on the menu, I knew I was in the right place. Leagha delivers a powerful and skillful sports massage. She understands the tension sportspeople feel and knows how to work out the knots and relieve tightness. Elemis Musclease Active Body is her UK product of choice as it carries an active ingredient that penetrates the blood stream and breaks down lactic acid. This helps muscles to recover much more quickly. The result was phenomenal. Feeling relaxed and healed, I’m grateful we found The London Orchid!
Scrub
Once my massage was done, Leagha applied a dry, but comfortable Elemis Lime and Ginger Salt Glow (45 minutes RM150) to my skin. A gentle, harmonious scrubbing lasted roughly thirty minutes. The work was thorough and, special care was given to particularly dry areas such as my elbows and knees. After showering off the excess, the result was superb! My skin now feels smoother than a baby’s bottom.
Pedicure
After my shower, I met Tsitsi, who is also a UK beauty graduate and was in charge of carrying out the OPI Man’s Pedicure (RM65). She scrubbed, manipulated and moisturized my feet until they were barely recognizable. Trimming my nails and adding a bit of shine with a little oil, my feet have never had such consideration. A foot reflexology ended my session ascending my mood to heavenly heights… ooh la la!
Although we might have found some of these treatments for barely a few less ringgit (and much more) in other locations around the city, we are happy to pay a little extra for peace of mind, professional service and quality treatments.
Reasons to visit: UK trained beauty therapists, quality range of treatments, Sienna X Spray Tans, Elemis products
The London Orchid
67 Jalan Medan Setia 1
Bukit Damansara
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
+6 03 2095 6009
Open Monday – Sunday 10am – 10pm
My mom would love this place! :p
Great for a bit of pampering once in a while We sure do need that!