As a professional based for the best part of my working life in the Central Business District of Singapore, I have grown reluctantly accustomed to the hustle and bustle of Singapore’s main business hub.
From queuing up for half an hour for lunch to navigating the sea of working professionals under the sweltering hot sun, I sometimes welcome the idea of packing home-cooked meals just to enjoy a little bit of peace from the lunchtime horde.
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The Discovery
So I was sick of competing with the 12 pm lunch crowd and had cleverly made myself an egg sandwich from home just to have lunch a little later where there might be some semblance of peace.
While doing some casual window shopping at OUE Downtown while everyone queued for their lunches. I was greeted with a quaint, nondescript unit that stood out because of the bright red telephone hanging by the side of the door.
Being ever the inquisitive one, I of course went to pick up the phone, as instructed by its label. And lo and behold, the sleek door right beside it popped open.
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Cocktails, Anyone?
The interior of this place is tastefully lit against sleek black, as were the
ladies that greeted me at the door. Shelves of skincare products adorned the center of the premises, each with a little description that explains their features.
I soon realized I was walking into an aesthetics clinic… just not your average one.
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Menu, Please?
I later learned, after a brief conversation with the nurses that this is the second SW1 outlet, and it serves to alleviate the time-sensitivity of the hectic people in the CBD, by offering treatments that can last from less than an hour to a little more than that.
I was promptly offered a menu, where a list of available treatments was displayed. Already feeling like I’m in an all-exclusive, by-name-only cocktail bar, the Facial Cocktails piqued my interest.
Are they really going to encourage day-drinking? Don’t mind if I do!
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Not THAT Kind of Cocktail
As it turns out, I wasn’t going to have any luck going back from my lunch break a little buzzed.
SW1’s version of ‘cocktails’ are actually 3 different types of completely customizable facials, and it enables you to mix and match different facial treatments that suit the condition of your skin…. ala cocktails.
With the Fresh-faced Martini, Pretty Bellini, and Gorgeous Cosmopolitan to choose from, I explain my skin woes to the doctor on duty over a nice cup of tea, and eventually decided to go for the Pretty Bellini – with my own personalized twist of course.
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The Pretty Bellini
The nurses soon started their prep but lying me down on one of their spa beds… and honestly, that was all I remembered, having fallen asleep due to the uber-relaxing environment, the therapeutic scent, and calming music.
When I came to after what felt like a 5-minute nap, the doctor presented me with my treated face in the mirror. I looked like I just slept for a healthy 8 hours, and refreshed cannot even describe how I looked. There was this glow, this aura around me that I’ve never had before.
My pigmentation from my acne scars was significantly lightened as well, and my skin felt a different (but good) kind of taut.
This Facial Cocktail was completed, with more than half an hour of my lunchtime to spare. The crowds would have dispersed by now – and I’ve never made a better choice than to seek refuge in SW1’s outlet in OUE, where peace is not just part of the offering – beauty is too.
My words might fail to properly encapsulate the opulence of this unique aesthetic outlet. Your best shot is to experience it for yourself.
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