The Beauty Diary by Rebekah Scanlan: Inside Australia’s most luxury beauty salon
The cost of this beauty treatment will make most people sweat – but it left this reporter’s skin looking “phenomenal”. Would you brave it?
Can a $350 facial ever be worth the splurge?
That’s the burning question I ask myself as I walk through the glistening lobby of the new Crown Sydney wearing my trusty Kmart “sculpting” skinny jeans and a black top I bought for $20 in a flash sale on the Iconic recently.
I’ll be honest, I’m a little dubious.
As any beauty junkie will tell you, it’s never hard to justify buying a new lippie or an expensive gadget that will leave you fuzz free for a lifetime.
But almost $400 for a sixty minute skin treatment is a little, well, indulgent – a word my bank balance understandably baulks at. After all, that’s a long weekend away or a six-month supply of my favourite bougie vitamin C serum with change left over for lunch.
La Prairie offers five facials inside Sydney’s Crown Spa, starting at $350 for the signature Skin Caviar Essential Facial, and capping out at $700 for the Swiss skincare brand’s Platinum Rare Facial.
The price list makes my heart race, but I’ve been fortunate enough to be invited in to review the experience. Still, the bargain hunter in me is glad I’m testing out the cheapest option, my hands sweating at the thought of being handed a hefty bill at the end.
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The most I’ve ever spent on a facial is about $150, so I’m interested to see how this differs.
I’ve done my research and know the bulk of the price is justified by the products. La Prairie formulations are known (and loved) for having high concentrations of active ingredients, made combining a mix of science, independent clinical trials and signature rare ingredients such as caviar and gold.
As a result, the brand is widely approved by leading dermatologists and skincare experts, who state the extensive scientific research behind every product along with the feel, smell and results make the high price point justifiable.
It’s not just the products about to be slathered on my face that are next level – the entire spa is a sight to behold.
The corridors are decorated with pretty lilac and silver colours that feels instantly relaxing and definitely needs to be made into a matching eyeshadow palette (because, duh, who doesn’t love a sparkly lilac look?)
After changing into the spa’s robes and slippers, I strip off to my undies and lie on the bed where I’ll have my facial. The towels feel fluffy against my skin and not scratchy – it even has an electric blanket so you don’t get cold.
It’s also comfier than some hotel beds I’ve slept in – so there will be no crook neck, something I regret to say I’ve suffered after a facial on a rock hard table at a salon that shall not be named.
However, the best was yet to come, when my face was smothered in a generous helping of (skin) caviar, known for its anti-ageing benefits that also firms and lifts.
My skin underwent a double cleanse, using Micellar water and a cleansing balm, before being followed by a peel to melt off dead skin cells that make our complexion look tired and dull. The peel contains AHAs, which felt tingly, but wasn’t unpleasant or too much to handle. Even though my eyes were shut, as the product was wiped away I felt an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction – proof the product was worth its weight in … caviar?
With my face completely clear, what felt like a never-ending waterfall of moisturising creams and serums are gently massaged, in a relaxing technique that definitely put me to sleep at multiple points (and yes, I woke myself up snoring).
When it was over, I slowly padded back to the changing room, where I was handed a cup of herbal tea and told I could use the spa facilities for as long as I wished.
With my face freshly glazed in hundreds of dollars worth of product, I decided against using the sauna and steam room (hot tip, get to the spa before your appointment to make the most of it without risking sweating off your facial).
But I couldn’t resist a little dip in the gorgeous spa. Nothing screams “I’m having quality me time” more than soaking in a fancy AF jacuzzi.
Booking in for a beauty treatment at Crown Spa also gives you access to the rooftop pool too which is very Insta-worthy.
Once I was done, I headed back to my room (I also stayed the night and I’ve still not recovered, I mean my top-floor room with floor to ceiling windows was the epitome of indulgence) to inspect my skin after the expensive facial – and there’s no denying the results were phenomenal.
My skin looked clear, bright, plump and glowy in a way I could never achieve myself at home. In fact, I was so happy with the results, I didn’t wear any make-up to dinner that night at Nobu (side note: the healthy menu offerings make it the perfect place to indulge post-spa if you’re on a health and wellness kick and the gym is just as bougie as the spa).
The next morning, my skin was still glowing and showed no signs of being dried out, so even after checking out, I found myself waltzing around like the cat that got the face cream.
I wish I could tell you the expensive treatment was excessive or hard to justify, but honestly, I feel like the $350 facial was worth every cent.
Like many people, my confidence had taken a little hit during the pandemic, but the treatment left me feeling relaxed and refreshed – not to mention the skin compliments I received for days afterwards.
While I can’t afford to facial at Crown Spa regularly, it is definitely something I would recommend as a gift or a treat. Plus all the added benefits from visiting the spa that come with it, such as the pool, steam and sauana rooms, mean you could really make a day of it.
This column is not advertorial content. Every review is independent, honest and ad free.
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