Best beauty treatments under one hour in KL

Sitting in an air-conditioned room for prolonged periods of time is only going to make your hands itch and dry – which immediately justifies the need of a pit stop at LUXE by The Nail Parlour for a hand spa. The 40-minute L’inimitable Soin Crème Chaude Manicure (RM85) consists of a white tea and ginger scrub as well as masque – it’s like slipping your chapped hands into a velvety glove. You’ll be sipping on TWG Emperor Sencha while your manicure is administered with the utmost care, but that’s still not the best part – the nail ritual ends with a glossy coat of OPI or Jessica polish. If you don’t want to dig deep into your pockets, Colour Culture’s hour-long ‘Express’ mani-pedi (just filing and colouring) only comes at an affordable RM70.

If you didn’t already know, all of Bordeaux-based Caudalie’s skin and body care products are made from the grapes grown in their vineyard. But what makes this first Caudalie spa in Malaysia special is that you can tailor-make your own scrub from 100 percent natural ingredients at the Fresh Crushed Carbernet Lab, as well as enjoy their signature facial treatments in just 30 minutes or an hour.

Their 60-minute Vinosource Antioxidant Hydrating Facial (RM279) comes highly recommended: You begin with an exfoliation, followed by a facial massage using grapes (Trivia: Grape seed polyphenols are powerful antioxidants, while the fruit’s sap is rich in viniferine to fight dark spots), an oil massage to sooth dryness, and a nourishing mask torestore moisture to your skin. If half an hour is all you can spare, the Express D-Vine Facial (RM198) will provide an instant glow to your face.

Unlike other spa centres that rush through your treatment so they can accommodate more clients, L’Occitane Petit Spa is all about setting the atmosphere. Equipped with three facial cabins, the 700 sq ft outlet is splashed with warm tones of beige, immediately putting you in the mood for a quick pampering.

Most of their facials take between 75 and 90 minutes, but you can always squeeze in beauty fixes like their Immortelle Divine Eyes (RM228; 40 minutes) or the Immortelle Youth Eyes (RM168; 25 minutes) if you’re pressed for time. Both treatments focus on the eye area, be it to lessen fine lines, reduce dark circles or give it a radiance boost after a long day. Your boss doesn’t have to know you’ve been partying until late.

It’s all in the name – Sulwhasoo’s Concentrated Ginseng Nourishing Facial (RM288; one hour) uses concentrated ingredients in their treatments so you don’t have to set aside long hours to reap the rewards of a spa session. Customers can idle away in an enclosed cabin where the facial takes place, beginning with the ‘Jaumdan’ treatment (a combo of herbs and natural ingredients to replenish moisture to the skin) and later, the ginseng cream to restore vitality. There’s also the Snowise EX Illuminating Facial, which applies a ginseng-oriented brightening formula to give glow to your skin – all the better if you need to attend an important event after work.

Good news for people working near Sunway Pyramid – Sulwhasoo’s standalone boutique just opened on the mall’s ground floor so you don’t have to brave the KL jam just to enjoy their facials.

Looking good doesn’t have to cost a fortune – Simpli Dry ensures you walk out their door beautified and satisfied in just under 40 minutes. Ideal for frazzled workers on-the-go, the speedy blowdry service takes you from disheveled to groomed with a few simple steps: A 15-minute wash to work out the knots and kinks, followed by conditioning, styling and a much-needed shoulder massage for an extra RM15. Good news for people who usually leave for work with their locks still damp: Simpli Dry opens as early as 7.30am so you can pop by, and arrive at work not looking like you forgot to rinse out the conditioner.