The Worst 128 Faubourg Experience So Far

Feeling: Relaxed-ish
Weather: Neutral
Listening To: The Beatles- Twist And Shout

Update: My subsequent visit after this incident was on 13th January 2011, and I was attended to by the assistant salon manager (According to her name card), Stephy Tai. She was very good and professional, and I would say that it was the best experience I had- the facial was heavenly. I will definitely try to book her for my subsequent facials now. Also, I’m quite pleased to note that they seem to have a file on me right now, which is good.

In order to treat myself for the completion of my thesis (And the end of the semester bar final examinations) as well as to relieve stress, I booked myself to a facial treatment at my usual place- 128 Faubourg in 1 Utama yesterday.

128 Faubourg in Bangsar Village, taken from the Facebook fan page.

Now I’ve always had a relatively good experience at 128 Faubourg in 1 Utama- I’ve always had my facials done there since I started getting back into facials earlier this year for the general health and maintenance of my skin and yesterday would have been my third or fourth time (If I remember correctly) there. I really liked the results of the facial treatments and the overall ambience of the place, especially the treatment rooms, and the fact that they are less pushy than some places I’ve been to and/or heard about.

One of the treatment rooms in the 128 Faubourg in Bangsar Village, taken from the Facebook fan page.

Sorry for the long, ranty post ahead, especially if it doesn’t concern you :P

What baffled me every time I went there though is how during the first visit I’ve been asked to fill in a form about myself and all that (Standard procedure for first-timers for places like this), but they’ve subsequently lost my details during my second visit onwards, or so I’ve been told. Apparently they don’t think I’m important or loyal enough to key in my details? :( But since I’ve never had a problem making an appointment and most of the ladies there remember my usual treatment (The one I’ve had since I first went there- the Hydra Lift Synergy Treatment), I’ve not made a fuss about it.

Yesterday, I was assigned a therapist as is standard procedure every time I went there- they’d ask me to sit down and wait while they look for my details or whatever it is, though I’m not sure as they don’t seem to carry a clipboard with the form I’ve filled up and all other details of my previous visits when attending to me unlike the other customers who visit the place for treatments and as previously mentioned, I’ve been told they lost my form. She looked at my skin (Again, if they had my form/details, they should have an idea, right? Though my skin type/condition might change so again, I don’t blame them) and recommended a treatment apparently new to 128 Faubourg- the Brightening Resurfacing Treatment, which I agreed to since I’ve had a bad spate to under the sun recently (Kuala Kubu Baru waterfall trip with dearest Louis, my dog, friends and their dogs) and thus am willing to try it. I’m normally not a fan of such treatments to be honest :P

The horror began when the therapist asked me how long have I not had a facial, and when I answered her that it’s been almost 2 months or less, she grimaced. In the “eeeeww” kind of grimace. I was quite taken aback- I usually try to make a facial appointment once a month, unless I am busy with University or family, and I do exfoliate and mask twice a week at home myself… so what gives? On hindsight, perhaps I should have requested a new therapist right there and then =_=

I was lead into the treatment room- where my facial treatment would begin. I always seem to get Suite 5 without fail XD As per usual, my therapist tried to initiate conversation with me- looking at my skin condition and so on. She noted that I had been stressed, which I had been due to thesis XD I told her that I have been rushing my final year project, and she replied by saying that it’s always busy at offices during the year end. Errr, OK. She then told me that I should try to come in for regular facials, and I said sure, since my semester is ending and I’ll be more free to do so, and that I’ll be officially graduating in April 2011… and she talked on as though I am working when I mentioned the words “semester ending”, “graduating” =_= The kicker came when she asked if I were on my off-day and I told her bluntly that I am a student… and she didn’t try to make any conversation after that.

I mean, come on. Even if you’re trying to initiate conversation with your customer out of courtesy, at least make an effort to understand and/or listen to your customer instead. It really ticked me off how unprofessional this is.

As a result it made me nitpick on her choice of words too- “bring up your healthy cells”? I wouldn’t mind if she said “resurface” or “stimulates your healthy cells”. “Stinking”, when she meant to say “stinging”? Oh lord ._.

Not only that- the whole facial treatment was meh to be honest. Unlike other therapists I’ve experienced in 128 Faubourg, especially the one prior to this treatment (Which I enjoyed although she was a bit more chatty than I’d really like, but she was nice), she did not “introduce” the products she’d be using on me as she went. She was also rather slapdash in her attitude- like when she was applying mask on me with a brush, I felt that she didn’t go over some places more than once when she did on other parts of my face, and when she was applying other products on me with her fingers she kept applying it onto the sides of my lips, which was also annoying. Likewise, when she did my second mask, she entered, removed my first mask, painted on my second mask and rushed off. I could hear it. It certainly did not help me feel as relaxed as I’d like, although I understand that there’s no point in a therapist being in the room while I stew in my own juices during the mask, but her rushed attitude made me feel like I was being rushed too.

I guess I’m thankful that at the end of the treatment she did not push any products on me, just asked if I usually came for individual treatments to which I replied yes, because I do and I preferred it that way. She just left me with the catalogue about their package promotion for the treatment I just had- the Brightening Resurfacing Treatment should I be interested, took my credit card for payment to be processed and disappeared. The receptionist was the one who brought me my receipt and credit card slip to sign instead. So, if I had coincidentally changed my mind to get the package, she wouldn’t be able to have gotten the credit for making me sign up, so yay :D

So dear 128 Faubourg, I would return as I really like your treatments and ambience, and I am satisfied with the results of my treatment yesterday so far, but I would request that I not get the therapist I had. I hope you at least have details of who attended to me (As I know most places would have records of the treatment and the therapist, but since you lost my details apparently), because I didn’t bother about her name due to her attitude. I just hope that my next visit would be better :\