I have often passed by this busy intersection in Burnaby, and have never took note of the businesses that called this mini plaza its home. That is until today.
Here lives La Petite Beauty, a wellness boutique and spa. One that you would not necessarily know about driving by, but need to know to have to go. So I am here to inform you of such, and I hope readers find this post helpful, as I really think they are doing something different in the spa scene. Familiar treatments, but given more gusto with technology and an owner with over 26 years of experience in the spa industry.
Don’t let their plain exterior and quaint decorations fool you, or the fact that the spa appears to be a repurposed house with kitchen and laundry room. In actuality this is “home” is home to one of the most skilled spa experiences I have ever had.
They have private rooms and couple quarters, each massage bed set with towel and a small bouquets of faux flowers in decoration. I was let to their large boudoir suite capable of hosting all their available services including head spa, facials, massages, ear treatments, aromatherapy, and lymphatic drainage.
However, I was here specifically for their Signature Facial & Neck Therapy Treatment. This started with a back massage and cupping and ended with guasha and a facial. I was told that this combo is a client favourite, known for relieving tension and promoting radiant skin.
Kathy was my technician with over 26 years of experience in providing comfort and care to her customers. She started off in Richmond, and is now providing the above mentioned services for the residents of Burnaby. Originally specializing solely in skin, they have since expanded to doing head spa treatments.
I disrobed down to my underwear and dawned a snap clip towel to lay on my stomach within. My back and neck treatment would be first. The bed was a little awkward with the head pillow much lower than the rest of the bed. So we improvised with a travel neck pillow. It propped up my head alright, and I found a way to not ruin my lash extensions with it. However, it was difficult to breathe through, which was further challenged by the service itself.
I have always said that if you don’t feel pain what is the point of a massage. I personally have them to heal and less to relax, I want to walk way with less pain, which means “poking the bear”. Treating tight knots with heavy handed motion to loosen, and here I got one of the most pressure and pain driven healing massages I have ever received.
First it was a rub with oil and towel to literally and figuratively warm up the skin. Heated towels and heating packs full of seeds and beans were placed on my back. The later would also be used in conjunction to cupping to help rub out the toxins.
I have had cupping else where with the traditional glass and flame and pump suction method. However, this was my first time with a motorized cupping device that hummed and whirled. It functioned the same, but you can choose the intensity of the sucking, meaning you get more pressure that the other two options. There is also a built-in handle that allows the masseuse to use it as a massaging tool, to further apply pressure and get into tougher sections.
When it comes to cupping there is usually a warning of how it can leave marks. This is bruising that fades. The belief is that the darker the spots the more toxins that are being drawn out. And based on the spots and the drag marks across my upper back, I can conclude that I was as tight as Kathy said I was.
I definitely felt the pain of the pressure applied and more so during the back and forth rubbing. Some sections more than others. I was advised to breathe through it, which helped. And Kathy was more than happy to increase the pressure setting for my maximum benefit.
When done, I was asked to turn around and lay back down and head and feet switching to the opposite direction. This bed was designed for the head spas, which also doubled as a handy sink for facials.
My comfort felt paramount with heating packs placed on my back and stomach. And the process starting with a hot towel across the chest.
The facial is done in steps, with a wipe down with water and cloth pads in between each. From what I gathered: cleanser, exfoliating scrub, a steam treatment coupled with pore scraping and black head and pimple removal, gua sha rubbing, and then application of a fast drying peal off mask. The service concluded with an eye serums and moisturizer.
Gua sha is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves scraping the skin with a smooth-edged tool to improve circulation and promote healthy healing. It is believed to help with pain relief, reducing inflammation, and improving overall well-being. While often used on the face for its cosmetic benefits, gua sha can also be applied to various parts of the body. In my case back and face.
Here there was a pen shaped one that poked and a comb shaped one that dragged. It is said to also lift the face, and I was advised that next morning my jaw line would be more pronounced and angular. She would be right, but jaw line looked snatched.
In truth, many people do it at home for themselves, but I don’t have the time or patience to be one of them. Plus, I would not be able to do it to the caliber that Kathy did.
Much like the ease of tension from my back after the cupping, I saw immediate results once the jelly Pepto-Bismol pink mask was peeled back in one piece. What was left was a smooth matte finish of skin across my face.
The little bumps and marks I noted before were still there, but less noticeable and less red. Everything was softened like with a filter or air brush.
I looked and felt great. The results were instant and noticeable, you definitely feel like you get your monies worth with this.
For an Asian-style touch love massage and facial with the best results I cannot recommend a visit to La Petite Beauty Boutique Spa more!
La Petite Beauty Boutique Spa
4071 Kingsway unit 2, Burnaby, BC V5H 1Y9
(604) 616-0168
lapetitebeautyboutique.com
