Areuke Spa is nestled in the busy suburb of Hongdae in Seoul, South Korea. The spa’s distinctive concrete building stands out among the shopping, nightlife, and university, signalling one of the city’s most indulgent facials is behind its glass doors. I’d booked numerous Korean beauty experiences in advance, but this was the one I was most excited about.
I was introduced to Jennie: my skin therapist and the spa’s team leader. She conducted a consultation and skin analysis using the JANUS Pro device, then recommended the Ultra VVS Resurfacing Program – a comprehensive wellness treatment including a chemical peel using glycolic, lactic, salicylic, mandelic, and kojic acids.
“This is a regenerative skincare treatment focused on improving skin tone, texture, and radiance,” Jennie later told me. “Using VVS ampoules, it aids in exfoliation, strengthening the skin barrier, enhancing elasticity, preventing aging, and reducing pigmentation, while balancing skin minerals, pH, and protein levels. It also includes treatment for the scalp, décolleté, abdomen, and arms to promote muscle relaxation, lymphatic circulation, and immune support.”
After preparing products at a mixing station, she led me to a private room to begin my treatment. (Shared rooms with partitions are quite common; private rooms are often for an additional fee or offered at higher-end spas.) From the moment my treatment started, I knew I was in capable hands – even the cleansing and pre-peel techniques felt different from other facials. She contrasted million-miles-an-hour tapping, patting, and pressing motions with firm, slow, upward and outward strokes to prepare my skin for the peel to come.
The variety of face and body massage techniques and tools left me feeling blissfully relaxed, yet eagerly anticipating what would happen next. Later, I asked Jennie what makes this facial special, particularly in a city with no shortage of choices.
“This treatment, exclusive to Areuke Spa’s signature wellness techniques, lifts facial contours while addressing deep wrinkles and muscles,” she described. A combination of lifting cups and hands-on massage techniques were used to lift and tighten the fascia. While having my skin purposefully pinched, pulled and rolled didn’t always feel comfortable, “This process stimulates the fascia to improve blood and lymph circulation, maximising the absorption of VVS ampoules and enabling nutrients to penetrate deeply into the skin. As a result, the treatment provides not only a lifting effect but also improved skin texture, enhanced elasticity, and anti-aging benefits.”
The treatment finished with a quintessentially Korean hydration-focused routine, layering a peel neutraliser, sheet mask, toner, essence, recovery cream, and sun protection. Jennie gave me a pack of sample-sized products with instructions to prolong my results – and kindly added a sheet mask as my birthday was coming up.
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