AsiaLIFE

The Place certainly has the wow-factor from top to bottom. The fourth floor beauty salon is jam-packed with chandeliers, pink bead curtains and massive mirrors, all vying for your attention. It looks fantastic, but as you are led to one of the several private treatment rooms, you start looking forward to shutting out all that busyness.

Once laid out on the comfortable table, Srei Leang cleanses your skin and scrubs off impurities. Her focus is as much on your décolleté as your face – a practice sadly overlooked in many salons, but oh so important in ensuring you look fabulous in low-cut tops. All products are Lancome, a definite sign of quality.

A facial mask and lush-smelling eye-patches follow, along with a face and neck massage. Then it’s time for the vacuum clean, sucking the impurities out of your skin. Finally out comes the laser. As the plastic rod containing the beam is passed over your skin, there is a slight burning sensation but nothing too uncomfortable. The rod promises to rid you of crow’s feet, rings under your eyes and any other wrinkles, as well as more stubborn impurities. The treatment takes slightly over an hour and leaves your face feeling radiant. Don’t count on looking fantastic though, as the scalp massage is likely to have messed up your hair. You will leave smiling, as the chatter from Srei Leang is filled with giggles.

The full on facial costs US$50, but there are shorter treatments from US$25. The Place Beauty Salon also offers an extensive list of other treatments, with women’s haircuts starting from US$15, as well as ear candling (US$30), shaves (US$5), waxing (from US$15) and a two-hour body scrub for US$80. A Thai massage in a private room will set you back US$12.

The Place undoubtedly has splendour and facials are done very professionally with high quality products. Yet the overall impression is that beneath all the glamour the salon lacks soul, though that may partly be due to the lack of customers. Appointments seem unnecessary as the recently-opened salon is large and has plenty of staff. Opening hours are from 8am to 11pm.

The Place, 92 Sihanouk Blvd., Tel; 023 726 999