I'd Stay Away

I haven't much idea where to do my facial here in Kuching. So one day, at Plaza Merdeka, I stumbled upon a group of ladies who were promoting their facial services. I'd seen their shop before at Abell Road .... so I thought I'd give them a try. I bought one facial at RM68.00.

I did not immediately go and have my facial done after I had bought it. I was procrastinating, I suppose. I only did my facial 2 months after I had bought it .... and that was September last year.

The beautician who did my facial was a nice lady, and she served me very well. I liked her and would not mind her services again ..... But I could not stand the "manager".

The manager was a middle-aged lady who had nothing good to say about my skin and about the skincare products I was using. She was extremely pushy .... and she forced a few products upon me. They were apparently paraben-free. But of course, I refused to buy them from her. I'd not heard of the products before! A quick Google search did not even yield any results ....... so who knows where on earth her products were made and what they were made of!

So having failed to get me to buy the products, she forced facial packages on me to sign up. And when I refused that too, she literally forced me to buy one treatment. Before I had said yes, she had already issued the receipt!!

I was annoyed! But I paid anyway ... RM108 for a Sensivital Treatment. It's not the money I was concerned with. But it was the way she forced it upon me. Though I bought the treatment, I bought it unwillingly. I did not want to go back to the beauty centre at all. I did not look forward to going back there at all.... and the receipt sat in my wallet for months.

My face was recently a wreck, with acne breaking out .... so I thought it was time to go and have it washed. But this time, I'd go with with a near-empty purse. I had my identification documents and the facial receipt and only a few ringgit in there. My credit card was purposefully left at home ... so even if the pushy woman wanted me to buy this and that, she couldn't because I had no money to spend!!

I reached the beauty centre on time .... was greeted by Old Ms Pushy .... she served me a cup of tea .... and then went to prepare the room for me .... The same beautician who served me the last time was in-charge of my facial today, so I was glad about that. Before we started, Old Ms Pushy came by and started to point out what was wrong with my skin ..... and recommended me a serum and cleanser from her range of products.

I kept mum. She could say whatever she wanted. I had no money.

Perhaps sensing that I was indifferent or annoyed, she told the beautician to give me a double mask. "Special" for me, she said. Fine. But I still had no money. :P

An hour and forty-five minutes later, we were done. I was ushered to the front desk where Old Ms Pushy was seated .... and she served me tea again. Then she attempted to get me to try her lip gloss for the purpose of "treatment" because my lips were "dark" ...

I gulped down my tea and then told her in a very straightforward manner, "I'm not buying any products nor facials today."

"I'm not selling you anything .... I'm just sharing with you .... "

"Thank you," I brushed her off ....

Old Miss Pushy resigned. "Thank you," she said. And I left. AND I AM NOT GOING BACK THERE!!!  Phew!!

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Whenever my colleagues and I talk about facials, I'd tell them this experience and advise them to stay away from this beauty centre! Does anyone have any beauticians to recommend me in Kuching???