You can see that I was more happy than a bird that had an French fries when I read the rave reviews of Pearl Spa, San Francisco’s Korean style spa, which debuted in Japantown in the last quarter of 2016. The owner at the time Tracy Lee told Hoodline that she believed Pearl will attract all kinds of people and also the Asian people who are familiar with their idea.
The glowing reviews varied from the warmth that the team members showed to “baby soft” skin they got through their treatment scrub Pearl Spa offers – the most sought-after for Korean spa treatments and has been in use for more than 1,000 years.
The Room of Red Clay Therapy: Pro tip: request sheets of masks when you enter the room. The mask is not expensive and the experience more enjoyable.
I discovered Pearl Spa to be a fresh experience as well as an intriguing exploration into Asian routines for beauty. Many of us have heard about the numerous routines Korean women go through each day to keep their appearance on point It’s similar to the Olympic track event , which is an early morning sprint. There are reports of the 10-step beauty regimen are popping up on the web and in magazines too. Korea is the place which gave us BB cream as well as exfoliating products. Many of us living are in the Bay Area struggle to wash our face on a regular basis. In the Bay Area, hoodies are a must and athleisure is almost a synonym for work clothing. We’re the queens and kings of keeping it afloat.
The only thing that isn’t so casual about a K-spa experience is that you’ll be completely naked. It’s a rule you must accept when you reserve. You’ll be more noticeable should you attempt to get a swimsuit on. My advice is to keep in mind that no one is watching at you, since they’re not. It’s either Pearl Spa veterans who’ve seen more naked women than bartenders in The Gold Club, or they’re new to the scene and are not too concerned about getting naked to give you an extra glance.
A few may find this instructive. Others might be too freaked out by this behavior to even consider giving Pearl Spa a second try. It was eye-opening to realize how casual some guests were when it came to removing their clothes with their colleagues after work. Ladies flock here to celebrate birthdays, bridal showers and other outings. It’s not a bad thing to be a women-only spa. Certain K-SPAs have co-ed areas. However, it is expected to dress appropriately for those.
One of the things that is worth a trip to this spa is that it gets you out of your comfortable zone and opens (sorry for the pun) the visitor to a completely different way of looking at your spa visit. In the city that is proud on its diverse culture and distinctive experiences shouldn’t you consider trying something like this try? I believe so.
Let’s move on to the treatments. You can purchase a day pass for $35. This gives you access to the hot tub as well as the cold plunge pool sauna steam room as well as a clay room and a salt room that has a locker to store your belongings. Also, you can enjoy massage, a seaweed wrap or scrub (be more brave than I did) and enjoy the spa amenities available.
The scrubs and massages do not suit the weak of heart. The spa attendants apply more pressure than the majority of individuals are used during massages. In essence they’re gentle but more ferocious that Beyonce during Coachella. Anyone who has experienced a genuine Thai massage might be familiar with the sensation of being smashed and perhaps bruised by an therapist who massages you at Chiang Mai. In the scrubs, you’ll be scrubbed in areas of your body that you’ve not considered in a while. Be humble before you leave and consider the final result as there aren’t candles or Enya songs in the treatment rooms.
I arrived around 45 minutes before my massage, and then soaked in the steam room and hot tub. Parking was simple just across the street from Japantown Plaza. I was screened in and assigned a locker number that was then changed into my name once it was time for the attendant at my spa to take me to my massage. The spa has slippers and the robe. Your key for your locker is slung around your wrist to allow for simple carrying and access. There’s a common area in the locker in which you can wash or blow-dry your hair before preparing in your journey back to world (it’ll be a similar to being exiled from Disneyland in the middle of night). The most appealing thing of this space? Snacks. Cookies, tea and fruit are offered during your stay.
After you’ve finished your treatment, head upstairs and take a look at the clay and salt saunas. These are basically saunas filled with pink Himalayan sea salt as well as the balls made of red clay. The pink sea salt assists in flushing out any toxins and eases sinus congestion. The red clay area helps relax joints and muscles as well as relieves rheumatism and boosts blood flow. When you leave you’ll receive the present of an Korean sheet mask, so that the fun will continue in the evening, with a full-time Netflix show at home.
Have a go at Pearl Spa or another K-spa the next time you get a chance. If you’re lucky you’ll have added an entirely new routine to your routine for beauty. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to smile knowing that Conan O’Brien has totally had the same experience. He definitely has had a worse experience than you do.
