Simone Gannon: This new facial treatment at The Shelbourne is a mind-and-body experience

Familiar with Swissline treatments from a previous visit to The Shelbourne, I recently decided to return to try one of their new additions: the Swiss Oxygen Facial (from €230). The treatment description is what hooked me in: a “75-minute invigorating facial that stimulates, strengthens, and purifies the skin … the ultimate antidote to tired, lifeless-looking skin”. While I wasn’t entirely convinced about the “lifeless” part, I was definitely in need of some invigoration.
Upon arrival at the spa, I was handed a consultation form. As I scanned the questions, I was surprised to find one asking how much pressure I preferred during the massage – light, medium, or firm. I had booked a facial, so I wasn’t sure if this was an error, but I eagerly ticked the “firm” box and hoped for the best.
As the therapist led me down the dimly lit hallway to the treatment room, I found myself wondering about the massage element. My shoulders were, for lack of a better description, up around my ears from stress, muscle tension and long periods of sitting hunched over my desk. I became increasingly hopeful that there would indeed be a massage included. Once we arrived at the treatment room, I couldn’t hold back any longer and asked the therapist: “Is there a massage as well?” She confirmed, “Yes, neck and shoulders.” I thought I might pass out from happiness.
The treatment began with a deep cleanse and a facial massage. There was an aspect that I can only describe as “smushing” – it felt like my face was being pressed down to make contact with the back of my head. It wasn’t unpleasant, just uniquely intense. After this, a cool mask was applied to my skin. Almost immediately, I felt the heat and puffiness in my face evaporate. Swissline are renowned for their use of powerful natural actives and skin-identical ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and marine hydrolysed collagen, and this mask, the Cell Shock Hydraholic Mask (€135 from The Spa at The Shelbourne), contained several of them. I made a note to ask post-treatment whether it was available to purchase (it was).
While the mask worked its magic, the therapist focused on releasing tension from my feet, forearms and hands. Once the mask was removed, it was replaced by something else. I refer to it as “something else” because what followed erased much of my memory of the treatment from this point onward.
For a lengthy period, the therapist expertly pummeled my neck and shoulders, working out the giant knots. It was one of the most wonderful tension-releasing massages I’ve ever experienced. Thanks to my choice of firm pressure, the massage was rather full-on at times – occasionally on the verge of painful, but never quite crossing that line. I’d love to tell you exactly how long this part of the treatment lasted, but I fell asleep and lost track – a 10/10 experience in my book.
When the treatment concluded, I retreated to the relaxation room – a beautiful spot at the front of The Shelbourne with views of St Stephen’s Green. On the way, I posted a quick story on Instagram about the experience, mentioning that I could no longer feel my shoulders. Always mindful of tension and tightness, I found that it was simply absent after the massage.
Happily ensconced in the relaxation room with a fruit-infused water in hand, I turned on the camera on my phone to take a quick peek at my skin. I was amazed not only by how radiant and smooth it looked (and felt) but also by the complete absence of redness, puffiness and essentially any signs of the fatigue I had shown just 75 minutes earlier.
In the end, the experience exceeded my expectations, unique face smushing aside. I had booked a facial, but what I received was a mind-and-body experience that left me feeling brand new. If that isn’t a testament to the power of a well-executed spa treatment, I don’t know what is.