Review: Pumpkin Pedicure at Mandarin Oriental Salon

For those of us who enjoy the conjunction of beauty and food, the Mandarin Oriental Salon’s latest series of pedicure treatments centering on edible experiences feel like a two-in-one treat. The themed pedicures – priced at HK$525 per person for 75 minutes – include a complimentary drink based on the ingredient of the season. From September to November, there’s an autumnal focus on pumpkin, while the Christmas period is based on winter fruits and spices. To kick off Valentine’s Day and Easter in 2013, a chocolate and rose theme will be offered.

Recently, we headed to the Mandarin Salon to try out the Spiced Pumpkin Pedicure package. Upon arrival, we were shown into a small private room (seating three guests at a time) off to the side of the salon, with a view over Jardine House and IFC, and the harbour in the background. It’s a modest space with minimal decoration, but if you’re short on time or want to have your hair done at the same time, the treatment can take place in the main salon area.

The only downfall is that the small room is rather bland; despite the view towards the harbour, the basic décor and lack of atmosphere brings the relaxation factor down a few notches. Our soundtrack for the session consisted mainly of blowdryer noise from the salon outside.

Our complimentary drink for the session, a spiced pumpkin smoothie, was brought out with a brief explanation of the ingredients: yoghurt, pumpkin puree, lime juice and cinnamon. Garnished with a single cinnamon quill and a slightly incongruous frond of fresh mint, the drink encapsulated the flavours of autumn and was a pleasant accompaniment for the duration of the treatment.

Ming, my smiling pedicurist for the day, quickly got to work with a pre-soak of the feet in a wide wooden bucket of warm water – quickly adjusted to the right temperature when I found it too hot – with rough sea salt and vitamin A oil.

Skin softened, the toenails were attended to – cuticles pushed back and trimmed, nails cut into a simple square shape and buffed until shiny. The speed at which this was done was astonishing, and Ming deftly moved on to putting right my poor, battered feet with her cutter and scraper, buffing away the dead skin.

Finally, the pumpkin aspect of the treatment came into play, with a spiced pumpkin sugar scrub to exfoliate the feet and lower legs. As the scrub was rubbed in, the room began to fill with the scent of cinnamon pumpkin pie and buttery biscuits, causing us to drift into memories of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners past.

After the scrub, Ming rinsed away the sugar and then went to fetch a steel canister from which she removed – to my amusement – two objects resembling foil-wrapped burritos, but were in fact hot towels to clean off any remaining residue from the scrub. Then, a light (perhaps too light) foot and leg massage with a soothing pumpkin-and-ginger shea butter (imbued with vitamins B to K) to soften and moisturise the skin.

I’d already selected a nail colour from the kaleidoscopic wall of OPI polishes, and the session ended with the application of two layers of colour, bookended by a base and top coat. At this point, Ming eyes my ballet flats and asks if I’ve brought flip-flops with me, as the polish needs at least 45 minutes to set. I haven’t, foolishly, and since I didn’t have an extra 45 minutes to spare, I was kindly provided with complimentary bamboo flip flops for the journey home – loose, but did the job.

Overall, the experience was not as gimmicky as expected – the pumpkin element was subtle and the treatment was excellently done, and we look forward to trying the Christmas and Valentines’ variations already.

To book, call the Mandarin Oriental Salon on +852 2825-4800 or email mohkg-salon@mohg.com