At PENELOPE and The Beauty Bar, tucked inside the storied Fairmont Olympic Hotel, our Gua Sha Red Carpet Treatment paired with our infrared body ritual is less an appointment and more a daylong exhale. A modern escape rooted in ancient medicine.

The Art & History of Gua Sha

Gua Sha traces back thousands of years to Traditional Chinese Medicine, where smooth stone tools were used to stimulate circulation, release stagnation, and restore balance within the body. Historically performed on the body to move “qi” and blood, facial Gua Sha evolved into a refined sculpting practice — prized for its ability to lift, depuff, and awaken the complexion without needles or downtime.

The technique is deliberate. Intentional strokes glide along lymphatic pathways, encouraging drainage while increasing oxygen and nutrient delivery to the skin. The result is immediate luminosity and contour — cheekbones appear more defined, jawlines sharper, skin calmer and more even.

It is no surprise the beauty world now calls it “red carpet ready.”

But at PENELOPE, it is more than trend. It is precision.

The Gua Sha Red Carpet Treatment

Our elevated ritual layers:

• Deep cleansing and gentle exfoliation

• Targeted serums selected for your skin’s current condition

• Prolonged sculpting massage with cooling stone tools

• Lymphatic drainage to reduce puffiness and fluid retention

• Lift-enhancing techniques along the brow, cheek, and jaw

The finish is glassy, refined, and remarkably toned — the kind of skin that catches light softly rather than shining for attention.

Infrared: The Quiet Power Beneath the Surface

To deepen the effect, we pair this facial with our infrared body experience — a full-body therapeutic heat treatment designed to stimulate circulation, support detoxification, and enhance collagen production.

Infrared energy gently warms the body at a cellular level, encouraging lymphatic flow and muscle relaxation. As the face is sculpted above, the body below is quietly working: improving circulation, reducing inflammation, and promoting total systemic calm.

The combination is intentional.

When the body’s lymphatic system is stimulated, facial contouring results are amplified. When muscles relax deeply, tension in the jaw and brow releases more fully. The entire system resets.

A Day Escape in the City

Begin your morning with a Gua Sha sculpting ritual. Transition into infrared warmth — cocooned, quiet, restorative. Afterward, linger in the historic elegance of the Fairmont. Order lunch upstairs at The George. Move slowly. Let your nervous system recalibrate.

This is not simply skincare.

It is structural refinement meets ritual restoration.