Nestled amongst the grey office buildings in the back streets of Akasaka, just a short walk from Tokyo Midtown and Hinokicho park, is an unexpected and perfectly delightful french cafe. Looking straight out of the streets of Paris, the gorgeous building houses the bustling Gazzara Design Cafe on the ground level, and entering through the gorgeous entrance you can take the elevator to the luxurious, holistic beauty spa, Lapidem Tokyo.
From the moment I was greeted downstairs by the friendly, English-speaking staff and shown in the tastefully designed entrance way, I know that I am about to experience something special.
Luxurious Moroccan inspired interiors in the reception area makes you feel like you have stepped straight into an exotic 5-star hotel.
Lapidem Tokyo is the creation of Yukiko Kondo. Yukiko started her career as a successful wedding dress designer. While working with many Tokyo brides, designing heavenly wedding dress creations, Yukiko had many brides asking her for skincare advice, as they prepared to look their best on their wedding day. With a passion for active natural and easy to use skincare, Yukiko began giving skincare advice to her clients and then decided to develop her own Lapidem skincare products and holistic beauty treatment spa. Today, the Lapidem skincare products and spa have gained such this part of the business is now winding down, as Yukiko has decided to concentrate on further developing the sucessful Lapidem skincare, and more recently, hair care product ranges.
The spacious facial treatment rooms are fitted with everything you could possibly need to make your Lapidem treatment experience exceptional.
The Lapidem spa feels like a luxurious, exclusive spa. Somewhere you can escape the business of the city, and have absolute privacy to enjoy your beauty treatment. With only two treatment rooms, the ambience is luxurious like a 5-star hotel spa, but cosy and far more personal. Both treatment rooms are enormous by Tokyo standards, with exquisite Moroccan style light wells in the ceiling.
The uber-comfortable Lapidem head spa treatment room.
The private Lapidem facial room is fitted with absolutely everything you will need. Plush terry robes, vanity with hair brush, hair ties, makeup and of course Lapidem products for you to try. As I was getting changed for my treatment I soon discovered that I had left my contact lens case and solution at home. No problem, the Lapidem staff soon returned with everything that I needed. The service and high level of attention to detail of the Lapidem team is incredible, truly Japanese service and hospitality at it’s best. The conscientious Lapidem staff have carefully thought through every detail.
On my visit to Lapidem, I experienced a customised facial, using the six step, at-home care Lapidem product range. My facial therapist explained that the effectiveness of the at-home range was so good that they could also use for quality salon treatments. The concept of Lapidem skincare range was to create a no-fuss, easy to use range of effective natural skincare products, that busy women with careers and family’s, could use at home and see results.
The concise and impeccably designed Lapidem active natural skin care range is designed for busy working woman.
The Lapidem at home care skincare range consists of six skincare products, all of which contain high quality, natural ingredients that deliver radiant, clear skin. My treatment starts with a short consultation to assess my skin concerns and a quick run through of the Lapidem product range. The stylish and asthetically pleasing, product design of the Lapidem products have immediate appeal, which is equally matched by the carefully selected natural ingredients.
Starting with a gentle cleanse with the Skin Mind Perfectus Cleanser (¥6,800), a moisturising oil based formula effortlessly removes all traces of makeup. Perfect for dry winter skin or mature skin types that to cleanse the skin without stripping moisture and aggreivating sensitivity.
With a clean canvas, then next step is the Lapis Skin Scrub (¥6,800), containing fine particles of clay to cleanse dirt from pores and finely gained apricot kernal to exfoliate dead skin cells. Afterwards, my dry/ sensitive skin feels smooth and soft, and not at all tight and sensitised.
To boost the skin after cleansing and exfoliating a quick spritz of the aromatic Consensus TR Mist (¥5,500) has my skin feeling hydrated and dewy. The mist penetrates the skin immediately, leaving the perfect base for the Skin Mind Admira Mask. The Admira Mask (¥11,800) is the best selling product in the Lapidem range and it’s easy to see why. This maks pulls of the tricky ability to both firm the face line and plump the skin, leaving the skin feeling and looking youthful and healthy. While the mask is at work, I am treated to an expert head, neck and shoulder massage, which almost lulls me to sleep…
The final two products in the Lapidem are the Serum Lotion (¥7,800) to add miosture and Skin Mind Repair F Cream (¥13,800) as the final step to lock in all the moisture that has been added to the skin. Both of these products contain natural moisturising and radiance boosting ingredients like snow elder, bilberry and argan oil, my skin drinks in the hydration, and is left deeply hydrated, glowing and glossy.
After reluctantly dragging myself off the cosy treatment bed, I wrap myself in the plush robe and snack on perfectly presented seasonal fruits and sip tea, while I apply a small amount of the thoughtfully provided makeup to prepare me for the rest of the day.
It was my first vist to Lapidem Tokyo, but will definitely not be my last! I thoroughly enojoyed the expert salon experience at Lapidem Tokyo, both the treatment and the skincare products are both quite unique, offering something (in my experience) unparalled in Tokyo.
If you are interested in finding an effective natural skincare range that is made in Tokyo, you must try Lapiderm skincare products, or if you are just looking for an elegant, luxurious private salon experience you really can’t beat a visit to Lapidem Tokyo.
Lapidem Tokyo
6-16-4 Akasaka
Tokyo, Japan 107-0052
Phone: 03 6426-5231
Lapidem website
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