About The Blogger

My name is Tammy Lim and I am an award winning blogger from Top 10 Malaysia Magazine and Cleo Malaysia Magazine. I have been blogging since 2008 and I am also the founder of a local Malaysian beauty & lifestyle community called The Butterfly Project. People often tell me that I'm a wonder woman, but in reality - if it's something you love, you can do wonders.

When I'm not wondering, I'll be on my computer searching for the next fountain of youth or hunting down a fantastic deal. I'm also a shopaholic, wanderluster, spa enthusiast and proud hipster who loves planning special occasions and surprises for her loved ones.
  • Top 10 Female Bloggers in Malaysia Award
  • Cleo's Next Top Blogger Malaysia Award
  • Founder of The Butterfly Project Malaysia



  • Modern Beauty: enter at your own risk

    1.03.2009


    Jasmine recommended me to this massage place called "Modern Beauty" citing their massages are great and their facials are better than Beyond Beauty. However it was the biggest mistake I've ever made to step foot into a unknown beauty saloon, going for their first trials just because it's cheap and under the impression that this is just like any other beauty saloon. Before we step into the saloon, Jasmine suddenly told me to say no to them firmly & to make sure whatever I wanted was known clearly before starting anything. I was puzzled at this last minute warning. Now I know why.
    I was ecstatic when Jasmine wanted to treat me to a birthday beauty treatment yesterday at Modern Beauty. I choose the cheapest 1st time trial so that she would not feel burden (wthell wrong with me she earns 3 times more than me). It was an awful first time trial. The entire time of the facial, the beautician name Lay See kept trying to sell me their doublel mask which costs and additional rm60. She did not stop even after I said no. I have thought that normally the sales comes after your treatments, but in this place the sales started during the treatments itself, so it wasn't a relaxing facial at all.

    I dreaded to know what will happen after my facial trial. I looked at the consultatation room like a jail chamber. Nevertherless I was too weak of a person to fight or to say no to strangers. My usual escape route is to just not to talk to strangers and walk away quickly. In this saloon, I could not as Jasmine was still having her massage.

    The sales talk came, and harder and pushier this time. Lay See did not give me a chance to breath nor to walk away. They are really Lady Killers. When I told her I did not find their facial suitable for me, it did not stop her from pushing other types of packages. Frankly speaking, their course treatments are too expensive compared to Clarins, Jurlique or any other luxury brands out there who could provide better enviroment, services, packages with the $$$ we're paying. If I were to compare the level of services/enviroment of Modern Beauty to a saloon, I would pick any other lower grade saloons u can find in SS2 or some PJ outlet to them (and for only 1/2 of the price you're goin to pay).

    It was purely HARD SALES & HIGH PRESSURE SELLING. Unfortunately I am already immune to high pressure selling, it was just the ability to say FARKING NO that I can't do. Lay See pushed the massage package to me and quickly insisted I lay down rm1,600 to pay for it. TODAY IF U SIGN UP was her favourite quote. Today if u sign up, u get 2 times free (or 5 times in the case of the facial package) bla bla she went. I knew she was just LYING her way out to get me to buy something now. When she couldn't sell me that, she discounted rm100 and continue pushing the package to me. Frankly speaking, I can't pay for something I have not tried before I told her and since you told me I can't try the first trial massage anymore (bcoz I tried the 1st trial facial) then I can't try it anymore.

    I thought at this moment I would be free from her clutches. Bad. She said she talked to her manager (which I didn't even see her talking to) and her manager said would give me a special one time offer to try the massage package at rm160. Wow that's not the price u told me when I first enter this shop. It was rm150 no? She quickly changed it to rm150 and told me this is just for me and now I can try the massage, scrub and spa for rm150. If I don't like it, I can just stop right there after trying. If I like it, I would continue the package she recomended to me minus 1 treatment.

    To get her to stop pushing, I said yes (this is another sales technique, they sell n sell until u'll succumb to them n pay for anything just to end this ordeal). Waiting for the receipt to come took forever, in which in this time she still push me to buy the package TODAY. How on earth can somebody pay RM1.5k TODAY?? hell I earn just that much in 1 month!

    When the receipt came, it read:

    Non-refundable deposit for massage,scrub, spa package rm1,500 and/or rm1,400 massage 45mins.
    WHAT THE HELL? Did I just paid deposit for a package?? I hate this PLACE!

    The anger and feeling like a total fool came just when I was lying down on my bed to sleep. The feeling was still fresh n clear when I woke up this morning, hence my blogging of ultimate biatch anger is out. I googled "Modern Beauty" and was shocked to find a lot of complaints and them being TOP for the seriously worst beauty saloon pushers around in Malaysia & Singapore.


    Hell now I have a "trial massage" to book, which the beautician already kept pushing me to do while I was trying to leave their saloon. Did I mention they don't speak English very well? and I don't speak Cantonese/Mandarin! yet they still want my money.


    30 comments:

    1. omg Miu!wat a horrible experience!i hope u dont hav to pay for anything..these ppl r trained sharks!i cringed juz to imagine wat u've been thru..be strong a say it out loud " I DUN WANT ANY OF THESE!!!!"..you go miu!

      ReplyDelete
    2. Women!!! (shaking my head knowingly)

      I don't know what's wrong with a bar of soap and some water, it gets the works done.

      Botox, I can comprehend. Massage, I am sold. Facial, I can't. What is it between women and facial? Grrr....

      ReplyDelete
    3. yr resolutions are interesting esp no 10! im still doing mine haha. happy new year :)

      ReplyDelete
    4. fcuking same problem like london weight managenment...this fcuking things happen to me too ......so now onwards i learn my lesson liao no such thing as CHEAP for 1st trial......all CON one lor....n u be ready hor......they will keep call n call u .....
      mine follow me until ATM machine ask me press 12k out for slimming courses....so fcuk tard they think i am ....so angry nia.....and i also so foolish that day......i swipe card for 100+++ for duno wtf reason they say ....sibei dulan if see this happen
      owh be careful also
      london weight management and yun nam hair care same same one

      ReplyDelete
    5. I already pay rm150 to escape from the torture haha!! but yes.. pls give me the power to say I DUN WANT ANYMORE! after i go for my "trial massage" that cost rm150. Maybe I should paint war face n go.. like soldier in vietnam.

      Uncle Frog: ish MEN!!! (shaking head) a bar of soap n water is a boring everyday routine BUT a facial/massage/spa is the ultimate pampering session for any women who is in need of a much needed love (and touch) that MEN can't seem to give!!!

      i will say a lovely massage is equivalent to a make out with a guy! Facial is just like another massage but limited to our face, head, scalp n shoulder (sometimes arms). This is more Privacy protected and u get your face rejuvenated too.. (or detox/cleanse/treated/botox-like for a few hours)

      QuaChee: ahhaha no.10?? lol.. but ur resolutions would be more high flying then a commoner like moi! :) go go businessman dude..

      Banana: WUT? london weight management too? lucky i din go there.. my friend is asking me to go with her there but we're both inexperience about this. NOW that i read what happened to u, I WON'T GO!!! i prefer professional beauticians not hard sale pushers willing to do anything just 2 get commissions.

      Follow u to ATM? 12k?! did u complete this course n pay?? >_< omg.. seriously scary. Got blog about it? which branch this one??

      ReplyDelete
    6. go to Mary Chia,not bad..
      NO pushing at all..n yet nice service~:)
      this is what v always called "professional"~:)

      ReplyDelete
    7. omg, that was a horrible experience! i had this similar experience (not with facial parlour, but with wedding photography at wedding exhibition at Mid Valley) - they asked you to sit down, while they explain their packages. as my bf and i were browsing the photos for fun (we never intended to get married so soon anyway, we just bumped into the exhibition and entered for fun!), the salesgirl came and asked us to sign up for the package. although we mentioned to her that we won't be getting married within this year, she said the deposit is valid for 6 months. we said "no, we are just here for look-out", and then she "show hand" by giving VIP wedding gowns, extra printed photos, extra this, extra that JUST to make you sign up for their package. even their "manager" came and tried to convince us. ah, and they used the SAME tactic "if you sign up TODAY/NOW" wtf.

      my bf and i got stucked there (at Red Bliss booth) for almost 1 hour, and they won't let us go. we don't have a silent moment to talk to each other. damnit wtf. sigh... anyhow, we escaped but we felt extremely unhappy over this matter.

      ReplyDelete
    8. wahlau u also kena this kinda thing? why must they be so pushy? go no heart one meh. We're all human leh, not just $$$$ to u. I heard in overseas, if the sales ppl push u like this, they can get sue for harassing/intimidating/tort for talking to u like this!

      sign up today/now - really scary word

      next time we hear this word, straight RUN OUT THE PLACE!!!

      dun care about them!! i wonder how they will react if they see us run so fast. I think no need be polite to these sharks!!!

      ReplyDelete
    9. london weight management...hate them don't ever go there.last time i've won their contest in a magazine.i've got a letter that said i've won a treatment and i went there to redeem it.after the treatment finish they put me in a room to try to talk me into buying their package until i'm slim..they were expensive, so i said, i'm a student i can't afford this.but they still pushing me to give at least rm100.i said no n then they lower it to rm10 for the first payment.but i strictly said to them..'hey i've won this contest and i've the right to redeem my prize and u don't have the right to push me into giving u my money'.and i also said that my father is a lawyer and i will tell this to him so i can sue them.they make some faces but they let me go without saying anything...hehe.actually my father is not a lawyer..but i'm happy coz i can get out from there.

      ReplyDelete
    10. waa miu just read your post and good info for all of us here...i also had the same experience trying the first trial session at london weight management...that was long time ago when i was a student...

      anyway,i am not that fat but the beautician really push me saying that i need to get rid the cellulite bla3 and her words really makes me feel that i am so fat (hate them really much...)

      i said no many times as i can't afford these as i am still a student and have no money..but they still have their way saying that i just need to pay minimum deposit RM10 or RM15 (can't remember) for special package for student (which still costs thousand of bucks...)

      they even swipe my atm card (just to shut them up saying that i really don't have any money). Hehehe, actually i had drawn out all my money and therefore i escaped from signing up they package...

      ReplyDelete
    11. wow............................. student also they won't let go! better i leave all my card n cash at home... burried 6 feet underground for safety.

      Looks like a lot complains about this LONDON WEIGHT MANAGEMENT! lucky i din follow my friend's recommendation n go to this place. Or else i will feel so low self esteem later by them n pay so much money out.

      ReplyDelete
    12. I also been there. Bad management, keep on pushing. Many people just slam at them when they start to push ppl to upgrade their course when their current course is not even near finish and you haven't even see any visible result at all. They always say, you can use credit card to sign up and pay by installment. WTF, money drop from the sky is it. There is even few times I can't even get any appointement during weekend and I pre-book 1 mths in advance and yet the customer service told me can not because their schedule not out yet. I never feel relax going there and I still have many unuse courses. I can't even feel relax at all.

      ReplyDelete
    13. i also got the "pay by credit card" push after i told them i no money.

      YAH LEH.. money drop from sky???

      why these ppl push like as if we're so rich.. can just talk into giving up our salary????

      TAK BERHATI PERUT BETUL!!!!!!!!!

      ReplyDelete
    14. omg miu!!!!
      i bought the facial voucher @ RM38 at some beauty expo, my facial is scheduled next monday. gosh. now i m scared. should i waste the rm38 instead?? HELPPPPP!

      ReplyDelete
    15. OMG which outlet u going to?????

      i think u better leave your credit card n cash behind at home when u step into this place! this way u will not be able to PAY anything if they start SELLING to u!!!!

      rm38 IS GIMMIC!! run run!!!!

      T__T err.. or maybe they have changed? maybe service better? But i re-read my blog post n remember back other ppl's experience.. now i scared to even think back of goin to this place!

      HOPE U BE STRONG! Maybe u're lucky no hard selling???

      ReplyDelete
    16. T_T really omg right? omg i m scared. and i am also like u, i dont know how to say no. gosh gosh. im thinking to js forfeit the rm38. im scared!!!!!!!

      ReplyDelete
    17. dun listen to me oh..

      mebbe for u.. is good service? different experience? mine happened months ago..maybe they improved liao?

      u can report back to me.. as spy!!!

      ReplyDelete
    18. oh guess what? they have not improved, but i managed to flee almost right after facial. LOL. i said i was in a great rush n all, but they were bugging my friend, who went together with me, like hell! thank goodness she got away too

      ReplyDelete
    19. I reside in Australia but I heard so much about Modern Beauty (from friends and the HK drama) so when I stayed in KL for a year I signed up with them. THE BIGGEST MISTAKE!
      Their facial service are not exceptionally great or fantastic. The worst is the SA. I HATE THEM SO MUCH!
      On my 6th session (I signed up a 10 session package with them), they tried to upgrade me with this and that. After 30 minutes of non-stop talking to me, I give up and yelled at her "I got 3 more sessions, use it up today ok and let me relax!" My friend who was with me, was shocked that I used up 4 sessions on a 2 hour facial! I calmly told her "It's a great thing, I can't take their hassle anymore, and I don't ever have to come back again."
      While waiting for the receipt (come to think of it, I am so stupid to wait for it as I already paid), they tried to sell me another package. Well, it's time to throw my english at them!
      "FCUK OFF, I don't need this kind of stress." Then in cantonese, "You want me to pay RM2k for your this kind of shit? DO YOU HAVE RM2K NOW? Isn't that your total monthly salary?" They spoilt my day and my apetite. I can't wait to see them close down for good.

      ReplyDelete
    20. I was a victim too!
      But I made them suffer but paying using cash installment, and hate to enter it too!

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Same for me, Lilian... :( sob sob

        Delete
    21. Miu, it is soooooo late for me to read your blog. i signed up 20 times facial with modern beauty mid valley last week, for rm1.2k..

      the consultant who service me AT FIRST was kind and i decided to signed up rm600 package with them. then... so call "sg branch special guess" came to service me and held my IC and Credit Card and pushed pushed pushed their special machine treatment for rm1.3k!! then discount bla bla bla... until the last i signed up another rm600 facial package and got to leave.

      for my package, rm60 per facial session, i think the price is okay... i went today for the first time. and looked for the kind consultant who serviced me at first. the facial session was okay.. and she didn't push for anything dy. I think she felt guilty cause she couldn't helped me when i was so helpless while the "SG special guess" held me.

      I wouldnt say the facial is very worth for the price. it is just okay.. just pay for the service.

      ReplyDelete
    22. Too late to read this blog...i was being pushed to sign up their RM1200 facial too..and i am not even living in Malaysia! I live in Melbourne and came back for holiday. The are like daylight robbery!! I only manage to use one session..do they have a website where we can complain?

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. if u have used one session it will be hard to get your package refund back :(

        you can complain to Malay Mail Hotline, they will seek explanation from the company regarding your complaint;
        complaint to NCCC (national consumer ...) http://www.nccc.org.my/ or
        directly contact and speak to the manager in charge of the branch

        Delete
      2. is that working if speak to the manager in charged of the branch? I think its the branch manager who persuaded me to take the plan :(

        Delete
      3. hI Tammy, Where to find the Malay Mail Hotline?

        Delete
    23. Jeng jeng jeng.. Mistake buying without Googling. Wonder if their service is the same after 4 years

      ReplyDelete
    24. sad to say that, they are just hoping for sales. regardless of if the customer can bear the cost, keep telling that the installment is available. even by installment, the total cost of that is not cheap though, asking for >30 times of facial for few k... why we need so much, do they really think we need that? I am so regret to step in the shop since the first time...

      ReplyDelete
    25. I wished I saw this blog a tad bit earlier. They are such liars and the receptionist is useless. I bought a groupon deal for 2 sessions. Making the first appointment itself was a pain. N I was nt allowed to book both sessions one shot. N when I wanted to book for the 2nd session after my facial, all they had to say is that all slots are fully booked till the voucher expiry date. So I made a complain to groupon, n groupon extended mynvoucher for another month. So I called again to make an appointment. The receptionist who so called put in me in the waiting list had the guts to say that I could only book on a weekday.. Real dumb saloon!

      ReplyDelete
    26. This salon is really a shitty place worst than hell. I also experienced being forced by them. To sign up for the package and to get the mask which is an additional rm60. The facialist isnt nice also, when i said no to the mask many times she insist n warn me ,she said , 'if you leave this spa,your face is red and sore, u dont be mad at us'. Stupid chinese salon. i end up taking the rm 60, and paid the rm58 groupon deal. When i say no to the facial course ,they r saying my skin is bad. They dont even do the extraction properly, they dont steam the face. my face felt so bad after. and im still in healing prcess now. hopefully it leaves no scars. Overall, i will never ever go to this groupon deal ever again as they will always try to take your money for zero quality service. Its better to go for an expensive but qualified n good spa like hammam or carbon laser treatment. then going to this lying salon which cost almost similar to what u spend on more high quality spa. Really wished that i read this blogpost before i bought the groupon deal. Even making a reservation with them is hard.

      ReplyDelete

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