Spirited Facial

What: Jade Qi Yun facial

Why: Because sometimes you need a little help balancing your chi

How Much: RMB 1,000 (plus 15 per cent)

Where: The Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA. 55F, 8 Shiji Dadao. Tel: 2020 1818. Web: www.ritzcarlton.com/shanghaipudong

Next time you head over to the new IFC mall in Lujiazui for a shopping spree, you might want to schedule some time for a spa treatment. Floating 55 floors above the hustle and bustle of Dior, Armani and Prada, the Ritz Carlton Spa is a tranquil paradise ready to knead away any buyer’s remorse.

The Jade Qi Yun facial starts with a sniff test. Your therapist will demonstrate a handful of ESPA products for you to smell to determine which scents you enjoy and what products are right for your skin. But before she starts applying the chosen fragrant oils to your face, there is some de-stressing to take care of. The treatment is designed to not only refresh your skin, it rebalances both mind and body by targeting stress points with a back scrub and massage. By the time you flip over for the main event, a barely conscious state of relaxed bliss is virtually guaranteed.

Gentle cleansing and exfoliation slowly revives pores, then jade rollers work over the skin to reveal a radiant complexion. With your inner voices silenced by the traditional Chinese medicine at work, sink back into the over-sized massage table, then just when you think you can’t get any more relaxed – the therapist applies the mask and starts in on a scalp massage.

Leave the treatment room feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the world, which you'll have the chance to see all of from your reclining chair in the post-treatment relaxation room. After all, admiring the view of the river from your perch above the Pearl Tower is the perfect place to plan round two of your shopping extravaganza.