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More Than Skin Deep: Beauty Brands That Give Back

beauty brands that give back philanthropy charities

Shanyan Fok Koder and Richard Bassett explain how a Hong Kong art entrepreneur joined forces with a former special-forces soldier to launch a health and mental wellbeing app, Mentor360.

"Mental health and mental fitness are universal concerns," says Shanyan Fok Koder. "And regardless of your demographic, social status, your job or your age, it’s something everyone has to deal with."

Shanyan Fok Koder & Richard Bassett on Mental Health App Mentor360

Shanyan Fok Koder & Richard Bassett on Mental Health App Mentor360
Shanyan Fok Koder and Richard Bassett

The Mentor360 app dropped on World Mental Health Day in October, the cumulation of the last 20 months of work and conversations (usually across continents over Zoom) between former military man Richard Bassett and worldly art advisor Koder. A month later, I’m sitting with both in a North London café talking over slices of pizza.

Their app, they hope, offers everyone a holistic 360 guide and framework to “finding your formula” for mental and physical wellbeing. It uses a hybrid approach, with a core layer of clinicians and professional Mentors and then celebrity Ambassadors (who’ve publicly shared meaningful life stories) critical for building noise and momentum.

"I’d been in the military for a long time. And there were a couple of incidents in my life that made me want to create something," Bassett, the CEO, explains. "Firstly, it was my father committing suicide. Then my son had a bit of misdirection. And several of my friends in the military had PTSD issues or adjustment disorders."

"The biggest issue is why people wouldn’t come forward and say they’ve got a problem?” he asks.

“Unlike some apps, we’re not trying to get people hooked. Come on to it when you need it”

— Richard Bassett

The answer often lay in culture, lack of education or concerns about privacy that prevent many from seeking help. With that came Bassett’s idea of creating an app that functions as a “non-judgmental toolkit” with content validated by experts – who include coaches, performance psychologists, mental health-specialising nurses and a clinical psychologist.

Basset’s link with Koder came when his best friend, ex-special forces colleague and TV star Jason Fox, sat next to a pregnant Koder at a charity fundraiser for Born (which researches to prevent premature birth) in late 2019. As the pair talked about their passions for mental health and children’s wellbeing, the connection to Bassett’s idea became quickly apparent.

"Foxy told me that I have to meet his friend, Richard, who’s building this app," Koder recalls. "I was always wanting to support things that are very meaningful and close to my heart … and now Jason is actually our key mentor. The partnership between Richard and I was almost like two parts of a jigsaw puzzle come together."

Although some might go to the app for help with stress, trauma or even resources to help with suicidal feelings, Mentor360 is designed specifically as a three-dimensional offering that will also encourage fitness, workouts, performance and meditation or more clinical matters.

"We wanted to maintain the human factor as a constant throughout. So it feels like somebody has given you some advice rather than some process-driven machine learning," Bassett adds.

The Mentor360 app

The co-founders might come from two different worlds, but the unlikely partnership speaks to the ubiquity of the issues at hand. Bassett’s 25-year military career saw him being appointed the first ever Command Sergeant Major within the UK Special Forces military group. "It was at that stage where I was asked if I wanted to run defence,” he says. “At that point, I thought, I’ve kind of had my fill of the military now, it’s time to move on."

Koder meanwhile grew up in Hong Kong and the UK as the daughter of Li Ka-shing’s "right-hand man" Canning Fok, carving out a career in the arts and taking over her family’s impressive collection. As a female art entrepreneur and mother, her challenges would be different.

"When I had the misfortune of losing three babies to miscarriage and dealing with that emotional fallout, it led me to want to support this as a cause," Koder divulges. "If there’d been something like this app available to me, I don’t think I’d have suffered as much as I did emotionally. It’s a topic that’s still very taboo, even in this day and age … and while you eventually find your own community, at the very beginning, you do feel very alone."

Both were clearly driven towards the app through deeply personal experiences. Bassett saw first-hand how soldiers who’d done several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan suffered – his best friend, Fox, had left the forces with PTSD. Perhaps machismo or fear of institutional repercussions meant that the issue was often ignored or hidden in the military – but he hopes that Mentor360’s holistic approach can gently lead people to explore mental fitness alongside physical performance too.

The Mentor360 app

The male-female perspectives of the pair offer a well-rounded, powerful tool. And while the wellness space is already crowded, Mentor360 stands out by being so broad, human-focused and non-prescriptive.

There’s been exciting traction too. Since its launch, the app has been downloaded in more than 176 countries, with the UK, the US and Australia leading. British schools have reached out and it’s one governance board away from being trialled within the National Health Service (NHS), which means added clinical risk management in the app. That has been an important validation, says Bassett, "especially when an institution like that has picked it out from a huge spectrum of apps on the market today."

Covid-19 and lockdowns have helped throw light on mental health, taking the conversation more mainstream. The timeliness has hit home; as Bassett says, “there’s a lot of people now struggling with the transition between Covid and normality”.

Koder tells us that the plan is to serve individuals but also institutions such as the NHS and the military. There’s also the option of “white labelling” it, so the app can be packaged and tailored to certain industries or corporate employees. In the future, might they look more global, with different languages and translations? Absolutely, the pair say, but they’re taking it “slow and steady”. There’s been interest from American corporations and Koder says that she’s keen to push into Asia very soon. Although going truly global might mean translating for languages, cultures and tone, as well as working with diverse psychologists, it remains a future ambition.

Shanyan Fok Koder & Richard Bassett on Mental Health App Mentor360

Mentor360 may be extra helpful in cultures where mental health is still relatively taboo. As Koder says, "I think, coming from our Asian culture, it speaks volumes to me – so much of our culture is about still performance or hiding a lot of what you’re feeling."

"Unlike some apps,” Bassett adds, "what we’re not trying to do is create a hook or get people hooked. Come on to it when you need it, and if you don’t need it for a while because you’re good, you can just put it away … We’re starting to see those patterns in the trend analysis."

To get a little personal, I ask what works for them individually to keep a healthy mind and body. Bassett’s formula revolves around daily exercise, time with the family, dogs and good sleep – even the occasional glass of wine on the sofa in front of a crackling fireplace. Koder’s happiness hacks centre around motherhood, being content and at peace in her skin, and looking at life with a certain romanticism: "I always love to see the poetry in my day,” she says, "and I think it’s important to just pause throughout the day, check-in and acknowledge that I’ve achieved these things and I should be proud of myself, rather than just rushing on to the next thing."

The post More Than Skin Deep: Beauty Brands That Give Back appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

New in Beauty This October 2021: Gucci Beauty, Benefit, Fenty Skin

new in beauty this october 2021 makeup skincare gucci beauty

As Chaumet's CEO Jean-Marc Mansvelt tells us, bringing the house's 240-year heritage into the modern era is an immense task that amounts to a "daily obsession". But if the new pieces in the Chaumet Joséphine collection are anything to go by, the Place Vendôme stalwart is heading in the right direction.

Chaumet Joséphine collection
Chaumet Joséphine collection

What kind of woman today does the Joséphine collection appeal to?

First, it’s about a woman with a certain character. Because when you choose to wear a tiara on your finger, you’re making a choice of distinction, a choice of character. You’re sending a message to say you’re not like everyone else and you have a certain strength and a certain personality. But also a sense of virtuosity, grace and beauty, because it’s not for women who want to be too provocative.

It’s a way to set your personality. And then of course, there are two major reasons to become a client of Joséphine. On one side, it remains one of the favourite pieces chosen for a bridal purpose. It’s connected to the initial history of Chaumet, the history of the power and love between Napoleon and Joséphine. And Napoleon is known everywhere, that’s incredible. There’s another type of client on the other side of the connection with the pearls, the coloured stones, something a bit easier and more accessible.

This year, Chaumet's creations have also incorporated sleeker, more modern takes on the tiara. Can you tell us a bit about the new high jewellery?

After many creations that were a bit more tiara-like, a bit more decorative, more visible, more baroque in a certain way, we wanted to enrich the collection with new ways to mix and match, and to go for designs that were slicker, with a more minimalist approach, because that’s also the style of today. We have a feeling that clients today are a little more understated, and we have the capacity to create beauty through a fine line, rather than an accumulation. So one of our high- jewellery pieces, which is sort of a V with a stone in suspension, doesn’t shout about its design. It’s all about balance.

Tiara set in the Chaumet Joséphine collection
Tiara set in the Chaumet Joséphine collection

This year is the 10th anniversary of the Joséphine collection...

But we don’t mark it that way for two reasons. I always feel that if you start doing anniversaries for everything, then at the end, what’s the meaning in it? Last year, when we did the 240 years of Chaumet, that was slightly different. For Chaumet, our heritage is much longer than a decade, it’s about centuries. Instead, this year, we’re celebrating our connection with the 200th anniversary of the death of Napoleon, which is significant in Europe and in France. We’ve done an exhibition at 12 Place Vendôme that was open to the public which tells the love story of Napoleon and Josephine through 150 different objects, beautiful loans from museums and private owners.

Which piece proved to be the most challenging piece in the collection?

The most discussed and the most debated one was the watch. Because we’re clearly a jeweller, and we’ve focused all our efforts and attention on jewellery. But since a few years ago, we’ve reassessed and repositioned what watches mean for Chaumet. It’s true that with the business of watches within Chaumet, we’ve really tried to be coherent with what the story of watchmaking for Chaumet is as a jeweller. One of our challenges was to look at the market – in the market, 90 percent of watches are round – and nobody’s waiting for Chaumet to create a round watch, because we already have thousands of beautiful options on the market.

We decided on a shaped watch, and it wasn’t very difficult to settle on the pear shape, like an illusion of a diamond. We also faceted the watch’s dial.

The new Joséphine watch takes inspiration from the pear-shaped diamond
The new Joséphine watch takes inspiration from the pear-shaped diamond

How do you balance 240 years of heritage behind a brand and stay relevant at the same time?

That’s really the obsession every single day. How do we continue the narrative, the link to the story? Since the pandemic, we’ve seen clients choose Chaumet because there’s longevity. And so it becomes a daily obsession of ours to convey this message to our clients through different means, including the digital approach, so we can speak to the needs of our audience today. We also go through the traditional channels and have books and exhibitions. I regularly write down on paper in two columns: on one side, how much do we tell the story of Chaumet, and on the other, how do we take a contemporary approach, either through the narrative or through using different tools? I take a step back and ask myself is there a balance? If we’re going too much in one direction, maybe it’s time to rebalance. It’s in everything we do.

Jean-Marc Mansvelt
Jean-Marc Mansvelt

The post New in Beauty This October 2021: Gucci Beauty, Benefit, Fenty Skin appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

8 Must-have Beauty Products to Buy This Month

From revolutionary creams, to make-up must-haves and mesmerising fragrances, here are eight beauty products to add to your collection this month.

Clé de Peau

beauty products

Clé de Peau Beauté has recently released a new Synactif skincare line, a step-by-step regimen that targets skin tone, texture and contours. Newly formulated with Neem Leaf Extract, the Synactif crème shown here helps to fortify the firmness of the skin.

Greenvines

beauty products

Greenvines, the leading clean skincare brand from Taiwan, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with new packaging. The brand advocates returning to basics by taking the skin’s natural workings into account and supplying it with natural ingredients — notably water and oil — that are biocompatible, while removing beauty products with unnecessary additives, such as lotions, from the equation.

Caudalíe

beauty products

Natural skincare brand Caudalíe has released its latest Resveratrol-Lift collection featuring a new- generation Advanced Grapevine Resveratrol patent, an unprecedented combination of vine resveratrol, vegan collagen booster and micro-hyaluronic acid. After one day, natural collagen production is enhanced by as much as five times and hyaluronic acid natural production is doubled.

Dior

Dior Forever Couture Perfect Cushion, the on-the-go, long-wearing and skin-caring foundation, has released a new couture case in a limited edition for the season: the Diormania Gold Edition. The cushion, worn for 24-hours, is an ideal solution for perfecting and refreshing the complexion at any time of the day. The skin is weightlessly mattified and glows with a natural, lasting radiance.

Chantecaille

Chantecaille has released an unprecedented night concentrate that uses gold heptapeptide as its base. Uniquely concentrated for visible impact, the powerful combination of peptides and recently discovered botanicals in this potent booster works overnight to smooth wrinkles, and brighten and replenish the skin.

Byredo

Byredo has introduced a colourful array of its Lil Fleur Eau de Parfum in limited editions, a hand-cream collection in three of its signature scents (Blanche, La Tulip and Rose of No Man's Land), as well as a perfumed altar candle in a black glass silhouette.

Chloé

beauty products

The Chloé floral atelier has released three new fragrances with accords that complement evocative notes of fresh foliage. Each variety, whether floral, aromatic or woody, has its own scent. True to the floral arts, the different essences can be freely combined to create limitless personalised fragrance bouquets.

Mini Luzon

This 24K Pure Gold Mask can be used one time only or as an ongoing treatment to promote healthier-looking skin. The unique combination of a corrective anti-wrinkle mask with gold leaf provides the skin with an immediate sense of wellbeing, treating redness and fine lines while evening out its tone and promoting a healthy glow.

The post 8 Must-have Beauty Products to Buy This Month appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Beauty & Wellness Awards 2020: Skincare Heroes

After months of reviewing close to 300 beauty products and wellness facilities, and tallying, here are the best skincare products of this year, and lest we forget, your top pick! And so without further ado, here are the Beauty & Wellness Awards winners.

It all starts with a blank canvas and, with that, it’s our mission to safeguard the foundation where it all begins. These are the lotions and potions that we’ve tried and tested on every type of skin to narrow down the highest-performing products that cover all bases.

The post Beauty & Wellness Awards 2020: Skincare Heroes appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

New In: 10 Recently Launched Beauty Products to Try This July

Chantecaille Ocean Collection Cheek Palette

What’s summer without a dip into the ocean? Inspired by founder Sylvie and her husband’s trip to swim with whale sharks in Mujeres, Chantecaille launches their Ocean Collection. The Illuminating Radiance Chic Cheek and Highlighter Duo comes in ocean-themed packaging and the pressed powder itself is embossed with wave patterns.
HK$780

 

Natura Bisse Inhibit V-Neck Collection

Apart from the eyes, the neck is the most telling in terms of age. Natura Bisse’s newest launch targets the delicate skin of the neck and décolleté. An advanced cocktail of tightening, filling and firming, your age can now be your best kept secret.
HK$2,970/60ml

 

Helena Rubinstein Powercell Skinmunity The Emulsion

Ten years since Helena Rubinstein launched Powercell, the line is still a front runner for the brand. This season, Powercell Skinmunity The Emulsion – an all-day hydration supplement that works together with HR hero serum of the same range – joins the family. Lighter and fresher in texture, it’s a dream to use on these long, hot days of summer.
HK$2,350/100ml; HK$1,440/50ml; HK$980/30ml

 

Amore Pacific Moisture Plumping Nectar Cream

Dewy is the word that comes to mind when using Amore Pacific’s latest release, the Moisture Pumping collection. Using bamboo nectar and its exclusive Nectar Plumping Formula™, the Cream, Concentrate Ampoule, Dewy Mist and Eye Treatment Gel are summertime must-haves. The lightweight formulas absorb and lock in hydration instantly while fortifying the skin’s moisture barrier. Take that, Hong Kong heatwave.
HK$1,120/50ml

 

Aesop Melange Body Cleanser

To cool you down in the height of these heat-stricken months, Aesop introduces its Citrus Melange Body Cleanser. The ingredients speak for themselves, with a blend of essential oils, petitgrain, jasmine, lemon and grapefruit rind, the crisp and zesty scent results in a gentle gel that is a mid-summer sensorial delight.
HK$325/500ml

Note: Available from 6 July 2020

 

Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia

What’s old is new again with Gucci’s popular scent Flora Gorgeous Gardenia repackaged in a beautifully painted opaque lavender bottle. The unique colour pays homage to the nuances of violets found in nature and preludes the delicious scent characterised by sweet red berries, plush white gardenias and warm frangipani.
HK$680/50ml; HK$975/100ml

 

Chanel Les Beiges Le Vernis

Chanel’s latest release embraces the sea, sun, and freedom of the great outdoors through its summer collection. Its Le Vernis nail polish gets two new additions in vibrant shades of sun-drenched apricot (745 Cruise) and sugar raspberry (749 Sailor). The fun colours exude a chill summer vibe for the new season.
HK$210

 

Yves Saint Laurent Beauté Pure Shot Airthin UV Defender SPF50/PA++++

If sun screen wasn’t so uncomfortable to wear, we would all do a better job at wearing it everyday. That’s why YSL Beauté’s new Pure Shots was formulated – a defence solution which fights against urban aggressors such as UV rays, pollution and dust, that is multiple times thinner so pores won’t get blocked.
HK$470/30ml
Note: Available from 11 July 2020

 

Goutal Petite Chérie Fizzling Body Fragrance Mousse

Inspired by the travelling birds that soar the most beautiful landscapes, is Goutal’s Petite Chérie scent. Adding to its collection this month is the new Fizzling Body Fragrance Mousse – a fresh summer shower product that leaves the skin cool and reinvigorated.
HK$580/125ml

 

Drunk Elephant E-Rase Milki Micellar Water

As far as cleansers go, micellar water is by far the easiest to use. With just a few drops on a cotton pad, you can wipe away the stresses of the day while sitting on the couch. Drunk Elephant’s version, E-Rase, can gently remove makeup, dirt, pollution and bacteria while refreshing the skin without stripping the skin’s acid mantle. Made with ultra-mild micelles, Vitamin E, and fatty acids, the skin is still hydrated even when squeaky clean.
HK$220

The post New In: 10 Recently Launched Beauty Products to Try This July appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

These 10 Eye Care Products Are Game Changers

Hong Kong's ever-changing dining scene is constantly evolving.

So much so, that it can get a little difficult to keep track of it all, let alone remember to book and try the new restaurants that have caught your eye. From brand new concepts to fresh venues and additional locations, here is our guide to seven of Hong Kong's most promising new restaurants to try right now.

Well, what are you waiting for...

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These Are the 10 Beauty Products for Brighter Skin This Spring

As we blossom into spring, it’s time to shake off that winter dullness and reawaken your brighter side. The plan: achieve a revitalising glow, revive your complexion and start afresh. In search of the luminosity that we have been deprived of over the colder months, we’ve come up with a shopping list of the 10 most radiating miracle workers to add to your current beauty routine, ranging from exfoliating cleansers to purifying masks and long-time favourites to brand new launches.

The post These Are the 10 Beauty Products for Brighter Skin This Spring appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The Beauty Products We Loved This Year

We reveal our favourite beauty discoveries of the past year -- find out what our go-to skincare brands are, make-up we never leave home without, where you'll find us when we're in need of a luxurious spa treatment, and what 2020 launches we're excited about.

 

Favourite Treatment

 

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Chantecaille's Rose de Mai Signature Facial is a big drink of goodness to quench your skin's thirst. Every visit is an opportunity to catch up on zzzs and I wake up to plumped, glowy skin. Plus, the delicate scent is reason itself to love this treatment.

 

Favourite Make-up Brand

 

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Walking into Charlotte Tilbury makes me feel like a kid at a candy shop. The legendary makeup artist is the queen of colour. Her glamorous eyeshadow palettes are highly pigmented and easily blendable and buildable. To top it all, all her products are so beautiful in her signature modern-boudoir packaging.

 

Make-up item I can't live without...

 

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Having gone under the knife earlier this year (and by that, I mean microblading), I was ready to shake my brow make-up dependency.But shu uemura hard formula pencil (a combination of powder, wax and semi-solid oil; HK$200) will always have a spot on my top shelf. I still use it when I want extra definition.

 

Beauty product I'm always hoarding

 

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Masks. Be they sheet, mud, gel, peel-off or sleep. Following any masking routine, my skin feels fresh and renewed. My top-shelf products I use on rotation include WEI's Lotus Blossom Thirst Relief Sheet Mask (HK$430/6 sheets), Apivita's Prickly Pear Moisturising & Soothing Mask (HK$245) and Fresh's Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask (HK$490).

 

Favourite beauty hack I learned

 

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I've started to exfoliate once or twice a week after workouts. Sweat opens your pores so you can get a deeper cleanse and rid all impurities this way. I can control the cleanse with Tatcha's The Rice Polish Calming (HK$600) and add more or less water depending on the exfoliation I need.

 

Favourite overall beauty discovery

 

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So much has launched in 2019. But my favourite find has to be the Valmont Teint Majestuex Satin Glow Foundation (HK$1,650). What I love most about it is that it's a hybrid between make-up and skincare offering a glowy satin-like finish without drying out the skin. It also works great with the Poudre de Teint Précieuse compact powder (HK$1,380) when I need to touch up on too much shine.

 

Brand I'll always be loyal to

When it comes to Canvas, I can find no fault. All its products are at least 90 percent natural and organic, so I can rest easy knowing they won't irritate my very sensitive skin. I'm especially fond of the Rose Otto collection.

 

Favourite skincare product

 

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Depending on when you ask me this, my answer will probably change. But I'm currently obsessing over Sunday Riley's Luna Sleeping Night Oil (HK$450). A winning combo of retinol and blue tansy, the oil works through the night to reduce fine lines, the appearance of pores and redness. I also like that the formula is grease-proof and absorbs into your skin (rather than your pillowcase).

 

Favourite haircare product

 

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I'll be the first to admit that I'm guilty of negligence when it comes to my hair. I find a good quality hairdryer is more than half the battle. The ghd Air Hairdryer is fast-drying, controls frizz and ives my fine lifeless hair a boost of volume.

 

Favourite beauty personality I met this year

 

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Meeting Angela Caglia during her visit for her brand's launch at Lane Crawford in Hong Kong was rather memorable. She's made a name for herself by creating such beautiful, easy-to-use and effective tools. I've been hearing about her for some time now, so finally meeting her face-to-face and trying out her line was a real treat.

 

Favourite beauty device

Face massages helps to stimulate collagen production, plus it's relaxing when you're just sitting in front of the TV or computer. Frame Cosmetics has a Thermal Vibration Face Massaging Device (HK$4,680), which has a heating and cooling effect on top of a pulsating function that's said to help penetrate serums into deeper layers of the skin. All it takes is about 10 minutes and you've got yourself a mini at-home facial.

 

Favourite beauty-related social media to follow

 

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@gelcream posts the most beautiful product shots and honest reviews about new products. The only downside is that it will guarantee Instaenvy. Everything you find here will somehow make its way on to your wish list.

 

Favourite Fragrance

 

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I've always been a sucker or oral fragrances and my current favourite is Gucci Bloom Acqua Di Fiori (HK$1,040). The white-floral bouquet scent reminds me of fresh cut flowers without the overpowering sweetness, thanks to its earthy undertones.

 

Favourite Bodycare Product

 

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I would recommend the Aesop body range to anyone regardless of their skin type. The cleansers are gentle on the skin thanks to the nourishing botanical ingredients and are suitable year-round. Its Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser (HK$325) and Body Scrub (HK$260) are my top choices -- the fresh pine-needle and sage scent really wakes me up.

 

The next product I can't wait to get my hands on

 

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It would be impossible for me to list them all as there are so many products on my wish list! But I will say that I've been eyeing the 111Skin Rose Gold Radiance Booster (HK$895) and any of its masks for some time now. If it's good enough for Margot Robbie, Kim Kardashian and Priyanka Chopra, I can live with it. I've also heard some great things about the Dr Barbara Sturm Calming Serum (HK$1,930) and Victoria Beckham by Augustinus Bader (HK$2,100) that I wouldn't mind trying out too.

The post The Beauty Products We Loved This Year appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Kiss From A Rose: The Benefits of the Powerful Beauty Ingredient

Long associated with religion, nobility and -- of course -- romance, roses have also been used in Chinese and other herbal forms of medicine, as a vitamin supplement and even as a natural sweetener. But perhaps nowhere has the flower caught on more as a luxury ingredient than in skincare and cosmetics.

Rose and rosehip oils, and the various tinctures made from them, have been proven to heal and moisturise the skin, reduce redness, combat inflammation and provide high levels of antioxidants. All of which makes them a perfect addition to everything from toners to face masks to lip treatments.

Several brands have gone a step further and created entire collections based on the benefits of rose. Chantecaille, which uses extracts of the rare Rose de Mai to create its Pure Rosewater face mist, has made rosewater the basis of all of its skincare products. Sisley has built a cult following for its Black Rose line comprising a mask, oil and cream infused with softening and anti-ageing extracts of the black rose as well as Bulgarian rose.

Likewise, Fresh uses real rose petals for its collection of rose-powered toners, serums, masks and moisturisers. Dior has created its “first micro-nutritive fluid skincare foundation” enriched with extracts from the wild Rose de Granville, and Lancôme has added rose oil to its new L’Absolu Mademoiselle Shine lipstick for hydration and effortless application.

“We call it ‘nature’s wonder’,” says Fresh founders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg. “The flower yields a precious oil that is known to hydrate, soothe and tone the skin, and the scent adds a unique mood-enhancing quality to the experience of using it.”

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Beauty Awards 2019: The Morning Skincare Routine to Kick Start Your Day

Get your day off to a good start with a morning skincare routine that cleanses, nourishes and tackles any concern from dryness to dark circles. We've rounded up the best of the bunch for every step along the way.

 

The Cleanser

[caption id="attachment_156439" align="alignnone" width="2400"] Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser (HK$660)[/caption]

With ingredients from the brand founder’s own farm and a soothing botanical fragrance, Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser is our pick for a gentle daily wash for parched morning complexions. joyce.com/beauty

 

The Eye Serum

[caption id="attachment_156441" align="alignnone" width="1683"] Lancôme Génefique Eye Light-Pearl (HK$645)[/caption]

You heard it here first: yes, you need an eye serum. And with Lancôme Génefique Eye Light-Pearl you get a brightening wrinkle-fighting formula and massaging applicator in one.Oh, and it fortifies lashes too. lancome.com.hk

 

The Lip Balm

[caption id="attachment_156442" align="alignnone" width="2106"] Delarom Lips Protecting Balm (HK$220)[/caption]

Organic coconut oil, apricot kernel oil, shea butter and dryness-fighting glasswort extract come together in the oh-so-soothing Delarom Lips Protecting Balm. And it has a great mirror under the cap. k11beauty.com

 

The Essence-in-Lotion

[caption id="attachment_156443" align="alignnone" width="2598"] La Prairie Platinum Rare Cellular Life-Lotion (HK$5,460)[/caption]

From its amethyst-hued packaging and satisfying magnetic closure system to its silky serum-like texture and subtle floral scent, the La Prairie Platinum Rare Cellular Life-Ltion is a pleasure to look at as well as to use. The product is designed to be the first step, after cleansing, in your skincare routine and works to support the skin’s cellular detoxification processes — repairing existing damage, preventing future damage and optimising skin function. laprairie.com.hk

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[caption id="attachment_156445" align="alignnone" width="2480"] VALMONT V-Shape Filling Eye Balm (HK$1,880)[/caption]

The VALMONT V-Shape Filling Eye Balm works to firm the skin around the eyes while reducing unsightly bags, puffiness and drooping eyelids. Over time it also strengthens and deifies the skin and its "dermal extra cellular matrix". All that and it feels good too. evalmont.com.hk

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The Day Creams

Different skin types need different moisturisers so we’ve rounded up our favourites for dry, normal and ageing complexions alike. Each provides adequate hydration and has a distinct texture so you can layer or swap as the seasons or your needs change. Just remember to apply every day for the best results!

[caption id="attachment_156446" align="alignnone" width="1170"] Clarins Extra-Firming Day (HK$730)[/caption]

Brand new for 2019, Clarins Extra-Firming Day lifts, firms and gently hydrates with a kick of kangaroo flower. clarins.com.hk

[caption id="attachment_156447" align="alignnone" width="1170"] Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Transformative Energy Crème Rich (HK$3,800)[/caption]

With a richer texture and black diamond truffle extracts, Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate D diamond Transformative Energy Crème Rich rescues dull, dry ageing skin. esteelauder.com.hk

[caption id="attachment_156448" align="alignnone" width="1170"] su:m37 Water-full Water Gel Cream (HK$625)[/caption]

SU:M37 Water-full Water Gel Cream absorbs quickly and hydrates deeply. Follow our lead and store it in the fridge. facebook.com/sum37hongkong

 

The Serums

What began as a nice addition to our beauty regimen has now become a must-have treatment and first line of defence against ageing and all manner of skin concerns. We tried and tested a slew of serums and found these four to be our favourites.

[caption id="attachment_156450" align="alignnone" width="804"] Barbor Ampoule Concentrates Repair: Multi Vitamin (HK$195)[/caption]

Specially designed for very dry skin, Babor Ampoule Concentrates Repair: Multi Vitamin feature a complex of vitamins A, E, provitamin B5 and biotin to improve resilience and protect the skin barrier. We like the instant plumping effect and soft scent. Those with other skin types or concerns can check the full ampoule range. babor.com

[caption id="attachment_156452" align="alignnone" width="1020"] Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum (HK$510)[/caption]

Long a favourite for its silky texture and brightening powers, Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum gets our vote when we want a lightweight formula that can still tackle our dark spots and prevent new ones from forming. The easily absorbed serum is also great for day or night. hk.caudalie.com

[caption id="attachment_156469" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Pola Grandluxe II (HK$6,000)[/caption]

The bottle looks like a lightsabre,and maybe Pola Grandluxe II isone — for our skin, at least. The high-tech formula, developedbased on Nobel prize-winning science, goes on like a shimmering lotion and is said to help release coenzymes with a wavelength of light that’s the same as that of beautiful. skin.pola.com.hk

[caption id="attachment_156454" align="alignnone" width="3834"] Chantecaille Bio Lifting Serum+ (HK$2,550)[/caption]

Chantecaille Bio Lifting Serum+ is an anti-ageing powerhouse, packed with scientific skincare breakthroughs like lipopeptides, plant stem cells and blue-light-pollution blockers. You can find us applying and sniffing the rosy liquid all day long. chantecaille.com.hk

 

The Sunscreen

[caption id="attachment_156455" align="alignnone" width="1811"] Kiehl's Dermatologist Solutions Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50 PA+++ (HK$325)[/caption]

We all need something to protect our skin from UV radiation. Our choice? Kiehl’s Dermatologist Solutions Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50 PA+++ because it may be light but it offers major protection from the sun, pollution and all those nasty things we’d prefer to avoid. kiehls.com.hk

The post Beauty Awards 2019: The Morning Skincare Routine to Kick Start Your Day appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Beauty Awards 2019: Standout Spas and Salons in Hong Kong

You’ve heard it all before: we have one only face and one body so we better treat it right. If you’re not sure where to start when the plethora of facials and spa treatments on offer in Hong Kong, we present our top picks.

The post Beauty Awards 2019: Standout Spas and Salons in Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

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