Celebrity Life

When products alone are unable to fix our beauty concerns, non-invasive procedures, such as those offered by King Qualia, come into their own. We explore several popular treatments at the beauty centre.

There are times for real in-the-flesh therapists, such as when you need a lymphatic drainage massage to remove toxic build-up and improve circulation. And then there are the times when nothing but state-of-the-art beauty machines can do the trick. In search of an almost immediate transformation, we head to King Qualia in the heart of Central to discover what its treatments are all about.

“Everyone will notice but no one will know” is the motto of the beauty centre, which prides itself on its tailor-made treatments and specialised one-on-one services for an unparalleled skincare experience.

One of the centre’s beauty therapists is assigned to you on your first visit, who then looks after you on every subsequent appointment, no matter which treatment you’re looking for. Safety, comfort, privacy and reliability are key at King Qualia, with all machines and equipment used thoroughly researched, US FDA- approved and brought in by the owners themselves.

King Qualia offers a comprehensive range of treatments and non-invasive procedures that help decelerate the effects of ageing, and treat skin concerns the include wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and sagging jawlines. Treatments such as Picoway, Ultherapy, EMsculpt, Fotona 4D Pro, Thermage, Stellar M22, Exilis 360 help tighten and lift the skin, reduce lines and cellulite on the face and body, and increase collagen to retain a youthful look, and all are approved by the US FDA.

Fotona is a four-step procedure that’s great for mature skin, or for those looking for a quick “facelift” without the use of fillers. A synergistic, non-invasive laser treatment, Fotona 4D targets both the exterior facial and interior oral cavity, tightening the skin from inside out in just four steps.

The first step, SmoothLiftin begins inside the mouth, where laser energy is used to kick start the tightening process around the jawline and perioral region by reducing expression lines. The second step, FRAC3, targets deeper imperfections and pigments to restore a more uniform complexion. The third step, PIANO, is a brushing technique that applies heating rapidly to firm and tighten the skin. And the final step, SupErficial, is a light laser peel that addresses surface-level imperfections. The full session is quick, relatively painless and can be completed in around 60 minutes. The lifting effect is immediate, giving you an all-over glow the next day, with lasting effects that will continue to improve over a two to three-month period.

With the ability to reduce visible signs of ageing in a matter of minutes, Thermage FLX is another popular treatment at King Qualia that uses radio-frequency technology to deliver heat safely and uniformly into the skin layers and renew collagen. The heat separates water molecules from the collagen to result in an instant contracting and tightening effect on the skin and results in an immediately more well-defined contour on the face.

There are three major advances in using Thermage FLX. The heat is delivered into the collagen-rich layer of the skin to a depth of precisely 4.3mm, reducing treatment time by at least 25 percent compared to other therapies. The energy-pulse AccuREP technology can be adjusted and auto-tuned to deliver a customised pulse to the skin for a more personalised treatment. The machine also comes with multiple functions and can be used to target different areas of the face and body to increase comfort and effectiveness. Like most of the treatments available at King Qualia, Thermage claims to deliver lasting results with little to no downtime.

King Qualia is now offering Prestige readers a chance to experience their treatments. The first 10 readers to get in touch with them via the QR code below will get a free Fotona SmoothEye® treatment, while the next 10 readers will enjoy a trial offer for Fotona laser treatment (Steps 2 and 3) at HK$980. Learn more about King Qualia and to get in touch with their specialists to start your beauty journey below.

King Qualia, 22/F, International Medical Centre, One Chinachem Central, 22 Des Voeux Road, Central

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Gwyneth Paltrow, the award-winning actress, author, and the founder of modern lifestyle and wellness brand goop, has partnered with Merz Aesthetics in the company's first global campaign for Xeomin. Merz Aesthetics is the world's largest medical aesthetics business, and the product Xeomin, is an FDA-approved anti-wrinkle injection targeting frown lines. Through her partnership with them, Paltrow hopes women and men can feel empowered to take control of their own minds and bodies and let their authentic selves shine despite ever-changing beauty standards.

There's often stigma linked to beauty procedures and invasive treatments, but Paltrow, who's no stranger to wellness and beauty procedures, has put her own weight behind this proven product, telling us that she's been a loyal user of Xeomin long before the company even approached her to become the global face for the brand. What's important and what matters the most is that products are proven safe and effective.

"It's really the cornerstone of my whole philosophy," she explains. "At goop, we also make products that we've tested rigorously and that don't have toxic ingredients in them. It's the same when you're sourcing food, anything you're going to put on or in your body, you want to know for sure that it is proven and it works, and also that it's as purified as possible."

One thing is for sure — body image and beauty standards affect each and everyone of us, and today especially, body dysmorphia is more rampant than ever in the age of social media. Celebrities feel this keenly too. Not too long ago, Khloe Kardashian posted a heartfelt plea on social media about her struggles with body image amidst constant judgment her entire life.

In her youth, Paltrow recalls when a producer came up to her, squeezed her waist and told her to stop snacking because she was gaining weight. Paltrow even jokes, "Robert Downey Jr. always tells me I'm too tall whenever he wants me to wear flat shoes. But you know, I think women actors, we get a lot of that. We have to be strong and just believe in ourselves."

"I think it took me into my 40s to feel like I really knew myself," the actress continues. "And really like myself and embrace myself in a different way. I hope women, young women my daughter's age, in their 20s, can start to cultivate this kind of self confidence at an earlier age and just know that they're beautiful, exactly as God made them."

In the latest campaign with Xeomin, Paltrow speaks about embracing your true authentic self — the key here is really not to change or hide the way you look, but to embrace yourself, find confidence in your own self by investing in the health and wellness of your body and mind.

This wasn't something Paltrow thought about until her mid-20s when her father fell ill. "It was catalysed by my father getting sick with cancer and that's when I really dove into researching about the body, its capacity to heal environmental toxins and the ways that eating can affect our health. I've been interested in wellness since," she says.

Paltrow started goop well before wellness was seen as essential rather than a privilege. "It was always a real passion of mine to provide information and tools for people so that they could really make the most out of their lives and understand that the power to optimise your life is within you. All you need is to give yourself the permission to do it," she says. "That can be just like a great recommendation, or it can be you know, a full wellness regime."

Paltrow compares getting beauty treatments a bit to self-indulgence — it's all about balance. "If you're sleeping well, eating well, and you're exercising, even meditating that's helpful," she says. "But at the same time, we want products that are really efficacious, and with Merz I found a product that I really loved. I'm always about balance. I'm a person who tends to be on the healthier living side, but then I love a good martini and French fries, you know?"

Paltrow adds: "Everybody has the right to do what's right for them and feels great for them. I don't think there should be judgment about it. If you're in your 20s and you feel like something bothers you and you talk to your doctor who recommends something, you know, I think you should feel empowered to do it. I didn't do anything until I started to really see the signs of ageing, but if your doctor says it's ok, then why not?"

At the end of the day, it's about discovering yourself and allowing yourself to live a better version of yourself, flaws and all. "It's about being the best that you can be," says Paltrow. "Sometimes I think our flaws are what makes us interesting and unique. I think the more self-acceptance you can have, the better."

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"Belo means beautiful in Portuguese, it’s bella in Italian. I’m so convinced that I was born to be a doctor of beauty because my name is so perfect for it.” Celebrity cosmetic dermatologist and surgeon Dr. Vicki Belo is so renowned in the Philippines that she’s a household name. Her award-winning Belo Medical Group is the most respected in the country, but she commands a faithful following that spans Asia, the Middle East and beyond, and includes in its ranks such Hong Kong KOLs as Bryanboy and Tina Leung. The city’s wealthy socialites are said to flock to her in droves, though names are kept strictly under wraps.

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