Category: Grooming

Grooming Glory: A guide to gentlemen’s grooming and skincare in Hong Kong

With the demand for gentlemen’s grooming increasing over the years, Hong Kong has seen the phenomenon of male-focused services on the rise. With tailor-made massages and beauty treatments, not to mention the return of the classic gentleman’s barber shop, it is evident that it is not only women who are striving to look perfectly polished.

Whether you’re after that “hipster beard” or baby-smooth skin, we have got you covered with a roundup of the city’s top spots.

 The Mandarin Barber serves up traditional gentlemen's grooming services

The Mandarin Barber – For luxury grooming

This 1930s Shanghai-inspired barber shop offers a luxurious take on traditional shaving and grooming, in a warm environment resembling that of a private gentleman’s club. Relax in a traditional barber chair while watching sports from the in-mirror televisions, or retire to the privacy of the VIP room for massages, waxing treatments and facials. Looking for the complete works? Opt for the Gentlemen’s Grooming package (from HK $1,870) including a shampoo and cut, Mandarin shave and Shanghainese pedicure. This highly experienced team will have you looking sharp in no time.

Visit for more info: www.mandarinoriental.com
For bookings: mohkg-barber@mohg.com, (852) 2825 4088

Gentleman's Tonic boasts luxurious gentlemen's grooming services

Gentlemen’s Tonic – For the old-school experience

Founded in London’s upscale Mayfair district, Gentlemen’s Tonic opened its Hong Kong store in 2011 and its popularity among the city’s men has rapidly grown. This comes as no surprise, as the salon and spa offers everything from a traditional wet shave or beard trim to indulgent packages such as The Hemingway (HK $1,700) – including a massage, aromatherapy facial and, of course, a Bloody Mary to cure those hangovers. If you are looking to relax and rejuvenate, Gentlemen’s Tonic is the perfect remedy. 

Book online at www.gentlemenstonic.com/hk or call (852) 2525 2455

 HERR at Attire House is a gentlemen's grooming hotspot

HERR at Attire House – For the discerning modern gentleman

Luxury menswear boutique Attire House joined forces with famed Korean barber, HERR, to open an in-house barbershop. Inspired by a gentleman’s home and combining a men’s clothier, barbershop and cocktail bar all under the same roof, this is the ultimate haven for the discerning modern gentleman. Enjoy the floor-to-ceiling views of the city while choosing from the wide range of services, including everything from a trim or scalp treatment to a Father and Son haircut (HK $1000). To finish, head over to Attire Houses’ BAR DE LUXE for a well-deserved cheeky tipple.

Visit for more info: www.attire-house.com/barbershop
For bookings: (852) 2619 9007

 The Oriental Spa is perfect for gentlemen looking to relax

The Oriental Spa at The Mandarin Oriental – For ultimate decadence  

Leave the urban jungle behind with an escape to the award-winning Oriental Spa at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental. Begin your retreat with the gentleman’s only Hammam Experience (from HK $1,350), including steam to relax and detoxify your body, a full body scrub and a hair washing ritual followed by a scalp massage, leaving your skin feeling hydrated. Continue with the Digital Wellness Escape signature therapy (from HK $1,700), including a restorative massage that focuses on specific areas such as the head, eyes and neck to ease stress and strains from the daily use of digital devices.

For more info: www.mandarinoriental.com
For bookings: lmhkg-spa@mohg.com, (852) 2132 0011

Chuan Spa boasts gentlemen's grooming treatments

Chuan Spa – For Chinese stress relief

Designed to restore peace and harmony, the Chuan Spa is ideal for those seeking a wellness sanctuary. Based on principles of Feng Shui, Chuan Spa provides the perfect getaway from the hectic outside world with the help of natural interiors and soft and calming hues. After enjoying one of the Chinese five-element teas – essential for one’s physical and emotional wellbeing – retire to one of the exquisite relaxation rooms for the Stress Killer package (HK $1,500). Created for today’s generation of busy men, this treatment consists of a 45-minute signature massage, followed by a 15-minute stress-releasing treatment using a warm herbal ball made with rice, peppermint and cloves. To finish, you will be pampered with a 30-minute purifying facial. 

Book online at www.chuanspa.com or call (852) 3552 3510

If R&R is not the perfect excuse for indulgence, don’t forget Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. After all, men need to be pampered too! 

Text: Hira Desai
Photo credits:
Facebook, The Mandarin Barber at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong
Facebook, Gentleman’s Tonic HK
Facebook, HERR Barbershop at Attire House, Hong Kong
Facebook, The Oriental Spa, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
Facebook, Chuan Spa Hong Kong

Capture Youth: Dior launches new mix-and-match anti-aging products

Cara Delevigne is the face of Dior's Capture Youth line
Cara Delevigne is the face of Dior’s new Capture Youth line

On New Year’s Day, Dior will be launching its Capture Youth skincare collection in Hong Kong. The beauty brand’s new line – endorsed by the face of actress Cara Delevigne – aims to help skin-savvy young ladies combat and delay signs of aging before they even appear.

Sounds too good to be true? Perhaps not. Dior seems to have the science all worked out, utilising PAOT Technology® created by the European Institute of Antioxidants to target optimal antioxidant levels for perfect skin health.

The key component of Capture Youth by Dior is the anti-aging cream

The central feature of Capture Youth is its Age-Delay Advanced Crème. Featuring high levels of Iris Florentina antioxidants, this cream doesn’t just nourish and smoothen; it actively rejuvenates epidermal resistance to prevent signs of aging. To complement this, Dior has created five unique serums that target various dermatological issues including redness, dullness, sagging and more.

A key selling point of Dior’s new line is its flexible mix-and-match usability. Apply your chosen serum then the cream for a layering effect. Streamline your regimen by mixing two or three drops of serum directly into a dab of cream. Or give yourself an intensive treatment by applying both consistently for 30 days.

Dior Capture Youth Collection
Age-delay Advanced Crème – HK$750 for 50ml
Age-delay Plumping Serum – HK$750 for 30ml
Age-delay Illuminating Serum – HK$750 for 30ml
Age-delay Lifting Serum – HK$750 for 30ml
Age-delay Mattifying Serum – HK$750 for 30ml
Age-delay Anti-redness Soothing Serum – HK$750 for 30ml

MDNA SKIN and InterCon partner up for beauty-boosting tea set

InterCon HK and MDNA SKIN launch eye-catching tea set-min
InterCon HK and MDNA SKIN to launch eye-catching Fragrant Afternoon Tea Set

Madonna’s own skincare label MDNA SKIN has partnered with luxury hotel InterContinental Hong Kong to bring HK beauty queens a special Fragrant Afternoon Tea Set. Available from 2 January to 28 February, the Lobby Lounge-exclusive tea set will feature ten different delectable savoury treats and pastries from Executive Pastry Chef Cyril Dupuis – with a bright and funky MDNA twist.

Priced at HK$668 for two persons, each lady will also receive an Ultimate Luxury Beauty Service gift card, valued at HK$1,000, and a small bottle of Madonna’s favourite ‘The Rose Mist’ for redemption at the Harvey Nichols beauty counter in the Landmark.

Enjoy beautiful views, delightful bites and MDNA SKIN freebies-min
Enjoy beautiful views, delightful bites and MDNA SKIN freebies

A special Instagram contest will be running concurrently with the special tea set. To enter, just follow the two brands’ Instagram accounts and post a creative picture of yourself with the Fragrant Afternoon Tea Set. Remember to use the hashtags #ichkmdnaskinteatime #MDNASKIN and #InterContinental HK. Each fortnight, one lucky winner will receive a MDNA SKIN Rejuvenator Set valued at HK$4,680.

For the uninitiated, beauty brand MDNA SKIN was born in 2014 from a partnership between pop sensation Madonna, renowned Tuscan spa destination Montecatini Terme and Japanese beauty brand MTG. The label credits its fast-growing popularity to the effectiveness of its key ingredient: Montecatini Terme’s mineral-filled thermal waters and clay.

Super Serums: Give your face a new glow with these rejuvenating ranges

Micro-Huile-de-Rose-serum-by-Dior-opti

Today’s fast-paced modern life is the biggest enemy of youthful skin. To combat stress and fatigue at their very source – the skin cells – Gafencu’s beauty team has hand-selected the best boosting super serums for a refreshed, just-got-back-from-Bali look.

Dior Science recently studied the mechanisms of cellular fatigue in order to combat “inflamm-ageing” (low-level inflammation associated with ageing). The Rose de Granville’s 20 precious micro-nutrients are extracted, with their life force being preserved through a cutting-edge micro-encapsulation process.

The-Serum-by-Clé-de-Peau-Beauté-opti

The Serum from Clé de Peau Beauté combines four ingredients: Chai Hu extract, cornflower extract, Inositol (a natural nutrient), and white lily and tormentilla extract (an herb), to bring out the skin’s natural beauty.

Natura Bisse’s Inhibit High Definition Serum contains a 71 percent concentration of active ingredients, including anti-ageing components. They work as a bio-emulsion, meaning they are immediately absorbed into your skin, getting right to work where it’s needed most.

Lancômes-Advanced-Génefique-Sensitive-and-Natura-Bisses-Inhibit-High-Definition-Serum-opti
Lancôme’s Advanced Génefique Sensitive and Natura Bisse’s Inhibit High Definition Serum

Lancôme’s Advanced Génifique Sensitive is a dual concentrate which contains the iconic Advanced Génifique Youth Activator, a new soothing probiotic fraction, and a blue ampoule infused with extremely pure antioxidant ingredients.

Albion’s newly launched product – Infiness Upsurge Solution – promotes the growth of dermal tissue. This has a lifting effect, leading to firmer and fresher skin.

For something extra luxurious, Rodial’s new Rose Gold range is enriched with 24-carat gold and fresh white rose cells. The products work to reshape the face by smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles while visibly lifting and plumping the skin.

Incorporate any one of these super serums into your daily skin regime, and you’ll be feeling – and looking – younger in no time!

Enjoy a brush with the past with Helena Rubinstein’s rich heritage of mascara innovation

When Helena Rubenstein invented the first waterproof mascara in 1939, it marked a new chapter in women’s makeup routines. Strategically launched at the Acquade Show, a famous aquatic dance performance in New York, the mascara opened women’s eyes to the power of their own beauty.

There has been no looking back since then. Several decades later, Helena Rubenstein Research continues to follow the path of its eponymous founder through its series of innovations.

To commemorate the brand’s rich heritage, Helena Rubenstein has just launched its first hybrid mascara, the Lash CC Carbon Care. Bringing together the complementary properties of skincare and make-up, it nurtures our lashes while making giving them a voluminous, refined expression.

Unlike regular mascara that stiffens our eyelashes and gives them a slightly ‘fake’ look, Helena Rubenstein’s 750-bristle mascara (versus the standard 350-bristle ones) claims to give the lashes a feather-soft appeal.

Priced at HK$ 330 for a 7.3ml tube, you can lay your hands on Lash CC Carbon Care at most of Helena Rubenstein’s counters across select malls in Hong Kong, including Harvey Nichols, SOGO and Lane Crawford.

Silver Lining: Gafencu’s tips to shine brighter this fall

Every fashionista knows that selecting the right accessories can lift your outfit to new heights, but now Gafencu shows you how to shine even brighter no matter which look you choose.  

Get groovy with Saint Laurent‘s heart-shaped shades and sky-high sparkling platform wedges from Christian Louboutin. Channel a bit of ‘70s-style disco fever with Giuseppe Zanotti Design’s Luce boots and Jimmy Choo’s Cloud evening clutch. Or go futuristic with Swarovski’s Hologram crystal necklace and the geometrically dazzling Sr1 moccasins by Sergio Rossi.

Need more inspiration? Check out our video above!

Sparkling Reds: Louboutin’s iconic rouge hue shines this holiday season

Fancy some sparkling reds this holiday season? No, not the wines – we’re talking about Christian Louboutin’s new Metalissime Rouge line.

The renowned French designer has given his iconic Rouge Louboutin a sparkly twist just in time for the holiday season. With the new Metalissime line, the designer’s signature red hue has a shimmering pearl sheen that’s sure to attract eyeballs wherever you go.  

Dab a little Rouge Louboutin Metalissime Silky Satin Lip Colour and Loubilaque Lip Laquer for that perfect pout. Or brighten your fingernails with a coat of opulent Metalissime Nail Colour. 

There’s no need to fret about finding matching accessories either, because the French brand’s upcoming Spring/Summer 2018 Collection will feature a limited edition metallic-finished Shoepeaks clutch.

You’ll find the new Metalissime Rouge Louboutin line at ChristianLouboutin.com or any Christian Louboutin beauty counter worldwide.

Rouge Louboutin Metalissime Silky Satin Lip Colour: HK$800
Rouge Louboutin Metalissime Loubilaque Lip Laquer: HK$755
Rouge Louboutin Metalissime Nail Colour: HK$450 for 13ml

Rest Your Weary Soles: 5 best foot treatments at every price

The constant grind of city life can wear you down. Disconnect from the hustle and bustle and pamper yourself with a little “me” time! Here’s our top five foot treatment picks for every budget.

Ten Feet Tall

Located at the L. Place in Central, Ten Feet Tall is a great value option. Expect traditional Chinese foot reflexology techniques in a clean, peaceful environment as you recline in plush sofa chairs. A 50-minute session is just HK$340. For a more immersive experience, try the foot + neck and shoulder massage for 50 minutes (HK$690).

20-21/F, L Place, 139 Queen’s Road, Central. 2971 1010. http://tenfeettall.com.hk/home

Spa L’OCCITANE

The Spa L’Occitane is a slightly pricier but still affordable alternative that incorporates the French brand’s natural and environmentally friendly creams into its treatments. Try the Leg Refresher with Essential Oils (45 minutes, HK$680), which stimulates circulation and revitalises your skin.

Shop 3, Star Crest, 9 Star Street, Wan Chai. 2143 6288. http://hk.loccitane.com

Chuan Spa

Cordis Hotel’s Chuan Spa boasts holistic traditional Chinese treatments. Their Chuan Heavenly Jing Luo treatment (90 minutes, HK$880) gets you not one, not two but three different treatments rolled into one relaxation experience!

The combination of Jing Luo acupressure techniques, Chinese herbs and hot stones aims to optimise blood and qi flow and strengthen the immune system.

41/F, Cordis, 555 Shanghai St, Mong Kok. 3552 3510. http://www.chuanspa.com.hk

The Oriental Spa

The ultra-luxe Oriental spa at Landmark Mandarin Oriental serves up a 45-minute Refoundation Feet treatment (HK$760) that guarantees knee-to-toe relaxation. A Black Diamond Scrub exfoliation precedes a deep-tissue massage targeting muscle tension, joint mobility, blood circulation and more. Afterwards, hit the vitality pools, ice fountains and amethyst crystal steam baths to round off your stay.

15 Queen’s Road Central, Central. 2132 0188. http://www.mandarinoriental.com/

 The Ritz-Carlton Spa

Saving the best for last, we finally come to the Ritz-Carlton Spa. Perched atop the ICC building, the steep prices here are only surpassed by the soaring panoramic views.

A 50-minute Foot Reflexology massage will set you back HK$1,150. But who’s counting when you’re 116 floors up looking down at the rest of Hong Kong while masseuses skilfully work out the kinks in your soles.

ICC, 1 Austin Road West, Yau Ma Tei. 2263 2263. www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/china/hong-kong/spa

 

Text: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Ritz-Carlton, Cordis Hotel, Ten Feet Tall

Chanel’s new fragrance pays tribute to its founder with celebratory sensorium

 

Chanel recently hosted a private event at The Annex in Hong Kong to unveil its new fragrance named after its iconic founder, Gabrielle Chanel.

Created by perfumer Olivier Polge, the fragrance is the latest in the list of tributes that Chanel has paid to its creator Coco Chanel throughout the year, starting with the ‘Coco before Chanel’ high jewellery collection and the Gabrielle bag earlier in 2017.

Using multi-faceted mirrors and walls decorated with Coco Chanel’s celebrated quotes as well as scented niches designed for taking in the aromatic ingredients of the perfume, the private space provided a way to experience the perfume using all the senses beyond just scent alone.

As is usual with any Chanel party, a lot of celebrities turned up to show their support for the brand. Some well-known faces included Joey Yung, Hins Cheung, Tracy Chu, Elva Ni, Anjaylia Chan, Angela Yuen, Zelia Zhong and Evelyn Choi.