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Header image courtesy of The Mandarin Spa (via Facebook)
The sweltering heat, high pollution levels, and general life in Hong Kong can wreak havoc on our skin, leaving it dull and in need of some TLC. Lucky then, that we’re blessed with a plethora of spas that offer all kinds of fabulous facials to give us back our glow. From lasers to caviar, and oxygen to gold—you name it, we’ve got it. Here are some of our favourites.
We all know about Aesop’s irresistible hand wash and balm, and its line of fragrances and soothing skin and body care, but here’s a little secret: the brand also has intimate spa facilities at a couple of its brick-and-mortar locations. Dubbed the Aesop Facial Suite, guests can visit the Fashion Walk, Harbour City, or Hollywood Road outlets to experience a range of tailor-made beauty treatments that use Aesop products.
Each treatments begins with an assessment of your skin type and current condition and a consultation with an Aesop facial specialist to determine your needs and target areas to address during the session. After identifying problem zones, the specialist will select the most suitable products from the Aesop skincare line to tackle your dermal concerns and even blend products together for best-result formulations. Due to the bespoke nature of the treatment, Aesop offers either a 60- or 75-minute facial experience, taking you through stages that include antioxidants, exfoliants, vitamins, extraction, and a massage.
After the appointment, your Aesop facial specialist will recommend the best products from the Aesop range so you can continue nourishing your skin till your next visit.
If you visit the Hollywood Road location, don’t forget to take a moment to admire the shop’s interior design and unique personality, inspired by local Hong Kong architectural and cultural elements like bamboo scaffolding and curvilinear shape and tiling pattern of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, and browse the range of products on your way out. (We think the new woody and citrusy Vivēre perfume is a winner.)
Want to have a facelift without going under the knife? Now you can, because the recently renovated Indulgence Spa offers a range of specialist facial treatments, including the revolutionary duolift sequential facial, which uses a special machine to transmit radio frequency and ultrasound waves into the skin to tighten and lift the face.
The 90-minute treatment begins with a soft peel to eliminate dead skin, impurities, and pollution, followed by a burst of radio frequency, which reshapes the deep layers of the skin, and then ultrasound waves, which reactivate the metabolic processes to smooth lines and wrinkles. We gave it a go and can confirm that it feels incredible and—most importantly—works! The skin feels noticeably tighter, while the jawline and neckline feel more lifted and defined. The gentle massaging movements of the machine over the face are so relaxing that you might even fall asleep during the process!
Indulgence Spa, 5/F, 8 Wyndham Street, Central | (+852) 2815 6600
It’s time to let your skin breathe—quite literally—with the detoxifying facial at Spa BPZ. This 70-minute signature treatment offers a whole new approach to facials, using a state-of-the-art machine to spray atomised moisturisers over the skin via a stream of pressurised oxygen. It’s not only the likes of Madonna who are turning to this technique to get that instant glow—many Hongkongers are feeling the benefits, too.
According to Spa BPZ owner Nigar Qureshi, oxygen blasts provide the perfect boost and lift to the skin, making it smoother and easier to apply make-up. The treatment begins with deep cleansing, using organic products to prepare the skin for deeper penetration, followed by shots of oxygen into the cellular layers to revive and refresh the face.
A collagen face mask is then applied for around twenty minutes, at which point you get to enjoy a blissful head and shoulder massage, before a final dose of moisturiser is added. The tingling sensation of cold oxygen being blasted onto the skin is incredibly refreshing during sweltering summer days. If only we could carry this machine around with us!
Spa BPZ, 12/F, Sea Bird House, 22–28 Wyndham Street, Central | (+852) 2524 1272
Going under a laser might not sound like a relaxing time, but the 15-minute laser skin treatment at Skin Laundry is particularly good at tackling acne, pigmentation, and enlarged pores, which can flare up during those hot summer months in Hong Kong.
The facial works by using laser and light therapy to vaporise dirt, debris, pollutants, and toxins deep within the pores to cleanse and tone the skin, and boost collagen. This may sound a little daunting, but a slight pinching sensation and burning smell are as bad as it gets—which is apparently just the smell of dirt being vaporised as the laser clears your pores! After the laser has worked its magic, a cooling collagen gel is applied to your face and an intense pulsed light (IPL) is used to reduce redness on the top layer. A cool compress is then applied to reduce minor swelling.
Skin Laundry recommends two to three sessions a month to dramatically improve the skin’s smoothness, tone, and texture, but at $650 a pop, it might be more economical to buy a reduced bulk package if you want to permanently cure your ailments.
Sun damage is pretty much a given on our tropical isle. Uneven skin tone, dark spots (otherwise known as hyperpigmentation), and lacklustre skin are all clear signs of intense UV exposure. Luckily, we know just the thing to reignite your gorgeous glow! Enter EstheClinic’s intense glow programme, a two-step process that harnesses the power of aesthetic treatments for visible skin brightening results after just one session.
EstheClinic’s patented MacPeel IPL technology is used to lighten dark spots on the skin’s surface, all while tightening pores for a smoother, lighter skin tone. Without going into overly techy jargon on treating the overproduction of melanin, IPL technology emits light waves that are absorbed by the pigment, triggering its fragmentation. Leave your worries at the door because this is a pleasant, pain-free treatment.
After the IPL, LED light therapy is used, with a combination of red and yellow light to painlessly stimulate skin repair and collagen production. By replenishing collagen stores, LED photo modulation provides a replumping and anti-ageing effect that helps heal and firm up dry, saggy skin. These coloured light waves are also soothing and relaxing—drift off to dreamland as magic is being worked on your skin!
This 60-minute programme is thankfully a zero-pain, non-surgical treatment that will leave you feeling soothed and relaxed. The treatment requires no downtime, so you are free to return to your busy schedule straight away.
EstheClinic, 16/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central | (+852) 3615 0919
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When it comes to beauty and skincare, more and more people look to South Korea. Just like the explosion of K-pop, K-dramas, and anything Korean-related, K-beauty is no exception. Over at Seoul Aesthetic, you will get that high-standard Korean beauty treatment you’re longing for. From Botox to hair regrowth, the beauty clinic has a lot to offer but we recommend the signature Korean skincare.
Expect hydration to plummet into your skin with this seven-step treatment, which lasts for 90 minutes. It uses lymph drainage massage (LDM) technology via an ultrasound device to moisturise and rejuvenate the skin surface closely in several layers, making the treatment ultra relaxing. Your skin will also feel noticeably softer with less redness.
To get started, the facialist cleanses your skin first, followed by a steaming technique to relax your skin and remove impurities. You will then enjoy a face scrub in preparation for the LDM ultrasound massage. The soothing feeling of the device in motion helps put your mind at ease. The facial then ends with a face mask rich in vitamins and antioxidants.
Combining Korean beauty solutions with advanced technology, the signature Korean facial at Seoul Aesthetic is a true modern indulgence that your skin deserves!
Seoul Aesthetic, UG/F, Wilson House, 19–27 Wyndham Street, Central
Yes, we love a staycation or an afternoon tea at the Mandarin Oriental, but The Mandarin Spa is also worth a visit. With its East-meets-West décor, it feels like you’re in an oasis away from the din of the city even though you’re right in Central.
Its in-house spa offers a range of beauty and skincare services, but the one we’re eyeing is the collagen renewal facial. It promises to nourish and revitalise your complexion and add needed moisture to your skin through a 90-minute regimen that includes the use of well-being treatment masks and QMS signature collagens for firm, improved texture.
The Mandarin Spa, Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road, Central | (+852) 2825 4888
High Society Skin Clinic brings the success of semi-permanent make-up salon Princess Brows to its doors. This new beauty destination has an array of treatments all designed to encourage self-care, rejuvenate the body, and make you love your skin even more.
Don’t miss the Hollywood cream bagel facial, a new anti-ageing treatment that uses Wishpro Plus technology and a variety of serum-infused capsules to tackle specific skin concerns. Your facial therapist will ask you which parts of the body you’re most concerned about and they will then concentrate on working on these areas.
The new approach is to tighten and tone the skin after one 45-minute treatment. It uses magnetic infusion technology to create magnetic pulses, which are then converted into a mild electrical energy field that allows the serum to infuse deep within your dermis. It’s a soothing process with just the right amount of vibration.
You have the choice of different serum capsules while the facial therapist will choose the type of pulse, from exfoliation (green) to LED (red and blue) to microcurrent (gold). Regardless, it can cater to any skin need, and the treatment lasts for 60 minutes in total.
High Society Skin Clinic, 22/F, Car Po Commercial Building, 18–20 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central | (+852) 2799 0800
First published on 14 August 2018. Written by Sophie Pettit. Last updated by Jen Paolini.
Covering the hottest new eats, the best places to play, offbeat takes on local culture, and so much more, Localiiz is every Hongkonger’s destination for how to live a well-rounded life in our vibrant city. Why the strange spelling? Well, Localiiz is designed to be your “local eyes”—and for that, you need two i’s.
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