Five fashion treatments for summer put to the test – find out how to keep looking cool and fresh in the heat and humidity
Tired-looking eyes, damaged hair or oily skin? Fear not. We have you covered on treatments to get you ready for Hong Kong’s summer heat
Eyelash designing service
To wake up looking flawless every day, try getting eyelash extensions, in which individual lashes are carefully glued to your real ones strand by strand. Kesalan Patharan provides a signature designing service, where lashes of varying lengths are lined along the eye to give the most natural effect. The meticulous process takes up to two hours. Prices start at HK$880 for 120 strands and go up to HK$1,800 for 180 – the maximum number of lashes they can attach.
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I ended up with around 160 and was pleased with the way it looks – instantly brightening my eyes without being too dramatic. Unlike our previous lash extension experience, the chemicals used did not irritate my eyes and the beautician was so skilful that I barely felt a thing.
The extensions were also surprisingly comfortable to wear. I chose the thinnest one and they were so light that they did not weigh down the lids or real lashes as some would. Though it was supposed to last only for three weeks, they stayed for more than five.
They do need some maintenance every now and then. Comb through them with a special brush that can be bought at Kesalan Patharan – or use any clean mascara wand – to keep them neat.
Kesalan Patharan, various locations. Tel: 3607 9500
Perfect hairstyles for the heat
Shhh, a boutique hair salon on Hollywood Road, pays great attention to its clients, down to the smallest details – a mug cover to keep your tea warm, soft towels and the most relaxing head massage.
While most salon stylists blow-dry your hair nicely so you can walk away looking smooth and sleek, the keratin restructuring treatment (HK$1,880/45 mins) offered at Shhh is one with lasting effect. Whether your hair is damaged from perming, colouring or bleaching, Marvin Lin – founder of the salon and a well-known stylist in Hong Kong – has a way to fix it.
The treatment restores keratin, amino acids and collagen to dry hair using products from OMG, a hair care line developed by Lin over five years and made in Japan. The ingredients are able to penetrate deeply into the cortex layer. The argan plant stem cells, for example, strengthen the hair and make it more elastic.
The process is deceptively simple: a hair wash, 10 minutes under the heater for the hair to absorb the minerals, then another wash followed by a quick blow dry. But it yields impressive results. I left with a shiny mane that was silky and bouncy, even in the humid weather.
