Beauty expert and prestigious spas offer superdeluxe facials which promise to improve the skin

Facials and beauty treatments are a dime a dozen in this city. Billboards and ads bombard and vie for attention wherever you look, from the latest injections and fillers to different machines and creams, and even cosmetic surgery, all promising the Holy Grail of eternal youth and beauty. But what happens when money is no object? Does paying more increase the quality or ensure the results you want?

I was invited for afternoon tea at an exclusive beauty launch at one of Hong Kong's most iconic hotels. With a name that conjures up the glitz and glamour of the international jet set from the French Riviera, Margy's Monte Carlo is an anti-ageing programme created by Margie Lombard, a famed beauty expert with clients such as Claudia Schiffer, Tina Turner, Shirley Bassey, Princess Charlene of Monaco and many others who fly into Monte Carlo specifically for her signature facials.

Lombard's illustrious career began when she graduated with a cosmetology licence from the prestigious Carita School in Paris and went on to head the Mabrouk Institut Esthétique in Gstaad, Switzerland, before opening her first beauty institute in Monaco in 1988. She launched her line in 1993 and is also one of the first to use collagen and hyaluronic acid in her products. Lombard, who was here with her team during the event, explained that her products are effective because they contain the basic biometric ingredients and active compounds that comprise the structure of the skin, allowing them to specifically target the main cause of skin degradation - inflammation. Over time, the epidermis becomes inefficient in responding to aggressors, which leads to the dreaded wrinkles and ageing.

To limit the damage, she chose ingredients such as oxidoreductase; vitamin A, E and B5 complex; active compounds extracted from land and marine plants; marine oils; and hyaluronic acid to enhance skin hydration and boost the function of active compounds. Also exclusive to The Peninsula are her range of Swiss-made products including collagen masks, wraps, serums, moisturisers, cleansers, toners and eye creams.

Four facials are available - there is a superlift vitamin C one for men - and the top-of-the-line offering that you will want to experience is The Ultimate Aesthetic Facial Treatment by Margy's (1 hour, 40 minutes; HK$7,800).

Using ultrasonic waves and controlled warmth of up to an optimal 40 degrees Celsius delivered to the skin's deeper tissues, it aims to transform the skin from the inside out by stimulating the growth of new collagen and elastin with collagen refill technology, while tightening skin and reducing wrinkles. The treatment leaves skin looking and feeling visibly firmer and younger, with optimal results appearing within three months. A customised programme of four treatments within four weeks is required, followed by monthly maintenance treatments.

Rainy Chan, regional vice-president of The Peninsula Hotels and general manager of The Peninsula Hong Kong, is the one responsible for bringing Margy's to Hong Kong after meeting Lombard five years ago. It took time because Lombard did not want to rapidly expand or commit to a franchise partnership, and it was only after a successful launch in the Middle East that convinced her that Asia was the next ideal location.

"Margy's Monte Carlo is the most sought-after name in beauty treatments and products in Monaco. While operating on a small scale with only four treatment rooms, for the past 27 years Lombard has attracted a very loyal following, many of whom are celebrities, socialites and government officials," Chan says.

"All her clients need to book three months in advance. But they are willing to fly back and forth to Monte Carlo specifically to receive the brand's signature facials. This is because Margy's offers exactly what they are looking for - treatments that provided visible, solid results without having to go through surgery or invasive treatments.