Hair conditioning: The future is looking smooth for men and women of a hirsute disposition. Elemis Day Spa and The Beautiful Skin Centre (BSC) have just introduced the Combilase laser hair-removal system, the first of its kind in Hong Kong and Asia. Manufactured in Italy, it is the safest laser-depilation treatment on the market and offers a permanent reduction in hair growth. (The American Food and Drug Administration doesn't allow any company to claim permanent hair removal, says Lucy Whitaker, managing director of the BSC, because some hair might eventually grow back - albeit finer. Any claim to the contrary is false advertising.) The treatment sends a combination of an ND Yag Laser and pulsed light through the skin (without harming it) to disable hair follicles and impede regrowth. It is safe for all skin types - from fair to Afro-Caribbean - and can also be used to simultaneously treat thread veins, broken capillaries and facial imperfections such as age spots, freckles and enlarged pores. Three to five treatments per area about four to five weeks apart are recommended; effects last for several years. Bikini line treatment, for example, costs $1,480 a session; $7,995 for six months unlimited. If you want to zap cellulite as well as hair follicles, the Biocell Slimming System (also at Elemis and BSC) claims to rid tums, bottoms, hips and thighs of the dreaded orange-peel effect. The safe, non-invasive alternative to liposuction breaks down fatty cells using Vacusound waves while something called Biosculpture disperses the fat to the liver, kidneys and lymphatic system to be expelled. It also tones and redefines the body. Each treatment takes about an hour and costs $620 (or $3,720 for six sessions). Eight to 20 treatments are usually recommended for long-term results. Call Elemis on 2521 6660 or BSC on 2506 0928 for details and appointments. Playing Poole: Cosmetic junkies will be pleased to hear that a new make-up line is now available at Joyce Beauty. Poole's chrome-cased kits ($340) come with fool-proof instructions and the picture of a look - four are achieved this season using the compact's six different colours - designed by Tom Pecheux of Gucci. The reason for this stems from founder Louise Bonnet's confusion at not knowing what to buy from make-up counters or how to apply the cosmetics to achieve a certain look. Complementing the kits, which comprise eyeshadow, cheek and lip colours, brushes and a decent-sized mirror, are four product lines of separates - lip colour, gloss, eyeshadow and a multipurpose item - in 30 colours ($130 each; also with instructions). Rock face: Diamonds are reputedly a girl's best friend and so, many women would add, is Creme De La Mer, the caviar of the skincare world. Strange though it might seem, the two have been combined in La Mer's latest product the Refining Facial, which hit Hong Kong shelves last week. Incorporated into a lotion with natural sea ingredients and other minerals, the diamonds, which have been ground into microscopic particles, act as an exfoliator, removing dead cells and dirt from the face. Although you can feel the diamond dust, it doesn't scratch, leaves skin smooth and clean and smells great. Effects are particularly noticeable if you give yourself a mini facial once a week using the brand's cleanser, tonic and moisturiser but the Refining Facial also works well on its own. It costs $650 from Lane Crawford Pacific Place and Times Square.
