Five newly arrived beauty labels worth checking out in Hong Kong
These five beauty brands offer cruelty-free, organic or Fair Trade make-up and skincare products, and high-quality brushes with a 150-year history
For Hongkongers concerned about skincare, the most exciting news of the year is probably the launch of British make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury’s award-winning product line, which will be available in Hong Kong from 2018.
Apart from Charlotte Tilbury, several other niche beauty brands have arrived this winter. Here are five you need to know about.
1. Yuni
The two founders of Yuni, Emmanuel Rey and Suzanne Dawson, had long-spanning careers in the cosmetic industry before they decided to quit their corporate jobs and found a beauty brand that is more in line with their values – cruelty free, natural and ecologically friendly.
Both dedicated yogis themselves, the couple create skin and body-care products for those who also have an active lifestyle and give them hilarious puns for names. Count to Zen (HK$90/30ml) is a hand and body cream containing Fair Trade green tea extract, while Glow with the Flow is a body scrub that can also be used on the face.
Our favourite, however, is Chillax (HK$150/90ml), a gel that eases muscle pain. Use it after a workout or keep one in your office and apply it when your neck feels strained after a long day.
Available at Joyce Beauty
2. Cosme Kitchen
While Cosme Kitchen is owned by a Japanese company, the store – which opened at Mira Place in November – carries natural and organic products from 32 brands from around the world.
Though make-up products offered by most organic beauty brands are often less pigmented or vibrant, this is not the case with Celvoke, an exclusive brand at Cosme Kitchen. Its creamy eyeshadow and lipsticks in certain shades are already sold out in Japan. Celvoke offers beauty products that rival traditional make-up brands, but with friendlier materials.
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Another notable brand is La Clarée from France, created by Laurent Baussan, the son of L’Occitane founder Olivier Baussan. The entire skincare product line is certified organic and uses olives as a key ingredient.
G20, Mira Place, 132-134 Nathan Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
Acca Kappa, which has a history going back to 1869, opened a new store at Hysan Place in Causeway Bay this October. The Italian brand is known for high-quality brushes. The Beechwood Protection Brush (HK$290) has nylon bristles that can massage the scalp as you brush your hair, while the beechwood has antistatic properties and can prevent flyaway strands.
We also love the Gondola Brush (HK$580), whose beautiful shape is inspired by the Venetian vessel.
Shop 313, Hysan Place, Causeway Bay
Both parents of John Bardenheier are successful entrepreneurs in the beauty industry, so it was a no-brainer for Bardenheier when he quit pursuing a career as a pilot and launched his own brand at the age of 19.
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Hong Kong is the first Asian market to feature the brand. Beauty Hills advocates a five-step skin care regimen, which consists of cleansing, freshening the skin with tonic, stimulating the skin with a hydra gel, applying a serum for deep care and applying a moisturising cream to seal everything in. The products contain mostly plant-based ingredients and are paraben- and paraffin-free.
Available at Harvey Nichols Hong Kong
Products from Wander Beauty are perfect for frequent travellers or those who need to do their make-up on the go, like the comany’s founder, Lindsay Ellingson, an American fashion model. Most of the products are multitaskers so you would not have to carry around a huge bag to touch up your face, or go from a day look to a night one.
The Secret Weapon Pencil (HK$180) is a lip pencil that can double as a highlighter with a built-in sharpener at its tip. The wand of the Unlashed Volume and Curl Mascara (HK$310) has natural bristles instead of plastic ones, so it coats the eyelashes evenly and can give it a slightly curl without using an eyelash curler.
Available at Sephora
