Scrub it to Ya

Scrub it to Ya
I love body scrubs—in theory. They hold such lofty promises of smooth, glowing skin and luxurious “at-home” pampering. The sad reality, however, (and I hope that this is your experience, too) is that at-home exfoliation usually involves me precariously balancing an open jar of the stuff by the side of the shower, swearing as I watch it get increasingly waterlogged, and trying desperately to scrub as quickly as possible before it’s all rinsed away by the shower. It’s no small wonder then that I’m in love with Aesop’s new first-ever body scrub, which seems to have been developed for people that don’t have time to spend half an hour exfoliating every week. It comes in a handy flip-cap tube, meaning no wrangling with inexplicably heavy jars, and the foamy formulation means that the pumice exfoliating beads stay sufficiently “scrubby” in the shower. What’s more, the refreshing scent of geranium leaf makes it a perfect product for a squeaky-clean summer.
$250 from Aesop, 56-60 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2544-4489

A Change in the Seasons
It’s tough being HK’s beauty queen sometimes—I headed to the Spa at the Four Seasons last week to meet with Claire, director of PR, and Shoshanna, Spa Director. They had exciting news about big changes to the spa, including a brand-new product lineup and an all-new, streamlined menu—right now the selection really is pretty overwhelmingly huge. Fortunately though, the signature two-hour Moroccan Hamam treatment will remain, and if you haven’t tried it yet (and have $1,890 burning a hole in your pocket), I recommend you give it a whirl. The first half of the treatment takes place with you lying on a marble slab in a gently heated steam room. First you’re buffed with a traditional kessa mitt and olive soap, rinsed clean and then scrubbed with detoxifying Himalayan sea salt. Though it’s pretty warm in there, it’s actually a great treatment for summer as all your dead skin cells are quickly sloughed off by the vigorous brushing. After applying Moroccan mud, you’re given a head massage, followed by a warm shower, taken lying down in the steam. Finally, an hour-long body massage rounds off the treatment. And honestly, the combination of gentle steaming and gorgeous, natural products did more for my “inner glow” than any facial—I stepped out of the spa looking like I’d achieved transendence. Can’t wait to head back there and do a bit more in-depth reporting on the new-look spa menu... heh heh heh…
Four Seasons, 8 Finance St., Central. For spa reservations, call 3196-8900

Terra Firma
I still like to maintain that I’m too young for anti-aging treatments (though that time must surely be coming to an end), but to many Hongkongers, getting fillers and face freezers is as much an essential part of their beauty routine as having their nails done or brushing their teeth. This is why I’m happy to share the news that the Firma medical spa has just opened its doors to serve the wrinkly, drooping and pigmented men and women of Central with the latest breakthroughs in aesthetic treatments. With dermatologists on staff, Firma offers the usual lineup of well-known anti-wrinkle and firming treatments—all carried out professionally in their luxurious private treatment rooms. It is also the first medical spa in Hong Kong to offer treatments by Barcelona skincare brand Cosmelan—specifically, its Mesoestetic line of treatments, which combine pharmaceutical-grade, prescription-only products with at-home care kits to provide extremely effective treatments. It’s best known for its anti-pigmentation masque, of which Madonna is apparently a fan. And we all want to look like Madonna, right? I’ll be sending a guinea pig in the next couple of months to test this treatment to see if it’s all that it’s cracked up to be, so watch this space.
5/F, 6 Duddell St., Central, 2869-6688, www.firma.hk