Skin Deep: Look Good Naked, Massage Therapy and Watson's

Look Good Naked?

There’s a new group training school in town. LGN Fitness (which stands for Look Good Naked) is currently offering group ViPR, TRX Circuit, TRX RIP and Look Good Naked circuit classes to the good people of Central looking to get fit and shift a few pounds now that all the big, indulgent holidays are over. If that’s way too many acronyms for you, let me explain: The ViPR is a tube-shaped weight that is used in a huge range of exercises during a 30-minute calorie-burning class; TRX (you’ll probably know this one) is a strength training class where you use your own body weight against thick straps hanging from the ceiling for body conditioning; the RIP trainer (pictured) is a resistance training device similar to TRX, which is basically a big stick with a bungee cord tied to it that you wave around; and the Look Good Naked circuit is a combination class incorporating all these exercises in one go. Right now, LGN is offering an introductory deal of $400 for four classes (regular price $250 per class or $200 each for 10 classes), so get onto it quick before the deal’s over!
LGN Fitness operates out of Optimum Performance Studio, which can be found at 2/F, 50 Stanley St., Central. For enquiries, call 6683-2362 or log onto www.lgn-fitness.com.

TCM TLC

I have been meaning to try out Divas for quite some time now, but between this deadline and that madcap project, I only managed to get my butt there last week—and damn, I’ve been missing out. Divas is a massage therapy center that delivers traditional Chinese therapeutic techniques in a calm, spa-like atmosphere. Treatments include massages to improve digestion and kidney function, reduce tension in the head, shoulders and neck, and to help the body recover after illness or surgery. Lymphatic drainage and body toning treatments are also on offer. A cornerstone of the treatments on offer is the Japanese-made “Super T” machine, which pulses a gentle electrical current through the body via the therapist’s hands to encourage lymphatic drainage and healthy blood circulation—it sounds weird, but feels like a light vibration that you only really notice at the beginning. I know I’m normally cynical about these sorts of things, but after my back, neck, shoulder and head massage, which was rather intense but at the same time incredibly effective, I felt as though my headaches and muscle stiffness had just melted away. Also, at the end of each session you’re served a bowl of homemade sweet vegetarian Chinese soup, which is made fresh each day. What I also love about Divas is the discount it offers for purchasing multiple sessions. For instance, first-time visitors can pay just $686 for a 60-minute neck and back treatment (regular price $980), but if you buy a package of five, that price drops to $490 per session, a package of 10 works out at $392 per session, and a package of 30 is just $307 per session.
6/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrance, Central, 2543-6833, www.divas-intl.com.hk.

Word Up Watson’s

I was pleasantly surprised when I wandered into good old Watson’s the other day—they must have a new sourcing agent or something, because their new product lines are FANTASTIC. And this is coming from someone who isn’t the biggest fan of channeling half my hard-earned cash into Li Ka-shing’s consumer empire. But with all the fab new aisles—the organic and eco-friendly lines in particular—Watson’s is starting to look a lot more like Boots or Superdrug in England, or Walgreen’s in the States, and this is definitely a good thing. My two picks from my last visit to the store was the Avalon Organics cleansing lemon shampoo, which smells refreshingly lemony, adds shine and leaves hair feeling squeaky-clean, all for just $49. I also loved the Australian-made VC Organic Rose Otto Marine Collagen Night Cream ($248), which is a delightfully scented and far cheaper alternative to the Elemis cream that many people swear by. It absorbs easily and leaves skin with a silky-soft texture. Anyone else out there got a wonder product from Watson’s? Let me know.