A Fine Solution
So many women I know get ultra-panicky about thinning hair—I know I’m one of them. Having had short ‘dos for years, it still shocks me when handfuls of hair come out in my hands or brush. But while losing up to 100 strands a day is normal, thinning hair is a problem that’s encountered by up to 48 percent of women, according to natural hair specialists Aveda. That’s why their recently-launched Invati hair care line—which features an exfoliating shampoo, strengthening conditioner and revitalizing scalp treatment—is regularly sold out at salons around town. They’ve recently launched an in-salon hair and scalp treatment to complement the line.
When I went to try it out a couple of weeks ago, Sampras the salon educator told me that the salon had created the treatment following an enthusiastic response to the product line, but—in true Hong Kong style—people were too lazy to follow the steps themselves. Before starting the treatment, he gave me some tips on how to keep my hair thick and healthy at home. Firstly, you need to keep brushing. Although you might think that brushing might cause hair to snap or pull out, the light tugging actually causes the follicles to grow stronger in response to the gentle pressure. He also recommended using the pads of your fingers to perform a mini scalp massage to boost blood circulation to the area, and to avoid excessively rich, moisturizing products that leave residue on your scalp.
The salon treatment begins with a detoxifying scalp massage, where a naturally-derived salicylic acid is massaged into the head to remove dead skin cells and product buildup, and unclog pores. After that, there’s a shampoo and conditioner using the Invati products, followed by another head massage while the technician applies the leave-in scalp revitalizer to boost circulation and hair health. A style and blowdry leaves you ready to face the world again. My scalp certainly felt thoroughly cleansed and healthy afterwards, but I reckon you need to buy the products too, in order to reap the long-term benefits. I’d suggest supplementing an at-home system with a pro treatment once every couple of months. If Aveda is out of your price range, the delightfully tingly, minty Nioxin also offers an excellent line of shampoos for thinning hair. See
www.nioxin.com.hk for a full list of stockists.
The Invati treatment costs $770 and takes about an hour. Available at Aveda Lifestyle Salon, 2/F, The Loop, 33 Wellington St., Central, 2868-9859.The Big Baby Talk
If you’re thinking about having a child, or are simply interested in fertility, working women and “having it all,” then you might want to check out this luncheon event at the
Asia Society. Part of a series of talks on women’s healthcare, “Women on the Go: Child-Bearing and Fertility” promises to be an insightful discussion about how long working hours and declining marriage rates has led to Hong Kong having one of the world’s lowest birth rates. Tons of interesting topics will be raised, from how equality in the workplace has affected the decision to have children, to the new reproductive technologies and fertility treatments. General discussions on the health of professional women in Hong Kong will also be had. The panelists include Dr. Susan Fan, executive director of the Family Planning Association; Dr. William So, a specialist in reproductive medicine; and for a perspective from the business world, Connie Carnabuci, partner at Freshfield Bruckhaus Deringer. Journalist Chee-May Chow will moderate. Tickets are $490 for Asia Society members and full-time students, or $590 for non-members. The talk will take place on September 20 from 12:30pm-2pm at The Asia Society building, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty. For more information and to buy tickets, visit
www.asiasociety.org.hk.
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