Holistic Treatments in Central, American skincare brand Fresh and Japanese Eyebrow Scissors

To be honest, I don’t really hold much truck with alternative therapies, crystal healing and all that kinda stuff, but having had a rough week, I figured that trying out a hot stone healing session at The Sanctuary, a wellness center on Arbuthnot Road, couldn’t hurt. If you’re not familiar, The Sanctuary is a holistic treatment center with five treatment rooms and a studio at the back with amazing views over the harbor. It offers aromatherapy, yoga, tai chi, meditation and Pilates—plus a host of other treatments about which I have varying degrees of skepticism. I wasn’t really sure what to expect with the hot stones, but Marsha, the very friendly therapist, explained that it’s not exactly the same thing as a hot stone massage. You lie face-up on two rows of volcanic stones set on either side of your spine, your eyes are covered, and then Marsha gets to work performing reflexology on your feet and lower legs using a custom-blended oil (my mix was frankincense, black pepper and yarrow). After that, Marsha lays her hands on various parts of your body in order to relax and revive. I have to say that I found the treatment to be deeply relaxing—it felt much longer than an hour. Marsha says that everyone who tries it drifts off and wakes up feeling energized, not groggy. The treatment is $1,200 for an hour—the price of finding peace in Central. Unit 2905, 29/F, Universal Trade Centre, 3-5A Arbuthnot Rd., Central, 2537-1373, www.thesanctuary.com.hk.

The first Christmas press event rolled around last week, with an afternoon tea at Lupa hosted by American skincare brand Fresh. Despite the slightly Guantanamo-esque decision by organizers to play one Christmas carol on an endless loop for the duration (“More Than I Asked For” by Joy Williams, in case you’re wondering), I was very impressed by what Fresh had to offer, which is why I can’t wait until December to tell you all about it. With a hefty price tag, Fresh falls squarely in the “occasional indulgence” category, but its Christmas gift sets are actually fantastic value, and you can try out a good number of its signature products for far less than what you would pay for them normally. One of my faves was the “Sugar Soiree,” a pack featuring mini versions of its signature Sugar tinted lip balms in all eight shades. Split ‘em up for stocking stuffers or gift the whole lot to a lippie fanatic—the average cost per balm is just $76; full-size balms are $210 each. I also went home with a “Sugar Passion Princess” makeup bag, which contains Fresh’s excellent soy face cleanser, brown sugar lip scrub and a lip color, all for $265. They make excellent gifts, but if you want to pick up a pack for yourself, I’m not going to judge. Available now at Fresh counters citywide, including Lab Concept, 1/F, Queensway Plaza, Admiralty, 2113-8106, fresh-hk.com.

I had a bit of a beauty revelation last week. I was out having drinks with my friend V when I commented on how beautifully neat her eyebrows looked (yes, I have that kind of conversation from time to time). With my Asian genes, my eyebrows tend towards the fluffy and have a tendency to start sticking straight up as you get towards the bridge of my nose (take a magnifying glass to my column pic and you’ll see what I mean).