bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Tama Lung

There was a time, not too long ago, when shopping for natural skincare products required a visit to the local farm or health-food store. But as more and more consumers seek to avoid potentially toxic ingredients in their cleansers and moisturisers, natural products have caught up with their synthetic cousins to become technologically advanced and increasingly luxurious.
'Natural and organic skincare is definitely the new luxury skincare,' says Anita Yuen, director of beauty for Harvey Nichols.
Joyce Beauty's general manager Harriet Lee agrees. 'People always have the impression of organics being from the countryside, part of a very simple lifestyle,' she says. 'But actually you can find organics that are very luxurious.'
Starting with the introduction of Dr Hauschka 10 years ago, Joyce Beauty has pioneered the natural and organic skincare market in Hong Kong. In recent years it has added luxury brands such as Darphin from France and more modern ones including England's Elemental Herbology and Hungary's Omorovicza.
While brands such as Perricone MD and 3LAB remain staples among Joyce Beauty's customers, Lee expects the organic market to become more popular and sophisticated.
'Because of the technology being put into the organic brands there will be more and more results-oriented products coming up,' she says. 'You'll see more doctors and dermatologists behind the brands, offering different opinions and support.'
Organics have already come a long way in terms of performance and effectiveness, says Brenda Lee, founder of cosmetics boutique Beyond Organic.
'To be honest, some customers want to try our products not necessarily for health reasons, but [because] they heard they are even more effective than the expensive cream at home,' she says. 'And many can't turn back after they start using them.'
Beyond Organic is very selective when it comes to choosing its brands, testing complete product lines on at least 10 people for six to 12 months before approving them. Among those that have made the cut are German skincare brand Amala, custom-made anti-ageing line Absolution and Susanne Kaufmann Organic Treats from Austria's Bregenz Forest, due to launch this month.
Part of the reason for such extensive testing is the nature of organic products. 'It's like Chinese medicine,' says Yuen. 'They work slowly but are better for the circulation. They detox and purify you from the inside.'
Yuen, whose own search for natural skincare products led her to bring a number of innovative brands to Harvey Nichols, has recently introduced Intelligent Nutrients - created by environmentalist and Aveda founder Horst Rechelbacher - and Noesa, a German skincare system based on the original concept of Alchemetics. 'Noesa charges HK$6,500 per bottle. I didn't want to believe it,' says Yuen. 'But it works. I've heard my customers say they can't live without it. Some people break out the first time they use it but after two weeks their skin is like a baby's.'
Intelligent Nutrients, meanwhile, is another hi-tech brand that is pioneering the use of plant stem cells. Ingredients such as edelweiss, coneflower and pennywort are grown in a sterile lab without the use of soil to prevent any potential contamination.
Harvey Nichols is also home to The Organic Pharmacy, a comprehensive line of skincare products, make-up and supplements created by homeopathic pharmacist Margo Marrone.
With so many natural brands available in Hong Kong, it can be difficult to know where to start. Yuen suggests looking to cleansers first.
'You purify your skin inside and out, so purity is important,' she says, noting that the chemicals and fillers in conventional products can often cause redness, irritation and breakouts.
Yuen's complete regimen has five steps: cleanser, toner, eye cream, anti-ageing serum and a day or night cream. Her top picks include Australian brand Y Natural's 600 Smooth Anti Age Serum. Completely free of chemicals, the lightweight cream boasts Bulgarian rose otto to fight ageing and an extract from hibiscus seeds said to act as a natural 'botox-like' ingredient.
Yuen also likes Intelligent Nutrients' Plant Stem Cell Science Renewal Complex, a targeted treatment for wrinkles, age spots and other imperfections.
Joyce Beauty's Lee suggests focusing on a good cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. 'These three are the basics,' she says. Among the most effective products are Elemental Herbology's antioxidant-rich Cell Food Facial Serum and Omorovicza's Thermal Cleansing Balm, which boasts 'mineral cosmetology' - what Lee calls 'representative of the synergy between natural ingredients and advanced technology'.
For those looking to go a bit further and prepare the skin for the onset of spring, she recommends Dr Hauschka's Rhythmic Night Conditioner - a 28-day regimen designed to normalise problem skin. 'We really love Dr Hauschka because it goes beyond the organic part to a more biodynamic approach to its ingredients and production,' she explains.
'People tend to not only use organic brands on the skin, but it also usually comes with a whole lifestyle,' Lee says. 'A lot of brands promote fair trade and ecological responsibility, so anyone who shares this kind of mentality loves to try natural products.'
Yuen, who also points to the huge trend in organic food, sees the market for natural skincare products getting better and more advanced. 'People are definitely starting to discover the endless possibilities we have with nature's good,' she says.
 
 


Cleaning up their act

Natural skincare is becoming increasingly advanced with innovations such as plant stem cells and mineral cosmetology. Photo: Shutterstock

From left: Y Natural 601 Nourish Luxury Treatment HK$1,050; Elemental Herbology Moisture Milk HK$650; Noesa Total Repair Serum HK$4,380; the Organic Pharmacy Rose Plus Marine Collagen Complex HK$1,940; Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm HK$790; Intelligent Nutrients Renewal Complex Skin Serum HK$1,388. Photo: Gary Ng, Common Studio

Magazines

Faces

Natural products have caught up with their synthetic cousins, writes Tama Lung


Natural products have caught up with their synthetic cousins, writes Tama Lung.
