Beauty and the beach
Hiding behind a sarong? Adele Rosi has some top tips for looking good in an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny bikini.
Like it or loathe it, summer’s here; which means magazines full of celebs looking impossibly glamorous on the beach, all perfect locks, micro bikinis, toned limbs and glowing skin. How different from the sand-in-the-knickers, frizzy hair, sticky reality most of us grapple with.
But there is plenty you can do to prepare for summer. First up, the tan. If pale and interesting is your look, slap on the highest sun factor you can lay your hands on, invest in a wide-brimmed sunhat – try Marks & Spencer and sit in the shade. If not, fake it. St.
Tropez is the best-known fake tan: Elemis Day Spa in Central charges $530 for an all-body treatment. A therapist will assess your skin tone to decide which of the three shades to spray you, so you won’t end up a scary mahogany. Alternatively, self-tanning creams from brands such as Clarins and Lancôme are a long way from those orangey liquids most of us once used. “A gradual self-tanner keeps your skin looking radiant and healthy without sun exposure,” says Clearwater Bay’s resident style queen, Eve Roth Lindsay.
The former international fashion designer runs personal and corporate image consultancy, savvy Style Colour Me Beautiful HK, which specializes in colour analysis but also offers style advice to men and women.
“once you have a slight base tan, all you need to add is a small amount of tined moisturizer, concealer ad blush,” she says. Next up, Lindsay recommends tinting eyelashes and, if they are very light or sparse, eyebrows. These treatments last for weeks and eliminate the need for mascara and eyebrow pencils. Pedicures are a must – not least of all to keep dry heel skin at bay.
Summer brings humidity – and frizzy hair. Japanese air straightening is the most hardcore solution, giving poker-straight locks; Tala’s in Sai Kung offers the Brazilian, a keratin-based, hair-conditioning treatment, which looks like you’ve just had your hair bow-dried. L’Oreal hair-straightening treatment is somewhere in between – it is gentle on the hair and leaves your crowning glory straight and silky.
“If straightening seems too extreme,” says Lindsay, “put some leave-in conditioner or silicone-based product into your hair. It will plump up the hair follicle and prevent frizz.”
Thanks to collections by romantic designers such as Vera Wang, loose messy braids are one of the hottest looks for summer. “Leave in your braid while you’re in the water: when your hair dries and you take it out, you’ll have waves to die for,” Lindsay suggests.
Less romantic is all that other hair. Natasha Low Kefford of Alluring Skin can get rid of it permanently using an intense pulsed light (IPL) machine, which kills hair follicles. The treatment doesn’t scar and is only mildly painful in places, a bit like having an elastic band snap against your skin. Although eight to 10 treatments are needed (one a month) to ensure there is not a hair in sight, hair is definitely sparser even after the first treatment. Starting at $450 a pop for bikini line or underarms, Keffords prices are the most reasonable around.
Beachwear trends this summer have been greatly influenced by retro designs so go big on one-piece suits that channel your inner Grace Kelly and cute summer dresses. Those with troublesome tummies should avoid shiny suits and look for a fitted and controlled one piece or a tankini, while the best styles for the buxom have an inbuilt bra or under wiring, Lindsay says.
For ladies who want to flatter their curves look for retro, one-piece suits in a wrap style. Lindsay recommends Ozzie Cozzie, which has a shop in Central which has a great selection of swimwear to suit every shape and size. Now, get out there and give those A-listers a run for their money.
Hiding behind a sarong? Adele Rosi has some top tips for looking good in an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny bikini.
Like it or loathe it, summer’s here; which means magazines full of celebs looking impossibly glamorous on the beach, all perfect locks, micro bikinis, toned limbs and glowing skin. How different from the sand-in-the-knickers, frizzy hair, sticky reality most of us grapple with.
But there is plenty you can do to prepare for summer. First up, the tan. If pale and interesting is your look, slap on the highest sun factor you can lay your hands on, invest in a wide-brimmed sunhat – try Marks & Spencer and sit in the shade. If not, fake it. St.
Tropez is the best-known fake tan: Elemis Day Spa in Central charges $530 for an all-body treatment. A therapist will assess your skin tone to decide which of the three shades to spray you, so you won’t end up a scary mahogany. Alternatively, self-tanning creams from brands such as Clarins and Lancôme are a long way from those orangey liquids most of us once used. “A gradual self-tanner keeps your skin looking radiant and healthy without sun exposure,” says Clearwater Bay’s resident style queen, Eve Roth Lindsay.
The former international fashion designer runs personal and corporate image consultancy, savvy Style Colour Me Beautiful HK, which specializes in colour analysis but also offers style advice to men and women.
“once you have a slight base tan, all you need to add is a small amount of tined moisturizer, concealer ad blush,” she says. Next up, Lindsay recommends tinting eyelashes and, if they are very light or sparse, eyebrows. These treatments last for weeks and eliminate the need for mascara and eyebrow pencils. Pedicures are a must – not least of all to keep dry heel skin at bay.
Summer brings humidity – and frizzy hair. Japanese air straightening is the most hardcore solution, giving poker-straight locks; Tala’s in Sai Kung offers the Brazilian, a keratin-based, hair-conditioning treatment, which looks like you’ve just had your hair bow-dried. L’Oreal hair-straightening treatment is somewhere in between – it is gentle on the hair and leaves your crowning glory straight and silky.
“If straightening seems too extreme,” says Lindsay, “put some leave-in conditioner or silicone-based product into your hair. It will plump up the hair follicle and prevent frizz.”
Thanks to collections by romantic designers such as Vera Wang, loose messy braids are one of the hottest looks for summer. “Leave in your braid while you’re in the water: when your hair dries and you take it out, you’ll have waves to die for,” Lindsay suggests.
Less romantic is all that other hair. Natasha Low Kefford of Alluring Skin can get rid of it permanently using an intense pulsed light (IPL) machine, which kills hair follicles. The treatment doesn’t scar and is only mildly painful in places, a bit like having an elastic band snap against your skin. Although eight to 10 treatments are needed (one a month) to ensure there is not a hair in sight, hair is definitely sparser even after the first treatment. Starting at $450 a pop for bikini line or underarms, Keffords prices are the most reasonable around.
Beachwear trends this summer have been greatly influenced by retro designs so go big on one-piece suits that channel your inner Grace Kelly and cute summer dresses. Those with troublesome tummies should avoid shiny suits and look for a fitted and controlled one piece or a tankini, while the best styles for the buxom have an inbuilt bra or under wiring, Lindsay says.
For ladies who want to flatter their curves look for retro, one-piece suits in a wrap style. Lindsay recommends Ozzie Cozzie, which has a shop in Central which has a great selection of swimwear to suit every shape and size. Now, get out there and give those A-listers a run for their money.
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