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Skin Care

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The best BHAs (Beta Hydroxy Acid) to exfoliate and get to the root of skin issues, like acne, by dissolving oil and debris 

1. Clinically proven to be non-irritating, and 100 per cent fragrance- and dye-free, the Skin Perfecting Exfoliant by Paula’s Choice reduces redness and diminishes clogged pores, while building collagen and improving cell turnover. The texture is especially well-suited to those with normal to oily or combination skin. It can also be applied to calluses on feet, elbows and knees. www.paulaschoice.com

2. Omorovicza’s Acid Fix treats blemished skin with the quadruple benefit of brightening, deep exfoliation, cell renewal and firming. The result is a clear, even complexion, and a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles. Suitable for all skin types, apply at night after cleansing and before moisturiser. Mild tingling is a sign that it’s working, and nothing to worry about. www.omorovicza.com

3. Designed to enhance dull or ageing complexions, Helena Rubinstein’s Re-Plasty Light Peel contains salicylic acid to combat oxidative stress and inflammation caused from pollution. The resurfacing lotion exfoliates like a peel, but softens like an oil, to create a protective film for a satin-smooth finish. Suitable for sensitive skin. www.helenarubinstein.com

4. Natural, vegan and cruelty-free, Herbivore’s Blue Tansy Resurfacing Clarity Mask contains AHAs from fruit enzymes and BHAs from willow bark to clarify blemishes and soothe redness, and of course blue tansy oil, which gives the mask its beautiful colour. Apply a thin layer and leave on for 15 to 20 minutes or until the mask is completely dry, then rinse with warm water. www.herbivorebotanicals.com

5. The clarifying exfoliators and sebum-regulating ingredients in Environ’s Sebu-Tone Clarifier tone removes the build-up of dead skin cells to minimise shine. Thanks to the combo of AHAs and BHAs, you can expect the overall tone and texture of your skin to improve over time. Use morning and evening as part of your usual skincare routine. www.environskincare.com

6. Dynaspot by Eve Lom is perfect for breakouts. Tea Tree oil and BHA clears the skin, while zinc oxide and yarrow extract control sebum production, and fennel and chamomile soothe inflammation — all work together to eliminate blemishes without drying out the skin. This fast-acting, tinted formula is suitable for all skin types and comes in an ophthalmic nozzle for precise, hygienic application. www.evelom.com

 
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1. Gluten- and paraben-free, Too Faced’s Pretty Rich Diamond Light Eyeshadow Palette offers 16 gem-inspired shades, from creamy mattes to look-at-me glitter, shimmers and pearl shadows. The pressed-gel glitter formula can be layered to look like a rainbow of precious stones. www.toofaced.com
 
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2. Cruelty-free natural brand Ecco Bella‘s FlowerColor Soft Eyeliner Pencils glide on smoothly and come in five shades. Palm and palm kernel glycerides ensure flawless lines that won’t tug on the delicate eye area. All vegan and made from vegetable waxes, the pencils and also free from synthetic petroleum oils and gluten. www.eccobella.com
 
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3. Create a defined line or smoky eye with Jane Iredale’s Mystikol Powdered Eyeliner. Available in six hues, the water-resistant powder/cream formula won’t fade, crease or smudge and the built-in brush in the cap allows for easy application on the go. All formulas are vegan and wheat-free. www.janeiredale.com
 
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4. For a night out, Heavy Metal Glitter Gel from Urban Decay provides serious sparkle with its hyper-reflective formula — apply with a brush or your finger. Quick-drying and said to stay put for nine hours, party all night and still be iridescent by the end of it. Our fave shade is Saturday Stardust, a pink glitter with a green shift. www.urbandecay.com
 
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5. Inspired by exotic destinations, Nomad’s matte Antilles Palette is reminiscent of islandhopping in the tropics. Its extra-fine shadows are infused with coconut oil to hydrate and condition for a buttery application. The 15 shades are free from gluten, talc, parabens, phthalates and mineral oils and are PETAand vegan-friendly. www.nomadcosmetics.com 

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6. Le Volume Révolution De Chanel promises precision and intensity with its first 3D-printed mascara brush, with honeycomb micro- cavities that promise to build volume without clumps. Available in four shades, including intense teal and jungle green, applying to the centre of the lashes and working outwards gives a wide-eyed effect. www.chanel.com 

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What’s Hot

Best Tressed

Renowned Cuban hairdresser Oribe Canales’ eponymous Oribe is the go-to haircare brand on movie sets and backstage at fashion shows. Dermatologist-tested and formulated without parabens, gluten, colour and chloride, the range of shampoos, conditioner, masques and hair oil lay the foundation for healthy locks, while more intensive healing can be found in its repair boosters, split-end seals and preservation serums. The Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray hides greys, and The Anti-Humidity Spray combats frizz attacks. www.oribe.com
 
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Fresh Coat

A creative collaboration between Tom Pecheux, the brand’s global beauty director and esteemed French artisanal brush maker Raphaël, YSL Beauté unveils a new collection made with cruelty-free synthetic fibres, which absorb less make-up and are easy to clean. Dipped in black and gold, the range of 14 sweepers can be used to apply everything from foundation to lipstick with streak-free perfection. www.yslbeauty.com 
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Health Kick

Protelicious debuts whey protein powder in cocoa, strawberry, sencha and unflavoured varieties. Sourced from New Zealand dairy farms where cows are grass fed, the formulas are free of hormones, antibiotics, sugars or fillers. They’re also cold-processed to ensure the survival of powerful detox and immune-building properties to maximise support for collagen, keratin, hair and nails.
 
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Capital Gain

Following the reopening of its 26 Place Vendôme shop earlier this year, Boucheron launches high jewellery collection, Paris Vu Du 26. Inspired by the capital’s architecture and culture, the feminine collection pays homage the Grand Palais, Acanthus columns and cobblestones of Parisian squares. www.boucheron.com 
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Feeling Blue

Leica’s leather accessory collection consists of a limited-edition woven osier wicker basket, shopping tote and case for the new Leica Q2. The basket takes after 1930s vintage case, while the tote is a collaboration with atelier Sagan Vienna, and comes with a braided leather handle that doubles as a fastener. www.leicacamera.com 
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Stay Grounded

Italian brand Evviva uses only botanical ingredients and natural essential oils in its skincare and fragrances. Packaging is recyclable and all products are free from parabens, petroleum and phthalates. The Roma home fragrances are available in citrusy Amber & Patchouli, earthy Green Tea & Bergamot and Wild Fig & White Musk, reminiscent of a sea breeze. www.evviva-roma.com
 
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Wearable Art

Frey Wille’s new handmade silk scarves come in two sizes and can be styled as knotted wrist wraps, attached to a favourite bag or as a casual hair accessory. A tribute to iconic artists, the ethereal fabrics form the canvas for Van Gogh’s The Starry Night and Almond Blossoms among others. www.freywille.com 
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Eco Vibe

Women’s Worth

Anantara’s Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel has begun working alongside several underserved women’s groups who aim to make a difference and positively impact their lives. It provides education, medication and support to women with HIV/AIDS at the Maramba Women’s Mushroom Farm and at the Libuyu Women’s Peanut Butter Project, whose goal is to empower HIV-positive women daily, one peanut butter jar at a time. www.anantara.com
 

Treading Lightly

Japan’s ageing population and the serious impact this has on falling rural populations are at the centre of Walk Japan’s Community Project guided walks and retreats. On three different five to 10-day packages available in its Kunisaki tours, socially conscious travellers walk the region’s ancient trails in the footsteps of monks into sleepy hamlets and up to farmer’s doorsteps. Here they learn what it takes to revive these ailing hamlets and farmlands. Treks through undiscovered caves, cliffs and ridges reveal natural beauty often overlooked, while the people and the works they produce (and proudly display) offer a close-up view of real life and handson opportunities to get involved. www.walkjapan.com
 
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Call of the Wild

If you’re swayed by the allure of a tented camp, you’ll get added satisfaction knowing you are at one with nature at the Cardamom Tented Camp in Cambodia. The conservation-focused ecolodge exists to protect forest life. The nine-tented camp is constructed on natural grassland in the Botum Sakor National Park, uses solar power to run its amenities and since its opening has helped to stop logging and reduce poaching. Packages offer plenty of ways to experience life in the wild. Alongside kayaking and hiking adventures, new trips include tented overnights in the deep jungle. www.cardamomtentedcamp.com 
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Running Free

While running the African Serengeti is aweinspiring in itself, good cause is what binds together the female athletes taking part in the Serengeti Girl’s Run. All levels of runners are invited to the five-day event, on October 25-30, which raises funds for empowerment programmes guiding women and girls to become leaders in conservation. The run covers a flexible, multi-stage distance of 21km per day over three days, and brings runners into contact with the communities they aim to help. Runners will also enjoy an all-inclusive stay in a 1920s explorer style camp at the Singita Sabora Tented Camp. www.singita.com 
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For Him

Hat’s Off

Probably sportswear’s best-known cap designers New Era got creative for autumn, reimagining four iconic designs in Polartec Neoshell. If you thought caps were all about sun protection, make a swift heel turn. Micron fibers on this quartet keep the caps waterproof and completely breathable, while the highly pliable fabric maximises stretch and durability. All come in classic black, so the only tough choice will be choosing which silhouette to pull on first. www.neweracap.com 
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Shine Free

If you have oily skin or are prone to shine you may be tempted to steer clear of moisturiser — afterall, it would seem to increase the grease not diminish it. Step forward Biotherm Homme’s T-Pur Anti-oil and shine cleansing gel and lotion. Enriched with purifying French sea salt, the gel deeply cleanses while the lotion gives an instant matte effect. www.biotherm.com.hk 
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A Cut Above

Most swim shots require the wearer to shed valuables while swimming and do a quick change before leaving the beach for anywhere remotely fancy — no longer. Debayn’s impeccably tailored swim shorts are cut to transition stylishly from sand and seas to sports bar or brasserie. With two removable waterproof pockets, your cash and devices go where you do, and four-way stretch fabric is light and dries in minutes. Available in seven dapper colours. www.debayn.com
 
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Montblanc Goes Maverick

Two massive labels collide in this collab between luxury penmakers Montblanc and streetwear legends BAPE. The Japanese brand’s signature ape head camo motif adorns the four-piece capsule collection, which includes a doc case, portfolio, wallet and pen pouch, while the Swiss brand’s distinctive star-slash-snow-capped mountain logo takes a while longer to notice but is glimpsed reflected from silver hardware. www.montblanc.com
 
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Happening What’s

Intensive Makeover

W Hotels Hong Kong offers a quick pick-me-up for both face and body with its Perfect Silhouette and Incredible Youth packages. A 3D body scan pinpoints problematic areas, including bad posture to accumulated fat. The 4D RF/MP will work to slim, firm and lift your body and face, while the LPG endermopuncture gives a deep clean with added plumping and sculpting. Leave enough time pre- and post-treatment for the hotel’s swimming pool and Jacuzzi—Hong Kong’s highest no less—and drink in the views of Victoria Harbour. www.marriott.com
 
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Perfect Duo

The brand’s latest concept store L’Occitane Omotesando Voyage Sensoriel pays homage to its two iconic ingredients, immortelle and lavender, in two spa cabins. For a sensory voyage, Petit Spa L’Occitane is the ideal setting to experience the brand’s top anti-ageing facials, Harmonie Divine Eternal Beauty and Immortelle Divine Secrets, which work together to combat fine lines for a firmer, youthful skin. Urbanites struggling with sleep should opt for the Sleep & Reset Massage, which has proven to improve sleep by 40 per cent the night after the treatment. www.spa.loccitane.com
 
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Dream Stays

While we all dream of a good night’s rest in a hotel bed, jetlag, stress and electronic overuse often prevents sleep. Shut-eye is just about guaranteed at the Four Seasons Beijing, at least for those booking onto the hotel’s new daylong Sleep Well Programme. Guests embark in specialised activities, including Osho meditation, an intense practice that releases negative emotions, sound wave healing and a crystal workshop that leads you to let go and induces deep, restorative sleep. www.fourseasons.com
 
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New You

Six Senses Hotels and resorts’ Grow a New Body programme gives guests foundations to create a healthy body that ages slowly and well. Sacred energy and reconnection are at the core of activities, which detoxify the body, upgrade the brain and reset fight or flight. Old fuses with new as ancient shamen wisdom blends with cutting neuroscience. The programme will include shamen/energy medicine sessions, vitamin, mineral and glutathione infusions and oxygen altitude training. Medical anthropologist and master shamen Dr Alberto Villoldo, a teacher and healer, provides six pre-recorded lectures. www.sixsenses.com
 
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Source of Enlightenment

Journey through the Khmer’s healing traditions on The Seven Ways of Enlightenment wellness experiences now running at Anantara Angkor Resort. Wellness journeys and rituals feature a five-hour Samadhi, or Concentration, treatment with floral foot ritual, a Chi Nei Tsang massage, Golden Coccon silk facial, Tibetan praying wheel meditation, incense-stick making and a monk’s blessing, and take you through Buddha’s principles of meditation, investigation, energy, rapture, tranquility, concentration and equanimity that leads to enlightenment. Core wellness packages also feature personal fitness coaches, vegan cooking and mountain biking. Say Ohm. www.anantara.com
 
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Quick Fix

It’s now possible to get the benefits of cosmetic surgery without the downtime at one Hong Kong beauty centre. Nude Beautique is offering a new non-surgical facelift that uses High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound, or HIFU, technology. Formally only seen in medical centres this KFDAapproved skin-lifting treatment deeply penetrates the skin, using hyper-precise ultrasound waves to stimulate the area where collagen is made and increase its production. The non-invasive procedure is clinically proven to treat saggy jowls, wrinkles, crows’ feet and puffy skin, with results expected to last up to two-years. Each powerful treatment takes just 20-30 minutes, so you could tuck a treatment right into your lunch break. www.nudewaxing.com.hk 
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