• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • School news - new schools in Hong Kong, new curriculums, new facilities and more!What’s new on the school scene?
        • Shopping in Hong Kong - K11 MuseaThe ultimate guide to shopping in Hong Kong
        • Handy Hong Kong smartphone apps
        • Guide to Chinese New Year traditions
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • Exploring Hong Kong - Lamma IslandTop spots to enjoy HK’s great outdoors
        • Guide to Chinese New Year traditions
        • What to watch – or listen to…
        • 9 family-friendly hikes in Hong Kong
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
      • Kids Offers
        • School news - new schools in Hong Kong, new curriculums, new facilities and more!What’s new on the school scene?
        • jobs of the futurePreparing children for the jobs of the future
        • Language courses for all the family
        • Where to get stylish kid-friendly mats
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Décor
      • Readers Homes
        • Where to buy household essentials in Hong KongWhere to buy household essentials
        • Heveya mattress - eco-friendly bedroom furniture, sustainable productsGreat ways to go “green” in the bedroom
        • Luxury homes for lease in Hong Kong
        • Beautiful ginger jar lamps for your home
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
      • Travel News & Offers
        • Beach escapes - Gili Lankanfushi – MaldivesPlan ahead: 8 great beach escapes
        • Top skiing destinations - Whistler, CanadaStunning ski stays in Europe and beyond
        • Mongolia - kidsA family adventure in Mongolia
        • Where to stay and what to do in Thailand - MerdekaQuick getaways: Where to go in Thailand
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • Pork chopsRecipe: Pork Chops with Apple and Creamy Mash
        • Carrot and lentil soup recipeRecipe: Carrot and Lentil Soup
        • Vegetarian recipe: Vietnamese rice roll with quorn mince and bolognese sauce5 meat-free meal ideas to try
        • Chocolate Tiffin - RecipeNo-bake Chocolate Tiffin Recipe
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • Shopping in Hong Kong - K11 MuseaThe ultimate guide to shopping in Hong Kong
        • Fashion in Hong Kong - Sparks activewearFashion news: the latest launches
        • online shopping websites21 fashion websites shipping to HK
        • Buying diamonds - The Diamond Registry can offer competitive pricing as a major international diamond distributor.Looking for a good deal on diamonds?
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • Gyms in Hong Kong - best places for keeping fit8 great places to go to keep in shape
        • Home workout5 workout moves you can do at home
        • Central & Stanley Wellness - functional medicine treatmentFunctional medicine and how it helps
        • KAMA CBD OilWhat is CBD and can it help your health?
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
      • Magazine
      • Advertise With Us
        • December – February 2021
        • DEC-FEB 2020 – $36 (USUAL PRICE $48)
        • City Guide 2020-2021
        • City Guide 2020-2021 – $28
      • View all
    Close
Home » Style & Beauty » Hair & Beauty » Tried and tested: 3 unique Hong Kong beauty treatments

Tried and tested: 3 unique Hong Kong beauty treatments

14 September, 2018 by Emily McCabe 5 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/tried-and-tested-3-unique-hong-kong-beauty-treatments/

Hong Kong is more than a little beauty obsessed. It’s a city where you can get a mani/pedi on every corner or a massage at any time of day, and where regular facials are a must. But there are also some very different and not-so-mainstream beauty treatments popping up. We gave three of them a try:

The whole experience is based on relaxation at ZERO G
The whole experience is based on relaxation at ZERO G

Defying gravity at ZERO G

Zero G sounds like it might involve some scary and intense astronaut-style training in a strange machine with zero gravity – a test-your-limits kind of vibe.

You would only be right about the strange machine. I walked into Zero G in a leafy street in Happy Valley having done no research on the place; I wanted the session to be a surprise, and I was suitably excited.

A lovely assistant met me and showed me around, explaining what I was going to be doing. She pointed out how all of the gadgets worked, where the towels were, and everything I needed to make myself more comfortable.

As it turns out, the whole experience is based on relaxation, not the outer-space training programme I initially imagined. The treatment, known as floatation therapy, involves sitting alone, in the dark, emerged in Epsom salt water, in a strange machine called a pod.

It was quite a scary concept, I’m not going to lie, and I wasn’t sure if I’d like the enclosed space; but after being given all of my instructions, I slipped inside – and proceeded to totally relax. It was amazing!

I thought I’d have trouble floating but you actually can’t sink, because the water has a very high Epsom salt content, which makes you completely buoyant. It’s like being in the Dead Sea!

Once you’re totally still and the water is calm, you have no idea where you are, or if your head is facing up or down – it’s a definite loss of control, and over the course of the hour of silence I really relaxed.

If you want to switch off completely from noise, work and the chaos of life that is HK living, then this is for you. It’s a very cool experience. (And, if you’re nervous about the closed space, try it anyway!)

ADDRESS: 1/F, 29 Sing Woo Road, Happy Valley

PHONE: 2180 9192

WEB: zerog.hk

The laser facial at Skin Laundry suits Hong Kong's fast pace
The laser facial at Skin Laundry suits Hong Kong’s fast pace

Squeaky clean at SKIN LAUNDRY

The Skin Laundry’s laser facial must go down as one of the quickest treatments I’ve ever had. Hong Kong is all go and this company gets it!

My treatment was at the lovely Century Square studio, a very open, clean and organised space. It’s one of the company’s three convenient locations, the others being in IFC and The Pulse.

Met by friendly and efficient staff who led me through the process step by step, I was in my chair very quickly – and back outside only 10 minutes later! That’s how quick this is.

I’ve heard a lot about different laser and IPL treatments over the years and I’ve had an idea in my head of invasive procedures with the need for plenty of downtime, walking out the door looking like I had a seriously bad sunburn or something along those lines. (I have an active imagination …)

But I was wrong: this was so easy and painless, and the 10-minute duration is a real bonus – not to mention the price being so reasonable.

The treatment uses a very mild laser that is surprisingly gentle. The staff spent some time explaining that the procedure is more about cleansing rather than any dramatic immediate change in pigmentation, which was a strong selling point for me. You can also build on it as much as you want without the risk of overdoing things.

It felt like it took the top layer of the past week off my face to leave me with the fresh, glowing skin underneath – the kind of feeling you get after your favourite facial, but without the cream or oil (which melts in this heat) and so much faster than an hour and a half spent in a spa.

I recommend getting it done two days before any event or holiday, just because it feels so clean that putting makeup on it straight away would be a shame. The skincare range on offer at Skin Laundry is also good, and well worth trying; I personally love the Restoring Night Serum (US$50).

ADDRESS: Room 1201, 12/F, Century Square, 1-13 D’Aguilar Street, Central

PHONE: 2704 0166

WEB: skinlaundry.hk

The Smile Bar aims to return your teeth to their "naturally white state"
The Smile Bar aims to return your teeth to their “naturally white state”

Bright and white at THE SMILE BAR

I’ve been meaning to get my teeth whitened for some time now, so the chance to review The Smile Bar was great timing.

This place promises a lot: to bring back your once-gorgeous white smile from its current state of caffeine-abused, wine-stained colour in just 20 to 40 minutes – depending on the damage – while maintaining a decent price point.

I arrived with my friend Kate (my fellow guinea pig!) at the studio in Wan Chai, where we were met by Julien, the lovely French owner. He took very good care of us and guided us through the process thoroughly.

The setup here is great. It’s a light, relaxing room with individual pods dotted around, which gives you the feeling of truly being on your own; if you wanted a little more privacy, there’s a VIP suite for something extra-special.

Each person has the option of a few creature comforts to pass the time, from tablets to Bose noise-cancelling headsets – in all, it’s very comfortable.

It’s actually the first place in Hong Kong to offer this service and the technology behind it, which, Julien stressed to me, is the most important part. The aim is for a very natural approach to teeth whitening, which sounds odd when you often hear the process referred to as bleaching – probably as far from natural as you can get.

The Smile Bar, though, uses an extremely low percentage of bleach together with other ingredients that make it possible to correct your existing colour, returning it to its “naturally white state”, rather than a fake “Hollywood” white.

I was so impressed with the outcome of the first 20 minutes undertaken by our friendly guinea pig Kate that I didn’t hesitate to jump into a pod for my own 20-minute session.

Julien explained that the product used is very efficient and yet also gentle – so much so that you can swallow the non-toxic ingredients and feel no post-pod pain. (I’m always up for no pain, and I’ve heard several times how a standard tooth whitening can be quite the opposite, so this was a definite selling point.)

If you work close by, you could swap your usual coffee break for a session in one of The Smile Bar’s pods; or go along with a friend. Julien is a great operator and took such fantastic care of us. I will definitely be booking in again, as Kate and I both left The Smile Bar smiling!

ADDRESS: 1/F, Hang Wai Commercial Building, 231-233 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai

PHONE: 2620 0615

WEB: the-smile-bar.com.hk

See more our in our Style & Beauty section

4 Spas for getting perfectly pampered

3 Very cool Hong Kong hairdressers

This article first appeared in the Aug/Sep 2016 edition of Expat Living magazine.

Categories: Hair & Beauty Style & Beauty Tags: Beauty Skin Laundry Spa The Smile Bar Treatments

You May Also Like

Paraben-free skincare for men!

Where to go for pampering

Where to get eyelash extensions in Hong Kong - Eyelash Pro

Where to get eyelash extensions

Primary Sidebar

Editor's Picks

Kellett School

Best International Schools In Hong Kong, Preschool to Secondary

Furniture in Hong Kong: Guide To The Best Furniture Stores

sightseeing in Hong Kong

Top 30 Hong Kong Attractions & Best Places To Visit

Where to live in Hong Kong

Guide to Living in Hong Kong and where to live

Landing pads: places to stay in Hong Kong

Brunch in Hong Kong

Best Sunday Brunch Places in Hong Kong

What's On

Hong Kong activities - MET Nightly Opera Streams

The MET’S “Nightly Met Opera Streams”

Students at Hong Kong Academy

Hong Kong Academy – Applications Open for 2021/22

CDNIS - Admissions

CDNIS Admissions Timetable: Apply Now for January and August 2021

Events & Weekend Activities - The Grounds is the city's first responsible entertainment destination

The Grounds: HK’s first ‘COVID-19 responsible’ entertainment destination

Elsa in scene from Frozen

FWD Presents: The Frozen Exhibition Hong Kong

You Rise art exhibition by JM Robert

“You Rise” Solo Exhibition by JM Robert

Expat Living Hong Kong 🇭🇰

expatlivinghk

Open
🎉 We're so pleased to announce the winners of our Readers' Choice Awards! Congrats to all the companies who were voted among the best in Hong Kong, and to the voters who won the amazing prizes. See the full results online now at 👉 expatliving.hk/readerschoice

.
#expatlivinghk #hkbusiness #hongkongbusiness #elhkreaderschoice #hkexpats
Open
Pieces for your dining room mood board!🪑We are feeling these tones 🤎
Open
Thanks Julianna for this delicious 
Easy Blueberry Oreo Cheesecake to start the weekend!
Serves 4, or 2 if you're hungry😉

Preparation time: 15 mins Ingredients:
• 6 digestive biscuits
• 50g butter 
• 250g cream cheese (1 brick) 
• 6 Oreo biscuits
• 125g blueberries (1 box)
• 100g milk or whipped cream 
• 5 tablespoons sugar

Instructions:
For crust:
1. Crush digestive biscuits in a big bowl and add melted butter.
2. Press together at the base of the cake mould.
3. Set aside to cool.

For filling: 
1. Beat cream cheese, sugar and milk or whipped cream on medium speed in a bowl until it is smooth and creamy. 
2. Add crushed Oreos and beat until they mix evenly. 
3. Pour the filling over the cooled crust.
4. Freeze for two hours and top with blueberries!🫐
Open
If you’re looking for a place to live in Hong Kong - particularly if you’re moving here and want an easy landing pad - a serviced apartment can be a godsend! @hongkongparkview is like a mini town with everything you need from a Clubhouse with full facilities to a toy shop, clothes and food shop! 🏞🛍
Open
Read our Winter issue on any device for free 👉 expatliving.hk/digital/ig.
Inside: Two inspiring home reno stories, great dining room furniture ideas, insider's guide to Hung Hom Bay and plenty of other great reads, including easy dessert recipes!
Open
How cool is this - Hong Kong-based @ovolohotels is the first hotel group to go entirely vegetarian across its restaurants, bars and food services for a year! 🌱This move is the latest in the group’s series of eco-friendly initiatives, and doesn’t this look delicious!👏🏻
Open
If we’ve learnt anything this last year it’s how much a magical view can do for your mind🌿These are just some of the properties showcased by @knightfrank 🙌🏼 Head to knightfrank.com.hk to see what’s currently available! 🏞
Open
Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year from the team at @expatlivinghk ❤️

📷 @lailasophiashah
Open
There’s been a buzz lately around CBD (Cannabidiol, derived from the flowers and leaves of the hemp plant) and its purported health benefits. 
Did you know it’s available in Hong Kong? 🌿

@kamacbdhk is a new HK-based company offering CBD products that can help a number of ailments, check out our article and their page for more information!🌺
Open
🎄 Merry Christmas everyone! It's been an extraordinary year and we're so grateful for your support. We wish you all a safe and happy holiday season 🌟🥂
Open
This 1950s colonial-style walk up in Kowloon Tong has been styled so well by tenant Jerome, it is fascinating to hear about the place and it’s history! For the full story and Jerome’s recommendations see our DEC-FEB issue✨📖
Open
Whether you’ve hiked up Old Peak Road or taken the tram, make sure you’re hungry, as you’ll want to consume most of the menu from @fiammahk 🍴🍅
Open
5 steps for a stylish Christmas, courtesy of Hong Kong-based home furnishing retailer @indigo_living 🎄
 
#1 Decide on a Theme:
Every momentous Christmas feast begins with a stunning table-scape. Whether you’re going for the classic red and green pairing or a contemporary setting, pick a theme that you can go all out with! 
 
#2 Organise Your Linen:
Generally speaking, a crisp white linen table-runner will do. But if you’re looking to up the ante this year, go for one with subtle prints on it. 
 
#3 Choose a Centrepiece:
 A beautiful Christmas centrepiece is the fastest way to add cheer to your party. It’s also a great excuse to show off your creative flair to friends and family. 
 
#4 Invest in a Good Set of Tableware:
When it comes to tableware, most people play it safe with crystal glasses and porcelain plates. Why not take it up a notch by throwing a set of gold cutlery into the mix? It’s an instant pop of luxury that exudes warmth to traditional red and green themes. 🍴
 
#5 End with a Bang:
What’s a Christmas dinner without some good old-fashioned crackers? Sure to put a smile on anyone’s faces, they’ll also ensure your party goes out with a bang! 💫
Open
What a view 🙌🏼

📷 @lailasophiashah
Open
Less than five days left to vote for your favourite businesses! You could win fun family staycays and dining vouchers, so make sure to vote today by visiting 👉 expatliving.hk/readerschoice

.
#expatlivinghk #hkbusiness #hongkongbusiness #elhkreaderschoice #hkexpats
Open
Jazz up your dining area with these pretty picks!⚡️

Companies tagged in the photos for more details🪑
Open
Get ready for Christmas, CNY and beyond with these fab treatment packages now available at @amooma.spa ✨

#1 BUBBLE & SPARKLE
A package for two, including an aroma steam shower, deep sleep tourmaline crystal massage, sparkling champagne facial and a glass of champagne 🥂

#2 HO! HO! HO! IT’S ME-TIME!
Designed for one person, this me-time includes a ling organic forbidden rice scrub, ling nourishing body wrap, AMOONA signature blend and knesko gemological face mask 🧖🏼‍♀️
Open
How good do these look 😍 New recipe from @charissa_and_co_wellness. You can try a free sample by scanning the bar code on our online articles 💜

Recipe: Flourless Pecan Cranberry Brownie

Ingredients

Brownie base:

2 servings of Nuzest Clean Lean Chocolate Protein
1.5 cup of pumpkin puree
1 cup of hazelnut butter or almond *
1/2 cup of raw dark cacao powder
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
1/3 cup of dehydrated cranberries
2 teaspoons of Manuka honey ** Optional
White chocolate drizzle:

1/3 cup of melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons of cashew nut butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons of Erythritol
Dark chocolate drizzle:

1/3 cup of melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons of cashew nut butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
3 tablespoons of raw dark cacao powder
1 teaspoon of Erythritol
Instructions

Brownie base:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Grease a square baking tray with coconut oil and line tray with parchment paper.
In a large blender, mix all the brownie ingredients together until smooth.
Pour the brownie mix into the pan and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Once cooked, allow the brownies to cool on a rack.
Chocolate drizzle:

You will need two separate mixing bowls for the white and dark chocolate drizzle.
Melt the cacao butter at low temperature and mix with the rest of the ingredients.
Pour the chocolate drizzle over the cooled brownies.
Pop them in the fridge to set or enjoy them as warm brownies.**
Optional: Sprinkle some fresh pomegranate and dried cranberry seeds onto the brownies (after cooling in the fridge for 20 minutes).
Open
TGIF 🌿🌿

📷 @lailasophiashah
Open
In our new winter issue we take a look at Dutch expat Nicole Hessing’s impressive home renovation in Clearwater Bay 🏡 Check out the article for all her tips and local recommendations 👉 expatliving.hk/digital/ig
  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2021 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.