Top Five Skincare brands in Hong Kong: Simply the Best of the Best

 

The best grooming products of the year are...  in my not so humble opine;

Hydration
Dr Burgener Switzerland Collagen Intense Face Serum

Dr Burgener’s “intense” face serum is surprisingly light to the touch after a wash and application before bed. In the thick of Asia’s tropical heat and humidity, it provides a milky, second-skin-like feel, thanks to the key ingredients of marine plankton extract and Dr Burgener’s unique Hyalnature formulated complex, made up of three natural hyaluronic acids that help to boost collagen, reduce signs of fine lines, smoothen wrinkles, and lend a glow to your complexion. With regular usage, the active solution hydrates and softens the skin, while the gentle aroma is a bonus.

Lifting
La Mer Lifting Firming Serum

As we look at 40—from the wrong direction—the need, not the luxury, of the Lifting Firming Serum has come to be. Drops dabbed upon the skin can help sculpt the face to restore youthful balance and create a lifted feeling around the upper and lower structural zones. Among the ingredients, the sea kelp, minerals, and vitamins in La Mer’s fermented Miracle Broth base aid cell regeneration, leaving the skin renewed and radiant. With the product tried and tested, we’re comforted to know that while we may not be able to revert from original sin, we can return to original skin.

Eye Care
Guerlain Abeille Royale Double R Renew & Repair Eye Serum

As some of the first visible signs of ageing appear around the eyes, the credit-card swipe on Guerlain’s Abeille Royale eye serum becomes a self-investment we’d like a tax rebate on. Enriched with white-honey concentrate, fragmented hyaluronic acid, and a peptide, this formula can reduce puffiness and dark circles, and illuminate the eye area for a brighter, smoother look and feel. All the efforts of innumerable bees (Guerlain has been working diligently with honey and French royal jellies—hence the recurring bee motif) help to change the epidermis from peasant to posh.

Face Cream
La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream

La Prairie launched its new Skin Caviar Luxe Cream with an even more evolved “caviar science” formula, building on the foundations of its original 1987 iteration. The secret of its success lies in the key ingredients, which include caviar micro-nutrients to boost the metabolism of the epidermis and maintain firm structure. Legions swear by the velvety cream as it lifts and tightens the skin. For the 2023 version, the jars have been reimagined with recycled and recyclable glass and the colour pays homage to artist Niki de Saint Phalle (who originally inspired that signature shade of cobalt blue).

Brightening
Murad Vita-C Glycolic Serum

Founded by dermatologist Dr Howard Murad, this brand has always taken a scientific approach to skincare. Its fragrance-free Vita-C Glycolic Serum, infused with the antioxidant potential of gold-stabilised vitamin C, offers deep penetration and high absorption to help fade dark spots, reduce pigmentation, and create a smooth, even complexion, while the glycolic acid in the formula helps to remove dead surface cells. A dual-chamber delivery system ensures that the elixir itself faces a lower risk of oxidation. 91 per cent of participants in clinical trials have reported smoother, brighter skin in just two weeks!

Collection
Valmont Essence of Bees

Valmont has been on our radar since the Crème Merveilleuse launch in 2021. Now, there’s the Essence of Bees collection, comprising the Huile Majestueuse face oil, Crème de Masque Majestueuse face cream, and Sérum Majestueux Vos Yeux lifting eye serum, a trio of powerhouse products with regenerative, nutritional properties derived from honey, royal jelly, and propolis, which infuse the skin with a radiant glow, repair damaged cells, and reinforce the epidermis to create a natural barrier against the elements. In the battle against free radicals attacking your skin, Valmont’s Essence of Bees range is the kind of heavy firepower you want in your arsenal of skincare.

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Top Five Shoes: Menswear Accessories that are Simply the Best: Editor's Pick: Tom Ford to Zanotti

Quality, precision, elegance, timelessness and perhaps a bit of whimsy - why not? The best in shoes I found last year. 

Boots
Giuseppe Zanotti Jaure

When a brand is a staple on the red carpet, known for its bejewelled heels and glittering leather accessories, the men’s section often gets relegated to a forgotten corner. Not today—Italian luxury footwear brand Giuseppe Zanotti has consistently had a men’s footwear section boasting key components of style, refined aesthetics, and incomparable quality. Our latest peek at the gentleman’s department of Zanotti reveals vibrant sneakers, fashion-forward moccasins, and urban-inspired boots, but our eyes are drawn to the Jaure ankle boots, with a shearling inner lining and chunky soles. Practical and functional are not often operative words in fashion and accessories, but Zanotti does it so effortlessly, and the Jaure is elegant to boot. Pun intended.

Oxfords
Perry Ercolino Audley

Custom-made Perry Ercolino shoes have been featured in Robb Report for years and, upon revisit, it’s not a comeback to the list, but a reminder of why he’s still among the best in the business. In his own words, Ercolino has been creating—not following—footsteps in fashion: “With proper care, shoes at this level can last many years. In 2023, the trend that seems to be most prevalent for young professionals is getting back to being well-dressed, both for casual and work attire. Show them great options and they will respond; the men and women who are looking to reset their wardrobe choices can and should be a bit more discriminating. Classics still rule the day, and a timeless piece of clothing or footwear will pay dividends every time.”

Brogues
Silvano Lattanzi EG1 in Alligator Leather

Since 1971, Italian shoemaker Silvano Lattanzi has been handcrafting exquisite leather footwear for discerning gentlemen, drawing from his vast archival “laboratory” of textiles, patterns, colours, and patinas to inform his creations. “All of the collections that I have ever designed and made personally from 1971 to today are stored. Each model can still be reproduced today,” says Lattanzi of his extensive library, which includes this two-tone stunner inspired by a Van Gogh painting. “In Italy, the work of manual skills has not been completely lost, and the shapes [and] styles that are worn by royalty are still on trend.” He tells Robb Report Hong Kong that “the good God, he sent me to Earth to make good shoes.” Amen to that.

Loafers
Tom Ford “Sean” Alligator-Print Tassel Loafers

Start your look from the feet and work your way up, as per the stylist of the dapper man, in which case, let the sartorial canvas begin at the toes of Tom Ford. Bring out the hidden rockstar in you with almost any of the patterned designs from his footwear line, but we are head over heels for this pair of alligator-print tasselled loafers—the quality is next-level, and we’re figuratively and literally at the feet of Ford as he struts away from the empire he built. As the American fashion designer has famously stated, his range is for “men who appreciate detail and quality.” Hence, “the product must be the best.” Ford may be offloading his eponymous business to Estée Lauder to focus on film projects, but he’s sure stepping out in style.

Japanese Shoemaking
Yohei Fukuda Ebony

Patience is key when it comes to getting your hands on a pair of bespoke shoes crafted by Japanese artisan Yohei Fukuda—his years-long waitlist can attest to that. Fukuda’s most recent visit to Hong Kong in spring 2023, a by-appointment-only trunk show at The Armoury, was a scintillating affair for shoe aficionados who appreciate style and precision. Fukuda, a master craftsman who trained at the Tresham Institute in Northamptonshire, has always eschewed trends for timelessness: “We don’t intend to make a shoe that’s about fashion. I want my shoes to be classic so the customer can wear them for 20 or 30 years.” You can pick up a pair of Ebony full brogues in black calf leather from his ready-to-wear collection, but if and when you get an audience with the shoemaker, do yourself a favour and go for custom.

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