Beauty Recipes of the World

In search of the best massages, aromatherapy and cosmetics, Jean-Louis Poiroux, founder of Cinq Mondes, spent over ten years traveling around the globe to find the best treatments. The quest resulted in the creation of Cinq Mondes spas that offer ancestral beauty rituals from different parts of the world, as well as high quality products with traditional botanical active ingredients, such as tropical flowers, essential oils and rare spices. The products are tested under dermatological control, and the strict formulation contains no silicone, no artificial colouring, no animal-based raw materials and no mineral oils, created with respect for the ancestral preparations they are based on. The eaux de toilette and shower and bath oils include rituals from Japan, Morocco, Thailand, India and Indonesia. The collection, which launched this month in Hong Kong, also includes Black Soap (made of 100 percent virgine olive oil) from Morocco.

Available at Lane Crawford in Hong Kong.

Who's Your Muse?

Hail to cosmetics brand Smashbox, as they have just launched their cruelty-free collection, Smashbox Muse, this month. The luscious new products, such as eye shadow, lipgloss, eye liner, foundation, blush and mascara are vegan and have never been tested on animals. The beauty products don't contain any animal products either. What better way to look great AND have a clean conscience? Unleash your inner artist with these new shades and turn yourself into your own muse.

Available at Smashbox, Lane Crawford and Paua Spa in Hong Kong; Hyundai-I-Park in Korea; Ginza Opaque, Barneys Newyork Ginza and Serendipity Nihonbashi in Japan; Beauty Bar and Faces in Philippines.

The Big Blue

With 70 percent of the earth's surface being water, an enormous expanse of life is outside our reach. Laid waste by industrial fishing, acid toxicity and floating plastic garbage, the High Seas have become an international dumping ground. But they are also home to a vast and beautiful ecosystem, which hosts sharks, rare coral, ancient sea turtles and deep-sea creatures, as well as billions of plankton that produce close to 50 - 90 percent of our planet's oxygen. It is also the home of the endangered great blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, which to this day are still hunted and killed. In order to safeguard our planet, Chantecaille has partnered with scientists and conservationists worldwide to identify ten High Seas locations that demand our attention, ranging from the Indian Ocean's Saya de Malha Banks to the Sargasso Sea in the Bermuda Triangle. To help in these efforts, Chantecaille is donating five percent of the sales of La Baleine Collection to The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Available at Lane Crawford, Seibu and Joyce in Hong Kong; Breeze Center and Mitsukoshi in Taiwan; Shinsegae in South Korea; Isetan in Japan.

Himalayan Beauty

The evergreen Magnolia tree, Michelia Alba, from the Himalayan foothills has always been treasured by Asian civilization for its pristine white flowers, filled with sweet aroma. The flowers became a favourite offering to deities in form of intricate and highly fragrant garlands, and today, mothers put Himalayan Magnolia flowers in banana leaf cones and place them next to their daughters' pillows to ensure pleasant dreams. Hair and skincare brand Harnn utilizes the alluring aroma of pure Himalayan Magnolia essential oil with natural dermatological properties of extracts from bamboo, pomegranate, willowherbs and grape wine extract to clarify, sooth and reduce free radicals for its Himalaya Magnolia collection. The new collection launched last month and includes a mild shower gel and an SPF 15 body lotion.

Available at Harnn stores in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Soft as Velvet

 Huiles & Baumes is one of the latest organic additions in Hong Kong. Staying true to its motto, "True beauty is natural", the French skincare brand derives its unique character from natural ingredients, such as Rose Hip from Chile and the premium antioxidant agent Blackcurrant. The brand has always insisted on using vegetal extracts produced by organic farming and is free of all parabens, preservatives, colorants, synthetic perfumes and petroleum ingredients. Furthermore, the eco brand is Ecocert and Cosmebio certified. Their hand cream is made of Rose Hip oil, French Rose, Chamomile, Lavender and Sesame oil, leaving your skin smooth nourished.

Available at Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong.