If you don’t know already, the annual Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon is coming up this Sunday. That’s 42.195km of road that will be closed off for those that don’t know that either (that’s a lot of mileage!). It’s quite a big deal.

I’ll admit it. I love the attention, the admiration, and the ego massage when people tell me how impressive running a marathon is – with an exclamation mark! But I’ll tell you the truth, I hate road running (I’ve only done it for ten months). It’s dull, monotonous and frankly, it’s quite a useless skill to have, as opposed to say, beach volleyball (hot half naked people to check out), tennis (it’s classy) or even squash (apparently, all managers play).

In all seriousness, what really motivated me to sign up for this was the thought of being able to roam free on the roads and appreciate the city from a whole new perspective – see how amazing the video below is, and tell me you don’t want to do a 100 mile race. And nothing beats the feeling of being cheered on by random strangers on the road (not too sure this will happen at 7am in the morning on a HK weekend…) or the adrenalin rush you get from crossing the finish line, even if it’s coming last.

Training for the marathon hasn’t been easy. I have:

-       Been verbally abused by a personal trainer. He said I had chunky legs!

-       Given up (binge) drinking for 25 days (I advise against this – worst three Saturdays of my life)

-       Spent 40+ hours running aimlessly, chased by stray dogs (surprisingly fun…)

-       Spent another 20 hours on a treadmill

-       Consumed more calories and caffeine than my family put together in the last three months

-       Endured blisters on my pinky toe (v. painful)

And the list goes on…!

However trust me, if I can do it, you can too – really, I didn’t sacrifice too much of my life to prepare for this. No, really!

If you’re not running this Sunday, then look out for me. I’ll have my name plastered across my shirt, black shorts, and a black CamelBak (to non sporting types, huge vat of water attached to my back). Please shout at me if you can – cheers… obscenities… anything! There’s nothing more motivating for me than being noticed, I’m an attention whore. And hopefully I’ll be looking nothing like a dog about to keel over into a storm drain.

If you’re running this Sunday, I wish you good luck. Run from your heart and really enjoy it. And don’t think about those blisters until the end!

So, with the hope that some well-meaning cosmetics distributors are reading this and take pity on a poor make-up addict, here are five of my most-missed – and where to get your fix if you’re desperate!

Urban Decay
Oh Urban Decay… how I love thee. Make-up that channels your inner rock star – but at decidedly un-rock star prices! UD’s 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils are my ultimate eyeliner of all time; available in a gorgeous rainbow of colours, these stunners are soft, creamy and blendable, smudge-proof, water-proof and just about anything else-proof too (I own at least 20)! Their Naked Palette is the ultimate travel companion, comprising every shadow you need to create either an easy daytime look or a smouldering smoky eye, whilst their Primer Potion, which sets eye-shadows in a crease-free wash of vibrant colour for hours, is nothing short of a cult. And yet, you still aren’t sold here. WHY?!

Where to get it: I’m too much of an Urban Decay addict to not have found a few sources! Both www.lookfantastic.com and www.hqhair.com sell Urban Decay with free delivery to Hong Kong; try and wait for some of their frequent discount coupons to make a big bulk buy!

Soap & Glory
Created by Marcia Kilgore, the founder of Bliss Spa and creator of FitFlops, Soap & Glory specialise in luxurious body products… but at prices that make pampering seem a necessity rather than an indulgence! My favourite product of theirs is The Righteous Butter, a ravishingly rich body lotion that will leave your skin meltingly soft and divinely scented (use after their Flake-Away scrub for skin smoother than you thought possible!). I’m also desperate to try their new miracle product, Sit Tight, which claims to get rid of cellulite by doing nothing more strenuous than sitting down – which sounds like my kind of exercise! With its pun-tastic names, retro pink packaging and lush products, we need Soap & Glory here stat!

Where to get it: Soap & Glory goodies are sold at www.boots.co.uk and www.sephora.com; alas, neither of which deliver here! You can also get your mitts on their products at the Sephora in Singapore. So your best bet is to stock up when you’re abroad – or get some kind friend (codename: make-up mule!) to do it for you!

Aussie
Aussie’s Three Minute Miracle Conditioner does exactly what it says on the tin, turning damaged dry and straggly hair into a well-tamed silky-smooth gorgeously-glossy mane in three minutes flat! Their range of shampoos, conditioners and other hair products tackle all types of hair issues and are unbeatable for the price. Last time my Mum came back from the UK, she practically brought me a suitcase of the stuff!

Where to get it: Despite the fact that Aussie is a mass-market brand that’s ridiculously easy to get hold of pretty much everywhere else in the world, it’s still not made the swim over to the 852 *sob*. Nor can I find any websites that will ship it here – so if you have any tips, let me know!

Boots
I miss Boots more than members of my own family! Sasa, Bonjour, Watsons et al can’t even come close to this one-stop shop for your every make-up and skincare need; lipstick, hand cream, hair straighteners, electric toothbrushes and everything in-between, Boots has it all – you can even top up your phone balance, get your photos developed and buy your lunch there too! Their Advantage Card, which builds up points with each purchase to redeem against later buys, is exceptionally generous and totally without comparison to anything here. Their list of brands is exhaustive, including great-value in-house ones and Boots exclusives, like No.7 (and its much-lauded Protect & Perfect serum), Botanics and renowned dermatologist Dr Nick Lowe’s fantastic skincare line. Just the thought of their 3 for 2 offer on Christmas gift sets still makes me misty-eyed (I operated a ‘Buy 2 for me, get 1 for someone else’ system!). Can you tell how much I miss it?!

Where to get it: If you are prepared to do battle with the suitcase-toting crowds, we’ve spotted a few Boots products for sale at Lung Shing Dispensary (28 Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong). Boots also has many stores in Thailand – worth remembering the next time you’re on your hols! Meanwhile, Boots’ Thai website delivers to Singapore (though not Hong Kong… yet!), if you have any friends willing to act as make-up mules on their next visit!

Illamasqua
If you love colourful adventurous cosmetics, it can often seem that MAC is your only port of call in HK. Illamasqua takes the daring artistry from the early days of MAC and takes it to the nth degree, thanks to superstar make-up artist and creative director Alex Box. This is make-up not for the faint-hearted – and all the better for it! I particularly love their Liquid Metals, pure molten metal that can be applied anywhere, and their intense Pure Pigments, which are bound to bring out your bold side. They’re also renowned for their matte eye shadows and blushes (great for those who don’t want shimmer in everything), their unusual nail polish colours and their especially innovative seasonal collections (hint: don’t expect spring flowers or festive baubles here!). The fact they have a nail polish named Milf should say it all!

Where to get it: www.illamasqua.com ships to Hong Kong for a flat-rate of £8.50 – and speaking from experience, it arrives super-quickly and immaculately-packaged to boot (try and hold out for one of their sales or discount vouchers to balance out the P&P cost!). Illamasqua is also sold on www.ASOS.com, which as everyone knows by now do free international delivery – although check carefully as not all items are allowed to ship here.

What’s your most missed make-up? Any miracle products we should know about? Let us know in the comments!

The 80s are back! Yet again!

Before you start digging out those fluorescent legwarmers, hold up. 2012 is embracing a more modern take on the 80s – and that applies to make-up too. Away from the catwalks and magazine editorials, I doubt there are many of us willing to tackle swathes of electric blue eye shadow and bright orange lipstick in real life… and thankfully Bobbi Brown, mistress of the everyday make-up look, has brought a more wearable take on the trend with her new Neons & Nudes Collection.

Instead of going all-out on your whole face and looking like you’re auditioning for Cirque du Soleil, Bobbi instead advocates confining punchy colour pops to one area only – and the Neon & Nudes Collection supplies you with plenty of options!

In my opinion, the stars of the collection are the mega-watt luscious Lip Colours ($210). These are highly-pigmented colour-saturated beauties made of a unique blend of beeswax and Vitamin E, meaning they feel soft, creamy and comfortable as opposed to dry and chalky.

I tried Neon Pink, a fluorescent flaming hue of hot pink, and quickly fell in love. I initially thought it was going to be a sickly Barbie pink but in fact, it turned out to be a much more wearable vibrant raspberry shade that provided just the right amount of pop. It applies beautifully, wears like iron and was still going strong even after meals. I received a tonne of compliments on it too – so be brave and go bright!

If you’re going for neon lips, it’s best to tone it down for your eye make-up with the limited-edition Ultra Nudes Eye Palette ($420), which includes six shades of light and dark browns. Bobbi Brown excels at making fantastic palettes that are great for travelling, as they house everything you need to create a gorgeous everyday eye in one convenient compact, and this is no exception. I found a few of the shades a bit too similar to each other and a little sheer (try applying them wet for a deeper colour) but for those of you looking for an au naturel eye look, this is a great start.

Meanwhile, if you fancy doing things the other way round, check out the two new shades of Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow ($190) – Ultra Violet and Bluebell (no prizes for guessing what colours these are!). I tried Ultra Violet, an intense purple in the pan, but found it a little disappointing; it applied quite patchily and leaned rather pink on my complexion, which meant it made my eyes look swollen. I’d say these two intense shades might be better suited to the more expert beauty addicts amongst you!

Even though the new neon Lip Glosses ($210), Citrus and Ultra Violet, looked near radioactive in the tubes, they were actually rather lovely on the lips. Citrus, a highlighter orange, gave my lips a warm glow of orange whilst Ultra Violet, a neon purple, gave my lips a really pretty pink tint. In my opinion, Bobbi Brown lip glosses are some of the best available for those of us past our teenybopper days – they wear really well, feel really moisturising, aren’t too sticky and make your lips look positively luscious (these also had a yummy peppermint tingle to them too). So for those of you that love a juicy glossy look, don’t be put off by the crazy colours as these are actually rather wonderful!

So if you fancy reliving the 80s but without going for the full big hair and even bigger shoulder pads look, Neons & Nudes might do just the trick. Now excuse me whilst I go do some leg splits to Irene Cara… ‘What a Feeling’!

Bobbi Brown’s Neons & Nudes Collection is out now. See all Bobbi Brown locations in Hong Kong here.

Wander onto the seventh floor of The Peninsula and you are immediately immersed in a sense of total relaxed luxury. This is where some of the spa’s heat facilities and changing rooms are located, and where you get to enjoy an invigorating cup of ginger tea to welcome you – but tear yourself away from this delightfully tranquil scene (there’s even a calming water feature in the middle of the room!) as yet more treats lie in wait.

Spa guests get their own lifts to the ninth floor, where the treatment rooms are. Along the way, there’s another gorgeously serene reception room, surrounded by stunning streams of light that somehow seem to be raining water (the photo shows this better than I can explain!) and which I wish someone could replicate in my living room – but again, don’t linger, the best is yet to come!

I was booked in for one of their signature treatments, The Spirit Of Peninsula, which awakens the mind and body over a wonderful two hours of scrubbing, detoxifying, massaging and general pampering! It starts with a welcoming foot bath, a lovely little touch that eases you into the unwinding process, allows you to have a little chat to your therapist (mine was a bubbly lady called Marisa)… and most importantly, feels very lovely too!

The next step is a divine conditioning salt body exfoliation, which was simultaneously brisk but soothing – I’ve no idea quite how Marisa managed this, but I’m very glad she did! Next, it’s onto a quick shower to rinse off the scrub; I loved how spacious the bathroom in the treatment room was (too spacious for the words ‘en suite’, I feel!) and, excitingly, it had toasty heated floors that I spent a fun few minutes padding around! Scrub washed off, you’ll immediately notice how wonderfully, almost buttery, soft your skin feels.

Marisa duly tore me away from stroking at my own skin for the next step – a relaxing massage with warmed fragrant oils. I’m sure many of you have experienced painful, so-called ‘invigorating’, massages that bruise more than they do beautify… but this was anything but. Instead, it was more a series of soft soothing caresses that unwound every stress and eased each tension in my entire body.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better (I was already nodding off), these absolutely AWESOME hot paraffin wraps were placed around my hands and feet. If you’ve had these before, you’ll completely understand why caps lock is deserved; if not, you are totally missing out! These are searingly hot packs of wax that enrobe your hands and feet and make them feel like they’re melting into dreamy liquid pools… a pleasurable sensation I assure you… and all topped off with one last scalp massage. In other words, utter bliss.

Throughout the entire treatment, you’re treated to gorgeous whiffs of essential oils (which you yourself select beforehand) – mine was a delicious combination of ylang ylang and patchouli that I could have inhaled till the cows came home! Your choice of oils also determines the ESPA products that will be used; mine was the relaxing range and, given how I felt by the end of the two hours, I think we can declare them a definite success!

Afterwards, you’ve invited to enjoy the spa’s heat facilities to your heart’s content (the ones on the ninth floor have a fab harbour view). I instead just settled for a lingering lie-down on the loungers in the Relaxation Room, which again boast beautiful views over the harbour.  Put on the headphones provided to totally block out the world… and I can highly recommend the exceedingly delicious Peninsula Spa special guava yoghurt drink, tucked away in the fridge, to finish off your trip in style!

The Spirit of Peninsula will have you wishing you never had to leave The Peninsula… and between the scrummy afternoon tea, fabulous Salon de Ning bar and now, the wonderful spa itself, perhaps you’ll never have to!

The Spirit of Peninsula costs $2,000 for 2 hours (plus 10% service charge)

The Peninsula Spa by ESPA, 7/F The Peninsula, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, 2315 3322, spaphk@peninsula.com

The sessions were an hour long and based on a machine called a reformer. This essentially has a sliding platform which you can move by pulling hand or foot loops. As you are always sitting on the platform, you are always moving your own body weight, but there are also adjustable springs to increase or decrease resistance. The workout was a non-stop, heart pounding series of exercises that all focused on building strength in your core whilst lengthening and strengthening your muscles rather than bulking them up. I must admit that after my first class, I was in agony, but I started to see the effects immediately. Not only that, but there was something mildly therapeutic about moving in sync to a group in fluid streamlined movements, even if we were all panting and covered in sweat! 9 months later and my body was leaner, longer and more toned than ever before – everyone was asking how I did it!

However, my new physical prowess rapidly deteriorated after an indulgent 2 week honeymoon and then moving to Hong Kong, with all its deep fried food, daily drinking and indulgent temptations. Finally, after observing my muscles slacken and turn to fat, I shook myself into action and decided it was time to jump back into the pilates and bid my new fat cells goodbye. The research was hard and almost everyone I spoke to discredited pilates saying it was too boring and not real exercise. I was determined to prove them wrong and after hours of scouring online, I finally found a pilates and yoga studio in Hong Kong that didn’t just offer reformer pilates, but dynamic reformer pilates. The sort that gets your heart racing and body transforming. Flex Pilates has a gorgeous studio in Aberdeen, just the other side of the Aberdeen tunnel. The atmosphere is calm, the little cafe and honesty bar make for a tranquil spot to enjoy a green tea and read the papers post workout, and they even sell sports clothing should you so desire. But the spa like similarities end there, because their trainers know how to make you sweat.

The first class I signed up for was called jump-board pilates with their new British trainer, Suru. As it turns out, Suru actually trained with the woman who established the studio I used in London so has the same ethos of making pilates a cardio style activity. Suru was friendly yet motivating and I started the class happy to be back on my pilates reformer and waging war on my new found flab. I was stretching, I was strengthening, I was out of breath. Then the jump-board was integrated into what was up until then, a familiar workout routine. The jump-board is added to the end of the reformer and acts like a vertical trampoline. We embarked on a series of exercises which involved catapulting ourselves off the jump-board, whilst lying horizontally on the reformer, in a manner that made me feel like I was walking on the moon. This proved to be an extremely fun, innovative and immensely effective addition to the pilates workout, as my muscles could have told you the next day! However, if the thought of working your body THAT hard on a Monday morning doesn’t appeal, Flex do also offer slightly less cardio focused classes such as Suru’s Allegro/Mat combo or Lyndsay’s allegro classes – which I tried, and whilst being slower paced, still reached muscles I had forgotten existed!

Eager to continue my renewed foray into fitness, and keen to get my husband in on the game, I dragged him along to Adrian’s TRX class on Saturday morning. TRX is similar to pilates in that you are working with chords and pulling against your own body weight, but this time the chords are suspended from the ceiling. Adrian worked us hard but kept us motivated at the same time. The workout was intense – at points my muscles were shaking from the strain but I powered on through. I thoroughly enjoyed the style of exercise as you are essentially suspending yourself from the ceiling and manipulating your body and the effect is very similar to pilates in terms of lengthening and strengthening. I must admit that even sitting on the sofa the next day was tough, and even my husband, who scorns at group exercise, loved the class and felt the burn.

Feeling contented that in the war on fat it is currently; me -3: fat -0, I am signing myself up for more classes at Flex. Their timetable is varied, their instructors all fantastic and the effect of their workouts is astounding and well worth the pain. Upon leaving London I had lamented the loss of my beloved pilates but Flex has more than filled that reformer shaped void. With other classes including zumba, dancing and yoga on offer and a heap of fantastic offers such as two-for-one private training, I would encourage to march your overindulged festive body down to Flex for some much needed winter exercise stimulation.

Flex, 1/F Regency Centre (Phase II) 43 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
E: info@flexhk.com

From $175/class for normal classes and $235/class for reformer allegro pilates

Many of you have probably taken the chance this holiday season to get away and recharge your batteries somewhere nice and relaxing. Lucky you. Unfortunately, the furthest I’ll be going is the New Territories… and given that I looked like I should be auditioning as an extra for The Waking Dead, Team Sassy made the executive decision to send me to a luxurious spa treatment at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong instead!

The Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA is the highest hotel spa in the world, located on the somewhat dizzying 116^th floor – and I can wholeheartedly say that the least pleasant part of the experience is the popping you’ll get in your ears when you zoom up there! The rest is pure luxury, from start to finish, and my skin is currently sighing with thankfulness.

The spa itself is decked out in soothing velvety chocolate brown tones, which immediately put me in a relaxed frame of mind. I was led to the changing rooms – which also include a sauna and an amazing shower with a setting of ‘tropical rain’ (which sadly I didn’t have time to put to use, though the child in me did press the button and look on in wonderful!) – before meeting my therapist, Amy, to discuss my treatment.

‘Are there any specific issues you want to target with your treatment?’ she asked. I think she was just being polite. The huge dark circles under my eyes and my dull sallow complexion probably indicated tiredness and stress as being my major problems! Thus, I was set up with the Radiance Facial with Jade Stone Eye Treatment – a revitalizing and brightening facial to help refresh my tired skin and recharge my energy!

Unfortunately, this is where my review will get a little hazy… as the next 90 minutes passed by in a cloud of calm too blissed out for me to remember! My face was immaculately cleansed, toned, exfoliated, moisturising and nourished by Amy’s soft supple hands, with a selection of gorgeous smelling and feeling ESPA products. There was generous use of wonderful warm towels, a fantastic neck and shoulder massage and a general feeling of my troubles melting away beneath Amy’s expert touch.

At various points, I was invited to deeply inhale some essential oils Amy wafted above my face – I selected the oil earlier and apparently my choice of Sandalwood further cemented how in need of total relaxation I was! I also have to wax lyrical about the fabulous long head massage she gave me; often, these feel like someone inexpertly attempting to wash your hair, but this felt so wonderful and unwinding that I’ll happily admit it made me fall fast asleep!

The other absolute highlight was the use of Jade Stone rollers on my eyes and face. I’m sure many of you will have seen these types of thing before – like mini paint rollers but made of cool marble or stone – and I’d previously assumed them to be a bit of a gimmick. I am now thoroughly converted and will be attempting to employ a minion to roller my face at any possible opportunity! These felt nothing short of miraculous on my skin. They were stunningly cold, but not in a shockingly unpleasant way; rather, it was a delicious tingling refreshing sensation that instantly felt like it was quelling and soothing my tired skin and dull complexion. I could practically feel every pore coming back to life and sucking in that enriching feeling!

Finally, there was a special application of ESPA’s Skin Radiance Moisturiser, a lovely light but rich hydrating cream that helps to reduce pigmentation and instantly brighten the skin. The other thing I loved about the treatment was how quiet and calming it was; often therapists feel the need to explain every stage to you, but Amy did this right at the start, meaning I could switch off and enjoy my 90 minutes in total peace.

I then made my way to the relaxation room, and lounged back in the bright sunshine with a magazine and some citrus tea. The views are truly astounding and just served to make me feel even further – happily – from the hustle and bustle of busy Kowloon. I could have stayed there, basking in the secluded sunshine, all day.

Unfortunately, I did have to leave… but not before I checked myself in the mirror (not wanting to scare away any shoppers in Elements with usual shiny red post-facial face!). I was actually really impressed with the results. My skin looked brighter and more radiant, felt softer and more hydrated and I definitely had a bit of a glow going on, if I do say so myself! What’s more, a red area of flaky dryness by my eye was no longer around and any other trace of dullness had totally disappeared! I was happy to emerge into Elements without a scrap of make-up on, which is really saying something!

The Radiance Facial does not include an extraction or any other acne-blasting treatments; instead, it’s very much a relax, refresh and rejuvenate type of treatment. As such, it’s 90 minutes of utter laidback luxury. Meh… the New Territories don’t sound so bad after all!

Radiance Facial with Jade Stone Eye Treatment, 90 minutes, $1,485 plus 10% service charge

The Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA, 116F, The Ritz-Carlton, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2263 2263

Looking for an alternate solution to my dermatological woes, I booked myself in for a 75 minute signature facial at The Plateau Spa at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Wanchai. In all honesty, I’m not a facial girl. The idea of someone “extracting” and touching my face is not for me what a spa is about, I much prefer being indulged in massages and wraps. However, sometimes needs must and tempted by the incredible facilities at the Grand Hyatt I decided to fight my facial demons and start the process of making myself look more presentable. Without exaggeration, I must say that this is the best decision I have made ALL year.

Let’s start with the spa facilities. Nustled away on the 11^th floor of the Grand Hyatt, not so attractively located over the flyover from the Gloucester Road, hides a hidden oasis so calm and stylish you could easily convince yourself you were on a beach holiday somewhere exotic. As well as a state of the art gym, which let’s be honest, we’re not going to use when pampering ourselves, there is a giant outdoor pool with plenty of sun loungers and a wonderful dining/bar area too. The area is so nice that I may be tempted to pay their day rate of $550 to use the facilities on one of those beautiful summer’s days Hong Kong sometimes throws our way. The spa then offers something really unique in that it has 23 residential spa rooms. Zen like hotel rooms, located on the spa floor with giant bathrooms, Japanese style floor level beds and best of all, balconies overlooking the harbour. If you’re really looking to indulge yourself and/or someone special then you can take them up on their Winter Spa-Cation which includes an overnight stay, meals and spa treatments for two for only $4,700 (Sassy Hint: The perfect Christmas present for him which actually benefits you just as much!).

Normal spa rooms are just as serene. With giant dressing room areas, all-encompassing dressing gowns and beautiful minimalist decor, from the moment you step inside, you feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of outside. My therapist Michelle, gracefully explained how I should prepare (avoiding any of those awkward spa moments when you find yourself naked facing a therapist expecting you to be clothed) and talked me through the facial procedure, a very comforting step for a facial-phobe like myself. The facial involved a number of steps, including a skin analysis to determine my skin type and ensure the best products were used. Michelle subtly but unashamedly pointed out that I had dry skin, with a number of breakouts and a high tendency to go red due to my thin skin! It’s a wonder I’m ever allowed out the house. Rather than just pointing out my flaws, she also suggested ways I should combat them including how often I should exfoliate, what type of products I should use and what I should avoid. Then the facial started. It. Was. Heaven. I’m not lying when I say it was the most peaceful hour and 15 minutes I have ever spent. And this is whilst having my pores unblocked! Michelle applied the various masks and cleansers with such a soft and soothing touch that I fell asleep, literally with a smile on my face, at various points. Even the extraction itself was smoothly and expertly done, barely waking me from my gentle slumber. Whilst she let the mask work its magic, I indulgently received an arm, neck and head massage that I really would have paid to have just in itself as she eased away all my tension and aches and pains.

But the proof of any facial is in the after effects. It’s all very well being lulled to sleep with gentle massage strokes but did my face actually see the benefit? Well, straight after the facial I had to attend Sassy’s Christmas drinks with all our bloggers. I was slightly worried I would turn up looking like a kid with measles but somehow I emerged from Plateau radiantly glowing with barely any redness. In fact, I even received compliments on how glowing I looked. And in the week since, my breakouts have subsided, my skin has remained smooth and the lingering effects of the Michelle’s magic touch massage are only just fading. This facial-phobe has made a U-turn. I now think that it is a medical necessity that I make appointments with Michelle at least once a month. Doctor’s orders.

A signature Plateau Facial costs $1,050. For bookings, please call Plateau Spa on +852 2584 7688 or e-mail plateau.hkggh@hyatt.com

Plateau Residential Spa, 11/F, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Admiralty, Hong Kong

I’ve never needed any excuse to plaster my talons in more glitter than there is in Elton John’s wardrobe but the party season really is the ultimate opportunity to get super-sparkly!

For total all-out bling o’ clock, China Glaze Eye Candy 3D Glitters have to be top of my wish list! The whole collection uses different sizes, shapes and colours of glitter to create a wow-worthy 3D effect – think disco-ball on the nails and you’re about one-tenth there! Lorelei’s Tiara is a gorgeous seasonal silver-and-blue glitter combo, wintry frosty fabulousness, whilst Love Marilyn is a red-and-silver glitter that has a totally festive look. For those that want something a little more subtle, Some Like It Haute is a mixture of black, silver, charcoal and gunmetal glitters that proves black doesn’t have to be boring – and gives off rainbow dazzles when it hits the light!

I think of Deborah Lippmann as the Queen of Glitter in the nail-polish world, so it’s no surprise that she’s rustled up some spectacular sparkles just in time for Christmas. Do Ya Think I’m Sexy is filled with seriously sexy scarlet sequins, Shake Your Groove Thing is a full-on flickering gold, I Love The Nightlife is a groovy gorgeous graphite glitter and Stairway To Heaven looks like an iridescent opalescent icicle! For a total party on your nails, you should also check out her Get The Party Started gift set (below), which features three polishes chock-full with glitter every colour of the rainbow! These are big chunky glitters and definitely not for the faint-hearted; personally, I would wear them as a layering polish and all look especially outstanding over black. You could even try layering Do Ya Think I’m Sexy over a forest green or snow white to channel your inner holly plant or sexy Santa!

For something a little more subtle, but still just as shimmery, how about OPI’s The Muppets Collection? Ignore the wacky names and some of the more obvious bling-y choices, and instead head straight for Warm & Fozzie (shown above on nails) and Designer De-Better. Warm & Fozzie is a wonderful warm bronze colour, with a copper red and pink glitter that isn’t too overpowering, whilst Designer-De Better is a shimmering icy silver with champagne flecks.

Since we’ve covered silver and bronze, I have to mention a gold too – and my favourite is China Glaze’s Midnight Kiss, a pretty champagne-gold (above), from last year’s Tis The Season To Be Naughty AND Nice Collection (still stocked at Cher2). These all boast a foil-like finish for a more understated effect – and also don’t require a chisel to get off afterwards! I think these look great matched with other metallics or to set off the perfect LBD.

For those of you that don’t want to commit to a full-on glittery nail polish that will only gather dust until next Christmas, a layering polish might be a better choice. These will jazz up your average bog-standard manicure quicker than you can say ‘ho ho ho’! My favourite effect is ‘flakies’ – awesome confetti-like shreds of some magical substance that glow a whole rainbow of colours, and look amazing layered over pretty much anything (yes, I have considering varnishing my furniture…). Nails Inc have hit jackpot with their Overglaze Duo packs, including one crème for underneath and one flakie (either red, blue or green) for on top – although I advise you to ditch the tacky Gossip Girl packaging ASAP! Essie is also doing a really pretty gold leaf effect called As Gold As It Gets, (below) which would look totally Christmassy layered over a holly-berry red.

If you can’t be bothered with the hassle of doing your own nails, how about getting them MINX-ed instead (below)? It’s the latest celeb nail trend (Gaga, Rihanna, Beyonce and Katy Perry are all fans) and uses stick-on decals to deliver an impossibly-amazing effect that you can never quite get with nail polish alone; it’s like molten metal dripped on your nails, but with a variety of stunning patterns too! 10/10 Space has the best variety of designs and will do everything for you… so you can conserve energy shopping for the perfect party dress instead! Get these done as near as possible to the date of your party (or on the day itself) to have your MINX-ed nails looking their most picture-perfect!

Finally, much as it pains me to admit it, there are those of you that just don’t want glittery nails (don’t worry, I won’t judge!)… but there are still plenty of other festive choices too! You can’t go wrong with a brilliant creamy red, bright enough to make Santa or Rudolph proud – I recommend China Glaze’s Poinsettia (above) or the slightly-darker Winter Berry (no prizes for guessing what plants these were based on!), both of which boast gorgeous glossy finishes without the need for top-coat. Or for a deep velvety scarlet shimmer that’s not too much to handle, try China Glaze’s Mommy Kissing Santa too.

There’s simply no excuse for not ‘nailing it’ this party season!

China Glaze $60, Essie $60, OPI $70, from Cher2
1A Po Foo Building, 1 Foo Ming Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, 2882 2528
809, 8/F, Mongkok City Centre, 74-84 Sai Yeung Choi Street, Mong Kok, Hong Kong, 2886 1132
1202A, 12/F, Century Plaza, 1 D’Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong 2510 0171

Deborah Lippmann $190, Get The Party Started set $480, Joyce Beauty
Lane Crawford (ifc, 3572 0364; Pacific Place, 3798 0172; Times Square, 3798 0171)
G/F New World Tower, Central, 2869 5816
G106 Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2367 0860
G39 Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong, 2265 7176

MINX manicure, $80/single nail or $650 full mani
10/10 Space, Flat B, 1/F Fairview Mansion, 51 Paterson Street, Causeway Bay, 3595 1152

Nails Inc Gossip Girl Overglaze Duo Packs, £20
www.lookfantastic.com (with free international delivery!)

‘Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat… please put some make-up in the beauty blogger’s hat!’

Christmas absolutely has to be my favourite time of the year for make-up – it’s literally a case of Christmas come early when all my favourite cosmetics brands release their gorgeous holiday collections and festive gift sets in early December. Forget buying prezzies for others… I always want to keep these babies all to myself!

Holiday collections are when all the fun stuff comes out to play – special sparkly colours, gorgeous limited-edition packaging and, most importantly, amazing value for money in the multi-product gift sets. So here’s my ten-stop guide to the beauty counters this Christmas – feel free to print out and leave in obvious locations for gift-buyers to find!

Benefit Full list of stores here
Benefit has to be one of Sassy’s favourite beauty brands and they always come up trumps come Christmas. I love their Ticket To Glossytown set ($280) of six fab lipglosses, all in juicy colours with luscious non-sticky finishes, and a super-cute cityscape silhouette on each tube. I’m Glam… Therefore I Am ($390) is a fantastic value box set that includes minis of some of Benefit’s best-sellers – Girl Meets Pearl (a dewy luminous primer), BADgal lash mascara and Ultra Shines lip gloss – plus a gorgeous pretty-in-pink face powder and brush, and four shimmering eye colours too. Basically, everything you need in one box! How could we resist?!

Becca Full list of counters here
Oh dear… looks like someone told Becca about my weakness for all things purple. Their Balearic Love Smoky Eyes Kit ($750) contains everything you need to create the ultimate smouldering smoky eye – just in time for party season! It contains a Romanticism Eye Tint (a soft mauve bronze), Cabera Line & Define Pencil (a double-ended eyeliner in deep violet and metallic bronze), Becca’s signature The Ultimate Mascara (great for a natural fluttery curl that works well for sensitive eyes) and an anti-bacterial sharpener (well, we all need essentials, right?!).

Bliss Spa Available at W Hotel or counters at Lane Crawford Pacific Place or FACES (Tsim Sha Tsui)
Make sure your skin isn’t neglected in the wintry weather with Bliss Spa’s contributions towards a ‘Merry Blissmas’! Our hands are already beginning to suffer from the sudden cold snap, so keep them super-moisturised with the Two Turtle Gloves set (above $580), which includes a tube of high-intensity hand cream and a pair of gel-lined glamour gloves (these are seriously amazing – go to bed in them and your hands will be as soft as baby’s… if not softer!). We also love Seasons Sweet-ings (below $550), a bathing bundle of delectable festive vanilla and bergamot products (plus a cute Bliss rubber duckie!)… and we can’t not mention the great-value Glow Ho Ho set ($880), your route to rapid-fire radiance thanks to their amazing Triple Oxygen trio (which we reviewed in full here). Did we mention they have the best puns too?!

Shu Uemura Full list of locations here
Shu Uemura’s Wong Kar Wei Collection must be one of the most eye-catching cosmetics collections in ages – quite literally, as the best products are all about the eyes! The Burning In Water and Drowning In Flame Eye & Cheek Palettes ($495) are nothing short of sensational, right down to the holographic ‘moving’ eyes and lips on the casing. The former is a beautifully cool mix of shimmery blues and silver sparkles, the latter a warmer blend of purple and pink shades. Shu Uemura are probably most famous for their false eyelashes and these Dance In Glitter Fake Eyelashes (above $580) have to be some of the most stunning I’ve seen yet – your eyes will practically dance in glitter!

Lush Full list of stores here
The best thing about Lush? They do all the wrapping for you! All their Christmas gift sets are immaculately packaged in gorgeously gift-wrapped boxes or colourful re-usable tins… and we’ve not even got started on all the goodies stuffed to bursting within! My top pick is their Northern Lights set ($799), which features twelve fabulous Lush products – including their fruity festive favourite Angels Delight soap, an Australian Igloo sugar and coconut scrub to buff your body to its best, the cinnamon and spice-infused warming Glogg shower gel and the champagne-flavoured moisturising lip tint, Celebrate (topped off with a gold sprinkle of popping candy!). If you’re a real girly girl, look no further than the sparkly sweet and very very pink Stardust gift set ($449), including a Snow Fairy shower gel, cotton-candy scented Magic Wand bubble bar and Bubblegum lip scrub, for turning your parched lips into super-soft smackers – just in time for any impending mistletoe moments!

Bobbi Brown Full list of locations here
Bobbi Brown’s palettes are always winners and boast lots of easily-wearable colours, party season or otherwise! The biggest hit from their holiday range has to be the Ultimate Party Collection (above $620), a double-decker compact featuring eight shimmering eye shadows and four flirty lip glosses, plus two mini lip and eye shadow brushes (note: not nasty cheap sponge-tip applicators!), so it’s ideal for creating entire make-up looks on-the-go. Christmas is also a fantastic time to get your mitts on great make-up brush sets; spoil yourself (or get someone to spoil you – even better!) with Bobbi’s Deluxe Travel Brush Set ($920), which includes nine different super-soft brushes for every aspect of your make-up, all housed in a gorgeous silver compact.

Clinique Full list of stores here
One of my favourite new products of 2011 has to be Clinique’s Chubby Sticks, which boast the moisturising texture of a lip balm with the soft colour of a lipstick, all in one convenient and easy-to-use chunky cute pencil. Their Christmas Chubby Stick Candy set (above $320) comes in a nifty silver bag and includes four delicious colours – Super Strawberry, Whole Lotta Honey, Woppin’ Watermelon and Mega Melon – a hue to go with every outfit! I also really want to try their new Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & Photo Damage Corrector, which claims to make light work of dark spots and pigmentation, which is included in their Anti-Wrinkle set ($760). It also comes with a Moisture Surge face spray and intensely-moisturising Repairwear day, night and eye creams, ideal for nourishing your dry skin in the winter weather.

Nars Available at Langham Place (Mong Kok), Lane Crawford Times Square, ifc mall & Pacific Place
Nars’ Modern Kabuki Holiday Collection offers something a little bit different – not just your usual splurge of festive bling, but instead a striking set of Japanese-inspired products housed in classy red-and-black packaging. Our top picks are the Mie Kabuki Mini Soft Touch Shadow Pencil Set ($550), six stunning creamy colour-intense chubby eye shadow pencils (the electric turquoise and rich plum are our favourites) and the Hanamichi Eyeshadow Palette (above $650), which can also multi-task as a blusher, highlighter and eye-liner too… that’s if you dare mess up the divine floral design!

Crabtree & Evelyn Full list of stores here
Seen the crazy Christmas queues at Crabtree & Evelyn (they’re practically as much a part of HK Christmas as Santa himself)? Well, these might have something to do with it! The Hello Kitty x Crabtree & Evelyn Christmas sets ($495) of bath & shower gel, body lotion, hand therapy, hand remedy and hand recovery creams are not only super-luxurious but fantastic value to boot. However, the best bit is the Hello Kitty tote bags these come in – absolutely adorable, wipe-clean washable and with loads of spacious zip compartments, making them ideal toiletry bags for travelling – almost worth the price of the set alone! And if you are willing to brave those queues, it must be said Crabtree & Evelyn do have some fantastic special discount offers!

Guerlain Full list of counters here
We’ve got your eyes, lips, body and hands Christmas-ready – but how about giving your face a ravishing radiant flush too? Guerlain’s Belle de Nuit Holiday Collection is almost too pretty to use; their Parure de Nuit Pressed Powder & Blush ($480) has a beautiful peacock feather design that’s almost as pretty as the soft coral blush and shimmering highlighting and illuminating effect it delivers. Their Meteorites Perles de Nuit ($400), multi-coloured pearls swirled about inside a luxurious teal metal tin, will also give you a just peachy glow.

P.S. We already reviewed some of MAC’s Glitter & Ice Christmas Collection here… but I just had to mention their dazzling Mineralize Eyeshadows (above in Shimmer Mint $205), despite the fact they essentially bankrupted me this December! These for me, are basically Christmas in an eye shadow – a melange of shimmers and glimmers, silvers and golds, all swirled into one stunning snowglobe of awesomeness! I bought the lot… for myself!

The only way to really explain just how incredible this treatment is, is to painstakingly describe every single luxurious step involved. But I warn you now, continue reading and you will have no choice but to either treat yourself or force your loved one to treat you. Heck, they can provide the treatment to couples so why not both indulge?! In my opinion this is a Christmas present that will stay with you long after the mulled wine hangover and mince pie belly fat has worn off!

Blissful Festive Step One: The Mulled Wine Bath

This may sound rather confusing but I can assure you there is no better way to start a treatment. After arriving early to relax in the fantastic facilities, I was escorted to my own private spa room, complete with balcony and harbour views. A spa bath, at just the right temperature, was awaiting my arrival, accompanied by two of my best friends; a glass of champagne and a plate of chocolate marshmallows. My therapist proceeded to pour a vile of orange infused red wine into the bath so that along with the steam, rose aromas of mulled wine and Christmas cheer. Being left to my own devices I submerged myself in this festive lagoon and allowed myself to soak away my stresses whilst sipping on my champagne. The smell, far from being sickly, made me smile and think of cold wintery days and the bath itself left my skin feeling silky smooth. As I lay in my bath, Jacuzzi bubbles gently streaming through, staring at views of the IFC, Kowloon and the harbour, I couldn’t help but feel smug thinking of the poor souls sitting at desks in IFC number one whilst unbeknownst to them, here I was, so close to them, yet a world apart.

Blissful Festive Step Two: The honey and sugar exfoliation

Nicole, my therapist poked her head round the door, and informed me that she was ready to start my exfoliation. She closed the blinds to evoke a more solitary atmosphere and I lay down on the spa bed. I could smell the exfoliating scrub before I felt it. Glorious scents of sweetness filled my nostrils. Nicole proceeded to apply the scrub, section by section, all over my body. Far from being briskly invigorating, as some scrubs are, the whole process was deeply relaxing. The slight friction created by the scrub was offset by her skilful massage like application which not only removed my dead skin, but all my stress and woes. To top it all off, wafts of Christmas continued to keep me in a festive mood. I actually started to dream that I was Christmas incarnated.

Blissful Festive Step Three: The Chocolate Wrap

This is surely every girl’s dream — being smothered in chocolate and shea butter. The wrap was so smooth on application that I felt like a velvety rich chocolate bar. Nicole’s magic touch continued to keep me in a trance like state of bliss whilst my nose received even more stimulation but this time with chocolatey goodness so divine I was tempted to lick myself! After applying the wrap all over and covering me in sheets, Nicole skilfully gave me an exceptional face massage. Unlike others I have had, where my face gets rubbed and prodded, this face massage was more like a subtle and discreet form of reflexology focusing on applying gentle force to various pressure points. And boy did it work. I must admit that when instructed to go into my private steam room for five minutes and then wash off the wrap, I almost tried eating some but luckily common sense kicked back in!

Blissful Festive Step Four: The cinnamon infused body massage

At this point I almost cried. Not just out of happiness, but in the knowledge that this was the final step of my very own winter wonderland experience. Nicole brought over the cinnamon and nutmeg oil and slowly but magnificently massaged it into all my tense and aching muscles. She had asked which areas I wanted focusing on and I insisted my knotty back and shoulders. She obviously knew her stuff as each knot was effectively massaged out of my system with soothing strokes. The whole experience is meant to be detoxifying as well as indulgent, so the stomach massage was intended to really work out some toxins. My back focus meant my stomach didn’t get the full attention it needed but I felt the benefit nonetheless.

After 3 hours, I honestly felt like a different person and never wanted to leave my Four Seasons spa cocoon. But luckily, lunch on their terrace, in the sunshine, overlooking the magnificent pool beckoned otherwise I fear I may have chained myself into the room. It may be pricey but if you were every going to indulge this Christmas, this is the way to do it. Just cut back on those unnecessary Gingerbread lattes and put the money towards this slice of heaven instead. I promise it will be the best thing you ever do.

A Festive Spell – available December 1-31, 2011 – HK$3,300 + 10% service charge

Four Seasons Spa, Four Seasons Hotel, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong, 3196 8888