What Sassy Wants: September

1. We absolutely adore Caudalie at Sassy – this French beauty brand uses the powerful properties of grapes to create gorgeous products that smell and feel divine – and most importantly, they work! Trust us, we’ve tried them! The spa on Gough Street not only does wonderfully relaxing facials but also sells their fantastic skincare and scents (see our review here). We couldn’t wait to get our hands on their new Parfum Divin de Caudalie, which comes in a beautiful bottle and really does smell divine. The sun-kissed, woody frangrance has notes of pink pepper, grapefruit, rose, cedar wood and vanilla, making it pretty unique. If you want to smell like a heavenly spa all day, this is the scent for you!

Available here for $480 (50ml bottle) or at the Caudalie Boutique; 3 Gough Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2319 1006, www.facebook.com/CaudalieHK.

2. With the holiday season on the horizon, it’s time to start planning that gift list… if you don’t have time to trawl the shops, then Giftwell’s Foodie Gift Card Subscription could be just what you’re looking for! Hong Kong is full of trendy restos serving up delicious food, so this gift is ideal for any food-lovers in your life. Every month the subscription will buy a surprise gift card to any one of a number of restaurants that your recipient can enjoy… we love the element of surprise!

Available for purchase here. Choose from a 3-month, 6-month, 9-month, or 12-month gift ranging from $500-$2,000.

3. Remind yourself to stay calm with this simply sophisticated sterling silver Lotus and Little Buddha necklace by amazing jewellery designer, By Charlotte. This elegant and simple necklace has one pendant engraved with a little Buddha, and one with a lotus flower, the symbol of purity and new beginnings. We love how this could be a staple jewellery piece that you could wear all the time, and easily goes with most outfits. Loved by celebrities, By Charlotte is an Aussie brand that’s taking the world by storm, so get yours now!

Available here for $916.66 ($129 AUD).

4. If you’re looking for the ultimate wardrobe go-to item, we’ve found it! The recently launched Alex Black Collection focuses on one thing and one thing only – the shirt dress. This basic piece of clothing is an essential, and is perfect for the hot and humid Hong Kong summer – you can quickly slip it on and go from the office to after-work drinks with ease, and you don’t have to worry about getting too warm with the lovely lightweight material! We love this this sexy and sophisticated LBD version, the Josephine Shirt Dress. With high quality cotton and amazing attention to detail when it comes to design, Alex Black truly has perfected the art of the shirt dress and we want one. Now.

Available here for $1,806.

5. Keep it clean this month by indulging in a brand new, Hong Kong-based ethical skincare line – Purearth. Ok… we have to admit it, we’ve fallen a little bit in love with this brand already and it hasn’t even launched yet! Purearth not only creates luxury products that use amazing materials straight from the Himalayas, but also gives back by promoting “a culture of conscious consumption”. The ingredients in these products are made from natural resources and are free from chemicals, keeping all the products pure – good for your skin and the environment. We can’t wait to try the Wild Rose Himalayan Face Mist, perfect for spritzing on during a hot and humid day for a refresh. To top it all off, Purearth is a social enterprise that works with women’s self-help groups in the Himalayas, empowering them through fair trade.

Availabe here for $220 and at Kapok – crafted in Hong Kong, G/F, HG10-HG12, PMQ, Central, 35 Aberdeen Street, Hong Kong.

6. Ok, so the mercury is still pretty high here in HK, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start thinking about our fall/winter outfits! Time to put away the flip flops and start donning some sturdier shoes for the start of cooler climes – and we’ve found the perfect new additions for your wardrobe! These Barcombe Chelsea Boots in black from Jack Wills are super chic, and will literally go with all outfits. Team them with tights and this Jack Wills Chelwood Shirt Dress for a seriously cool autumn look…

Available here for $1,200 or at Jack Wills stores in Hong Kong – see all store locations here.

7. Bad case of wanderlust? We’ve found the perfect present for you. LUXE City Guides have teamed up with fabulous Shanghai Tang to create a limited edition Asia Grand Tour Box! This swanky looking box is decorated with a typically chic Shanghai Tang pattern, and includes eight LUXE City Guide books to some of our favourite Asian getaways. Ideal for that little weekend break you’ve been planning… 

Available from 19 September on the LUXE City Guides website here and the Shanghai Tang website here. Also available at Shanghai Tang’s flagship store; Shanghai Tang Mansion, 1 Duddell Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2525 7333.

8. Don’t let that back to work stress get to you! Make sure you take breaks, have a glass of wine waiting for you when you get home and don’t forget to grab a bottle of Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Massage & Body Oil. With stimulating ginger, detoxifying rosemary, soothing lavender and black pepper, this relaxing oil is just what you need after a tense day in the office. Not only will it help to relax aching muscles but it will also make your skin feel silky soft – the essential oils will make you smell lovely too. Inhale, exhale…

Available for $605 at Aromatherapy Associates Beauty Counter in Lane Crawford, IFC, Central, Hong Kong, 3711 3232, asia.aromatherapyassociates.com.

Top image sourced via Pinterest 

Hi, I’m Lauren and I was born and raised right here in Hong Kong. That being said, with a blonde-haired, blue-eyed mum from England and a Chinese-Australian father, I would definitely say that I grew up as a third culture kid! I love every part of this city and all its many contrasts; from the green of the country parks (and the scary monkeys…) to the shimmery lights of the skyline – it never gets old. I’ve always loved to travel and living here is such a privilege as we’re so close to so many incredible countries and different cultures. I’ve always got a bad case of wanderlust and I’m constantly on the look out for an adventure… here’s to my new adventure at Sassy!

Impossible to choose only a few things, but I’ve done my best! I love the energy of the city and how there is always something to do. Public transport is a dream – I love taking the tram and hearing the little ‘ding ding’, sailing across the harbour on the $2 Star Ferry and ‘dooting’ my Octopus on the super efficient MTR. I love going hiking in the hills five minutes from my flat, always being close to the sea, summer junk trips with friends, dim sum Sundays with the family and a couple of cocktails never go amiss (or a couple of free ‘champagnes’ on the Carnegies bar).