beauty
101
Award-winning
hair stylist and
make-up artist
Rennie Fensham
is well-known for
her passion and skills.
Her glamorous background spans 30
years of working in beauty, fashion
and TV, in South Africa, the US and,
for the last eight years, in Hong Kong.
Check out her salon, Hollywood Hair,
at 23/F, 1 Duddell Street, Central.
Upon
Arrival
Keep
your
cool
If you’ve recently moved to Hong Kong,
you might be asking yourself, “What is
going on with my hair and make-up?!”
You’ve surely noticed our legendary
humidity, which will likely hover near 100
per cent for the next few months and
only occasionally dip down into the 70s in
the winter. Between that and the
scorching summer heat that will be
arriving soon, when daily temperatures
can hit 35 degrees, your hair and make-
up are in for a wild ride and are likely
to behave differently – and typically
not in a good way! – from what you’re
accustomed to. It’s going to take some
changes to your routine to get things
under control again.
First, let’s talk about your skin and
make-up. That high humidity and heat
means the make-up and moisturisers
you’ve used before probably aren’t
going to suit you here. Many products
will just sweat and slide right off,
rendering themmuch less effective.
You’re probably going to need
lighter cleansers and moisturisers, and
you’re also going to need to exfoliate
frequently to remove build-up from
pollution and sweat, which can block
your pores and cause break-outs.
You’re definitely going to need
sun protection too, especially if you’re
planning to enjoy the city’s many
beaches and hikes. Find one that offers
the protection you need, but isn’t full of
heavy moisturisers that may irritate your
skin. Consider a sunscreen designed for
babies or sensitive skin, and then plan
to reapply it often.
Next, let’s talk about your hair.
(And you’ll be talking about it a lot
from now on – combatting frizzy hair is
a favourite topic among women here,
especially Westerners.)
Try to find an anti-frizz shampoo
and conditioner, as well as a frizz-fighting
styling product, for your hair type that
are effective and within your budget. If
you meet someone with great hair, ask
her who her stylist is (she’ll be flattered
and probably happy to share the scoop)
and schedule a consultation. Stylists here
understand the weather conditions and
might recommend different cuts, styles
and products than your stylist back home.
Finally, the only sure-fire way to fight
the humidity is with a keratin smoothing
treatment. The Brazilian Blowout and
several other similar treatments are
available here and your stylist can help
guide you.
Combat the heat and humidity like a long-termer by
carrying your own daily survival kit, including:
• Water, for drinking
• Facial spritzer, for looking dewy on your own terms
• Wet wipes, for dealing with sweat and messes
• Sunblock, for frequent reapplications
• Hair bands, for keeping your neck cool
• A pretty fan, for keeping cool in style
• An umbrella, for blocking the sun
22
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