Bordeaux beauty at Caudalie’s boutique spa on Gough Street

Summers spent sipping wine at a vineyard in Bordeaux obviously did the trick for Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas. The founders of leading French beauty brand, Caudalie, took inspiration from their surroundings to create gorgeous and effective products that have gained a bit of a cult following in the beauty world. Inspired by the vineyard, Caudalie’s products use the overwhelming effective anti-ageing properties of grapes (that are significantly more effective than vitamin E). Hey… we’re all about erasing those wrinkles!

That’s why Sassy HQ was super excited to hear that Caudalie had opened their first boutique flagship store in Asia, right here in HK. Set on the trendy Gough Street, the new Spa boutique is based on their famous Vinothérapie®Spa in Europe, and oozes French elegance. The entrance even has a wine-cellar look to it, with an arch made out of imported French stone… ooh la la.

As soon as you enter the store, you feel like you’ve stepped into a sleek, French boutique. The attention to detail with the décor and the relaxed but polished ambience is très chic – despite the space being relatively small. With clearly defined sections for each range of products around the store, it’s not only welcoming, but also customer-friendly.

Making your way to the back of the store, you enter a small area with big, comfy chairs… the perfect little spot to grab one of their ‘express’ manicures (at only $150, steal!). Before my facial I was treated to a cup of Caudalie’s very own detox tea, which was pleasantly aromatic and not too sweet, the perfect start to a chill out session! I was set to try out Caudalie’s new ‘Vinotherapie Facial’ which promised more radiant-looking skin, and I was keen to see if it would work!

I headed upstairs to their two therapy rooms in anticipation for my facial. The rooms are spacious and light for Hong Kong standards; the only issue is that the ceilings are really low, so unless you are hobbit-sized – mind your head! Otherwise, the rooms are relaxing and warm, with soft golden tones, flowers and a divine essential oil smell wafting from the Caudalie candles. My therapist left me to change and I was happy to lie down on the luxuriously comfortable bed.

The facial started off with a gentle neck and head massage, and then various Caudalie products from the Vinoperfect collection were applied to my skin. Each product felt cooling and cleansing – a nice refreshment after being outside in the muggy Hong Kong weather!

The next part of the facial was a little cringe-worthy… the extraction! I winced a as my therapist squeezed at parts of my face, but I felt like I did need it! Once that was done, I felt a lot more relaxed (and relieved!), and she began to use hot and cold stones on my face. I actually loved this unique part of the facial, the stones felt so smooth and were great for a massage! I actually almost drifted off to sleep it felt so relaxing…

At the end of the facial I felt chilled out and as though my skin had been thoroughly cleaned. However, I did feel like my face was quite shiny (and a little pink!), so I was keen to get home straight away. I started to see the real benefits of the facial a couple of days after… my skin no longer had that oily sheen to it that I felt immediately after. Instead it felt clear and smooth, and I definitely felt like it was brighter as well. I continued to use their Vinoperfect radiance serum in the following days, and it’s one of the only products I’ve felt actually works. Not only does it brighten the skin, evening my complexion, but also the consistency and smell of the product are divine.

Overall, I would definitely go back to Caudalie’s Spa on Gough Street! Not only did I see actual results from my facial, but I also really enjoyed the boutique experience. It feels like you’re stepping into a different world… a little oasis of calm in the hubbub of Hong Kong. I was also surprised at how reasonably priced some of the treatments were, and I was impressed by their ‘speedy’ services for busy ladies on the go. Definitely the perfect place to stop off for a rapid beauty boost… in style!

The Vinoperfect Radiance Facial is $780 for 50 minutes. Other facials range from $380-$1,250 at the Spa.

Caudalie  3 Gough Street, Central, Hong Kong
2319 1006  www.facebook.com/…