Cover Yuki Wong is the Hong Kong beautician behind Weirdo Beauty and Odriem (Photo: courtesy of Yuki Wong)
Yuki Wong is the Hong Kong beautician behind Weirdo Beauty and Odriem (Photo: courtesy of Yuki Wong)
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The founder of Odriem and Weirdo Beauty tells Tatler why she started her self-care brands and why ‘weird’ can be a good thing
Hong Kong beautician Yuki Wong founded Weirdo Beauty, a skincare clinic that specialises in creating targeted solutions for problem skin, in 2018. Three years later, she launched Odriem, a skincare line that uses plant-based and cruelty-free ingredients in its formulas to treat blemishes as well as soothe and hydrate irritated skin. We speak to Wong about the origins of her brands and the philosophies behind them.
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Why did you start Weirdo Beauty and Odriem?
Having worked with more than 5,000 cases [of various skin ailments] over the past few years [as a beautician], I found that most people aren’t thoroughly educated with accurate skincare concepts—they’ll choose inappropriate products and ingredients that fail to improve their skin concerns.
I’m interested in this field because of my own personal pursuit of beauty. I tried different styles of semi-permanent make-up when I was a student, but the results weren’t satisfactory, so that’s what triggered my curiosity to learn more. I got my microblading eyebrows certification and started a microblading studio in 2018—that’s how I entered the beauty field.
While I was doing that, I began to question why beauty salons couldn’t also maximise [skincare] treatments using beauty equipment, which led me to research the structure of skin and start my own clinic. I’m currently furthering my studies of Chinese medicine, as I want to apply the best practices of both Chinese and western medicine and beauty therapy at my clinic.
That’s also why I came up with the idea of developing Odriem, with the mantra “effective skincare starts here”. I want to help those with different skin types and concerns achieve a glowing, blemish-free complexion through treatments [formulated to target those issues].
Above The beautician-turned-entrepreneur wants to promote skincare education on social media (Photo: courtesy of Yuki Wong)
The beautician-turned-entrepreneur wants to promote skincare education on social media (Photo: courtesy of Yuki Wong)
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What do you hope to achieve with your brands?
I believe it is our duty to ensure each customer truly understands their skin. We also realise how important it is to understand clients’ lifestyles and habits, since these impact skin health. Every client is unique—people pursue beauty for their own pleasure, not anyone else’s, and our name, Weirdo Beauty, reflects this individual journey.
I want to revolutionise the industry’s traditional sales-focused approach and replace it with targeted and integrated skin treatments. I do not believe in “the best products”, and there is definitely no “one size fits all” [solution] when it comes to skincare—we always encourage customers to understand their own skin conditions, so it’s important for us to promote skincare education on social media.
Each formula in the Odriem range is developed to [help the user] maintain a healthy skin barrier and in a way that potential customers are able to figure out which products and ingredients are most suitable for their own skin types.
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What is behind the decision to go plant-based and cruelty-free in Odriem products?
I think that animal testing and animal-derived ingredients are unnecessary, as there are plenty of plant extract alternatives. Plant-based ingredients can contain higher nutritional value for skin, so customers are not only choosing cruelty-free and vegan products [that are beneficial for their skin], they are also helping animals.
What’s next for you and your businesses?
This year, Weirdo Beauty is opening a 4,000 sq ft flagship salon at Sino Plaza—a serene haven in the buzzing district of Causeway Bay. Later in the year, we’ll be launching a line of Odriem products that offer effective skincare solutions for oily and acne-prone skin.
What is your must-have product, and why?
I believe cleansing is an essential part of one’s skincare routine. However, excessive cleansing might damage the skin barrier, while under-cleansing can cause clogged pores.
Our Star Aura Cleansing Balm is purifying yet super gentle, with a buttery texture that feels good and guards the skin barrier. This cleansing balm is my favourite product from the range.
Amalissa Hall was the style writer at Tatler Hong Kong. Primarily focused on writing digital articles, she covers news, tracks trends and interviews experts from the fashion, beauty and wellness industries, as well as entertainment spheres. Interview highlights include Formula One driver Alex Albon, award-winning costume designer Jany Temime and prolific make-up artist Lisa Eldridge.
She has also produced print stories featuring make-up artists, perfumiers and other upcoming figures discussing Asian representation on social media, sharing industry insight and trends as well as explaining new approaches to wellness in Hong Kong.
