RAFAEL NADAL WINS RECORD 8TH FRENCH OPEN TITLE

LOOK, MA! TENNIS BALLS!
THANKS FOR INDULGING US, RAFA.

PH // GETTY IMAGES

The 2013 French Open finale was an anticlimax, really, after the 5-set semifinal nail biter in which Rafael Nadal had disposed of Novak Djokovic. Rafa against David Ferrer was predictably lopsided. Rafa is just the King of Clay. If there's one thing he knows, it's how to take the title on the surface he loves. Meanwhile, it was only Ferrer's first time at Grand Slam finale. Rafa's win makes it a record eighth at Roland Garros. Hurray, world order is as it should be, our beliefs hold strong, we're all satisfied, life goes on as usual.

One thing that kept me excited throughout the tournament, though, was the possibility that another superstar would emerge from the shadows of Roger Federer, Rafa, Nole and Andy Murray. I was rooting for either Gilles Simon or Jo Wilfried-Tsonga - both of whom would have at least enjoyed home court advantage over the formidable Rafa. But alas, it was fellow Spaniard Ferrer who made it all the way through. Though both are from the tennis system that makes clay specialists like McDonald's makes Big Macs, Ferrer hasn't been able to challenge Rafa's dominance on this surface. Or on any other surface, really! Prior to the start of the French Open, Rafa has defeated Ferrer thrice this season.

The older Ferrer (31) can at least take comfort in the fact that he still has thicker, healthier, better hair than Rafa (27). I was super shocked to see on the Saturday edition of the South China Morning Post that Rafa's once-lustrous locks are about to disappear. He may be unstoppable on clay but he can't stop male pattern baldness. No records required; that's just the way the hairline retreats.

Rafa, beat it before it beats you! Just chop it all off right now and own up to your new image as a DILF! You'll be in good company. Look at dear, old Tommy Haas (35), who scored a straight-sets victory against Nole three months ago in Miami and reached Roland Garros' quarterfinals this year!

PH // SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

BOX O' BOLLOX

MORNING

NOON

AND NIGHT

HYPERACTIVE HAIR

Unless you've got a treasure trove of wigs and the perfectly crazy events / excuses to wear them - let's face it - there's little leeway with guys' hair. We may convince ourselves that we can have different looks 'til we're blue in the face. But we pretty much look like our same, old selves, all the fucking time.

So I've resolved to work towards the next best thing. More hair. Just more hair. HIGH, HYPERACTIVE HAIR. More to play with, less likely to get bored quickly.

I have enlisted dear Robin's help, of course.

And I took home a bit more help in the form of evo's Box O' Bollox. It's exclusively available in Hong Kong at Paul Gerrard for HKD290.

Strong hold, matte finish. Just work a pea-sized bit in between your fingers and go mad on your hair. Even better, you don't need to commit to just one look throughout the day. You can easily re-style your hair any time at all you change your mind.

// GET HAIR-PERACTIVE! //

ROGER FEDERER AND THE CASE FOR (OR AGAINST) HAIRY MEN

HAIR QUESTION: 

LEAVE IT, GROOM IT, OR LOSE IT?

EXTREME MAKEOVER: ROGER FEDERER

BIG HAIR, ACNE,
BAD PHOTOGRAPHY  .

 BEFORE

BIG HAIR, PHOTOSHOP,
SNOBBISH PHOTOGRAPHY.

  

AFTER

FRINGE BENEFITS

Less than a month after our dear friend, Robin Lomas, reinvented us with a slicked-back gangsta do, he reinvents us once again. Robin got us to fringe out.

The occasion: the Grand Opening of Paul Gerrard's newest venture in a super-chic industrial building in Taikoo Shing.

We have to admit, we like the fringe - a.k.a. "bangs." The hair added a new dimension to our party experience. To add to the naturally uplifting effect of effervescent champagne, we felt like our face was getting tickled endlessly by all that feathery hair! Imagine that.

You like?

// GET HYPERACTIVE! //

HAIR-PERACTIVE EVO-LUTION AT PAUL GERRARD

BEFORE.

"YOU LOOK LIKE A FAT 12 YEAR OLD," CHRIS SAID.

AFTER.

WITH MY DEAR FRIEND AND LONG-TIME STYLIST AT PAUL GERRARD, ROBIN LOMAS.

THE EVO FAMILY OF PRODUCTS USED FOR OUR NEW LOOK:

GANGSTA GRIP TO GIVE SHAPE AND VOLUME
HELMUT (HELMET?) TO KEEP IT ALL IN PLACE, ALL NIGHT
LOVE TOUCH TO GIVE HAIR A BEAUTIFULLY FINISHED SHEEN.

WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK OUR NEW 'DO OUT FOR A WALK
AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE A BAJILLION SELFIES.

How appropriate that Evo's slogan is "Saving Ordinary Humans From Themselves." We badly needed saving. Fast. We were freefalling into the brackish cesspool of self-pity due to unfabulous hair. Our dear friend, superstar stylist Robin Lomas, was out of action for a while due to muscular discomfiture in his neck and arm. We naturally suffered with him.  

"My little moon-face," Chris calls us when our hair starts to grow out. "You look like a fat 12 year old!" It's true.

Panicked, we rang up Robin on Monday.

"Doll," we breathed, "are you well enough to cut hair, or should I submit myself to the hair butchers in Sheung Wan? I'm the MC at the 10th anniversary party of  Sense of Touch in Bisous tonight and I'm desperate for a fix!"

"Come at 3.30pm," Robin said, attempting to calm our growing hysteria. He doubtless sensed the escalating panic in our voice.

"All right," Robin sat us down as soon as we arrived at Paul Gerrard. "What shall we do with your hair today?"

"Don't know..." we replied. Our brain had shut down.

"What sort of event are you hosting? Where's it gonna be? Who's in the guest list?" Robin fired off.

"Society event," we answered dutifully, "spa lovers, the Tatler crowd."

"Smooth and sleek," Robin decided.

He expertly clipped the sides of our hair close to our head to give our face a longer, less moon-face look. He kept the length up top and just thinned it out so it's not bushy and out of control.

After my hair was washed and shampood, he applied a generous amount of a trio of Evo products. Gangsta Grip to create shape and volume, Helmut to hold everything place, and Love Touch to give my entire head an obscenely shiny finish. We felt very Hollywood.  

And so that's how we ended up with a serious "We mean biniz" gangsta 'do.

We've been saved.

GANGSTA.

JOSH

HYPERACTIVE



CRISEL



WE'RE THE MC

HYPERACTIVE & ASIAXPAT.COM'S PJ HAU

SHEENA SMITH, FRIEND, EMMA HAMMONDS, HYPERACTIVE, THUY DONG

BELVEDERE'S JANE DEE, HYPERACTIVE & MISCHA'S MICHELLE LAI

// HAIR FLIP. HAIR FLIP. //

PETER WATERFIELD AND THE CASE FOR HAIRY MEN, IN GENERAL.

HAIRY,
WHICH MAKES HIM LOOK LIKE ONE OF JESUS' 12 APOSTLES.

NOT HAIRY,
WHICH MAKES HIM LOOK LIKE BRUCE WILLIS' LITTLE BROTHER.

HAIR QUESTION:
LEAVE IT, GROOM IT, OR LOSE IT?
  

// LOOKS DON'T MATTER;
WHAT COUNTS MOST IS WHAT'S INSIDE, RIGHT? //