Wondering what the self-care hack is for social darlings who always look flawless?
Well, it seems you should ditch the early morning shot of coffee for a healthier H2O alternative.
“Lemon water or green tea first thing,” says actress Makoma Mohale, who has the most velvety complexion.
“Start the day with ACV [apple cider vinegar] water with turmeric — and don’t forget your serums and sunscreen, even in winter,” says Marika Opperman, who — along with besties Jo Judnick-Wilson and Sherinne Winderley — is among Joburg’s most glammy mummies.
Looking good was the hot topic on Thursday evening when the social set turned up in style for the unveiling of not one but three revamped destinations for beauty and grooming at Hyde Park Corner, that shopping centre in the leafy Joburg suburb.
The Sorbet stores, which recently underwent a nip and a tuck, are all owned by dynamic sports marketing pioneer Felicia Ntisa, who tells me that her foray in the beauty biz was sparked by the ladies who regularly buffed her nails and encouraged her to open her own spot.
Initially, the franchise group didn’t have any properties available, until a small concession in Hyde Park was found, with Mam’Felicia opening her Sorbet Nail bar there in 2011. It proved to be an instant success (more staff had to be hired after less than a month to keep up with demand), and she followed up by opening a Sorbet Man store in 2018, and most recently a Sorbet Salon, also in the mall.
And it seems the woman doesn’t do anything by half-measures — opting to renovate all three shops at the same time.
Not surprisingly, this was no run-of-the-mill store relaunch.
Festivities kicked off at the spiffy Zebra Square Automobile Gallery, where guests — including model Ponahalo Mojapelo, PR guy about town Thulane Hadebe and Tiktoker Ryan Smith — enjoyed glasses of bubbly and canapés.
We heard from Sorbet Group CEO Linda Sinclair, who described the night as “a celebration of an incredible woman and an incredible community here in Hyde Park”. When it was Mam’Felicia’s turn to address us, she beckoned her family to join her on stage. “I am grateful to them for the sacrifice because I’m emotionally, physically and, most importantly, financially exhausted because of the renovations,” she tells us (we all chortle at the last bit).
During her speech, Mam’Felicia pointed out that “we always want to elevate things in Hyde Park”, emphasising that the heart of their offering is their “total guest experience”.
The proof of the pudding, though, is in the tasting, and so next a bit of pampering.
The ladies head up one floor to the beauty bar for hand, neck and foot massages, while us blokes are treated to the full Sorbet Man experience — savouring whisky cocktails as waiters offer canapés and chocolate eclairs.
At the grooming parlour, I caught up with TV host Kat Sinivasan, who through his “Clean Club” project had invited buddies — including style influencer Gemaén Taylor (fresh from a whirlwind four-day trip to Berlin, where he was hosted by a European fragrance brand) and actor Zamani Mbatha — to enjoy the manicures and trims.
A potted history: The Sorbet Group, said to be the largest chain of beauty parlours in the land, was started by serial entrepreneur Ian Fuhr back in August 2005. The business, which operates as a franchise model, has proven so lucrative that business titan Brian Joffe’s investment company snapped it up for a cool R116m in 2017.
Ian, though, hasn’t only had a keen eye for retail, but a good ear for music.
In the early 1980s, he started a record label with Letta Mbulu and her husband Caiphus Semenya, with Hugh Masekela one of their first signings.
The music legend with the soulful voice, who will turn 83 later this month, was the guest of honour at an intimate gathering hosted by Standard Bank earlier on Thursday afternoon.
The luncheon with Mbuli took place at QLounge by Quoin Rock in Rosebank. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it, but I do hope that one day I will be able to be in the presence of the lady whose songs There’s Music in the Air and Not Yet Uhuru continue to captivate music lovers today.
However, those who were there included musical luminaries Judith Sephuma and Brenda Mtambo.
What was on the menu at the restaurant and sushi bar, which showcases wines from the Stellenbosch winery?
Guests enjoyed a first course of grilled deboned chicken thighs with corn custard and pickled jalapeños; an option of either sirloin or poached sea bass as a main; followed by a chocolate and coffee cardamom ganache for dessert.
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