Confidence and energy exude from Matteo Chung, and that is what he wants those who use the products of Cary, the skin-care brand he created for males, to feel.
"It is important for men to recognize that taking care of their skin is not a sign of weakness or femininity but a part of self-care and self-respect," Chung exhorts.
His confidence emanates from the many fields he's dabbled in before Cary: interior designing, property management, running a gym and working at factories in China.
"I've never been one for the easy path. Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to push myself, to see how far down the path toward self-actualization I can go," Chung said.
Born in Hong Kong and spending his formative years here, he was educated in the United Kingdom. That exposure to East and West has instilled in him a deep aversion toward conforming to rules or stereotypes.
While he self-identifies as a "perfectionist," Chung relishes the "constant challenges" everyday life presents - using them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
This mindset, coupled with his diverse experiences, served as the inspiration for Cary.
"It was probably when I passed puberty and started taking care of my skin because that is the age when we started to care that we look right that I experimented with a lot of different products."
"I was also very overwhelmed with the choices of products at one point, there was just a lot going on," he said, describing his feelings as he entered a department store in search of skin-care products,
"You just feel like you're walking between a million choices, but there's nothing particular for men. Or when you look at a men's product, you always feel like it's a women's product repackaged as a men's product."
East and West part for him where stereotypes are concerned.
"Male influencers can have millions of followers of both sexes watching their makeup tips and secrets. While most men don't apply blusher, foundation, mascara and lipstick, it does underline the point that in the West they are much freer to be who they want to be and the era of the alpha male seems to have taken a back seat. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for many Asian countries."
Chung launched Cary in May. The brand's positioning, he said, is "bring males a simple yet effective skin-care experience."
Named after one of Hollywood's epitomes of gentility, Cary Grant, the brand hopes to project a "gentlemen-like image."
Its design is deliberately minimalistic, featuring just two colors: orange and white.
"We chose orange to begin with as inspired by the tan and healthy vacation glow," said Chung, "because we believe vacations have always been when people feel at their best and we wanted to create a vibe like when one's well rested after a vacation."
The product line is also aligned with its overall aesthetic.
"We've only done two colors for our cream, a light and a tan. The light basically will just lighten your under-eye area, and then the tan will actually kind of cover the dark circle."
Clean and clear, simple and approachable is what Chung and his brand strive to embody.
One might assume that Chung spends an inordinate amount of time on his own grooming routine. However, what is interesting is that it is not his priority.
He uses serum, face cream and eye cream generally, but "apart from that, I think it is mostly dieting and sleeping early. I go to bed at 10," he smiled.
That is why he prefers to focus on effective and easy methods to achieve flawless skin.
"I think everyone just wants to look alert, fresh, you don't want to go out there and you're just like, hey, I look tired, right?"
Describing his vision, Chung said: "I'm not trying to create anything trendy - I'd rather create a brand that is quite trustworthy and something that people can rely on."
Chung said he'd rather create something that resonates with people. "We are here to create a collective experience."
He added: "I hope the idea of taking care of oneself is something that can be incorporated in my customers' daily routine and something that becomes essential item.
"I fundamentally believe that if you feel good about the way you look, it has a positive impact on your outlook on life. It is okay to be more confident in who you are."
