In March, I joined a group of intrepid journalists who ventured to Taipei, Taiwan’s capital city, to cover Beauty Expo Taipei 2025 – my first international trade show for Happi Magazine.

The four-day show attracted foot traffic of well over 16,000 visitors to the Taipei World Trade Center. The event, now in its 35th year, was made possible by elite German event venue Messe Frankfurt and its media partner, UDN.com, a subsidiary of the United Daily News Group.

Going in, the only given business-wise was capturing show highlights through candid photography, imaginative social media reels and captivating interviews. On a personal note, I knew I’d return with an altered perception on life – some magic, if you will, in some form.

Day One of the trade fair – a hot, but beautiful spring day – was welcomed with an arresting fan dance performed as part of the opening ceremony. The day followed informative presentations by Messe Frankfurt and their global BeautyWorld fairs, an APAC Beauty Industry Trend Forum and a showroom floor of 230 exhibitors who showcased everything from the latest biotech ingredients to beauty medical devices, to nail and eyelash solutions to exosome technology.

My personal “wow” moment came on Day Two of the fair, which included a trip to the Healtdeva Village in the rustic environs of Lizejian, Wujie, Yilan. The weather had changed drastically from a sunny oasis the day prior, to a cold, gloomy afternoon with grey skies poised for a silver-lining.

Inside Healtdeva, God of Health

We bussed over to Yilan County – an hour-long drive from Taipei City into the country. Stepping inside the Healtdeva Village, we were greeted by Wei-Bin Hsieh, chairman of the Taipei Cosmetics Industry Association and Shangdian Group and Healtdeva Corporation. Hsieh holds a doctoral degree from Nova Southeastern University and was introduced to the concepts of minimally invasive surgery, which enhance natural beauty.

The Healtdeva Research and Development Center was established in Delaware in 2007 and the Shangdian Company for which Hsieh is chairman, founded the Healtdeva medical beauty skincare brand the following year.

The Healtdeva Manor — touted a therapeutic biotechnology theme park for green farming and medical care spa — spans 20,000 square-meters. Healtdeva’s name implies “God of health;” the prefix stands for “health” and “deva” is the Indian word for god. The manor is Asia’s first biotechnology tourism park integrating wellness and longevity, medical aesthetics and ecological garden science.

Healtdeva focuses on researching natural plant extracts. It creates skincare products free of chemical additives by leveraging precise European and American technologies and conducting extensive experiments. Naturally, the brand formulates skin-friendly products that support the skin’s natural healing abilities.

Healtdeva introduced the first specialized medical beauty and skincare line designed for post-laser surgery and sensitive skin including the Soothing Series and Brightening Mask products.

In 2011, the brand expanded its presence by establishing the HD Aesthetic Spa and Kanghuo Clinic, integrating preventive medicine into the health and beauty industry. The brand has since formed partnerships with Ozalys, a French “pioneer” in cancer-related skincare, and SVR, one of France’s top five medical dermatological brands. The company also boasts a professional medical research team that provides OEM/ODM services for customized skincare solutions, delivering diverse and effective products to enhance beauty.

Healtdeva is available in pharmacies and in-store consultation service points across Taiwan. In 2013, Heatldeva was honored with Taiwan’s No. 1 Brand Award in the biotech and medical industry, signifying both domestic recognition for quality and international collaboration value.

The Healtdeva Village found its home in Yilan nearly a decade ago and the village was finished four years ago.

The facility aims to be a holistic healing destination integrating four core themes: Botanical Biotech Tourism, Body-Mind-Spirit Wellness, Therapeutic Agriculture and Medical Care Park.

Hsieh said the vision for the Healtdeva Village is to achieve rapid success within five years and maintain its influence for 10, potentially sparking a new tourism wave in Yilan.

An Enchanted Visit

The gentle sounds of piano music wafted through the air stepping onto the flower-lined, winding cobblestone walkway leading into a garden with colorful, lush botanicals that are used in the creation of high-quality skincare products that are manufactured in a cleanroom and sold on-site.

In an interview with Hsieh, he said he doesn’t think of himself as a businessman, but a humanitarian who cares about the well-being of others and enjoys seeing the effects of spreading positive energy. For him, Healtdeva makes products that make people feel great about their appearance, which in turn, reflects an inner happiness and radiates overall youthfulness.

The main draw of the Healtdeva Manor is its centerpiece, a whimsical, towering steel structure designed by an American inspired by “Jack and the Beanstalk.” The structure’s presence at Healtdeva – situated within a pond and emits gas for effect – aims to symbolize the same infectious magic of growth in the classic children’s tale, which visitors say they experience when visiting here.

Heatldeva has evolved from biotechnology to medical aesthetics, skincare and tourism, aspiring to offer comprehensive services, products and experiences that create a profound and beautiful journey for the mind, body and soul. During my visit to the manor, my visit was nothing short of personal alchemy. Besides strolling the quaint village to learn about botanicals, we took part in a series of fun, interactive activities. One of them involved an AI skin detection system where courageous users can ascertain their skin’s age and purchase recommended products based on their results. With the snap of a person’s face, the machine analyzes pore size, dark spots, wrinkles and dark circles to make an assessment in one minute’s time.

The next activity, which I found the most fascinating, was a lesson in personality. Closing my eyes and giving the large plastic sticks a good whirl, I pulled out the one labeled “tea tree.” Each personality is aligned with a cartoon character. The tea tree personality was something a translator described as someone who remains poised during ad hoc situations. The corresponding character was modestly clothed in a fashionable evergreen-colored dress and matching straw hat embellished with trees, which to me, are an emblem of delicacy and strength.

After touring the facility, manufacturing site and store, I sat down at the Hundred Flowers Kitchen for a cup of coffee, pondering my relation to the tea tree persona. I was served my coffee in a Healtdeva mug emblazoned with the “Jack and the Beanstalk” structure and noticed the intriguing slogan on it, which I felt spoke to me: “Travel far enough, you meet yourself!”

Before we boarded the bus, I was surprisingly tapped to talk about my experience to Taipei City’s Formosa Television network.

As the microphone was held up to me, my nerves settled and I detailed my “enchanted” time getting a firsthand look at the botanicals grown and the transformative effect of the skincare products I got to try on. I also touched on how the meaning of it all hit home upon seeing the “Made in Taiwan” label stamped on the boxes.

At the interview’s conclusion, I realized how my impromptu response, which I handled like the mighty tea tree, was a testament to my assigned personality. I left the Healtdeva Village with not only an understanding of the magic behind the products, but the one in myself.