Jeanette Aw's secret to looking fabulous

If there's something our stunning cover girl Jeanette Aw lacks, it' s downtime.

But you wouldn' t know that looking at the slender and luminous 36-year-old.

We caught up with the busy actress and got her to share her secrets to looking ever-youthful and fabulous despite her packed schedule.

Make exercise part of your life

"I have always been active, ever since I was a child. I did gymnastics in primary school, dance in secondary school and swimming in junior college.

"Exercise, for me, is a force of habit. "Despite my busy schedule - filming can sometimes start at 6.30am and end past 7.30pm -I still try to find time to work out at least every other day. I even managed to fit in a workout before this photo call!

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"Usually, I' ll head to my condominium gym after dinner and run or walk for 45 minutes on the treadmill, or skip - the latter is a great cardio workout. I even carry my skipping rope in my luggage, so that I can fit in a workout or two when I' m travelling.

"Switch up your workout "If I find that I' m not breaking a sweat despite pounding the treadmill or skipping for minutes on end, that' s when I know I have to switch things up. So, I sometimes do HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts to break out of the plateau and challenge my body."

Try something new

"I'm also game to try new workouts. In fact, I had to learn muay thai and pole dancing for previous acting projects and I really enjoyed them, despite the many bruises I sustained! Right now, I would love to try aerial yoga."

Swop soda for water

"I've never been a fan of soft drinks. Instead, I drink plenty of lukewarm water. Back in secondary school, my physical education teacher once chided us for downing isotonic drinks after our classes. She asked us: ' Why work out so hard, only to put all that sugar back into your body?'

"Her words have stuck with me ever since.

"Besides, I don' t believe in taking cold drinks after a workout.

"Your body is heated up during exercise, and drinking a glass of cold water will only shock it."

Don't deprive yourself

"I don' t count calories - that' s just too tiring. But I don't stuff myself silly either.

I just eat everything in moderation and indulge my cravings once in a while. I feel that when you crave something - whether it's chips or ice cream - it's your body's way of telling you that it lacks a certain nutrient.

"I generally avoid spicy food, especially since I have been attending vocal classes for my role in the current Beauty World musical and need to take care of my voice."

Establish an effective skincare routine

"When I first started out in the entertainment industry, I kept experiencing breakouts due to the long hours I had to keep and makeup I had to wear.

"As such, I feel it's really important to pay attention to your skin and find products that work for you.

"I feel really honoured to be named the new face of local skincare brand Bio-essence as its products are light, refreshing and easily absorbed - perfect for my sensitive skin.

"I' m really big on cleansing. It's something you should never forgo - to remove all the dirt and grime from your face after a long day.

"I make sure to always moisturise my face, then I use a lifting cream to improve the elasticity of my skin and lift my facial contours. I love Bio-essence' s Extra Strength Face Lifting Cream - my friends all tell me my face looks more V-shaped after using it."

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Less is more when it comes to makeup

"I usually apply only concealer and some loose powder while filming on set, as I prefer to let my skin breathe, unless I' m acting in a period drama and my character requires a lot of makeup.

"This practice started way back in 2003, when I played girl-next-door Mo Jingjing in the Channel 8 drama Holland V - hardly any makeup was needed for that role at all!

"I really appreciated how natural my skin looked and felt."

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Brows can make or break your look

"My go-to makeup artists Cindy Goh and Clarence Lee tell me that thicker eyebrows look better on me - thinner brows make me look fierce. I would love to try brow embroidery, but I simply haven't had the time!"

Pamper yourself

"I love facials and massages! Sadly, I don' t always have the time to enjoy them - I schedule a session probably once every few months. It's much-needed downtime for me."

Watch exclusive footage from Jeanette' s photo shoot in the digital edition of Simply Her. Go to https://goo.gl/a1abO2 to download your copy now.

This article first appeared in the Dec 2015 issue of Simply Her.

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