Would you pay $14,000 a month to look good?

Would you pay $14,000 a month to look good?

The big spender
Her beauty regimen costs up to $14,000 per month
Jamie Chua, 41, entrepreneur

Jamie Chua looks gorgeous for a mother of two teenagers, aged 17 and 20.

Well, her beauty regimen, which includes weekly massages, facials, and hair and slimming treatments, does cost $14,000 a month, after all. While her 218,000 Instagram followers lap up her daily OOTDs and snaps of her luxurious Hermes bag collection (she has more than 200), she tells us that she definitely puts more effort into her skincare and beauty routine than she does her fashion one.

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This entrepreneur started her own beauty line, Luminous1 by Jamie Chua (www.luminous-1.com), in April this year.

See also: Beauty secrets of socialite Jamie Chua

"I love to eat, but I need to maintain my figure, so I go to Cambridge Therapeutics twice a week for the Cryosculpt Body Shaping treatment, which freezes and eliminates fat - a single session costs about $1,100. I also go to Cambridge Therapeutics every week for the Genosys Hair Growth Therapy ($250 for 30min), which is a deep-cleansing scalp treatment."

"When I have to attend special events, I ask Cecilia Chng, who has been my makeup artist for almost 10 years, to come to my home to do eyebrow embroidery ($980) and makeup ($170 per session). I want to look good - it boosts my self-confidence. Besides, I think it's polite to look good when you go and meet people."

"To pamper myself, I head to Kim Robinson for a wash-and-blow ($68) as well as a Restructure Treatment ($318 for 60min) once a week - I don't have the time to go to the salon every day anymore. If I have to attend an event, I'll get my stylist Miki Gao to style my hair ($126) for me."

"Every two weeks, I go for facials at Dream Plastic Surgery. My favourite is the KKUM Facial Treatment ($588 for 60min), a facial that uses Korean techniques and leaves my skin clean, hydrated and radiant."

"My manicurist Priscilla Ng, whose services I've been using for 10 years, comes to my home to do a mani-pedi ($150) for me. She used to come over weekly, but after I switched to gelish manicures, which last longer, she comes over every nine days."

"My daily skincare routine is quite basic: I use a cleanser - I swear by Eve Lom Cleanser; it's amazing! - a serum, an eye cream, a day cream and a night cream. If I'm wearing makeup, I also use an eye makeup remover from Chanel."

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"Every Sunday, without fail, I'll go for the LS Ultimate Rejuvenating Massage ($220 for 60min), which is a full-body massage, at LS Philosophy. I've been going for it ever since the spa opened in 2008."

"I use facial masks twice a day - I use a brightening one when I wake up and a collagen one before bed. I'm using those from my own brand, Luminous1 by Jamie Chua. I've tried other brands such as SK-II and even South Korean brands, but I couldn't find an ideal one, so I decided to make my own."

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The shopaholic
She spends around $3,000 per month
Cynthia Cheang, 41, freelance yoga instructor

This mother of three's favourite pastime? Shopping, of course. She describes the experience as being "like a little girl lost in candyland", and counts premium skincare from La Prairie and natural skincare from Jurlique among her favourite purchases. Add to that her weekly manicures and monthly massages, and she forks out about $3,000 a month on skincare and beauty services. While Cynthia may love her high-end products, she also counts Vaseline as one of her must-haves.

"I love getting my nails done, but doing certain yoga poses can ruin a good manicure or pedicure. Even then, I still go for regular mani-pedis because as a yoga instructor, my feet are always exposed! I go for a manicure and pedicure at Kim Robinson ($36 for a manicure, $53 for a pedicure) or Hands + Feet Studio ($62 for a mani-pedi) at least twice a month."

"The La Prairie facial cabin at Seviin at Tangs Orchard is open only two weeks every month, as the cabin is shared with another brand. So when it's open, I'll be there twice or thrice a week. I love the Caviar Firming Facial ($260 for 90min), which is mild and not abrasive at all."

"I use La Prairie Cellular Serum Platinum Rare ($1,140), Cellular Cream Platinum Rare ($1,140) and Cellular Eye Essence Platinum Rare ($570). I also use two products from the brand's Caviar range: Skin Caviar Liquid Lift ($760) and Skin Caviar Luxe Cream ($680), which have creamy yet light textures and a mild fl oral scent that I like. Each product is good for about two months' use, so I restock about six times a year."

"I take care of my nails by going for a Bastien's Duo nail treatment ($285 for 75min) at the Pedi:Mani:Cure Studio by Bastien Gonzalez (which is located within Remede Spa in The St Regis Singapore) once every two months."

"I couldn't fi nd a hairstylist I liked for the longest time, so when I found James at Kim Robinson, I became a loyal customer. I completely adore him! I go to him every month for a haircut ($198) or a trim, and visit the salon twice or thrice a year for a colour ($341) and a perm that reconditions hair ($805)."

"Once or twice a month, I'll head to Como Shambhala to do some yoga training or pamper myself with the Deep Tissue Massage ($200 for 90min), which releases tension and reportedly drains the body of toxins. At home, I also use products from the spa's house brand, such as its Invigorate Body Lotion and Invigorate Bath Salts."

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The budget queen
She spends around $100 per month
Jolene Koh, 27, executive financial consultant

This savvy lady not only refrains from splurging on beauty services and products, she also makes her own skincare with ingredients from her kitchen. Plus, she gets her mum (who used to be a beautician) to give her free facials. Thanks to her no-frills beauty routine, she spends just $100 a month on her indulgences, which alternate between haircuts at Next Hair Salon (which she gets only twice a year), artisan fragrances and Aesop products.

"I love Aesop! I use the brand's Geranium Leaf Body Scrub ($51), body balms ($49 each) and Reverence Aromatique Hand Balm ($37). I don't mind splurging on Aesop products and artisan scents because they smell amazing - the scents comfort me at the end of a long day."

"I'm in the sales industry, so it's important that I look good. I've been going to Next Hair Salon for years to get my hair cut twice a year. Though I would cut my own hair if I knew how to, I think it's a good investment, as a hairstyle can change your entire appearance."

"I keep my makeup super simple - I use a BB cream from La Roche-Posay, a brow pencil, an eyeliner and a good blusher. I can't make things like BB creams and blushers, so I have to buy them."

"Gelish manicures are expensive, so I bought my own gelish machine two years ago, which cost me around $200. I've been doing my own gelish manicures ever since."

"I used to succumb to skincare with pretty packaging, but I ended up not using them. Now, I make my own facial masks, and face and body scrubs at home. I take leftover vanilla beans (from baking) and mix them with sugar and almond oil to make a facial scrub. A mixture of honey and Greek yogurt also makes a great mask for dull skin. I even have a facial steamer at home, thanks to my mother, and I use it when I do a DIY facial."

See also: My mother, the beauty guru

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