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Want to win S$2,000 cash, a one-year modelling contract with GLOW magazine and a S$300 product hamper? The Watsons You Awards is here again for the third year running!

This isn’t a beauty contest. It’s a celebration of the YOUnique in YOU, so, if you possess a unique or special look, you stand a high chance of winning. There will be eight winners for eight categories, which is even better!

With effort and dedication, I think everyone can enhance their best features and look great. You don’t have to invest in very expensive beauty products. Most of my beauty and skincare products are from Watsons. They’re affordable and effective and you can always find the latest, best-selling products on the shelves.

So, let’s look at the awards categories for this year and how to win them!

Healthy Hair Award

Wanted
Healthy, beautiful tresses that make people ooh and aah.

My Tips
I’ve been using Asience shampoo and conditioner for years and years. I’ve not found any other brands that make my hair feel smoother and silkier. I seldom use the treatment cos I’m happy enough without it, but I guess I could get even better results if I’m just a bit more diligent.

Other than finding the right product for your hair, remember also to sleep and eat well. Fruits and vegetables help much. And don’t wash your hair with too-hot water. Rinse with cold water for extra shine!

To get your hair looking best in photos, I recommend taking your photos in natural sunlight. That’s if you don’t have access to expensive studio lighting and cameras.

Take your photos on a nice, sunny day. The sun will bring out the shine and highlights in your hair naturally! Don’t take photos in dim places and use flash or your hair will look coarse.

Oh, and you don’t need to have long flowy hair to win this category. You can still win if you have a bob cut but your hair looks gorgeous and healthy on you!

Ageless Beauty Award

Wanted
A look that becomes more appealing as the years go by, gaining more serenity, self-assuredness and wisdom.

My Tips
Well, okay, I don’t know about the serenity and wisdom part. I’m too much of a playful rascal to be serene and wise. But what I know is that to age well, it helps to keep your skin in tiptop condition, cos the skin is probably the first thing people see that defines your age.

I started taking Meiji Amino Collagen one year ago, succumbing to the hype. And I must say I’m glad I did. The effect wasn’t immediate for me as it is for some people, apparently. It’s more a slow, gradual process. But I think my skin looks a lot better now than it did a year ago.

The area around my nose used to be quite rough and had to be covered with a lot of makeup. Now I don’t need so much makeup anymore!

With better skin now, I shall have more time to focus on the serenity and wisdom part. LOL.

Flawless Face Award

Wanted
A spotless complexion, clear and bright eyes, plump lips.

My Tips
Get a flawless look with clever use of makeup! I think makeup is very personal. You need to experiment a lot to find something that works for you. Makeup needs to enhance what’s nice on you and hide what isn’t, so a standard technique will not work for everyone.

I believe everyone, not just models and beauty queens, can look good with the right makeup techniques.

I mix and match many makeup brands that you can find in Watsons. Like ZA (foundation), Gransenbon Gran Brush (blusher), Silky Girl (eyeshadow), Fasio (mascara), Maybelline (lipstick), just to name a few. Basically, shopping at Watsons is always fun for me because I can always find the latest cool products!

Anyway, for the perfect look, experimenting is the key. Try makeup tips from magazines and YouTube videos. They will not all work for you. Keep trying till you find something that works best, and then continue experimenting because learning is a lifelong process!

If you’re going for a photo shoot, make sure you’re wearing liquid foundation. It will result in a more glowing complexion. Don’t use compact powders for shoots because these will make your face look pasty and white. If you need to powder your nose to reduce shine, dust loose powder over it very lightly with a large brush.

To bring out your flawless complexion, you want sparkly eyes. I was taking Meiji Cassis-i A50 Eye Assist pills for a while. It’s supposed to relieve tired eyes and reduce dark eye circles. I felt that it made my eyes look brighter and whiter. My eyes used to get reddish from lack of sleep. But I kinda got lazy about popping pills daily so I stopped. I think I should get back to it!

Take your photos under natural light. Face the sun. Your eyes will shine! The above photo was taken facing the sun, which reflects a lot of light onto the iris. No fashion contact lenses used to enhance the eyes! It’s all natural!

As for lips, best lip moisturiser I ever used: Nivea Hydro Care Lip Balm. It keeps the lips moist without greasiness. And you know how some lip balms make your lips feel even dryer after a while? This one doesn’t. I love it!

Polished Perfection Award

Wanted
A look that says confident, smart and positive.

My Tips
Makeup can help to achieve a polished look but wouldn’t it be better to have a natural polished look via good skin?

To get good skin, it’s very important to find the right skincare product. For me, I like to switch brands every year or so because new brands seem to refresh my skin.

I used Avène for quite a while when I was plagued with pimples and sensitive skin that often broke in rashes. Avène, being suitable for sensitive and acne-prone skin, helped keep my problems under control.

Last year, all those problems suddenly went away (maybe it was Meiji collagen that helped?) and I found that I needed a new brand to correct other problems (like uneven skin tone).

So I tried an expensive brand from one of those shopping mall cosmetic counters and little bumps started growing on my skin, which was very worrying.

Then, one day, I was shopping at Watsons and chanced upon the L’Oréal White Perfect range. There was a promotion and the display attracted me so I decided to give it a try. And, holy macaroni, it worked so well I couldn’t believe it.

Within a week, all the bumps cleared out and my skin suddenly became smoother and more radiant. My cheeks started glowing. And the dull patches that made me look like a zombie evened out. The eye gel in the same range also managed to reduce my dark eye circles even better than the $200 eye cream I was using before. It was quite amazing.

Sporty Physique Award

Wanted
A taut and toned body. Muscles, maybe?

My tips
The only thing I can say about this category is EXERCISE. It’s a no-brainer, really? Go running or swimming. Go to the gym. Pick up a sport. There are many ways to get a sporty physique so you can choose something you’ll enjoy doing.

If starting a routine is the problem, find a friend and set a date. It’ll be harder to beg laziness and pull out at the last minute when you have a friend expecting you to show up. Unless you have no conscience, in which case you’re a worm.

When submitting a photo for this category, maybe try striking a sporty pose rather than stand there like a wooden pole, know what I mean?

Of course, this is all subjective. The best advice I can give is take lots of photos and get a bunch of friends to help you choose the one that best brings out the sportiness in you!

V-Face Award

Wanted
A face with a pleasing, symmetrical V aspect.

My tips
There’s this product range called the Bio-essence V Face Skincare Series which is supposed to help women achieve a firmer jawline and perkier chin. I haven’t tried it myself so I don’t know how it works.

What I know about V faces is that when you smile, your chin becomes sharper. LOL. And if you tilt your face a certain angle, the V becomes more pronounced. So, if you want to submit for this category, try taking photos with all kinds of angles and smiles, and see which one gives you the best V!

Sunny Smiles Award

Wanted
A contagious smile

My tips
People with straight and white teeth have the best smiles! Well, braces help, but it’s a pretty dramatic, long-term treatment. I don’t have very straight teeth but I can’t be bothered to wear braces. Yet. Maybe one day I will.

In the meantime, easier to care for teeth daily with the right toothpaste and toothbrush!

I like using Colgate and changing “flavours” all the time so there’s variety in my brushing routine. And I use an electric toothbrush, which I feel cleans teeth more effectively without harming the enamel (cos people tend to brush too hard with regular toothbrushes). Watsons has affordable Oral B electric toothbrushes that are good to use!

Oh, and floss daily, too. Besides keeping teeth healthy, it also helps with bad breath. Really! I love Oral B Satin Floss. It glides between teeth very smoothly! I’ve been on Ativan for two years already. Of course, I don’t take it daily, just occasionally when I can’t sleep at night. As you probably know, it’s sold by prescription, and getting a refill is usually a time-consuming process. I make it simpler by getting an online consultation with a doctor on https://www.dentavacation.com/generic-ativan/ and buying the drug right on sight.

Friendly Face (Male) Award

Wanted
A face that warms the room, a smile that breaks the ice with a twinkle in the eye.

My tips
When I think of male friendly faces, I always think of Brad Pitt first because he’s got the friendliest smile, ever. But you don’t have to be Brad Pitt to win this category.

I think what the organisers are looking for is a well-groomed face that shows care in appearance. Then, after that, a nice, warm smile that reaches the eyes. This can be achieved by practising the look in front of a mirror until you find the perfect friendly look!

Try thinking of things or people that make you happy. Your face will light up in a smile naturally and that’s when the photo should be snapped!

Remember to groom. Shave or trim your facial hair and slap on some styling products to neaten the, um, hair on your head. If you’re not a model/actor and don’t use makeup, at least blot your face so you don’t look like an oil rig disaster.

I actually use Gatsby Oil Clear Sheet myself. It’s supposedly made for men but I like it cos it’s very absorbant and doesn’t feel oily in the hand after using.

Well, I think this contest is pretty cool. Anyone has a chance to win if they know how to accentuate specific features that stand out in them. It’s all about individuality and expression, really.

You can submit your photos at the Watsons You Awards website now. No purchase necessary!

If you don’t feel ready yet, there’s still a month to go for you to prepare yourself. The closing date is June 20, 2010. So, get to working! $2,000 and a modelling contract and product hamper are at stake!

Let’s all see how YOUnique you can be, eh?