Get hair like Rui En’s
The award-winning local actress-singapore tells Carina Koh the secrets to her soft, silky locks.
What’s your haircare routine like?
“Apart from the usual shampoo and conditioner – I use L’Oreal Paris Total Repair 5 Repairing Shampoo and Repairing Conditioner – I use a leave-in treatment with heat-protecting benefits daily.
I also indulge in a hair mask once every three days to repair damage caused by the heat styling that my hair is subjected to on production sets every day – my favourite is L’Oreal Paris Total Repair 5 Deep Repairing Mask, which makes my hair shinier and more resistant to breakage. These products have made my hair a lot smoother.”
Do you have any must-have hair products?
“Hair masks, leave-in treatments and shampoos that leave my hair feeling clean but not stripped of moisture.”
What’s the best advice you’ve received from a hairstylist?
“Go for regular hair-steaming treatments – they supposedly leave hair stronger, softer and more hydrated.”
What Rui En has been up to lately
This two-time Best Actress winner – well deserved, we say – at the Star Awards (a local awards ceremony that recognises outstanding talents in Mandarin television) has a lot to rejoice about this year.
She’s not only fronting skincare and makeup campaigns for L’Oreal Paris – for the third consecutive year – but is also the new face for the brand’s Total Repair 5 range (other celebrities who have fronted L’Oreal Paris campaigns include Li Bingbing, Aishwarya, Rai Bachchan and Lea Michele).
Catch the 34-year-old actress in two upcoming television shows: The Worlds of Georgette Chen, a three-part docudrama in which she plays local pioneer artist Georgette Chen, and The Journey: Our Homeland (airs in July on Channel 8), in which she plays a bubbly nurse with a flair for Chinese opera.
Source: Her World Singapore
Categorised in EN, Her World, L’Oréal Paris, Star Awards, Star Awards 2015, The Journey: Our Homeland, The Worlds Of Georgette Chen.
Star Awards 2015
(Pic Credits: Lianhe Wanbao)
Awww~ @iampierrepng & #Ruien at the Instastop! Do u remember what drama they coupled in before? #2015starawards #mystorysg #tapmeBe sure to catch the repeat telecast if you've missed Star Awards 2015!10th May 2015, Sunday, Channel 81 – 2.30pm: Red Carpet Walk of Fame2.30 – 5.30pm: Star Awards Show 25.30 – 6.30pm: Post-Show Party
Posted by Channel 8 on Sunday, 26 April 2015
Star Awards 2015 – Best Dressed
|
Her World |
|
|
styleXstyle |
|
|
The New Paper |
The Worlds of Georgette Chen
|
Channel 8 News |
ç‘žæ©è‡ªæ¯”å…ˆé©±ç”»å®¶å¼ è”英 æˆ‘è¡Œæˆ‘ç´ ä¸€æ ·ä¸çˆ±ç¬‘ |
|
Channel NewsAsia |
Rui En steps into the shoes of iconic artist Georgette Chen in new docudrama |
|
TODAY |
|
|
The Straits Times |
|
|
Zaobao |
Categorised in 8 DAYS, CH, channelnewsasia.com, EN, Her World, I-Weekly, Shin Min, Star Awards, Star Awards 2015, The New Paper, The Straits Times, The Worlds Of Georgette Chen, TODAY, Toggle SG, Wanbao, Zaobao.
By Cheng Jee Yan
The Star Awards 2015 red carpet was spectacularly aglow with showstopping outfits! See who made it to our best dressed list this year
Star Awards, the annual celebration of the year’s best on TV took place last night and we are still reeling from an amazing night of beautiful dresses. Our local stars know that this is the perfect opportunity for them to dress to impress and boy, they did it.
Rui En
After the dramatic ‘blackface’ incident at Star Awards part 1, looks like Rui En decided to switch things up a little with this sequined embroidered sheath gown by Zuhair Murad. Love love love the soft hues and the sweetheart neckline of the dress.
Source: Her World
Categorised in EN, Her World, Star Awards, Star Awards 2015.
By Rebecca Tan Hui Shan
Watching Rui En take her seat on stage and tuck her legs delicately by her side, it feels uncannily like looking at pioneer artist Georgette Chen, whom the actress portrays in an upcoming three-part docudrama.
Beyond the sharp chin, ruler-straight posture and pursed red lips, there seems to be a sophisticated, unapologetic dignity about the 34-year-old MediaCorp actress that similarly emanates from the woman in the self-portrait behind her.
During the filming for the programme, which premieres on Wednesday on Channel Newsasia and MediaCorp Channel 5, Rui En uncovered aspects of Chen that she identified with intimately.
At a press conference last Friday, she says of Chen: “She was feisty, strong-willed and incredibly independent. In these ways, I felt like a mirror of her.”
She adds with a laugh that “both of us also do not smile very much” – alluding to the recent media backlash against her supposedly sulky demeanour at the Star Awards.
Born in 1906 in Zhejiang, China, Chen is best known for her still life paintings and portraits and contributed tremendously to the growth of the Nanyang art movement in Singapore, which fused South-east Asian themes with Western painting techniques.
The docudrama, The Worlds of Georgette Chen, commissioned by the National Gallery Singapore and produced by Channel NewsAsia, recreates the colourful life of the artist, who had a privileged, cosmopolitan upbringing as the daughter of a rich businessmman.
It takes viewers from her childhood in France to her youth in revolutionary China and, finally, her adulthood in Singapore, where she taught at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. She died in 1993 after a long illness.
She was highly regarded for her post-Impressionistic work, with her heavy brushstrokes and emphasis on volume and texture influenced by French Impressionists of the late 19th century.
She was one of the few female Chinese artists featured in the famous Salon d’Automne exhibitions in Paris. In 1982, she was awarded Singapore’s Cultural Medallion. Her works will be on display at the National Gallery when it opens in October.
Yet, for all her professional success, it was her capacity for love that Rui En admires most.
The actress explains: “Even though her husband, Eugene Chen, was a political fugutive and more than twice her age, he was the love of her life. For me, what makes her human is that she dared to love unconventionally.”
One of the most memorable scenes, she accounts, was filmed in an unabandoned school in Braddell Road. She was tasked to play the piano while channelling the grief that Chen had for her husband who had just died, shortly after the end of the Sino-Japanese war in 1944.
While Chen may have been “a woman after my own heart” to Rui En, portraying her did not come without difficulty.
Prior to the project, she knew little about the artist. She was terrified at having to portray a real-life person for the first time, though she says this fear was also what challenged her to take the job.
To prepare herself, she read up as much as she could on the artist, from biographies by art historians to Chen’s personal letters.
At the same time, she was also grateful that there was limited video documentation of the artist as this gave her the space to “breathe life into the character”.
She hopes that by portraying Chen as a woman, rather than just an artist, she can bring her story to a wider audience.
“We do not want the production to be an arty-farty docudrama made for people who already know about her.”
Rui En also had to get used to the lack of dialogue. In most scenes, information is delivered by a narrator and the cast is used only to dramatise a particular moment or encounter. Freed from having to memorise lines, Rui En was able to focus on the production’s other priorities, such as historical accuracy.
Managing director of Channel NewsAsia Debra Soon explains that to achieve an accurate portrayal of the artist, all the periods of her life spent in Paris and Shanghai were shot on location. Sixty-two other sets were created in Singapore and each prop, right down to Chen’s paintbrush, was selected carefully.
Naturally, these efforts required an extensive amount of research, which led to valuable new discoveries. For example, a fifth self-portrait by Chen, which had been given to an old neighbour of hers, was uncovered during the making of the docudrama, along with the unpublished memoirs of Chen’s sister.
Curatorial and collections director at the National Gallery, Mr Low Sze Wee, says that new painting may well be the earliest known self-portrait of Chen, preceding the four that had been discovered before.
The journey had also been personally enlightening for Rui En.
“As you grow older, you want to learn more about the world around you. This project came at a point when I was just starting to become interested in other forms of art beyond acting. From it, I have begun to cultivate real appreciation of other mediums,” she says.
The Worlds of Georgette Chen debuts 29 April 2015 on CNA, 8pm.
Source: The Straits Times, Her World
Categorised in EN, Her World, The Straits Times, The Worlds Of Georgette Chen.
By Hong Xinying
What you may have missed behind-the-scenes, as your favourite Singapore stars get busy on Instagram during the Star Awards 2015 Show 1.
Rui En’s super sultry red carpet look
This star doesn’t even have to be on Instagram to be stealing the show, whether on social media or behind-the-scenes.
Source: Her World
Categorised in Her World, Star Awards, Star Awards 2015.
Award-winning actress Rui En tells Lieu Wei Ning it’s the one look she’ll never sport again.
Her World: What are your beauty pet peeves?
Rui En: Thin eyebrows – one of the worst mistakes I’ve ever made. And smudged eyeliner.
Her World: What about your favoured beauty look?
Rui En: When I do use makeup, I tend to focus on the eyes – I like winged eyeliner and false lashes. But I’ve become more adventurous, and have experimented with coloured eyeliners for different looks.
Her World: What do you think is the fastest way to update your look using makeup?
Rui En: A swipe of red lipstick – it can make you look glamorous instantly.
Her World: How do you keep your makeup looking fresh when you’re filming or attending red-carpet events?
Rui En: By using the right primer and foundation. I quite like L’Oreal Paris Base Magique Transforming Smoothing Primer, which makes my pores appear smaller and my complexion smoother. I also like L’Oreal Paris True Match liquid foundation, which doesn’t feel thick and oily on my skin, and lasts throughout the day.
Her World: What’s in your makeup pouch right now?
Rui En: Quite a few L’Oreal Paris products, actually – Superliner Gelmatic Pen in black, Color Riche lipsticks in several colours (her favourite is Flaming Kiss), True Match Concealer, True Match Two-way Powder Foundation and a sunscreen – as well as a tube of Nuxe lip balm and a Bioderma sunscreen.
Her World: What’s your biggest beauty splurge?
Rui En: Perfumes. I collect them – I have about 200 bottles now – and spend way too much money buying new ones.
Her World: Any beauty secrets to share?
Rui En: I run – it makes my skin glow and is a great way to de-stress. I also make smoothies and drink plenty of water. A strict skincare routine plays a part too. I cleanse, tone, prep, treat, moisturize and use sunscreen. UV protection is extremely important in fighting skin ageing, so I always use a sunscreen under makeup. When I’m filming, I also use a sheet mask every night – usually while I’m going through my script.
Her World: You’ve been the face of L’Oreal Paris Youth Code Boosting essence for a year now. Do you have any unusual ways of using it?
Rui En: I use it as a boosting treatment under a sheet mask. I find this makes the mask more effective!
Categorised in EN, Her World, L’Oréal Paris.
By Eugene Quek
INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE: I pick the beauty brains of the fabulously forthright Singapore actress and new L’Oréal Paris face Rui En, who spills the tea on everything from her ‘auntie’ aspirations and the secret behind a camera-ready complexion to her shall we say, disposition for drag queen diva-dom
“Let’s be real, we’re all drag queens in this business.â€
Bam, right off the bat, just like that. This chat is shaping up to be a good one.
Let’s pull back a sec and set the scene for that rip-roaring zinger of a pull quote, shall we. Singapore small screen princess Rui En is holding court at celeb haunt Hairloom Salon, flanked by a flurrying scrum of face painters and stylists; it’s bustle and bedlam everywhere.
Meanwhile, the subject of this story is swathed in a slinky satin halterneck for the occasion, looking regal as hell and cool as a cucumber in the sultry Saturday sun.
And as for yours truly? I’m seriously sweating bullets at meeting my girl crush in the flesh, but more on that later.
If you’re late to the party, here’s a brisk little dossier on the woman of the hour: 33-years-old at time of writing; multiple Best Actress champ at the annual Singapore Star Awards; reigning Queen Regent of Caldecott Hill (given Fann Wong’s burgeoning bun in the oven); and one truly fabulous “drag queen†in the making.
Ah yes, let’s circle back to the cold opening. Rui En’s risque rejoinder comes in response to my rather sly remark on the sooty eyes and sexy scarlet smackers she’s rocking at four in the afternoon – all very lady of the night, if you will, but you’ve got to hand it to the good-natured lass for being able to laugh at herself.
Which brings us very nicely indeed to the whys and wherefores of my crush on the woman. You have her admirable chutzpah, for one – incredibly rare in this age of micro-managed stardom. You also have to factor in the nostalgia. Rui En’s someone most of us early millennials grew up ogling on the boob tube; indeed, she’s pretty much the only local post-Fann actress I have any affinity for, really.
Then there’s the skin situation. Having inspected her mug up close for a good half-hour, I’m happy to report that Rui En’s complexion is well-nigh flawless. Having a mien that’s molded from porcelain comes in very handy indeed when you’re the first Singaporean face for L’Oréal Paris’ Youth Code range of rejuvenating elixirs.
Obligatory sponsors’ plug: Use Youth Code Boosting Serum and look like Rui En! (All jesting aside, the product’s an exquisite entry-level anti-ager that’s great to have on your vanity table.)
Oh, and Rui En has a super stylin’ sense sense of fashion. Noticing my splashy fish-embossed Spring 2014 sweater (not worn with the runway’s white eyeliner, more’s the pity), the actress looks me in the eye and smiles: “You’re big on Kenzo, I see.â€
See what I mean when I say she’s the ultimate girl crush? Read on for more beauty bits and bytes from the Best Actress Ever:
1. The camera makes you 10 pounds heavier and 10 facial blotter sheets oilier.
ere’s a nifty selfie-taking tip. Rui En says most filmographers she’s worked with are leery of the dewy K-Beauty finish: “The lens really emphasises everything, so skin that’s perfectly matte in real life will appear as having a sheen on screen.â€
Of course, that’s small change when weighed against the apocryphal 10 pounds the camera adds to one’s frame: “I’ve grown used to the aunties, bless them, who always tell me I’m not as fat as I appear on the tellie. Part of the job, I guess!â€
In any case, Rui En appears to enjoy getting wet for laughs: “My complexion’s usually a little more ‘wet’ than what most TV people are used to from other artistes, but that’s just the way I like it.â€
Rui En credits her longtime partner-in-crime and face painter Sam for shoving her onto the K-Beauty bandwagon: “Thanks to him, I’m quite comfortable with highlighting fluids and illuminating pens; besides, when your face is too matte, it can read as flat and two-dimensional.†Future directors, now you know who to blame for your leading lady’s gorgeous glow!
2. About that “drag queen†business …
No, Rui En is most emphatically not using the epithet in a derogatory way.
Some context is in order. When quizzed on her favourite type of look when swishing down the Star Awards red carpet, this is what the starlet had to say, and I quote verbatim: “Falsies, liner, the whole works. We’re all drag queens in this business.â€
Well, colour me surprised. I didn’t know gents like say, George Young were secret burlesque performers, but whatever you say, Rui En.
3. You have L’Oréal Paris foundie to thank for Rui En’s acting accolades. Sort of, maybe.
Get this, for all of her relative youth and socially reticent schtick, Rui En’s a bona fide thespian, a really big fish in a tiny red pond.
To wit: She’s swiped three consecutive biggies from 2011 through 2013 (two Best Actress trophies at the Star Awards and Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Asian Television Awards 2012) and says beauty plays a plum role in prompting her to get into the psyche of a character: “Most people perceive makeup as just a cosmetic prop, but if I were playing say, a go-getting professional, I’ll ask for a really lovely sheer base, something like L’Oréal Paris True Match, for instance, to help me look and feel polished for the part.â€
Oh, and Rui En’s one of those touchy-feely types for whom scents mean more than the sum total of its molecules, in a manner of speaking. Let her explain: “Once filming has ended, I find myself unable to use the same perfume from the role again. Once it’s done, it’s done. I want to leave it behind.â€
(Somewhat interesting aside: I’ve noticed that creative individuals tend to have the same sort of visceral emotional reaction to scents – just ask Amy Adams, who very politely but pointedly declined to reveal the smells which could conceivably make her weep.)
4. She’s really looking forward to becoming an auntie … and swears she’ll never go under the knife, ever. No kidding.
When asked for her personal style heroine, Rui En says she’s all about the cigarette pants, tailored tuxedos and defiant sense of ease about the First Lady of Cinema: “I’d love to be like Katharine Hepburn in the future – she allowed herself to age with dignity on screen; one might even refer to Kate in her later days as an ‘auntie’ in local-speak, you know.â€
Rui En transitioning from bright-eyed ingenue to red-hot star and full-blown national treasure? You best believe it.
Now, while we’re on the topic, I’ll note that catty industry commentators have long murmured about the provenance of Rui En’s eggshell-smooth forehead, but the actress (she’s only 33, for mascara’s sake!) insists she’s a proponent of “natural” beauty.
Indeed, Rui En makes a pretty impassioned and eloquent case against the entertainment industry’s fetishisation of youth. In her own words: “I really, really hate ageism and the pervasive notion in the regional celeb scene that being young and thin are the only barometers of beauty.â€
“So no, I don’t think I’ll ever go down that route [of plastic surgery], simply because it’s a neverending cycle. So you might start with a little lipo here and then you’ll start seeing other bits of yourself you’ll want to fix, and then the next … I don’t want to tumble down that rabbithole.â€
Now, saying that they have no qualms with aesthetic augmentations has almost become a stock answer for celebs – the more cynical among us might read it as a fallback plan in case they’re ever caught having work done in future – but I can only speak for myself when I say that I do take her at (non-Botoxed) face value.
5. Rui En fans, here’s how to pay lip service to your idol, so to speak.
Favourite shade and brand of lipstick?
Rabid Rui En supporters, drumroll please – she absolutely adores L’Oréal Paris Color Riche Moist Matte in P502 Cherry Crush, although she’ll have you know that she’s still very much an eye girl. “I’m more of an eye person, really; most of my fans will know that my signature look involves lots of liner.â€
And she does indeed have a fascinatingly fanatical fanbase, the most fervent of which must surely be the “official†one. RBKD, short for “Ruì Bù KÄ› DÄngâ€, is a registered fan club with its punny monicker playing on a popular Chinese proverb to mean – and no groans, now – “Rui En is unstoppableâ€. I’m counting on your page clicks, RBKD guys and girls!
Wrapping up now. When I compliment Rui En on her choice of lipstick, she smiles and hands it over like a queen bestowing a spare jewel to her jester. That half-used L’Oréal lippie is still squirrelled away in my weekender. Guys, you know what to do. The tube goes to the highest bidder!
Source: Her World
Categorised in EN, Her World, L’Oréal Paris, RBKD, Star Awards, Star Awards 2011, Star Awards 2012, Star Awards 2013.
By Simone Wu
Rui En on beauty
The actress believes it’s important not to be overly obsessed with your looks, and shares her tips for looking and feeling good.
Her Skincare routine
“After cleansing and prepping, I use L’Oreal Paris Youth Code Boosting Essence, to help maximise my skin’s absorption of the skincare that comes after. It’s followed by antioxidant-filled creams for day, and retinol at night. I have a whole range of serums, and I use the ones my skin needs that day.”
A few wrinkles are nothing
“Age is a compound of our life experiences and it’s a beautiful thing. We are not going to be 20 forever – it’s okay to have a few wrinkles to show for it. I believe though, that we can take care of ourselves so that we age gracefully, beautifully and most importantly, in a healthy way.”
She stocks up on…
“Cleansing oil and eye makeup remover. I go through these like water.”
Beauty is About…
“Being comfortable with yourself, making the most of what you have and letting your confidence shine through.”
Her secret skin tip
“When I’m filming, I use a sheet mask every night. I realise that when I apply the Youth Code Boosting Essence under the mask, it’s much more effective. I see an improved glow and hydration immediately after. I also run – there is nothing like a cardio workout to get your skin glowing.”
She may not look it but…
“I am a serious skincare junkie! I really enjoy buying and trying new products. I also follow a strict regime where I do the complete drill: cleanse, tone, prep, treat, moisturise and apply sunscreen diligently.”
She loves perfume
“I have over 200 bottles. I just adore the way a smell can bring back a memory or a sensation – although there are certain perfumes that are almost too painful for me to wear. The sense of smell is highly underrated. Chanel No.19 has a special place in my heart, always.”
“Having a positive attitude helps you look beautiful. But you also can’t be lazy about your skincare regime and hope to get away with it.”
“I don’t wear makeup when I’m not working.” – Rui En who is the face of L’Oreal Paris Youth Code Boosting Essence
Source: Simply Her, Her World
Categorised in EN, Endorsement, Her World, L’Oréal Paris, Simply Her.
Source: Her World Youtube
Categorised in Her World.
