DOLLEI SEAH, 42 
The exclusive make-up artist of local celebrities such as Julie Tan and Nadya Hutagalung. Ms Seah specialises in bridal make-up, too.
A regular on film sets (such as the upcoming movies, historical drama 1965, and Royston Tan’s musical comedy 3688), Ms Seah has been in the industry for more than two decades. International celebrities whom she has previously worked with include Hugh Jackman and Aishwarya Rai. She is also the founder of make-up artist collective, Make-up Entourage.
#1 Shu Uemura New Generation Eyelash S Curler, $30, from Shu Uemura counters
I am now using the fifth curler in this design; I use it that often. I love it because it can curl every lash including the first and last ones. Also, it lets me crimp real lashes and false ones together properly, so the effect looks natural.
#2 Instantly Ageless, $105 for a box of 50 sachets, WhatsApp 8611-5666 to order
This cosmetic product can make wrinkles, even the deep laugh lines, disappear instantly. It firms and tightens skin, and dramatically reduces the appearance of eye bags. The effect lasts up to four hours.
This is your digital photo touch-up tool in a sachet; there is no need for Photoshop when you use this product. Just tap a little bit of this cream onto the desired areas and wait for the magic to happen.
#3 Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer, $40, from Sephora stores
The concealer offers buildable coverage; I use my fingertips or a brush. It also has a powdery finish and is easy to blend; so I use this all over the face as a foundation, too. The compact bottle is easy to pack, so I take along the darker shades for contouring.
#4 Laneige Clear C Advanced Effector, $56, from Laneige counters
This really perks up the skin. Soak cotton pads in it and place the pads all over the face like a mask. Then, gently press on the pads with your palms to let the essence seep into the skin. Remove the pads and swipe them over the skin; pat in the excess essence with your fingertips.
#5 Cle de Peau Beaute Correcting Cream Veil, $100, from Cle de Peau counters
I use this as a base for all foundations; it brightens skin and makes it look like it is glowing from within. For people with larger pores, I use a flat brush to glide the cream onto the skin until it looks poreless. For normal skin, I dab this on with my fingers and use a sponge on sensitive skin.
#6 Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum, $143 for 60 capsules, from Elizabeth Arden counters
I’ve been using this treatment serum on my clients’ faces since I started out in the industry. It works especially well on brides and artists who are stressed out and have not had enough sleep; it plumps up irritated and dry skin immediately. If one capsule is too much for the face, just spread the remaining serum on the neck and arms. If it makes the skin feel too oily, just dab off the excess with a piece of tissue. Whatever make-up you apply on the skin afterwards will stay on.
#7 RMK UV Face Protector SPF50+ PA++++, $48, from RMK counters
When I’m working on an outdoor shoot, I use this to touch up the sun protection on top of the make-up. It turns into a light and watery solution upon contact with the skin, and also adds a glow.
#8 Izu Awakening Cream, $158, from www.izuskincare.com
It soothes all kinds of skin inflammation, such as burns, eczema, heat rash and allergic reactions, immediately. Whenever I have a bad reaction to a product, I rinse my face and put a thick layer on. After the swelling subsides, I clean off the excess with a piece of tissue. I also use it to calm the faces of actors when they have a reaction to the chemicals of special-effects make-up.
For the other interviews from these series click these links: TG Goh, Cindy Goh and Kenneth Lee.
This article was first run in The Straits Times newspaper on April 3, 2015.
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