21-year-old undergrad emerges as champ of Guardian's Face of Healthy Beauty

Who is Singapore's Face of Healthy Beauty?

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Armed with glowing skin, mega-watt smiles, and an arsenal of talent, ten finalists battled it out to be the winner of Guardian’s Face of Healthy Beauty competition that was held at Funan Mall on Nov 30. 

During the finals, contestants had to deliver a stage performance to impress the judges with their talents. 

Guardian was looking for someone who inspires others to live a healthy and positive lifestyle, while having her own sense of personality and style.

21-year-old business administration undergraduate Averyl Loke emerged on top. She won $3,000 in cash vouchers, 1-year Guardian ambassadorship, 1 year's supply of products from supporting partners worth up to $1,600, 6 months' Fitness First membership, apparel from Zalora worth $1,000 and 1 year of digital subscription of Her World.

Jona Mae De Gollo came in second, and Jasmine Goh, third. 

Loke, who believes that healthy beauty is about being comfortable in your own skin, aced the final round of competition with her impressive belly dance performance.  

“I felt it was very meaningful because the wings are like a butterfly and it ties in with the theme of healthy beauty,” the NUS student said. “I practised really hard at home - I marked out the stage and even asked my mum to be my audience.”

Photo: Jasper Yu

ALSO READ: A PEEK AT THE SEMI-FINALS OF GUARDIAN'S SEARCH FOR THE FACE OF HEALTHY BEAUTY

The first Face of Healthy Beauty contest in S'pore

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The Face of Healthy Beauty is a competition organised by Guardian to find a new face for the health and beauty retailer. This is the first time it is being held in Singapore, although Guardian had organised one in Malaysia earlier this year.

The semi-finals consisted of two challenges — fitness and makeup, while the finals required contestants to put up a 3-minute showcase of their talents. Performances included dance performances, a singing act, and even a magic show.

Photo: Jasper Yu

ALSO READ: A PEEK AT THE SEMI-FINALS OF GUARDIAN'S SEARCH FOR THE FACE OF HEALTHY BEAUTY

The criteria

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The judges — Mary-Ann Soh (online editor of Her World), James McCoy (commercial director of Guardian), and Anna Ng (marketing director of Guardian), evaluated contestants based on versatility, confidence, and the extent to which she exudes healthy beauty.

However, the judges’ ratings only made up 70% of the final score, with the remaining 30 % determined by public votes.

Click on to learn more about the winners of The Face of Healthy Beauty. 

Photo: Jasper Yu

ALSO READ: A PEEK AT THE SEMI-FINALS OF GUARDIAN'S SEARCH FOR THE FACE OF HEALTHY BEAUTY

Top Prize - Averyl Loke, 21 years old, undergraduate

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Why did you decide to join this competition?

I saw it blasted all over social media, and it is a campaign that I can relate to. I want to send a message to inspire more women. It is a really good cause.

What was your favourite part of this journey?

It was not just meeting people but also like-minded people who also believe in being confident in one’s own skin.  

Who inspires you? 

I am very inspired by my mum. At the age of 50 she is still very active. She is still taking zumba and belly dance classes. And that’s what I would want to do when I’m 50 as well.   

Photo: Jasper Yu

ALSO READ: A PEEK AT THE SEMI-FINALS OF GUARDIAN'S SEARCH FOR THE FACE OF HEALTHY BEAUTY

1st runner up - Jona Mae De Gollo, 32 years old, tech talent specialist

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What is healthy beauty to you? 

Healthy beauty is not just about what you believe, but also about listening to other people. It is a work from the inside, and it is hard work. 

Who do you look up to? 

Liv Lo. For her, it is about the totality of things and striking a balance between the mind, body and soul. I also look up to my boyfriend. He is a fitness trainer and he really helped me through this journey.

What’s next?

I’m going to eat my fries and pizza! I’m going to continue being a health enthusiast and influence people who believe in my journey. I hope to find more friends who do the same thing as me.

De Gollo was also crowned the winner in the category of Skincare. 

Photo: Jasper Yu

ALSO READ: A PEEK AT THE SEMI-FINALS OF GUARDIAN'S SEARCH FOR THE FACE OF HEALTHY BEAUTY

2nd runner up - Jasmine Goh, 40 years old, financial consultant

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Why did you join this competition? 

I wanted to inspire women. I wanted to show them that even at my age it is not too late to start being active, it is not too old to have the body that you desire. Women at any age can exude good health and beauty. 

A word of advice for other mums? 

I think any woman who takes good care of herself is a role model to me. We can be so caught up in our daily stresses that we make excuses to not take care of ourselves. I struggled with that a lot. But I realised that self-care is just like the airplane safety instructions, you should put on the oxygen mask on yourself before attending to others. If you don’t take care of yourself first, you have nothing to give your family and friends. It is not about being selfish but being selfless.

Photo: Jasper Yu

ALSO READ: A PEEK AT THE SEMI-FINALS OF GUARDIAN'S SEARCH FOR THE FACE OF HEALTHY BEAUTY

Category winner: Wellness - Yanessa Wong, 28 years old, architect

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How has your idea of healthy beauty changed through the competition? 

I started looking at what I eat more. I try to have a very controlled diet. I’ve been trying to wean off meat. 

Who do you want to inspire?

I want to inspire a lot of young girls. I am a full time working professional, and working as an architect is incredibly stressful. I am not sure I would recommend it to my kids..but I just want young females to be mentally and physically strong and just know they can do anything. 

Photo: Jasper Yu

ALSO READ: A PEEK AT THE SEMI-FINALS OF GUARDIAN'S SEARCH FOR THE FACE OF HEALTHY BEAUTY

Category winner: Haircare - Esther Leong Hwee Yee, 25 years old, freelancer

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Why did you join this competition? 

I’ve been joining a lot of competitions recently. It is my way of living life to the fullest.  

What was the biggest challenge you faced? 

The fitness part! The time limit made it very challenging

What is your pro-tip to stay healthy and beautiful? 

I think breakfast is very important. Mine consists of five different types of fruit every morning. Hydration is also very important. 

Photo: Jasper Yu

ALSO READ: A PEEK AT THE SEMI-FINALS OF GUARDIAN'S SEARCH FOR THE FACE OF HEALTHY BEAUTY

Category winner: Cosmetics - Samantha Lois Chen, 36 years old, phlebotomist

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Why did you join this competition? 

As a mum who loves sports (I do yoga, pilates and HIIT training 5 times a week), I wanted to portray myself to everyone and show what my version of healthy beauty is. 

What does healthy beauty mean to you?

Three things - the mind, the body, the soul. They should all come together. It’s a lifestyle for me. When you’re mentally strong, you will feel physically strong as well. 

What’s next for you?

I want to focus more on spiritual healing, such as animal communication through telepathy. I want to help people communicate with their fur kids.

Photo: Jasper Yu

ALSO READ: A PEEK AT THE SEMI-FINALS OF GUARDIAN'S SEARCH FOR THE FACE OF HEALTHY BEAUTY

It's a wrap

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With Loke embarking on her ambassadorship journey with Guardian and expressing her excitement to work with the health and beauty retailer, we can expect to see her around more.

“I hope that with this platform I can reach more people, especially women to inspire them, to tell them what healthy beauty really means, and that is to be you, to be confident in your own skin,” she says. 

Photo: Jasper Yu

ALSO READ: A PEEK AT THE SEMI-FINALS OF GUARDIAN'S SEARCH FOR THE FACE OF HEALTHY BEAUTY