Generational secrets, love triangles, shocking twists, and a web of lies… Emerald Hill: The Little Nyonya Story is the local period drama everyone’s buzzing about.
If you remember the original The Little Nyonya, the iconic series that first aired nearly two decades ago, you’ll know it’s packed with drama, family feuds, and emotional depth.
Now, it returns with a modern spin-off featuring a star-studded cast of both familiar and fresh faces – Jeanette Aw, Chantalle Ng, Tasha Low, Ferlyn Wong, and Zoe Tay.
Set in 1950s–60s Singapore, the story follows the affluent Zhang family of Emerald Hill, whose polished exterior hides tangled relationships and long-buried secrets threatening to surface.
Each episode is a visual feast, from heritage-rich backdrops to intricate kebayas and stunning makeup looks that reflect each character’s personality and journey. Ahead, we break down the style of the show’s leading ladies and show you how to recreate their signature looks with a few key products.
Natural and Innocent: Zhang Xin Niang played by Tasha Low
Zhang Xin Niang is a breath of fresh air as Emerald Hill’s prime heroine, with her cheerful charm and kindred spirit.
Taken in from the streets and raised under the belief that she is the Zhang clan’s long-lost granddaughter, Xin Niang is caught amid family drama and secrets, and must navigate her way through life and a juicy love triangle.
Her style mirrors her personality: youthful and soft, with pastel colours and feminine patterns.
Meanwhile, her makeup is minimal, emphasising her natural features: think flawless, glowy complexion, soft feathery brows, and a subtle pink tint to her lips. Her look embodies the “no-makeup” makeup style, perfect for slow, simple days when you want your features to shine through.
Products to Help You Achieve Her Look
Start with the Kosas BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream for a natural, healthy look.
The key to glowy skin is hydration, and this BB cream delivers just that with a 230% boost after four weeks of usage and visibly smoother skin after every use. Covering small blemishes and unevenness, this innovative product takes your bare skin to the next level.
Kosas BB Burst Tinted Gel Cream retails for S$60 (30ml) on Sephora.
Xin Niang’s eye makeup is light, with soft brown shades contouring her eyes for increased dimension and roundness. The Clio Pro Eye Palette Air in 08 Latte Senior offers the perfect selection of nude browns for daily wear in a buttery smooth formulation for easy blending.
Use the darkest shade for a natural puppy eyeliner look, and don’t forget to shape and highlight your aegyosal for a youthful, always-smiling look.
Clio Pro Eye Palette Air 08 Latte Senior retails for S$34.93 (7g) on Watsons.
Introduce a rosy glow to the lips with Dior Addict Lip Glow in 012 Rosewood. This cult classic is the perfect choice for a soft, juicy pout that catches the light with every smile. Its ultra-hydrating, 97% lip care formula delivers 48 hours of hydration and protection to the lips, topped off with a natural glow.
Dior Addict Lip Glow 012 Rosewood retails for S$62 (6ml) on Sephora.
Sweet and Charming: Zhang Anna played by Chantalle Ng
Zhang Anna is the second of the three leading women in the series and is believed to be the rightful daughter of Zhang Jin Quan and Kang Si Li.
But don’t be fooled by her sweet appearance – beneath her charming smile is a vengeful spirit, shaped by a decade of being cast out from the family. She’s always one step away from sabotaging Xin Niang, and her calculated duality makes her all the more intriguing.
Anna’s style leans into femininity, often seen in delicate pinks and purples. Her makeup keeps things light and graceful with peachy blush, sheer eyeshadow, rosy pink lips, and a natural glowing base. It’s a look that’s deceptively sweet, much like Anna herself.
Products to Help You Achieve Her Look
For a flawless and even complexion like Anna’s, use Dior Forever Skin Glow foundation. This lightweight, 86% skincare-formulated base enhances the skin and delivers a 24-hour glow while correcting blemishes with medium to full coverage.
Dior Forever Skin Glow retails for S$101 (30ml) on Sephora.
Sweet, dolly eyes may be the secret weapon behind Anna’s appearance, and Kiss Me Heroine Make’s Advanced Film Mascara is the perfect option that curls and volumises using its lengthening fibres for a bright, lifted look.
Those with straight and stubborn lashes can rest easy knowing their lashes will be locked into place throughout the day with the formula’s memory shape polymers.
Kiss Me Heroine Make Long & Curl Mascara Advanced Film retails for S$22.50 (6g) on Watsons.
An innocent, dewy flush to the cheeks is imperative in achieving Anna’s look.
Use a cream or liquid blush like Peripera’s Syrupy Tok Cheek liquid blush, a lightweight and buildable formula that achieves an all-day flush with a glowy finish. Shade 01 Light Peach is best for replicating Anna’s sweet flush.
The product’s syrupy nature makes it easy to blend and build up pigment. For a plump and youthful appearance, centre the blush on the apples of the cheeks, blending outward.
Peripera’s Syrupy Tok Cheek retails for S$13.90 (4g) and is available on Lazada.
Bold and Confident: Kang Si Li played by Dawn Yeoh
Zhang Anna and her mother Kang Si Li stand out as one of the most memorable pairs this season. Si Li, a strong-willed and sharp-minded matriarch, is determined to protect her family’s reputation, no matter how complicated things get.
Her makeup is a big part of what makes her character so striking. Dark arched brows, smokey brown eyeshadow, and a sharp but thin winged cat-eye add drama to her eyes. Her signature red lip pulls the whole look together, giving her an air of confidence and control.
Powerful and always on point, a perfect depiction of her personality.
Begin by adding definition and drama to the face by filling and shaping your brows into a soft arch using Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Dip Brow Pomade. This iconic brow product is beloved by makeup artists and celebrities and will make you feel like a movie star with its creamy and smooth formula.
Anastasia Beverly Hill’s Dip Brow Pomade retails for S$35 on Sephora.
Achieve a soft, sultry, smoky eye with the Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette by Anastasia Beverly Hills. This palette provides the luxury that Kang Si Li loves, evident from its luxurious packaging and beautiful colour story.
The palette includes 14 creamy shades, ranging from elegant mattes to striking glitters, offering versatility for both daytime and nighttime looks. These shades blend effortlessly, allowing you to create the perfect smudged eye effect.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette retails for S$85 on Sephora.
The look wouldn’t be complete without bold, red lips. Rouge Dior will do just the trick, offering comfortable, long-wear of up to 24 hours with its floral-infused hydrating formula. Pick it up in the rosy red shade 720 Icone with a satin finish to match her strong-minded, assertive demeanour.
Rouge Dior Long Wear Refillable Lipstick retails for S$66 (3.5g) and is available on Sephora.
Alluring and Mysterious: Zhang Anya played by Ferlyn G
Zhang Anya is the third standout beauty in Emerald Hill’s central trio, with a heartbreaking past behind her strong, independent exterior.
Kidnapped as a toddler and raised on the streets, her early years – marked by hardship and survival, including time spent in a brothel – have shaped her into a guarded yet resilient young woman.
Though she keeps her emotions close, Anya’s style speaks volumes. Her elegant, feminine fashion hints at her true heritage, while her makeup reflects both strength and vulnerability.
Contoured cheeks and defined eyes sharpen her striking features, reflecting her distrustful nature. At the same time, her straight eyeliner, fluttery lashes, and softly blended blush bring out a sense of innocence. It’s a look that quietly captures the duality of who she is: graceful, yet guarded.
Anya’s high cheekbones add an air of refinement to her looks. Emulate it with this highlighting and contouring palette by Tom Ford Beauty, which sculpts and defines the face with a luminous finish.
Formulated with vitamin E and antioxidants, the payoff from this palette gives the skin a flawless appearance.
Tom Ford Beauty Shade and Illuminate Highlighting Duo Nude Glow retails for S$145 (12g) and is available on Sephora.
Add definition to the eyes with the Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Longwear Gel Eyeliner by tightlining the upper eyelid and drawing a straight line that follows the natural curve of the eyes.
This product’s gel nature allows it to glide onto the eyes easily while remaining transfer-, smudge-, and budge-proof throughout the day.
Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Longwear Gel Eyeliner retails for S$35 (0.25g) on Sephora.
Anya’s lovely sheer pink lips can be achieved using Clinique’s Almost Lipstick in Pink Honey.
This classic lipstick-balm hybrid glides smoothly onto the lips, providing a sleek finish while also keeping them moisturised with its rich formula. Thanks to its sheer and lightweight colour, it’s easy to apply and can be built up to achieve the desired pigment.
Clinique Almost Lipstick Pink Honey retails for S$40 (1.9g) on Sephora.
