If you grew up with Mandopop and Taiwanese entertainment, you would be more than familiar with the ever-youthful face of actress and singer Vivian Hsu.
The Taiwanese songbird married Singaporean businessman Sean Lee in 2014 and has since relocated to our sunny island. They now have one son together, and we can bet that it’s something else to be a jet-setting celebrity with an infant in tow!
When we saw Vivian Hsu in the flesh at the latest Bio-essence press conference where she officially launched the latest iterations to the Bio-VLift line, we were stunned by just how gorgeous she looked.
If you’ve grown up watching her on television, we can assure you that she looks exactly the same in real life. We’re willing to bet that nobody would have guessed that she turns 43 this year!
Daily Vanity had an exclusive interview with Vivian Hsu to find out more about her life and her beauty secrets, especially since she has moved here and has had to deal with our blistering climate just like the rest of us. What has she been doing right? These are the 10 things we learnt from her.
- 1. You need to take care of these three things together
- 2. Healthy mind, healthy skin
- 3. Aim for “just nice”
- 4. She has bak kut teh once a week!
- 5. These two accessories are essential to her for effortless style
- 6. She has a bare-bones skincare routine
- 7. She binges on Taiwanese snacks whenever she goes back
- 8. Her son goes everywhere with her
- 9. This is her advice for those traveling to cold countries for holidays
- 10. She wishes she could tell her younger self these beauty tips
1. You need to take care of these three things together
To Vivian, it’s never just about one thing. Holistic beauty is really important to her, and she finds that these three aspects of life and beauty must never be neglected
“Women can’t just care for their skin, they also need to maintain their mood and figure because all three things are connected,” she explained. It’s like a tripartite of concerns that are all inter-connected – neglect one aspect and you might find it way more difficult to upkeep the other two.
“Staying hydrated is crucial in Singapore especially, as air-conditioned rooms can cause dry skin.”
2. Healthy mind, healthy skin
So what exactly are her secret to maintaining her glowing, flawless skin? With all the emphasis on self-care and the impact of one’s mental health on our physical well-being, her answer is no surprise.
“A positive mindset is very important,” she answers immediately. “I am actually quite good in thinking positively.
“It is impossible for everything in life to be perfect and smooth sailing. When you are faced with setbacks in life, you should overcome it by looking at things from a different angle instead of giving up.”
She also gives us a bit of advice on how to deal with the dramas of life – we’re sure she’s had more than her fair share! “For example, whenever we want to complain about someone, we should look at his positive side instead.”
3. Aim for “just nice”
Many of us have been told to strive for perfection in everything. While constantly aiming to be a better version of yourself is not a bad thing in itself, it could also generate anxiety, worry, and perpetually feeling like you’re not good enough.
Vivian has a completely different perspective.
“I believe once we have found a ‘just-nice’ balance in life, everything will turn out right,” she enthusiastically exclaims. To her, contentment rather than perfection is actually the key to the good things in life. “Your happiness and beauty will be just right too.”
4. She has bak kut teh once a week!
For many of us who regularly holiday in Taiwan to enjoy its large variety of good food and snacks, you might be surprised to learn that Vivian Hsu is an avid fan of a local dish here in Singapore.
“We have to have bak kut teh every week,” Vivian confesses. “You can’t find good bak kut teh in Taiwan and I can’t cook it well. Whenever I go back to Taiwan, I’ll buy vacuum-sealed packets of bak kut teh for my family.
“I think Southeast Asian food tastes very Chinese, so the range of food choices here is very palatable to Chinese people. Another dish I really love is laksa!”
5. These two accessories are essential to her for effortless style
Juggling her international career in the entertainment industry with her marriage and her motherhood is definitely no easy task. How does Vivian manage to still look stylish despite her crazy schedule, when we find it difficult to pull together a look just for casual outings?
“As a mother and a wife now, I have to put aside a lot of time to be with my family, so I usually don’t have the time to dress up when I am not working!” she explains.
“My secret to look stylish without much effort: shades and hat! With a vast variety of sunglasses available in different designs and style, I don’t have to worry going out without makeup. I then throw on a matching hat and my outfit becomes instantly more stylish than before.”
We’re going to note that down for our next vacation.
6. She has a bare-bones skincare routine
We know many new mothers who find that they have no more time to do any upkeep of beauty routines once a baby is in the picture. You may be surprised to find out that Vivian Hsu is the same!
“Of course I don’t have enough time for my skincare routine, sometimes it only takes me five minutes to shower,” she states. It’s surreal to think that a celebrity has to suffer through the same woes as us, but still find a way to look good even in paparazzi shots.
“My favourite skincare will be an ‘all-in-one’ product which has toner, essence, serum, and cream in!”
7. She binges on Taiwanese snacks whenever she goes back
We don’t blame Vivian Hsu for being hardcore about her Taiwanese snacks – we would be too.
“The hardest thing about adjusting to life in Singapore is that I am unable to eat authentic Taiwanese snacks here. Even at home, I am usually cooking Taiwanese dishes, not making snacks.
“As I really love eating Taiwanese snacks, I will indulge in it whenever I am back in Taiwan, but I’d feel tremendously guilty about it after that when coming back to Singapore.”
8. Her son goes everywhere with her
You may have an impression that celebrity moms tend to leave the child-rearing to babysitters, helpers, or relatives. That’s actually not the case for many celebrities out there, and definitely not for Vivian Hsu, who takes on a very hands-on approach with her toddler son.
“My son always travels with me,” Vivian declares. “I think when kids are at that age, they should be with their moms as much as possible.”
We can’t disagree!
9. This is her advice for those traveling to cold countries for holidays
As a globe-trotting celebrity, we’re sure that Vivian Hsu has often had to deal with switching between dramatically different climates within a short period of time. In lieu of the June holidays coming up, we wanted to know more about how she dealt with cold countries in particular.
“In order to withstand dry and cold weather, first remember to drink more water and bring an “all-in-one” skincare product,” she advises. “Usually I will take a soothing soak bath to keep my skin moisturised inside out to prevent dry air from attacking my skin.”
10. She wishes she could tell her younger self these beauty tips
Have you ever wondered what celebrities would tell their younger selves if they could? We were curious to know what would Vivian’s answer be to this hypothetical situation – although we’re sure that she must have been doing some things right since she was young, considering how good she still looks now.
In response, Vivian issued three commandments to her younger self, “Makeup base is a must! Use hydrating spray after exercising or sweating! The key to slow down aging is to start early in sunscreen and keeping your skin hydrated!”
Those advice are definitely well-noted, Vivian.
