Michele Reis is a picture of beauty

HAVING only seen Hong Kong celebrity Michele Reis on TV, I was curious to find out if she was every bit as beautiful in the flesh.

Well, now I can certainly affirm that the Miss Hong Kong 1988 is truly a stunner after meeting her face to face for an exclusive interview,

Reis, the new Shiseido Revital ambassador, was in Kuala Lumpur to celebrate the range’s 30th anniversary. She was wearing a figure hugging tube top dress that showed off her slender postnatal body. (Reis and her property magnate husband Julian Hui welcomed their first child Jayden Max Hui on Feb 8).

Apparently, she lost all that “baby weight” so quickly because she carefully watched what she ate when she was pregnant. But she confessed she didn’t put on much weight so there wasn’t much to lose in the first place.

I complimented Reis on her flawless snow white complexion and on how young she looked.

“A lot of people say 40 is the new 30,” the 41-year-old replied without hesitation.

To maintain a youthful look, Reis shared that the secret was thinking young and having a positive outlook towards life.

“Women these days know how to take better care of themselves. If you think young, you feel younger and definitely smarter, and that’s a good thing,” said Reis, who added that she was very comfortable with revealing her age.

“I think it’s especially important to have a healthy outlook on life, a good knowledge of the right kind of skincare for your skin and a nutritionally balanced diet. I make sure I eat right and exercise regularly.

“Recently, I’ve been practising yoga, pilates and I also go hiking a lot,” commented Reis on how she tackles ageing.

Born Michele Monique Reis to a Portugese father and Shanghainese mother in Hong Kong in 1970, Reis has been deemed one of the most beautiful women in Asia.

She was crowned Miss Hong Kong in 1988, and shot to stardom in 1995 when she appeared in Wong Kar-Wai’s Fallen Angels alongside hunks Leon Lai and Takeshi Kaneshiro.

Thereafter, the 173cm tall Reis continued her career as an actress and model, and graced countless print advertisements and television commercials in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

She continued acting until 2003, with Raymond To’s Miss Du Shi Niang being her last outing. After tying the knot in late 2008, Reis was reported to be enjoying life as a married woman and dropped out of the acting scene.

Then, when Bodyguards And Assassins came along in 2009, Reis was inspired once again to visit the silver screen as a ravishing Chinese beauty who changed the life of a beggar (played by Leon Lai).

When asked if her priorities have changed since becoming a mother, Reis said: “Everyone has his or her own careers and priorities, and as a family, we come together as one. My priority is the baby, (like having) to sacrifice your sleep, but it’s a very rewarding job.

“Before being a mother, I enjoyed my single days and having fun. Now I make careful choices for my son and myself. When you have a baby, you will question if you’re doing the right thing,” said the concerned new mother, who added that she often compares parenting notes with others.

“I have yet to find out what sort of mother I will be. I think I would be more of a parent who disciplines the child. I may be playing the bad cop,” she laughed.

Will there be baby no.2?

Reis answered tentatively: “I don’t know. Perhaps. I never say never. We’ll see what comes. I have to get used to the life of motherhood first before I determine if I will be having another one,” she stated.

In 1997, Reis became the face for Shiseido’s Pied Nus make-up line. She was also the spokesperson for L’Oreal Paris White Perfect range for a few years, and this year, Reis is proud and honoured to be reappointed by Shiseido once again.

“To be recognised a second time by such a renowned brand and prestigious line ... I am really honoured, especially since this is the 30th anniversary of Revital.

“I feel the timing is really great. I have now reached a new stage in my life where I am more confident, and to reunite with Shiseido at this point, it’s fate,” she said proudly.

Shiseido Malaysia senior general manager Jamie Ong said that “finding a true beauty to represent the Revital range requires a certain profile and image”.

Reis, who is on a one-year renewable contract with Shiseido, fitted the Revital image because of her timeless beauty, radiant personality and active lifestyle, free from the concerns of ageing, Ong explained.

For more than 100 years, Shiseido has been the “premier creator of the most scientifically advanced beauty solutions that Japan has to offer the world”.

Amongst the brand’s stellar skincare range is the highly successful Revital collection – launched in June 1981 – that incorporates the brand’s patented amino acid gel emulsification technology. It became the first cosmetics line in history to focus on amino acids and their vital function in the skin.

Three decades later, it continues to offer the promise of youthful beauty to Asian women. Last year, Shiseido launched Revital Whitening Serum AA EX, a high performance anti-ageing whitening serum that incorporates the very best of Revital. The anti-ageing brightening serum is claimed to address skin-ageing concerns such as age spots, wrinkles, dullness and sagging.

The former beauty queen describes it as a “special whitening care item you can depend on”.

Apart from using a mask regularly to firm and lift her skin, what is Reis’ beauty secret?

“I don’t have any special secrets to tell. I think there’s no magic to it. Just take care of yourself really well, have enough sleep, exercise and eat healthy,” said Reis.

She admitted that she isn’t anxious about ageing “because I am starting to understand how to deal with it”.

“The only thing is, compared with when I was younger, I do feel the importance of taking care of myself now. I am careful of my health and diet, and especially pay attention to skincare,” said Reis.

She added that skincare is about starting early.

“Every woman should enjoy using skincare products as soon as they can,” she advised.

So what is Reis’ definition of beauty?

“Beauty is something that will one day fade away. What comes from the inside will last forever,” she concluded.