Elegant and lithe, Taiwanese ballerina-turned model Kelly Liao (Liao Yih Suan) will be making her debut on Singapore screens in March 2018.

Starring in the Mediacorp Channel 8 drama series Doppelganger, where she comes between the real-life couple Fann Wong and Christopher Lee (😱), Liao is excited about the role where she gets to show off her acting chops.

“It is challenging to act as a mistress entangled in complicated relationships, but I’m so happy to be given the opportunity,” says the 33-year-old who has a Masters in Fine Arts from the National Taiwan University of Arts.

In her seven-year modelling career, Liao has been the face of international brands such as Asus, Mitsubishi, Nescafe, Sapporo Beer, Hitachi, Panasonic and Uniqlo. She has also starred in various MTVs of Chinese celebrities in Taiwan and China.

The former soloist at the Taipei Chamber Ballet Dance Company shares her beauty secrets with The Beauty Gazette.

Sleep is very important to me. One can always tell by my face if I’ve had a good rest the night before. I need at least six to seven hours; if I get less, my eye are and cheeks will actually look sunken onscreen. Whenever I can afford it, I would sleep up to 12 hours. If I had to choose between sleeping and eating when I am tired and hungry, I’d choose sleep.

I stick to a ritual to unwind before I sleep. Because I’ve been dancing for so many years, I am used to stretching before I rest. Otherwise, I’ll feel stiff. I stretch after a hot shower when the muscles are less tight. I will touch my toes for at least ten seconds to massage my spine; align my shoulders by pulling on a towel above my head; do a split, and step on a curb to stretch out my calves after a long day in heels. I will also burn a scented candle, take a warm bath with essential oils, read a book and listen to music to set the mood for sleep.

I love massages. When you don’t have the time to exercise, the next best thing is to get a massage. When I’m in Taiwan, I get a foot massage at least once a week to boost my body’s circulation. I often get a hairwash in salons as well, as head massages also make me feel good. I find slimming massages extremely painful, and they make me tense up; but I go when I see cellulite on my thighs.

I only started using skincare products when I hit 30. When I was a full-time dancer, I never had to use any beauty potions. Because we spend so many hours dancing, we sweat through rehearsals. By the end of the day, we would have a natural glow and blush. So these days, I dance to the grooves on my own at home to exercise. I don’t go to clubs because the music is too loud, and it takes up too much time to dress up, put on make-up.

I love to smile so I have fine lines around my eyes. Because the eye area gives one’s age away, I invest in good eye creams. One of my favourites is the Sisley Supreme Anti-Aging Eye Serum La Nuit because it is rich enough for my skin. I also try not to wear mascara when it is not necessary, as I do not want to pull on the delicate area around the eyes when I remove make-up.

My skincare routine comprises mainly of cleansing and moisturisation. My dad taught me that the best way to exfoliate for softer skin is to use a towel when washing my face. These days, I take along a mini exfoliating sponge for exfoliation. To get rid of stubborn make-up, I like the cleansing oil from Fancl. I’ve gone trough at least five or six bottles. To moisturise, I use the History of Whoo in drier climates; and Kiehl’s Pure Vitality Skin Renewing Cream in humid conditions. I like to leave on a thick layer of the Laneige Time Freeze Sleeping Mask when I am on the plane.

I try not to sleep in air-conditioning because it dries out my skin. I hear actress Lin Chi Ling stays away from air-conditioning as much as possible, when she sleeps and even in the car. Maybe that’s the secret to her youthful-looking skin. I’ve also realised that when I don’t sleep in air-conditioning, my face looks more supple.

My make-up routine is simple. When I was younger, I preferred make-up products with high coverage to hide the imperfections on my skin. These days, I care more for my skin, and I like to use make-up that shows off the skin’s glow. To keep my lips looking moist and full, I use the Dior Lip Sugar Scrub to first exfoliate and hydrate, before a coat of my favourite coral pink YSL Volupte Tint-in-Balm.