The Queen and her Garnier

Zoe Tay will soon be seen in a drama series in which she acts as a frumpy housewife.

But in reality, the 40-year-old mother of two looked radiant and stylish at Thursday's Garnier media conference where she was unveiled as the new spokesperson for the beauty brand's Age Lift range.

The key ingredient used in the anti-ageing range is Pro-Xylane from beech tree extract, proven to plump up skin, boost collagen production and fill out fine lines. Other ingredients include ginger concentrate, cherry and blueberry — all of which help to smoothen skin, improve skin elasticity and fight fine lines and wrinkles.

Said the MediaCorp artiste candidly: "I'm not shy about being 40 and it's time that I choose a skincare range suitable for my age." The nature-lover was also drawn to the use of natural ingredients in Garnier skincare products.

On staying attractive as a mother, Zoe told TODAY: "I've a job, my own social life and personal successes so I can still keep my mind going. My husband always tells me it's okay if I don't lose weight or if I don't look that good, but I tell him it's bulls***! You know how husbands are — they may say one thing but mean another. Anyway, I always tell my husband that I look good for myself and not for him!"

The veteran actress admits that being a mother of two young boys — one aged three, the other seven months — has left her with less time for her beauty regimen.

Zoe now relies more on home treatments: She applies a face mask when her sons are asleep, so she can enjoy her family's company while maintaining her looks.

Ironically, Zoe only started paying more attention to her complexion after she became a mother.

Calling herself a late bloomer, she said she only started using skincare products after the age of 20 and recalled how she used to be a skincare klutz. "I'd use the wrong kind of eye serum and my skin would peel. And I used to think that a facial scrub was a face mask and would leave my scrub on my face for hours!"

Although she's savvier nowadays, Zoe still believes in going back to basics — drinking lots of water. When she's out filming on location, for example, she takes two large bottles of water with her.

She's also a staunch believer in sunblock, not only for herself but the three men in her life, too. She nags her pilot husband to use more sunblock as he flies close to the sun. And she slathers it on her sons when they go out.

What she will steer clear of is plastic surgery because of her fear of needles and pain, although she did come close to partaking of, um, herself.

"Some believe that consuming one's placenta has substantial skin benefits. So, after my elder son was born, I kept the placenta in the fridge for a few years, but I forgot all about it! In fact, I just threw it out the other day. So, yes, I came close to eating it," said Zoe.

But now, the Queen of Caldecott need only head to her dressing table to find the anti-ageing solution — her Garnier Age Lift products.

Li lin's body of work

Fit and toned Wong Li Lin has what she calls, gasp, "subtle wobbles gained from my two pregnancies".

But the Fly Entertainment artiste does not believe in "faddish pills or instant makeovers". It's still the "old-fashioned and reliable combination" of exercising and eating right that works best for her.

"Many of us blame food as the main culprit in weight gain, when it is really a matter of our activity levels that should be considered. One of the key points is to find ways to incorporate exercise into (our) lives," Li Lin told TODAY. "A happy sense of well-being is too important to ignore, but don't get too caught up with an unrealistic body image."

Li Lin's ability to take care of her body and well-being is one reason why she has been appointed as the new face of Nivea My Silhouette.

This slimming and reshaping gel-cream is made with a natural Bio-Slim Complex, which includes the ingredients white tea and anis extract. While white tea has been found to burn fats and slim down fat cells, extract from the anis plant helps to increase collagen production so that the body's contours are reshaped.

Nivea My Silhouette is said to reduce up to 3cm on targeted body areas — women surveyed in a Nivea consumer study felt that they had the most fatty deposits on their thighs, stomach and hips.

Li Lin, who has a four-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son, likes how Nivea My Silhouette is "hassle-free" to use and applies it every day. Even when she travels, Li Lin pops a tube of this gel-cream into her suitcase.

"I love its scent and how it accents my contours. I can still go about my daily packed schedules without any disruption and I'm able to tone, firm and regain my feel good silhouette," she said.

So, does Li Lin share her Nivea My Silhouette with husband, Allan Wu?

"Fortunately, my studly husband does not have to concern himself with the stretched skin that a woman suffers post-pregnancy. So, for now, I'm spared the occasion of having to share my products with him!" - TODAY/ac