Beauty Tips & Tricks From Yanxi Palace's Charmaine Sheh
The Hong Kong actress who turned 47 this year proves that age is just a number
Hong Kong actress Charmaine Sheh’s career reached a new peak with her portrayal of Consort Xian in the popular Story of Yanxi Palace.
But even before then, the recognisable thespian has been a mainstay in the Hong Kong and Mainland China drama circuit, with many drama series and movies under her belt since she clinched the 2nd runner-up position in the 1997 edition of Miss Hong Kong.
We gathered some of the birthday girl’s best beauty looks and break down the beauty tips you can glean from them.
Being an actress and public figure, Charmaine is often in full glam. This is why she ensures that every stitch of makeup is cleansed off, especially before going to bed.
Try Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm. This cult favourite balm cleanser contains a cocktail of nourishing oils to gently yet effectively remove makeup without leaving the skin feeling dry and taut.
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The Hong Kong actress has shared multiple times that masking is the key to her youthful-looking skin. She does this at least once a day.
Try Dr.Jart+ Dermask Vital Hydra Solution Facial Mask. This K-beauty favourite is formulated with the proprietary ingredients Aquaxyl and Super Vital Complex to deeply quench parched skin.
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It’s so easy to get lost in Charmaine’s expressive eyes. Charmaine pays particular attention to her peepers and incorporates an eye serum into her routine. Pro tip: apply cold potato slices to reduce the appearance of puffy eyes.
Try Clarins Double Serum Eye. This eye serum won us over and bagged an award at the 2022 Her World Beauty Awards with its potent anti-ageing formula that fights multiple signs of ageing including wrinkles, puffiness and dark eye circles.
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Here, Charmaine tightlined her upper waterline to subtly enhance her doe eyes. She complemented her eye makeup with a barely-there, gradient lip.
Try Jill Stuart Stay True Gel Eyeliner in Tulle Brown, a dark brown that doesn’t look too harsh. It is made with nourishing oils and feels velvety smooth as you line your eyes. Plus, it is long-wearing and smudge-resistant.
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Formulated with a comfortable hydrating formula, Amuse Dewy Velvet Lip Tint makes it easy to create a gradient lip look without the dryness of a matte lipstick. Blot the excess off with a tissue and use a little foundation to create the feathered effect.
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At her appearance at a Balmain boutique opening in Hong Kong, the actress turns up the intensity by tightlining her waterline and going for a smoky eye. She keeps her lipstick simple but goes for a deep side part to keep her look interesting and chic.
Try Tom Ford Beauty Eye Color Quad Eye Shadow Palette in Smoky Quartz. The shimmering metallic shades add glam to your look instantly while the darker shades create dimension.
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Use a light-hold gel to keep your deep side part in place. The Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Frizz Control Gel does just that. It uses rice amino acids and tomato fruit ferment to prevent hair from frizzing up.
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Charmaine Sheh’s hair is a couple of inches below her collarbone but she manages to keep her top knot from looking too matronly by combing down the hair at her hairline and curling them slightly to create old-Hollywood waves.
Spritz on a texturising hair mist like the Herbivore Botanicals Sea Mist – Coconut + Sea Salt Beach Wave Hair Mist if you find it hard to pull together your hair. The spray adds a little grit and makes it look less flat too.
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Scroll through Charmaine Sheh’s Instagram feed and you’ll know she always goes for a natural or red lip – orange, not so much. But in the rare instance she does it, she does it right by matching her lipstick to the accent colour in her outfit.
We know everyone has a different orange shade in their closet, but we’re going to recommend the Dior Lip Maximizer in #004 Bright Coral. It’s a shiny coral shade which goes on very sheer, meaning it looks different depending on your lip colour (yes, you can layer it on top of your lipstick), and it helps plump up your lips for sexier-looking puckers.
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The Burberry Beauty Kiss Lipstick in #17 TB Orange is a satin, bright orange that has a tint of red to make it more versatile. The lipstick is formulated with hyaluronic acid to keep lips soft and plush for up to 24 hours and has a fresh rose scent.
As mentioned, Charmaine’s love for red lips is evident in her captions (go see for yourself – you don’t have to take our word for it). We chose this because we like the message she’s sending about embracing your individual beauty, hashtagging #beyourownkindofbeautiful. Plus, the rest of her makeup is barely there, letting the red lipstick stand out even more.
Try the Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte Lipstick in RD163, a red lipstick that suits all Asian skin tones. It’s not just the colour – the formula is super comfortable and long-wearing.
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Or go for the Dior Rouge Dior Ultra Rouge Lipstick in #999 Ultra Dior. The iconic red shade from the brand is said to suit all skin tones, and the formula is long-wearing and doesn’t cause lips to dry out, even after eight hours of wearing it (trust us, we tested this personally). The semi-matte finish is also great for people who are not into matte-matte lipsticks.
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On her off-days, Charmaine prefers to go bare-faced without a drop of makeup on her face. She uses the opportunity to let her skin breathe and rest.
Try Supergoop! Glowscreen Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Primer SPF 40 PA+++. Charmaine loves to spend time outdoors whether it is to relax in nature or to get some exercise in. No matter what, sunscreen is necessary to keep the ageing UV rays away. This sunscreen adds luminescence to the skin to give you that glass skin effect.
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When we think of beauty, we often only think of skincare and makeup. But as Charmaine shows off her manicure here, your nails are another avenue to express yourself and have fun. A pretty set of manicure and pedicure also lifts the mood too.
A sleek hairdo is everything when it comes to looking polished, even on your casual days. Charmaine keeps hers in tip-top shape, even on off days when she isn’t acting or promoting a new show.