We'll Have What She's Having

There are beautiful faces and there are faces that embody beauty. Mary Lim finds out who drives us to buy into a brand and how they are doing so

#1 She must be at the top of her game.

K-drama queen Song Hye Kyo is literally the leading lady among beauty ambassadors. The 35-year-old kick-started the year with an endorsement deal from Sulwhasoo. She spent a decade fronting its fellow AmorePacific Group brand Laneige. Her former role has been filled by up-and-comer Kim Yoo Jung.

The Descendants of the Sun (DOTS) star, who reportedly earns more than US$50,000 per TV episode, single handedly steered Laneige’s Two Tone Shadow Bar and Two Tone Lip Bar to skyrocketing sales in 2016 (make-up junkies even spotted a few close-ups). Portraying a surgeon stationed in a war-torn region, Song’s ethereal good looks illuminated the small-screen smash and remained the talk of town for months. Laneige even features in her own love life — in October, she married her DOTS co-star Song Joong Ki, who fronted the Homme line in 2013.

#2 SHE ALWAYS PUTS HER BEST FACE FORWARD.

Among Chanel’s roster of muses, Kristen Stewart leads the way with her rebel rocker-chic. Since 2013, the Twilight actress has appeared in campaigns for the French luxury label’s Métiers d’Art collection, but began to peddle its beauty collection only in 2016, rocking must-haves from eyeshadow and lippies to fragrances.

At 27, Stewart’s approach to looking good comes down to one word: Nonchalance. She has no qualms pairing her beat-up Vans sneaks with slinky gowns or a smartly cut mannish suit. It is with the same confidence she wears her hair, from bleached buzzcuts and slicked-back pixies to choppy bobs. Opinion is divided on her style choices, but that’s what makes her so refreshingly on the red carpet and in real life.