By Vibrant Dot StaffWhat is beauty? Good looks, or a great body?
To 25-year-old Chew Jia Min, who was crowned Miss Singapore International in 2013, the beauty of a woman isn’t about the clothes she wears nor the figure she has. Instead, it is about someone who speaks from the heart and is true to her soul.
Besides winning the title in the pageant organised by the Singapore Women’s Association (SWA), the business graduate from Nanyang Technological University also clinched the Miss Body Beautiful award.
Stay true to your morals, and life will stay true to you.
Chew Jia Min, Miss Singapore International 2013
The 1.75m-tall lady effortlessly emanated a gracious and friendly vibe during the photo shoot for this article.
A humble soul, Jia Min believes in self-reflecting. “People I meet, whatever I see, hear; every setback in life, and achievement, I like to sit down and reflect, and it always leads me to something new,” she says.
And there is indeed wisdom to her words—a woman’s true beauty is reflected in her soul.
Hi Jiamin, tell us more about yourself—where you were born, your family, and your career.
I am born and bred in Singapore. I often get mistaken as a Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese or Japanese. I come from a family of six, pretty large by Singaporean standards, with a family dog that is completely adored! I currently work in a local bank handling their priority banking customers.
Our readers might be interested in knowing your fashion style. Can you share it with us?
I don’t have a particular fashion style. I wear what I feel comfortable in. As much as I like trying different styles, I usually pick out pieces that complement my body shape, skin tone and personality.
And they’d also love to know how you keep your skin looking so fabulous! Tell us your tips.
Three basic rules: less is more, hydration, and a hygienic routine (that I learnt of during my pageant)
I love fruits too, so that’s a bonus!
But of course, these tips aren’t enough if you are facing skin problems. I recently had an outbreak and had to consult a dermatologist.
How do you define beauty?
Someone that speaks from the heart and is true to his/her soul.
How did you end up participating in the Miss Singapore International 2013 competition? What did you looking forward to the most, and what have you learnt through the competition?
I was never really into “beauty pageants”. I was in my final semester of university and decided to try something new after my friend (who coincidentally won the previous year!) encouraged me to give it a go.
Everything was new to me so I looked forward to every activity. The other participants, sponsors and committee members were great which made me look forward to the sessions too.
Through this competition, I learnt how to conduct myself appropriately in different social settings, but the two most important things that I learnt were, how to walk in heels, and how to apply make-up. Haha.
In your opinion, what are the qualities that helped you to win?
I believe it was my openness to advice, willingness to work on my flaws, and confidence in speaking.
You represent Singapore in the 53rd Miss International Beauty Pageant in Tokyo. What was the experience like?
It was an amazing experience. Even though our days were filled with multiple activities, both cultural and modern, I made friends from all over the world. Contrary to popular belief, the beauty pageant was a congregation of intelligent and humorous girls. Definitely a once in a life-time experience.
Professional women often find it hard striking the right balance between career and family. Which comes first for you?
Family, without a doubt. I do aspire to build my career. Both are definitely important in my life but to me, all that I am is all that my family is.
What is your philosophy in life? What inspires you?
My philosophy in life is pretty simple; stay true to your morals, and life will stay true to you.
My own life inspires me. People I meet, whatever I see, hear; every setback in life, and achievement, I like to sit down and reflect, and it always leads me to something new.
What are your future plans?
It’s a secret for now.
