Time with multi-hyphenate actress-model-mother Michele Reis is - like youth itself - tantalisingly brief.

In Singapore to mingle with a retinue of Revital patrons at posh multi-label spa lounge Seviin, we were told that she would be in and out of the country by the end of the evening's revelry - all told, less than twelve hours in town.

But if she was jetlagged, Michele betrayed none of her fatigue in either composure or countenance - which was lovely, dewy and incredibly unlined for a 43-year-old mother of one.

We were also struck by how obliging Michele was, expertly arching her swan-like frame to give the posse of photographers the best shots possible. Speaking of her frame, we can attest to Michele's extraordinarily slender build, which she insists is not the product of excessive dieting - but more on that later.

When we finally pushed past the camera-clicking crew and champagne-clinking society ladies for a precious ten minutes of her time, we had to ask her for the secret to her gorgeous skin.

Alluding to her time-pressed schedule, Michele says she has no patience for ineffective products: "Successful, powerful women in my age group demand fast results, and trust me, Revital gives us that in spades." Consider us suitably impressed.

In the spirit of Michele's brief pit stop in Singapore, here are some of her quick beauty tips that will keep you looking eternally classy - even if you're pressed for time.

Mums, don't be lazy

The Hong Kong screen icon says that being a mother to Jayden Max Hui, now in his terrible twos, is the role of a lifetime: "I've been an actress for so long. It's about time I devote myself to my baby." When asked for advice she would give to exhausted new mothers finding it difficult to make time for a personal grooming regimen, Michele quips that it isn't all that hard: "Don't be lazy - it only takes a few minutes, but staves off many years from your face."

"I've been using Revital products for the past three years, and it's such a pleasure to apply." Here's what you can do. Slap on a soothing mask - Revital Lifting Mask Science Ex, perhaps? - while playing with your baby, for double the stress relief!

Don't let yourself go …

Michele is on a mission to tell women the world over that they should love the skin they're in: "It's a matter of honouring yourself, apart from the family you're invested in." She says she finds it troubling that some women give up on themselves after they cross a certain mental and physical threshold. It's never too late, so hold your chin up high, both literally and figuratively.

… but don't get too hung up on youth, either

We all know - and have perhaps felt - the immense societal pressure on women to look youthful. When quizzed on her thoughts about crossing the 40-year mark, the former Miss Hong Kong winner admits that her skin requires a tad more help now than it did during her pageant days in the 1980s: "My face demands intense hydration to maintain its firmness, which is totally fine because aging happens to everyone."

This is when the elephant in the room rears its head. Catty industry commentators have murmured about the provenance of Michele's impossibly taut face, but the actress says she's a proponent of "natural" beauty - no bathing in virgins' blood for her.

Michele adds that there's something very ugly about going to extremes, no matter which way the pendulum swings: "I'm sure we've all met women striving to look ridiculously young, much younger than their birth age."

"This isn't an elegant way to live. Women at peace with themselves emanate happiness that's reflected in their skin." Self-confidence acting like light-reflecting optics in our concealer - who knew?

Yummy mummy meals

If you've had the good fortune to see Michele in the flesh, you'll know that she has a bangin' bod to go with her bouncy skin.

She insists, however, that dieting is well, wishful shrinking: "My approach to food is a very zen one - I am very aware of what I put in me, but I don't obsess over every morsel."

As for what complexion-boosting foods she consumes, Michele says that the trick is to single out healthy items that you actually enjoy - that way, adhering to a beautifying diet becomes fun.

To prevent "prune-face", Michele incorporates lots of fish, veggies and worms - that'll be cordyceps for you - in her meals: "Salmon takes care of my Omega 3 quota for the day! I also make an effort to brew herbal soups with ginseng, cordyceps and collagen."

Massage matters

Michele ends our chat by divulging her trick to preventing makeup slippage - she preps her skin with a lymph node-draining massage: "It's a very simple massaging technique that's quite similar to the instructions you find in your beauty product leaflets!"

Michele recommends kneading a generous dollop of Revital the Vital-Perfection serum into your face before putting on your warpaint: "I find that layering it under my usual skincare routine makes my makeup last longer." Yet another reason to visit our nearest Shiseido cabin, then.

The Shiseido Revital range is available at Shiseido counters at all major department stores. For more information, visit www.sg.shiseido.com.You can follow the brand on Facebook at www.facebook.com/shiseidosingapore.

You can follow Michele Reis on Weibo at http://www.weibo.com/michelereis and on QQ at http://t.qq.com/michelejiaxin.

Go to herworldPLUS for more stories.