"Don't forget to ask Felicia about those plastic surgery rumours!" Well, as it turns out, we didn't have the heart to heed a certain rabble-rouser friend's catty reminder - or at least, we did so in a roundabout way reminiscent of Felicia Chin's career itself...but more on that plastic surgery business later.

First, let's set the scene. We're meeting Felicia at Upside Motion Yoga Studio, an aerial acrobatics and wellness centre tucked away at chi-chi equestrian hangout Turf Club Road. The 28-year-old, recently revealed as the new face of feminine hygiene brand Whisper, is here to shoot campaign images for the brand's premium extension line Whisper Cosmo. Looks-wise, Felicia is fresh-faced and fetching in a cornflower-blue crepe dress, her hair pulled back to show off her baby-smooth forehead.

At first blush, Felicia could pass as one of those unassuming, interchangeable neighbourhood belles your older brother was perpetually infatuated with - and indeed, that may very well have been the case if the bred-in-the-bone Singaporean hadn't made the fateful decision to enter the Star Search talent competition in 2003.

The rest, as they say, is history - until it wasn't. The Tanjong Katong Girls' School and Victoria Junior College alumnus did everything right in those early days, sweeping the Star Search Female Champion, Best Acting Potential, and Miss Vibrant categories for her year. She went on to win multiple awards, including the Singapore broadcasting world's barometer for popular appeal, the Star Awards' "Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes" and "Top 8 Most Likeable Female Characters". She was pronounced one of "Seven Princesses", and hailed as one of the most promising new talents of the post-Fann and Zoe vanguard...

And then she quit.

Felicia's decision to leave showbusiness for the life of an undergrad came out of left field, shocking her "Felicians" (the moniker adopted by her legions of heartlander fans) and prompting breathless speculation in the blogsphere about everything from an alleged botched boob job to unhappiness over management issues. That was in 2010. Fastforward to 2013, and Felicia is firmly back in the public eye. After completing an internship with a media company in Shanghai, the actress said she would be shelving her studies to resume acting as a full-time artiste.

Her comeback has to date been a breeze, with a successful stint as a variety show host in "Are You Up For It?"; an upcoming telemovie with Joshua Tan from "Ah Boys to Men"; and a rugby-themed Channel U drama, "Scrum", for which she is currently filming.

The final, most convincing indicator of her renewed stardom? A sweet endorsement deal from a superbrand like Whisper.

Here's what we learnt from our chat with Felicia the comeback queen.

"Feminine" issues? No fear.

Right off the bat, we decide to go for the jugular: Why agree to be the ambassador of gulp, a sanitary pad company?

We expect Felicia to flinch, but she looks us levelly in the eye and tells us that a woman's menstrual cycle is nothing to be ashamed of: "As a girl, I understand the needs we face every month. Whisper Cosmo eases the fear I feel - monthly periods are bad enough without having to worry about embarrassing leaks."

"Of course, I don't share all my intimate details with the public, but if this product's helped me to cope with my own anxiety then I hope it does the same for others out there, too." Touché.

Sanitary pads help her to act better.

If Felicia scores another Star Awards trophy next year, you may want to rack it up to Whisper Cosmo. Before you throw your hands up in bemusement, let her explain: "When I'm filming, my character's clothing may be body-hugging and unforgivingly light in colour. With Cosmo, leakages and unsightly bulges are not an issue, which makes my life as an actress so much easier."

She adds that traditional pads are "incredibly uncomfortable and damp", giving her the uneasy sensation that she should be switching to a new one all the time. Cosmo's super-comfy wings, however, "make [her] forget it's under my clothing", enabling her to focus on the acting job at hand. So there you go: Quality pads will give you superior acting chops.

Felicia's feline eyes are not the result of plastic surgery (we think).

Here's a neat makeup trick that we'll try on ourselves one day: Felicia says she uses mascara as eyeliner. "Virtually all eyeliner brands smudge on me, probably because I have narrower creases," she explains. "Instead, I use waterproof mascara to line my eyes. Mascara lasts much longer on my lids, and prevents panda eyes."

Speaking of plastic surgery, here's Felicia's secret to a slimmer face.

Caffeine furnishes Felicia with sharper facial contours. Besides keeping her bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, her morning cuppa helps with puffiness: "I get rid of water retention in the mornings with a nice big serving of kopi, because I find that the caffeine acts as a diuretic and helps me to flush out toxins."

"I do know that for some people drinking coffee gives them dark circles, but it works for me." Try this at your own risk!

Felicia floors us by being a veritable fountain of useful beauty knowledge. Here's another skincare tip we wish we could have thought of ourselves: "Whenever you spritz on a facial mist, use soft cotton pads to dab off the excess after a few minutes - you want to stop the evaporation process from occurring because it can leach off moisture and dry out your skin."

Still on plastic surgery, remember that there's more to life than fretting over every fine line on your face...

At 28, Felicia is in the full bloom of her womanhood - and competing with comely starlets a decade younger. We ask her if she's ever been insecure about her appearance, and she responds with poignant candour: "It's been a long journey of self-discovery, but I'm happy with the way I am now."

"Everyone has physical flaws. No one's perfect, whatever 'perfect' means." Gesturing at the well-lit expanse of the yoga studio we're chatting in, Felicia says: "Recognise that there's an upper limit to perfection, then try to improve upon the areas you're dissatisfied with through exercise and eating right."

Felicia acknowledges that a great deal of effort is involved in looking presentable - don't be lazy, ladies - but she also takes pains to emphasise her everything-in-moderation stance towards beauty: "It's more important to enrich myself in other areas. I don't want to be a pretty shell with no substance within." Good advice to live by, fellow Felicians.

...but by all means, proceed with your lunchtime fix.

Saying that they have no qualms with aesthetic augmentations has almost become a stock answer for celebrities - the more cynical among us might read it as a fallback plan in case they're ever caught having work done in future - but Felicia's version seems to be a nuanced and genuinely heartfelt one: "I've no moral objections to plastic surgery. If the results make you feel good, why not.You just have to be really careful and grounded so you don't become addicted to the process."

"If a little chemical peel here and there makes you feel good, there's no reason to care about what others may say or think of you." Perhaps alluding to the relentless scrutiny female stars are subjected to, Felicia adds: "Your face and body are your own, and you owe others no explanation as to what you choose to do with them."

Felicia's finally found her future.

Felicia seems to have really hit her stride. When asked for a sneak peek of her role as a rugged rugby coach in the TV series Scrum, the reborn actress says fans can expect a more assertive Felicia: "My character is super strict and sharp-tongued with her players. Because of all the shouting I do in the show, I've become accustomed to speaking louder than usual - which is quite funny and liberating."

By the looks of things, Felicia's return to the limelight has been well-played: "Early next year, I'll be starring in another really cool drama in which I play this mysterious conwoman with skeletons in her closet."

As for what lies ahead? "I'm hoping to get on the big screen next year. I think I've truly found my calling as an actress. I've come back with a stronger sense of conviction and confidence."

Now that, Britney Spears, is how you make a comeback.

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