The Unexpurgated interview with Vivian Chow

SINGAPORE — Have you ever looked a fawn in the eye, and asked her for her secret to everlasting youth?

That’s what it feels like to speak to Vivian Chow.

The 45-year-old Hong Kong star, dubbed the leading Yu Nu by the media for her pristine beauty, has eyes that look like they belong on a manga character.

But the Cantopop sweetheart, who was in Singapore to launch Suisse Programme’s new Platinum Precious collection on Thursday, also has the manners of a true lady.

First, she asks, politely and doe-eyed, if we can conduct the interview in Cantonese, because she finds it challenging to formulate her answers in Mandarin.

Then, she leans in, ever so gently, to listen to your questions about her beauty regime and her beloved cats.

Then, she answers you, in that soft, delicate voice that made her every man’s dream lover in the 1990s.

And that’s how you know — you are talking to THE Vivian Chow.

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Q: You’ve shared plenty of your beauty secrets. But if you could pick only one thing to focus on, what would it be?

A: If I could pick only one thing, I would focus on avoiding UV rays. Because UV rays are the prime culprits behind ageing skin. When I was in my twenties, I liked to go tanning. I sunbathed all the time, and became tan. Then I got some blemishes and spots. When I realised what was happening, I decided I should be good and stop sunbathing. I haven’t gone tanning on purpose anymore, from the time I was 26 years old. I also put a lot of emphasis on sun protection, and my skin got better. And then I realised just how important it is. If you don’t use skincare products at all, then you have no choice. Avoid UV rays.

Q: When was the last time you went to the beach?

A: The beach? I haven’t been to the beach in a long time. Last year I went on a trip, a study trip with members of my church. We went to the Dead Sea. After that, because I don’t sunbathe, I didn’t go to the beach. But if you’re talking about taking photos or a photoshoot, then it’s unavoidable. I would put a lot of sunblock on. Sunblock can help protect your skin from UVA and UVB (rays). UVA rays are the harshest — they reach beneath the top layer of your skin. As for UVB rays, they can harm the top layer of your skin, too. So you have to pay a lot of attention to the sun protection products that you use.

Q: But do you like the beach?

A: Oh, I don’t. Because I’m afraid of the water. I don’t swim. I used to go to the beach because I wanted to go sunbathing, because I have very fair skin. But now, I think it’s actually better to have fair skin. (Laughs) So I stopped feeling bad about not being tan. I stopped sunbathing, and stopped going to the beach. And my skin really has been good since then.

Q: Which part of a woman’s face is the hardest to maintain?

A: I think it’s the eyes. The skin around the eyes is the thinnest and the most fragile. Did you know that a person can blink 15 times a minute? And every day you can blink about 50,000 times. So the skin around the eyes moves the most. And it’s thin and fragile. So once you get wrinkles around the eyes, they are really hard to get rid of. That is why I put a lot of emphasis on the maintenance of the skin around my eyes.

Q: Let’s talk about make-up. If you could pick only one type of make-up, what would it be?

A: Lipstick? Because women always have lipstick in their bags. So I think if you ask them, many would pick lipstick.

Q: Let’s talk about your cats. I hear you have a dog and several cats?

A: I don’t have a dog anymore, my dogs died.

Q: Oh, I’m sorry.

A: I had two dogs, but now I have seven cats. And I had a cat that passed away two years ago.

Q: Ah Pao? (Pao is Cantonese for “leopard”.)

A: Yes.

Q: Would you say that you spoil or love your cats more than your husband (publisher Joe Nieh)?

A: Oh, that’s a very difficult question to answer. If my husband were here, I’d say my husband! But when my husband isn’t here ... who do I love more? Actually people ask me this question all the time. But no matter what, I have to choose my husband. But I believe even if my husband were to hear me saying that I choose my cats, he wouldn’t be upset. Because the both of us really love our cats. We treat them like our family members, like our children. We treat them like our own. We hope that we can use our unconditional love, and take care of them till they turn old. Because I really appreciate the fate that we have with our cats. I really love them.

Q: Wow, you have seven cats. Is your house like a zoo?

A: Yes. When they are sleeping, we always say it’s as if there aren’t any cats in the house. They all disappear, or stay quiet and stop moving. So it’s as if there are only the two of us left. But when they all wake up, every space in the house is used. Because the cats jump up and down, they burrow here and there, every inch of space is used by the cats. And it’s really lively. I have old cats and young cats. And the old cats are still really playful, they are always chasing each other around. So when I walk I have to be really careful, too. They are really active — especially my three leopard cats. After Ah Pao died, I found three leopard cats related to him. Leopard cats are especially active. And they have a lot to say. When I say something, for example, they say something like, “meow meow meow”. There’s a lot of interaction, and many sounds. It’s really lively.

Q: What do you say to your cats?

A: I tell them what I want to say, but I guess they don’t really understand me! I praise them, laugh at them, tease them, and just play with them. There’s a lot of interaction.

Q: Do you have a favourite among the seven?

A: Definitely! (Laughs) Everyone knows Ah Pao was a cat I really, really loved. I even wrote a book about him. Even though he’s gone, I’ve always felt that he’s never left us. Because something really special happened. After he left us, I really missed him. I really loved him. So I told my husband, “Can you help me find a cat that is related to Ah Pao? I want to raise him.” And we prayed. After a while, he found a pair of kittens on the Internet. They were leopard cats and related to Ah Pao. And they were born the day Ah Pao died. I really think this was not a coincidence. This was God’s marvelous will. And then we found a female kitten, also related to Ah Pao. So we adopted her. After these three leopard cats came home with us, I realised all three cats share Ah Pao’s characteristics. I think Ah Pao’s never left us. He became three cats, and gave me more of him. And I think it’s really God’s amazing plan for us.

Q: You’ve been dubbed the Yu Nu Zhang Men Ren by the media for a long time now, because of your pristine and ethereal beauty. If you could pick a moniker for yourself, what would it be?

A: I think the name was given to me when I was in my twenties, and we’ve co-existed for so long. It’s from last century! Until now, I think I’ve always treated it normally. I think of it as a nickname that people use on the Internet. I don’t feel that my behaviour or my life is restricted by the moniker. After all, I have gone through so much in life. I think I can leave all these unnecessary titles and names behind. I live life according to my values. And to be honest, I think the audience does not judge me solely based on a name. They consider the way I treat people, or my work attitude. These are more tangible attributes. As for a name I would pick for myself — I think I don’t need a name. I am just me. What I will leave behind are my works, my love.

Q: What if your cats can choose a name for you?

A: If they pick a name for me? “Mama”! (Laughs) I am “Mama”!

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