Want to look great but don’t know where to start? Arthur Tam and Kawai Wong give you the lowdown on the basics. Photography by Calvin Sit

Say no to hair gel!
Only apply products after a fresh wash. For a nice shine, use a palmade (American Crew palmade, $230, from The Strand, 2850 7686) instead of gels or sprays that can make the hair look too wet. Flat hair after a fresh blow-dry can be sculpted using a firm wax (Sebastian clay wax, $105, from Bonjour, citywide). Dab a $10-coin amount of wax on your index finger and rub it along all the fingertips on both hands. Run them through the hair to create a 3D shape.

Clean brows sharpen up your face
Unless you’re Frida Kahlo, a mono-brow is totally unacceptable. Take a tweezer, stand in front of a mirror (making sure you can view your entire face) and pluck the sparse hair between the brows. Too inexperienced to DIY? Visit an eyebrow shaping specialist (Browhaus, 2845 0886; www.browhaus.com).

Guyliners give edginess
Draw black eyelines using a water-resistant kohl pencil (Maybelline Eye Studio crayon liner, $49, from Mannings, citywide). Use a medium sharp pencil to outline the contour of the eye, getting as close as possible to the upper lash and to the eyeball on the underside of the lid. Open your mouth and make an ‘ah’ sound to keep your eyes open.

Get rid of the panda eyes
Panda eyes are cute on pandas but not on people. The eye roller stick (Rodial Glamoxy Snake Serum Pen, $820, from Joyce Beauty, 2907 2228) works to minimise under-eye fine lines and dark circles. For a quick fix, refrigerate sliced cucumbers and place the pieces on the eyes for 10 minutes to freshen up. Cool teaspoons work just as well.

Giving your face a good clean
Use only gentle facial cleansing products (Aesop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser, $295, from Aesop, 2857 7356) that don’t make your face feel taut afterwards. Alcohol-free toners (Kiehl’s Cucumber Alcohol Free Toner, $220, from Kiehl’s, 2196 8346) get rid of the dead skin and impurities. Think of this step as flossing after brushing your teeth.

Moisturise moisturise moisturise!
Moisturisers prevent your face from over secreting sebum and keep dry skin and wrinkles at bay. (Kiehl’s Facial Fuel, $235, from Kiehl’s, 2196 8346).

Everybody loves sensual soft lips
Carry a lip balm (Burt’s Bees beeswax lip balm, $50, from Mannings Plus citywide) that contains shea butter and vitamin E. Beeswax is a good skin protectant and helps to heal chapped lips.