IT seems the obsession with beauty is alive and well among Singaporeans.

Ms Charmaine Choo, 21, for example, feels that her external appearance is crucial to her life.

As a personal assistant, she feels that first impressions count.

'If you are well-dressed, people will think you have self-discipline. And if you dress poorly, people will think you're very lazy.

'If someone can't be bothered about their own appearance, how can they be trusted with other things?'

Looks matter, especially when it comes to relationships.

Charmaine Choo: 'If someone can't be bothered about their own appearance, how can they be trusted with other things?'

Ms Choo said: 'When guys first see you, they don't care about your character. Only your looks.'

So what does beauty mean to her?

'Silky hair and big eyes with long eyelashes,' she replied.

For Ms Choo, Japanese actor Takashi Kaneshiro is the most beautiful person in the world because 'his eyes are very expressive' and 'he looks humble'.

Most of Ms Choo's beauty inspirations come from the movies, where she notices what the stars wear and how they are made up. Inspiration also comes from people-watching at Orchard Road, the Shenton Way area, and even at her neighbourhood coffee shop.

For Ms Choo, beauty is the source of her confidence, and although she doesn't like men staring at her constantly, she wants them to look at her 'a little'.

Ms Choo who spends $200 a month on three to four dresses, said: 'It's not just for the guys, lah. It's also for me. When I look good, I feel good.'

When asked if she would consider other definitions of beauty, she replied: 'No. It's just my personality. I just like nice things.'

She said: 'Honestly, I feel that people who enter this (Aware) competition are deceiving themselves a bit. Maybe at this point in time, their presentation might not be important to them.

'But later on, surely they will find a reason to be beautiful. Don't tell me they don't want to look good on their wedding day?'

This article was first published in The New Paper on Sep 5, 2008.