JOIN a dating agency, turn up at the  venue and enjoy your date.

Simple enough, right?

Not when you see what goes on even before singles take that step.

For the past year, local dating agencies have been providing extra services to help clients put their best face forward in looking for Mr or Miss Right.

Etiquette, grooming, personal shopping and make-up workshops are now offered as part of their membership packages.

The agencies recommend hair salons, dental clinics, boutiques and make-up brands to clients.

Ms Sue Yeo, managing director of Drinks At Eight, has taken it a step further.

She introduced cosmetic enhancements, by teaming up with Starcap Medical Group, a year ago.

So far, the procedures have included double eyelid surgery, nose jobs, vaser liposelection, skin resurfacing, Botox injections, Restylane fillers and eyelash transplants.

SUCCESS STORIES

Ms Yeo has recommended about 60 of Drinks at Eight's 500-plus members to Starcap. And she claims this has helped some find partners among their matches.

One man in his 30s hooked up with one of his dates two months after a weight management course, vaser liposelection around the abs and teeth whitening.

Now, the couple are interested in doing eyelash transplants together.

Ms Yeo, 33, told The New Paper: "I thought this was an excellent idea for us to be that bridge to assist clients further, beyond just dating and finding them that special someone - which is still my focus and top priority of course."

Ms Yeo, who had 10 years of experience in the spa and beauty line before setting up Drinks At Eight in 2005, sees this as providing an "extra after-care service" for those seeking cosmetic enhancements but don't know where to look.

She said she would never broach such a "sensitive" topic or recommend Starcap during consultations unless her clients show interest first.

"Ultimately, the choice is theirs," she said.

Starcap's services are "completely separate" and not part of Drinks At Eight's dating packages, which are priced from $390 to $1,300.

Clients pay Starcap directly and don't enjoy discounted rates.

She also stressed that both companies don't have an exclusive tie-up and she doesn't get any commission fee from Starcap.

Dr Lee Mun Heng, Starcap's director of aesthetics, says "no preferential treatment" is given to patients recommended by Drinks At Eight because "most of the time they don't mention where they're from".

Marketing manager C Tan, 34, joined Drinks At Eight three months ago. Within a week, she went to Starcap for Botox to streamline her wide jaw.

She has since gone on dates with two men, and feels more confident that she "looks nicer".

Ms Tan, who had consulted two doctors before about her problem, told The New Paper: "It's worked magic and I'm very happy with the results."

Another client, a 32-year-old sales manager who declined to give her name, had double eyelid surgery four years ago.

After joining Drinks At Eight last year, she has been taking oral medication for her bad complexion and undergoing chemical peels for the past three months under Starcap.

Her breakouts are now under control, and she has gone on five dates so far.

She said: "Superficial makeovers or grooming would not have been enough for me, as I needed something long-term to solve my particular problem."

Mr Andrew Chow, who has organised dating events for social networking portal Romancing Singapore since 2005, feels Ms Yeo is "setting the trend and breaking new boundaries".

He said: "Actually, finding the right match on paper is easier than preparing singles for a date.

"So over time, the challenge and focus has shifted... to helping them address and enhance their physical outlook in order to achieve a higher success rate in the dating game."

He feels grooming workshops and social etiquette training sessions are still "relevant", but he has observed that some singles "aren't buying into it because they don't see immediate results".

Mr Chow also thinks this new trend will help the dating industry grow as a whole as all the sectors involved have complementary goals.

However, other local dating agencies which offer standard grooming services are reluctant to jump on the bandwagon.

Ms Linda Tan, marketing manager of Heart2Heart Connect, wouldn't recommend such services to members as they "promote vanity" and don't guarantee more success in finding love.

She said: "While singles should improve their physical appearance, it is vital not to stress too much on it.

"Many of our clients are satisfied with our workshops and feel that the sessions boost their confidence and help them to be more appealing to the opposite sex."

Ms Beth Chan, co-founder of The Dating Loft, added that she's not looking into cosmetic enhancements at the moment as she fears the repercussions "if it's only temporary or will create a path to addiction to cosmetic surgery"

She said: "At the end of the day, we encourage our members to look beyond looks, as the basic character of the person is more lasting."

Other singles we spoke to also see cosmetic enhancements and dating as strange bedfellows.

Publicist Melissa Lam, 33, said: "You can be the prettiest girl and seal the deal on the first date, but you need personality and chemistry to make a relationship work.

"It's justifiable if these people are (doing procedures) for themselves, but it's wrong if they are doing it because they're so desperate to get married."

Art director PK Chua, 31, said the idea of dating is supposed to be "what you see is what you get".

He said: "If I were looking for a long-term relationship, I'd want to present myself as I am."

This article was first published in The New Paper on June 28, 2008.