SINGAPORE - “A dream is a wish your heart makes”, or so the beloved 1950 animated Disney classic would have the inner princess in all of us believe. And why not? Sure, there will always be debate about the lack of positive feminist messages in all the classic Disney princess stories, but this writer would argue that my affection for them and all things girlie did not make me any less of a creative, empowered woman. Cinderella, in particular, holds a very special place in our hearts. Even Uncle Walt Disney, when asked about his favourite moment in animation history, reportedly replied: “I think it would be when Cinderella got her ballgown.”

Cinderella is the ultimate makeover movie, the vital archetype of the transformative power of dressing up. Which is why Disney and award-winning thesp-director Kenneth Branagh has given it a lavish live-action makeover starring Lily James of Downton Abbey as Cinderella, Richard Madden of Game Of Thrones as Prince Charming and the scene-stealing pair of Helena Bonham Carter as her fairy godmother and Cate Blanchett as her very well-dressed wicked stepmother. Here at TODAY, we are more than happy to share a plethora of inspired real-world products to bring out the princess in you. Unfortunately, pumpkin carriages and friendly little mice are not included. Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!

FOR YOUR SKIN. Want skincare to last long past midnight? Then you’ll SEKKISEI’s 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Lotion is a lotion based on a “skin-brightening recipe” that contains moisturizing oriental plant extracts to create fine-textured, translucent skin and help dullness caused by dryness. For the princess that is always on the run, there is the SEKKISEI 30th Anniversary Limited Edition BB Cream Kit which contains the SEKKISEI White BB Cream and the SEKKISEI Clear Cleansing Oil. The whitening BB cream, compounded with Snow Crystal Powder, boasts six functions in one: Serum, emulsion,cream, sunscreen, base and foundation, which cares for the skin while covering blemishes and protects from UV damage. And all princesses know that taking off one’s makeup is imperative, even after midnight and especially after non-stop dancing, making the clear cleansing non-sticky oil which removes waterproof makeup very handy.

THE MAKE-UP. It’s easy to get ready for any kind of ball when you have the right tools and palette on hand. And you don’t even need a fairy godmother. Celeb beauty favourite M.A.C has teamed up with Disney to give us M.A.C x Cinderella: The sparkliest, dreamiest make-up collection this side of the royal kingdom that includes everything from lipstick, lip gloss, and an eye shadow palette to eye gloss, pressed powder, glitter and mascara. With great shade names such as Happily Ever After, Glass Slipper, PHLOOF!, Stroke Of Midnight and Evil Stepmother, how can you resist becoming your very own Mystery Princess?

THE DRESS. Designer Sandy Powell had the task of re-imagining new creations that were just as timeless and unique as the beloved fairy tale and Disney animation classic. She drew inspiration from the 19th century and blended it with the 1940s and ’50s to create a sartorial bureau that included a 12-layer ballgown and a single dress that took more than 550 hours to make. Swarovski teamed up with Powell to add sparkle to the film, providing

1.7 million finely cut Swarovski crystals to adorn costumes, jewellery, hair and make-up. When it came to Cinderella’s magical floral, silk organza wedding gown, Powell said it was crucial that the happily-ever-after dress be unlike the show-stopping, signature blue gown she wore to the ball. “Cinderella wins the Prince’s heart through her goodness, so I wanted to show this through her clothes,” Powell said in a magazine interview. “I wanted her to stay modest and pure, even though she was going to be a part of royalty.”

THE SHOES. If the shoe fits ... then that would be the ultimate happily ever after for modern princesses. Oscar-winning costume designer Sandy Powell designed Cinderella’s iconic bespoke slippers seen in the film, making eight pairs of shoes hewn out of solid Swarovski crystal and featuring 221 light-reflecting facets. Nine famous shoe designers were also asked to take a stab at designing a shoe fit for a princess, and boy, did they deliver. Nicholas Kirkwood, Jimmy Choo, Stuart Weitzman, Salvatore Ferragamo, Paul Andrew, Alexandre Birman, Jerome C Rousseau, Rene Caovilla and Charlotte Olympia offered their own versions, complete with crystals from Swarovski adornments. The collection is the work of Disney together with Saks Fifth Avenue and is available for purchase in Saks Fifth Avenue stores all around the world. The shoes will also be available in the stores of the designer brands themselves. There’s no midnight deadline, but the collection is limited edition. You’re welcome.