Her skin, in real life, is truly lily white. There is a mysterious, knowing look in her brown eyes, and her hair is of the blackest black.

Yes, American burlesque star Dita Von Teese is a classic beauty. But it's a look that has been honed over the years - hence, its perfection.

The look has won her fans worldwide, and has made her a muse to rock stars, artists and designers like Jean Paul Gaultier. To be considered a muse, says the 39-year-old, who was married to controversial rocker Marilyn Manson in 2005 for about a year, is "the highest compliment".

"Most people, when they are looking for someone to be their muse, look for someone who has a sense of self, who isn't just trying to fit into mainstream standards of beauty or style," she told my paper.

And style is what Von Teese, a classically trained ballet dancer whose passion for beautiful lingerie led her to become a pin-up model and then a burlesque star, is all about.

Von Teese - who is reserved and soft-spoken in person - started experimenting with style in the 1990s, when she dressed up for parties on the Los Angeles rave scene.

Then, she would obsess over certain eras - the 1940s, for instance - and would "want to emulate that era...down to every detail", she said.

Now, "my hair is mostly 1940s, my make-up is probably more 1950s, my nails are very 1930s, and my clothes...I just look for things that have the spirit of retro style, that speak of glamour and elegance", she said.

Von Teese - who is also famous for using a corset to bring down her natural waist size of 22 inches to 16.5 inches - added that her style icons are "eccentric and unique" women, such as American socialite Babe Paley, American actress Marlene Dietrich and British magazine editor Isabella Blow.

The star was in town late last month in her capacity as the global brand ambassador for liquor brand Cointreau. She staged special burlesque shows at Zirca and at Sky Bar at Resorts World Sentosa.

An ambassador for the brand since 2008, the sultry woman said it made sense for her to team up with a spirit brand, given that a famous part of her shows has her bathing in a giant cocktail glass - something Singaporeans got to see here last month.

But for those who marvel at her looks, take heart. To keep herself in tip-top condition, she doesn't do anything special.

"I don't smoke, I don't sunbathe, I try to get enough sleep, I eat healthy. Basic stuff," she said. Her morning fix, for instance, includes "green" smoothies made of vegetables and fruit.

Fans dying to get her look can rejoice, as the self-professed make-up junkie is looking to launch her own line of make-up next year, with a focus on lipsticks in vibrant shades first.

"I feel like many great lipsticks are missing from the market. So, I'm trying to fill...the gap with things that I wish I could have," she said.