Jessica (L) had this week's best photo with Stephanie as runner-up.

For Week #7 of Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 1, it’s all about face. And what is the most important component to highlight the face? Make-Up, of course! Unfortunately, Helena got more than her share of highlights…and screen exposures.

Ok, backtracking a bit, we all remember the BFFs (Rachel and Kate) in the bottom two last week with the Indian model getting the boot. It didn’t take long for Kate, though, to get over the elimination of a best friend. Her second best friend, Sofia, was still around.

Around the dining table, the seven remaining girls received a Nadya mail telling them to get their best game faces on the following morning. Right then and there, it was obvious that make-up would be the focus of the quick challenge. So the three who admitted to having the least knowledge in applying cosmetics (Stephanie, Melissa and Kate) sought the help of Sofia who has the most experience in doing the same.

The Make-Up Challenge won by Sofia.

So at the Raffles Design Institute, the ladies were indeed given a quick lesson on make-ups by an expert from Mac, together with mentor Joey Mead King. Afterwards, a 15-minute test followed where they had to copy the finished make-up of a professional fashion model exhibited earlier on. Everybody scrambled, except for Sofia who knew what she was doing and in lesser time than required. She was picked the best and won a spa treatment at Espa of RW Sentosa. And since she can bring along one companion, Kate was all too happy to be selected.

While Sofia and Kate were relaxing themselves at the spa, a gift package from host Nadya came for Sofia at the Capella. It was a box of assorted items like a pair of black shoes and skinny jeans, a black dress, accessories and more. Helena and Aastha led in checking out all the contents, despite reservations from the rest. Not content with that, the same two girls thought of hiding the gifts and replace them with senseless stuff instead.

When Sofia arrived, she was tickled pink that a gift was waiting on top of her bed, only to feel embarrassed that the contents looked like a prank joke. She initially took things lightly and played along after the real contents were given by Aastha. But huddled around, she expressed some disappointment that her box of gifts was already ‘inspected’ by someone else.

Melissa's shot that led to her elimination.

This week’s photoshoot sponsor and beneficiary is the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature. The guest designer and celebrity photographer are Indonesian Edo Hatabarat and Kevin Ou, respectively. With minimal make-up and wearing prairie-like sun dresses, the models simply needed to be at their most relaxed selves, be one with nature and come up with extraordinary photos in a lush forest setting. Host Nadya helped in directing the shoot. Only three of them got positive impressions – Jessica, Stephanie and Kate. The rest all had different issues. Aastha had awkward feet, Melissa had no model presence, Sofia was blank and Helena was being her usual ‘trying-hard-not-to-be-sexy’ poser but blamed migraine and a dislocating shoulder for her bad shots.

Helena got grilled to the core this week.

Let’s cut to the chase. Jessica won Best Photo, Stephanie was named runner-up. What’s more interesting is that Helena met her sort of comeuppance with the judges who confronted her with having a bad attitude all over (she always has this snarly expression on the face whenever something doesn’t sit well with her). Once more, she came up with excuses, which thankfully, Todd Anthony Tyler didn’t buy, and opposed even. Callout time and she joined Melissa in the bottom two. Nadya gave the HK girl a good piece of her mind, but was still saved. Melissa became the first model to be axed with a happy face all over despite.

Melissa's AsiaNTM journey finally came to a close.

Oh, about Helena’s meltdown? She experienced panic attack right after the judging and the nonstop reprimands. She hyperventilated, fell on the floor and caused a scene just before the episode wrapped up.

The final 7 models in their nature photoshoot.

Next week, Helena continues with her antagonistic ways, while another model takes a fall……literally. Please keep on watching Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 1 on Star World, Sunday night’s at 8:55pm. 😉