MasterChef judge Melissa Leong poses on the cover of Prevention magazine

MasterChef judge Melissa Leong looks effortlessly chic in vibrant activewear as she poses on the cover of Prevention magazine

She usually seen wearing designer gowns and opulent accessories. 

But MasterChef Australia judge Melissa Leong, 39, swapped her signature glamour for a more sporty style as she posed in activewear for Prevention magazine’s 100th issue this month. 

Appearing on the magazine’s cover, the 39-year-old looked effortlessly chic as she modelled a vibrant red crop top and matching high-waisted leggings. 

Chic and sporty! MasterChef Australia judge Melissa Leong, 39, looked effortlessly stylish as she posed in vibrant activewear on the cover Prevention magazine’s 100th issue this month

She completed her look with an oversized white-and-blue jacket and a series of gold rings. 

The age-defying glamazon wore her brunette locks down in loose waves, and painted her face with a subtle aplicaation of foundation, blush and rust-toned lipstick.  

Posting to Instagram on Wednesday, Melissa uploaded a picture of the magazine alongside a gushing caption about how proud she felt to be Prevention’s covergirl. 

Proud: Posting to Instagram on Wednesday, Melissa uploaded a picture of the magazine alongside a gushing caption about how proud she felt to be Prevention's covergirl

Proud: Posting to Instagram on Wednesday, Melissa uploaded a picture of the magazine alongside a gushing caption about how proud she felt to be Prevention’s covergirl

‘Thank you @preventionaus for having me on the cover this month,’ she cooed. 

‘It’s very out of my comfort zone in many ways, but as the ever wise @stylebydeni reminded me: the bigger picture is more important than any self consciousness,’ Melissa said. 

Melissa, who has Chinese-Singaporean heritage, also explained the cultural significance of her Prevention cover. 

Represented: Melissa, who has Chinese-Singaporean heritage, also explained the cultural significance of her Prevention cover, writing: 'Representation matters, and to be an Asian on a magazine cover anywhere in the world right now matters now more than ever'

Represented: Melissa, who has Chinese-Singaporean heritage, also explained the cultural significance of her Prevention cover, writing: ‘Representation matters, and to be an Asian on a magazine cover anywhere in the world right now matters now more than ever’ 

‘Representation matters, and to be an Asian on a magazine cover anywhere in the world right now matters now more than ever,’ she explained. 

She completed her post with the hashtags: #diversitymatters, #stopasianhate, and  #masterchefau. 

Melissa is an outspoken advocate for diversity within the fashion and beauty industry, having recently accused a company of ‘whitewashing’ a traditional Chinese skincare tool called gua sha. 

Posting to Instagram Stories, the food journalist uploaded a post from a beauty  company advertising the tool with a white model.   

Furious: Melissa is an outspoken advocate for diversity within the fashion and beauty industry, having recently accused a company of 'whitewashing' a traditional Chinese skincare tool called gua sha

Furious: Melissa is an outspoken advocate for diversity within the fashion and beauty industry, having recently accused a company of ‘whitewashing’ a traditional Chinese skincare tool called gua sha

‘Yep. It’s just a ‘skin fitness tool’. Let’s not talk about the cultural and medical significance of gua sha (in this case) in Chinese or Asian culture or how much we largely ignore appropriation in the beauty industry,’ she began.

In a second post on Instagram Stories, she included a link to an article which appeared on UK Glamour magazine titled ‘How wellness got whitewashed’.  

Melissa urged her followers to read it ‘if you want to know more about why us women of colour feel this way’.

‘Even though we’re all aware that appropriating cornrows, feathered headdresses and bindis is abjectly wrong, when appropriation veers into the wellness sphere, we just seem to care less,’ wrote author Anita Bhagwandas.

She added: ‘Don’t be that basic wellness b***h – you should care.’

Get woke: In a second post on Instagram Stories, she included a link to an article which appeared on UK Glamour magazine earlier this month and urged her followers to read it

Get woke: In a second post on Instagram Stories, she included a link to an article which appeared on UK Glamour magazine earlier this month and urged her followers to read it