BEAUTY F EATURE

Beauty brands take a socially- conscious turn for the better

Some of the Philippines’ top beauty brands reveal the new direction of beauty

There were always eco-conscious brands, products that prided themselves in using sustain ablysourced, organic, and natural ingredients. Despite their stellar premise, they’re often relegated to the granola aisle or the health food store, and were considered a fussy, niche market. For everyone else, there was everything else: shampoos in sachets destined for the landfill, conditioners with ingredients that were completely artificial, and brands that simply sold a beautiful face, with no stand, no drive, no ambition.

These were just some of the things we unlearned at Unilever’s three-day beauty and wellness summit, held at the still

picturesque Tagaytay. These trips used to be smaller affairs, composed of a few select media outlets and maybe a celebrity or two. But this time the guest list was as long as it was varied. Mothers, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, artists, writers, women of all shapes and sizes, ages and backgrounds were present, mingling with one another and sharing their experiences and points of view. At times, the events swelled to over 100 guests, and it was beautiful to see familiar faces and meet new ones. The message was clear: everyone has a voice and everyone has a duty to progress.

During the first day, the guests were walked through various workshops introducing the latest releases from top beauty brands like Cream Silk, TRESemmé, Pond’s, Vaseline, Rexona, and Close Up. The action-packed day culminated in a spectacular, star-studded dinner for Cream Silk’s Triple Keratin Rescue Ultimate Color Revive. Held at the beautiful Narra Hill, the grand gettogether saw inspirational Ultimate Women such as Heart Evangelista Escudero, Coleen Garcia, and Yassi Pressman in attendance.

During each of the events, brand managers and brand ambassadors stressed the importance of “beauty that cares.” They made it clear that each action, even the most innocuous-seeming ones, such as purchasing a bottle of shampoo, had implications that affected the user, society and the earth as a whole. This was underlined by the second day, which had Dove’s Self- Care Soirée and Unilever’s latest baby, Love Beauty & Planet, where a coconut-themed brunch celebrated the latest variants. Along with the shampoo refill distillery, the recyclable containers and sustainably sourced ingredients of the Love Beauty & Planet line received the most applause from the guests. The day ended on another high note: an enchanting dinner and party, where everyone dressed in pastel and celebrated the various beauty and lifestyle choices of women. If there was something to take away from the event, it was clear that women are moving away from the onesize-fits-all style of beauty. Whether it was the beauty you were born with or the beauty that you choose, women are now more more free to the express themselves and live their lives as they want.

While there was much to toast about, it was also clear that we are a long way from realizing the ideal world. Yet, when powerful multinationals and true influencers are heeding the call for change and positive action, we know that we were taking a big step in the right direction.

WHE THER IT WAS THE BE AUT Y YOU WERE BORN WITH OR THE BE AUT Y THAT YOU CHOOSE, WOMEN ARE NOW MORE MORE FREE T O THE E XPRESS THEMSELVES AND LIVE THEIR LIVE S

WANT”

AS THE Y