Apples is one of the few people I know who is not only amazing at her work, but is also incredibly beautiful and stylish. I’ve been working closely with her since I joined the TRESemme style team last year, and continue to work with her for Pond’s Age Miracle as its endorser. Admittedly, I am a fan of her style, and watch her fashion choices for events or even to meetings. Apples is ALWAYS impeccably dressed, as she wears clothes that fit perfectly and draw the eye to the right places.

I did a feature on Apples for LOOK magazine’s Beautiful People section (February-March 2013) and got to see her favorite things at the moment. And true enough, what I saw were extraordinary, stylish pieces you can easily fall in love with.

Here’s her feature story.

CAREER. I am currently head of PR for Personal Care, Unilever. Unilever is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, fast-moving consumer goods company in the Philippines and globally. We are a company that aims to make peoples’ lives better—from our product innovations to our Sustainable Living Plan, to name a few. In Personal Care, we aim to make Filipinas look and feel more beautiful, holistically, by helping her build confidence, gain self-acceptance, or even undergo inspiring transformations. We always endeavor to meet her needs so she can be the best she can be.

This was a career progression of sorts. I started as an editor and columnist for several publications including the Fashion section of Philippine Daily Inquirer. Armed with insights as a key influencer, I opened a boutique agency that serviced some Unilever brands, including Pond’s. Soon after, I was hired by the Pond’s Global Team in Singapore to head up PR. I stayed in Singapore for almost four years and finally came home last October to assume this current role.

I try to be in the office by 8:30 to 9 am everyday. I normally have four to five meetings on a good day, and more if it’s very hectic. There are days when I need to handle and attend events, as well. Ordinarily my day ends around 6 or 7 but when it’s really busy (more of the norm), it can end later. I also try to do other things on the side, work-wise, like photo shoots for features (like this one!), hosting gigs, and the like.

I am truly proud to be part of Unilever, not only because we are leaders in terms of sales or shares, but because we impact people’s lives on many different levels. When I see how our sachet recovery program helps reduce environmental impact whilst building communities, or when we educate 500,000 children on proper hand washing to prevent deadly diseases, I know I’m in the right place. It is also so fulfilling to see how our beauty products like Dove, for example, promotes self-acceptance and love, while the likes of Pond’s aids Pinays to become the best versions of themselves. Even Axe, one of our most playful brands is sending the First Filipino to space. Now that’s Pinoy pride!

STYLE. I think I dress in a classic manner with a twist. I always inject a trend or two to make my look more up to date and fun. As much as I am passionate about fashion, I always take it with a grain of salt. It should be fun and a form of self-expression. What I wear in the morning depends on my mood and what the day will be like, but my staples are easy-to-wear dresses that can take me from day-to-night. When I have an early day, I try to prepare the night before so I’m not late. Otherwise, I just dig into my closet to see what inspires me.

I shop wherever I find pieces I like or love. I find that for high street brands like Topshop, Mango or Zara are the most reasonable. For special occasions, I always go to my fave Filipino designers like Rhett Eala, Rajo Laurel, Randy Ortiz, Eric de los Santos, Joey Samson and many others. When it comes to bags, my choices are always classic. I invest in pieces that can weather the seasons, and that I can pass on to my daughter, Sam. As for shoes, anything goes, from classic pumps, to trendy, sky-high platforms, etc. I decide to buy something if I really need or really love it.

Tweetie de Leon wood enamel clutch. 

Rings, Pylones.

Petrified wood bangle, Jinggoy Buensuceso. 

Bag, Celine. 

More rings, gifts from her mom, aunt and sister.

BEAUTY. My beauty regimen is simple: I always cleanse, moisturize and protect. Consistency is key, of course, so I always do these steps no matter how tired I am. I also visit the derma every two months for cleaning or microdermabrasion. I wouldn’t mind ageing as gracefully as Julianne Moore. My beauty mantra is: happiness + a good heart = beauty. It really does start from within.

I wear makeup according to my mood and occasion. Usually, I wear powder, blush, gloss and mascara. Every now and then, I’ll line my eyes with kohl or wear red lipstick (never together) to create a different look. The five products I cannot live without are: (1) Pond’s Age Miracle Serum, because retinol is the best anti-aging ingredient ever and the serum has the highest concentration of retinol; (2) Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey cologne, my signature scent; (3) Close Up White Now, really makes my teeth whiter in just one brush—I use it before events, shoots or presentations; (4) Nars Orgasm blush, a staple that gives a rosy glow; and (5) Shu Uemura makeup brushes and lash curler, my must-have tools!

INTERESTS. I love books, movies, fashion, travel, and food. I’ll read anything I can get my hands on, from classics like Pride and Prejudice to trashy tomes like that popular Grey series. I have no current favorites, although as a kid, I read The Little Prince over and over. I also love Neruda’s poems. I’ll also watch all sorts of movies from Die Hard to Love Story to Pitch Perfect or Il Postino. Anything goes!

And like I said, I love to eat, at home or out in my fave restos. I love Lusso, People’s Palace, Sakura. I also love eating in my mom’s place because our cook serves the best home-cooked meals ever. When I’m tired, I tend to crave for comfort food, which translates to lots of rice and Pinoy food like barbecue, and the like.

FAMILY. My mom is such a gem and she is the reason why our relationships are solid and unconditional. My sisters and I live in different parts of Southeast Asia (my brother and I are here in Manila, Orange is in Jakarta while Peach is in Kuala Lumpur) now but we do see each other at least twice a year, and keep in touch via social media.

I have two kids: Samantha, 21 and Martin, 12. Sam and I are best friends. We like doing girly stuff together like shopping, unwinding in salons while having our nails or hair done and the like. We also like talking about books, movies and the latest TV series. We share clothes and bags, as well. She’s my fashion consultant of sorts. Martin, on the other hand, is still my baby and will always be. He is growing up so fast and now prefers to spend more time with his cousins and friends so I savor every opportunity to just chill out and unwind with him while watching our favorite shows. It makes me happy to even just see him while he is indulging in his video games and not minding me. More than all of the above, these two darlings are truly the source of my strength. We’ve had our fair share of challenges but at the end of the day, we know we love each other unconditionally.

I always just make my children feel loved and accepted no matter what. I do my best to try and keep the lines of communications open. I just hope they know that I would always do anything for them even as I try to give them the space and independence to grow and become the best, most compassionate human beings they can be.

Photographs by Lyka Orhell // Makeup by Ria Aquino for MAC Cosmetics // Hair by Patty Inojales