Back in the day, the local beauty industry had one dominating standard: fair skin.
Filipinos wanted to look like the mestiza celebrities they see on TV and patronizing various whitening products in the market.
Over the years, the concept of beauty has expanded. There is beauty in dark skin, through wrinkles or freckles, in graying hair, or even in love handles.
This is what Dove’s new campaign, “Real Beauty is Universal,” is about. A brand whose advocacy includes pushing the limits of beauty, Dove is promoting its campaign inspired by the ideas of inclusivity and unity.
You might have stumbled upon the Dove commercial on your feed showing women of all shapes, sizes and features—some of whom look like women you’ve met before. These aren’t celebrities, but women—I wouldn’t dare say ordinary—who celebrate their themselves in an optimistic, unapologetic way.
That was the whole point. The campaign comes at a time when women have never felt more secure about themselves. It talks about our newfound freedom from yesterday’s bounds. Whoever said curly-haired, full-figured lesbians can’t be beautiful must have sewn their mouths shut by now.
We usually associate beauty with typical feminine roles, especially women in glamorous jobs. But Dove shows that beauty exists everywhere—from the petite Bea Guingona and manager Iko Nishimoto to bodybuilder Rachel Ramos and mom/teacher Satria.
I love it. It makes me work harder to spread the same message to empower readers and friends on what it really means to be beautiful nowadays.
Let’s hear the women in the Dove campaign talk about themselves.
Clariele Dacanay, 18
Student/athlete
“I consider myself really athletic. I play softball, I box, I hike. I like to stay fit. Knowing that my body is in shape to do a lot of things makes me feel good. I don’t necessarily work out to look good, but I think that when you feel good, or when you feel comfortable, it shows. I think it’s beautiful when people are happy with how they look.”
Bea Guingona, 25
Student
“Growing up in an all-girls school, people pick on your flaws. I’ve always been insecure about my height; the running joke was that I’d always be in front of a line because I’m the smallest… But I’ve kind of learned to appreciate the perks, simple things like getting through a crowd or finding my way to the front rows at a concert.”
Michiko Manlutac, 24
Businesswoman
“Even before I colored my hair, I had a lot of piercing and tattoos. People used to call me a rebel. The first reaction I get from the older generation is, ‘How are you going to get a job with those?’ But this is how I express myself. I’ve never regretted any of my tattoos. They’re all meaningful to me. I like to go beyond, even with my looks, with my hair.”
Iko Nishimoto, 31
TravelOnline Philippines general manager
“Some people have never really accepted the fact that I’m a lesbian. I’m old, so I’ve stopped caring. But when you’re young, you’re constantly looking for acceptance from other people. When you grow old, you learn to say ‘I’m happy.’ And I’m happy and content. Beauty generally comes in different shapes, sizes and forms. I think it’s how you look at things. And for me, I see everything with beauty.”
Patricia Ramos, 23
Bodybuilder
“Bodybuilding has changed my perception of beauty. It has a lot of carryover into my life, my work ethic, even my self-confidence. I used to not like my morena skin. Through bodybuilding, you learn about the things you can change, and the things you can’t. My skin is one of those things I couldn’t change, so instead, I learned to love it. Beauty, for me, used to be this notion of skinniness, of flawlessness, a certain idea of femininity. But ‘feminine’ doesn’t have to do with just skirts, or having a small voice. It’s whatever you want it to be, as long as it’s you. Bodybuilding taught me that you can be feminine and strong.”
Tippi Ocampo, 47
Fashion designer
“Whether it’s in people or things, I find beauty in anything authentic. It’s experiential, not just visual. What I do for a living is creative, and when you learn to approach things from a creative standpoint, you see beauty in everything. It’s not one-dimensional, not traditional. As a designer, I’m always seeking inspiration, and I find beauty in the unusual, the unexpected. It opens your eyes.”
Reins Melitante, 17
Student
Beauty is diverse. I’m half-Chinese, and sometimes people say certain things about it. But I love my culture, the language, the food, the history. And I like my eyes. People always say I have small eyes that look like lines. I love that they’re different.”
Cher Lui Pio, 25
Blogger
“Blogging used to be a platform to put myself out there. Being happy with yourself is constant work.
There are bad days, and being vulnerable is sometimes perceived as a flaw. But I like to show people who I am. Growing up, you learn that not everyone is going to accept who you are.”
Arizza Nocum, 22
Youth leader
“I think the most beautiful thing about me is how I express myself. I love reading, writing, speaking. And this has always been my way of captivating people. When I was young, I was insecure about how I looked. And to make up for it, I tried to be more charismatic and confident to overturn the physical lack that I felt. But it made me realize that beauty is not something given to you. It’s something you radiate.”
Priti Sujanani, 31
Businesswoman
“I think a woman is most beautiful when she’s happy. Usually that’s when I’m with my family.”
Zhara Banal, 35
Homemaker/businesswoman
“I think beauty comes when you see one’s heart, the way they affect the people around them. I feel most beautiful when I’m with my kids and husband. Even when I’m dressed up or dressed down, I feel a sense of beauty, satisfaction and femininity whenever I’m with them.”
Satria, 37
Mother/teacher
“I feel most beautiful and confident when I feel strongly about something. Because, for one, I wear a hijab in a place where not a lot of people wear it or not a lot of women wear it. And I’ve been wearing this since I was a child because I believed in it, not because it was forced upon me.”