Rising up on everyone’s list of most-talked-about men is up-and-coming actor Mikael Daez. His simple understated style keeps him looking crisp and cool.
Though he’s certainly not shy of the limelight now, Daez was at first hesitant to join show biz. He was taking up Business Management at Ateneo de Manila University and doing some modeling stints on the side to raise some cash for himself when he was discovered and got an artist contract from GMA 7 and a lead role in its biggest drama project in 2011, “Amaya.”
Shortly after, he bagged another lead role in his first-ever movie, “Temptation Island,” where he had a kissing scene with French-Filipino actress Solenn Heussaff.
Now, he has another teleserye and another movie in the works.
Far from his onscreen persona are the musings in his blog www.mikael
daez.com, chockfull of written reflections on life’s adventures, both happy and sad. His personal accounts reflect his genuine personality and kind heart. Whatever his talent is, he must be doing something right. For those who still can’t get enough of Mikael, we reveal more of his style, grooming habits and life in show biz.
What I love the most about show biz is… How it has allowed me to grow as a person. It really opened me up to trying out new opportunities and it broadened my perspective on so many different things. I’ve become more adventurous when it comes to looking for new experiences. I am no longer afraid of trying out new activities, unlike during my college days when I only stuck to things that I could confidently do well. On that note, I love the fact that my work challenges me continually.
Being a celeb has lots of perks, the one that I love the most is… That I get to travel a lot. Even if most of the places I go to are around the Philippines, I’ve always been the type of person to explore different places. What makes it even better is that I get to experience the different festivals all over the country. From the Diyandi festival in CDO, to the Dinagyang festival in Iloilo, to the Masskara in Bacolod, just to name a few, my regional shows are things I always look forward to. Along the way, I’ve also made a lot of friends in different provinces and they’ve also played a big part in making those trips very memorable.
A female costar I enjoyed working the most with is… Hmmm… Solenn Heussaff! She was just really cool and all. I worked with her in my first project ever, “Temptation Island,” and she really helped me get more comfortable with the whole show-biz industry. She was very spontaneous and took everything in stride, a quality that I tried to emulate. Without having to think too much of the stress of our work, everything becomes more enjoyable and I’m glad that I picked up that attitude from her. She may not know this because she was being herself, but I guess that’s the beauty of it all and that is why I think she is a great and very real person. Coincidentally, I ended up being an ambassador with her for Penshoppe, so that was also a great turn of events.
The products you’ll find in my bathroom are… the Dove Men+Care body and face bar is a soap that I’ve really gotten to like! It doesn’t leave me feeling itchy or dry after showering. I liked it so much that I went to the supermarket after my first use and bought a big box with 12 bars in it! Haha. It’s a bit more expensive and runs out a bit quicker, but it is definitely worth it. I don’t mind paying a little more for hygiene.
I use Pond’s Facial Soaps. I think the habit started with my older brother when I was in high school. I started getting pimples and hated it, so my older brother told me to wash my face regularly. He introduced me to Pond’s facial soap and it’s been a regular regimen of mine ever since. I think my skin type is semi-oily, so washing my face is really important.
I also have a lot of different kinds of hair products. Recently, however, I’ve stuck to Osis Thrill and Cynos Camopaste. I get my products from Jing Monis Salon since they have a great selection and I’ve stuck to those for quite a while already.
Lastly, I always use shampoo, but I haven’t really had any particular one that I’ve used for a long time. The most recent brands I’ve used however have been Dove, Pantene and Schwarzkopf. I can’t really tell the difference between them aside from the way they smell.
In my dresser, I have too much… Colognes. I have a lot of different kinds at home because I get some as gifts or giveaways. My favorite kind would have to be Diesel Fuel for Life cologne as well as the blue Polo Sport. I’m not very particular about it, though, so if it smells good, I’ll probably use it.
To stay fit, my diet and workout regimen involves… Lifting weights 3-5 times a week depending on how much free time I have. I lift very heavy because I need to gain a bit more muscle mass. A play basketball nowadays, too. I play around once or twice a week even if I should cut down because I burn too much when I play. It’s a weird problem because I lost muscle mass really fast so I have to work hard to keep my build. As for diet, I need to eat a lot! Like I said, if I skip meals, it shows the next day. I’ll be lethargic and my body will look deflated. And contrary to what most people think, it’s difficult eating all the time. It gets tiring and quite expensive. I guess it has its pros and cons.