Bela Padilla launches makeup brand safe for fellow PCOS warriors

MANILA, Philippines — Actress Bela Padilla opened up about her struggles having Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

In an exclusive interview with Philstar.com following the launch of her namesake makeup brand early this week, Bela said that having PCOS made her experience acne, weight gain and fatigue.

“Na-check ko lahat ng boxes na ‘yun. I have it constantly so I make sure that when I make decisions, what I put on my skin, what I eat, it always has to be very mindful. Hindi pwedeng kung anu-ano lang ang nilalagay ko sa mukha ko kasi sobra ako kung mag-react,” she bared.

“And especially nga with supplements, with food. I've always been such a healthy eater but ang dami ko nang tinanggal sa diet ko to cope with PCOS.”

As such, when the actress was cooking up her namesake makeup brand, she made it a point that its products would be safe for children, pregnant women, and for those with health and skin concerns like sensitive skin and PCOS. 

“So whatever your skin type is, skin tone, skin texture, these cheek tint and lip balm are for you,” Bela said of the initial offerings of her brand, Bela by Bela. She said the products, now available in Instagram and TikTok Shop, are color-adaptive to any skin tone and suit her combination and “very acidic” skin.

Bela confessed that she loves a low-maintenance routine, hence she picked the Color Changing Lip Balm and Dot Perfection Tint for her first product lineup. 

“I love a minimal makeup routine so I wanted to create an essential product that can be a mainstay in makeup bags,” she divulged.

“One of the things too is I love looking good, you know, and looking good for me isn't a full face like this, but looking good for me is, you know, just being as simple as I can be pero presentable.”

As a makeup lover, though, she professed loving to experiment and play on different kinds of makeup, which is why she believes her brand would carry more products soon.

It all started, she recalled, when she was sent a prototype lip balm last pandemic. Since then, she has not used any other lip balm. 

"As for the Dot Perfection Cheek Tint, all you really need is a small dot for both of your cheeks. It appears white at first on the tube but slowly transforms to a rosy flush after a few minutes on the skin,” she assured.

“The reason I finally put my name on something is because this is something I actually use. Like I truly believe in it. I really use it every day,” she swore. “So over the last few years, as you guys may or may not have noticed, but I've been going on the more creative side also, I don't just act anymore or like shoot films anymore. I now release things that I love and want to share with people.”

From her name’s original meaning, “beautiful,” Bela has redefined herself as a multi-hyphenate thespian with several acting awards under her belt, as well as being an accomplished director, a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) ambassador, and now, as an entrepreneur, and even as a designer set to release a capsule collection for a local brand online.

Bela, however, admitted that there were times that she could not live up to her name of being “beautiful.”

“That's true. There really are days you don't feel your best. There are days where you really feel down,” she said. 

“So I guess, know what works for you,” she advised. “I like to go swimming, I like to go diving. So as soon as I have a few days off and I'm not feeling too great, I'll drive to the nearest beach. I can swimming at home. Nag-da-dive ako.”

Makeup also helps cheer her up.

“And one of the things I love to do is looking good! Looking good for me is not a full-face like this. Eto kasi pang-event ko na ‘to. Looking good for me is being simple but presentable.”

Unlike other makeup brands, Bela said hers would not bank on empowerment because empowerment, for her, should not come from the products one uses, but should shine from the inside. — Video by Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo; video editing by Anjilica Andaya