MANILA, Philippines — “Beauty attracts more success.”
Such has been the mantra of Christopher Cachuela, and as a beauty expert for about 20 years now, he is witness to many studies linking good looks to success and higher income.
Cachuela’s aesthetics clinic chain Avignon is behind the great “visuals” of Pinoy pop (P-pop) superstars SB19, actors Julia Montes and Sam Milby, beauty queens Celeste Cortesi and Hannah Arnold, and after working with over 80 other celebrities and influencers, Cachuela can confidently declare that today’s Filipino beauty standards have changed.
According to him, while Filipinos still look up to Korean stars like Lee Min Ho, at least for the nose and the flawless “glass” skin, gone are the days of them wanting to confirm to the “perfect” golden ratio of beauty.
Cachuela told Philstar.com in a recent exclusive interview that Filipinos now want to keep their identity and color and still look like themselves – only better.
“You don’t need naman na magandang maganda ka. But as long as you’re confident, you attract more success,” he attested.
“’Yun ‘yung talagang goal, ‘yung mukhang flattering, hindi ‘yung mukhang overcooked.”
But being simply beautiful did not make things happen easily for Cachuela. It took him over 17 years of hard work in the pharmaceutical industry, handling aesthetics treatments and products; almost 10 years of studying the brand, and about 1,500 brand names before he was able to found Avignon Clinic in March 2019.
“We chose Avignon kasi sa Paris lahat beautiful pero expensive lahat, ‘di ba? And then there’s one city in south France na medyo laidback ng konti pero the same, beautiful as Paris pero mas cost-effective ang lifestyle there,” he described his clinic chain’s unique business proposition as “affordable luxury.”
From a 30-square-meter space with three rooms in 2019, the brand expanded to open in a bigger space in Unit 108, Fort Victoria Towers, 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, and thrived throughout the COVID-19 pandemic through aggressive marketing efforts and team of all-doctor dermatologists and surgeons.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” staple Manila Luzon graced the opening of the brand’s bigger BGC space in November 2021, which Cachuela described to be “premier” but private – closed-room consultations, hidden parking slots (you don’t need to dress up because it’s not in a mall), luxurious interiors by Design Empire inspired by luxury brand boutiques, and even its own customized scent.