Lovi launches own make-up line
WHEN actress Lovi Poe was still a teenager and she ventured into a showbiz career, she had a number of problems then regarding her physical appearance.
She was reed thin, flat-chested and her skin was dark. “I had a stack of push-up bra, with big pads,” Lovi recalled. “I swear I used to wear them until one day, I’ve accepted. I would go bra-less and it’s alright.”
That really hurt Lovi before, especially when she was younger. The people around her wanted her to appear light-skinned to be beautiful.
“When I started in the industry, I received a lot of flak because of my skin color,” shared Lovi. “I was too dark. I remember, when I did my first TV series, they would put a lot of foundation on me to make me look lighter.
“But I was one of those stubborn kids. I was hard-headed. I put my foot down even when I was young and just refused the foundation on my skin. I decided I was just going to embrace myself for who I am.
“That’s what makes you different. We forget that. We had to stop putting on the light make-up. I told myself, ‘You know what, forget what people say.’ We should not forget what makes up unique and different are what will make us shine.”
Lovi gradually learned to come to terms with her skin color. “Little by little,” she said. “Very gradual. But even up to this day, I have my moments wherein I have to snap back to reality, especially with the social media today.
“With the beauty standards that you see around, you have to remind yourself every time to embrace your real self. That’s why we had to come out with a love letter to yourself that you’re beautiful for who you are whatever it is that you’re going through.”
After unveiling her production outfit, C’est Lovi Productions with her latest film, “Guilty Pleasure,” Lovi launched her own make-up line, RSG (ready, set, glow), Love You, Lovi.
“I didn’t expect to have my own make-up line,” said a tearful Lovi. “Finally, it’s real. I’m really excited that it’s finally out. I just couldn’t expect everything to happen like this. I’m just simply thankful.”
She met the businessman Steve Haw of Ready, Set, Glow, in one of the clinics of Belo Medical Group two years ago, still in this pandemic.
“All of us were still wearing masks then,” recalled Lovi. “There was this instant feeling of kindness and warmth. Eventually, we had that certain connection that blossomed into me becoming their endorser.”
Lovi has nothing but love and respect for her Ready, Set, Glow family. “I see them beyond partners and beyond work,” she maintained. “I found a family in them. I am so blessed. I’m grateful to them.”
Haw cannot be more thankful that Lovi entrusted RSG brand with her name even if nobody knew them yet. “Hindi pa kami gano’n ka-sikat,” said a grateful Haw. “Nilakasan ko lang ang loob ko to approach Lovi and proposed our collaboration.
“She even gave me her personal number. We got her as our endorser. We also got close to her late manager, Leo Dominguez and Rey (Lanada) was also very helpful to us. The rest is history.”
The products of Love, You by Lovi were tried even when the actress was still doing Batang Quiapo, where she played the gutsy Mokang. “That was one of the reasons we found a solution for,” said Lovi. “My character was always running and drenched with sweat. My make-up was easily removed. That was why we came up with a cream and powder.”
Lovi glowed when she graced the launch of her make up brand because she’s wearing the body shimmer, using the cream blush and the lip treat. “This Love, You means so much to me,” Lovi said. “I’m so excited for you guys to try the products out,” she said.
Her favorite among the five products is simply too difficult to answer. “The products are all too good,” said Lovi. “Every product is special. I think skin poetry is something that people will really love. It makes you glow and look amazing. The packaging is beautiful.”
Proudly, Lovi accommodated her new make up line with open arms. She found the time to curate the brand, supervise the manufacturing, eventually introduce and launch her make-up line.
“I’m a Britney Spears fan and she had this perfume line, Curious, which I really loved the packaging then. I manifested on that packaging and now, I have it with my own make-up line.”
“It’s really finding time to work on something,” Lovi added. “It’s always important to make time for things that are important to you. There are so many things that can happen on a daily basis.
“Time management is really hard. I try to squeeze in certain things. But I wouldn’t call squeezing the RSG brand to launch it. With so much passion and with so much love, we did this line together.
“They were very helpful in bringing these products to life. And I was very passionate about them. When I entered the room, I felt like my younger self would never have imagined this to happen.”
Her make-up brand, Love, You, means so much to Lovi. “It’s beyond just make-up,” she offered. “It’s about self-love and empowering ourselves as individuals.
“When you know the meaning under the line, it just makes things more exciting and it makes you more excited to use the product. It was really a process before we could launch everything. We had to test everything.
“A make-up line is something I didn’t expect I would have. Skin poetry is something that people will really love. I use skin poetry when I attend events. It makes you glow and smell amazing.”
Lovi attested make-up is for everyone regardless of their gender and skin color. “Actually, even actors, men, wear make-up,” she said. “Whatever gender, whoever you are, make-up isn’t just a product made for one. It’s made for everybody.
“It’s a form of self-expression. To be honest, each of us has her own style. Whatever is your trip. No one is there to stop you from wearing male-up. It’s not just a product made for one. It’s for everybody. No one is there to stop you from wearing make-up.”
Make-up is perhaps Lovi’s “guilty pleasure,” that line was taken from her recent romantic film of the same title, with Jameson Blake and JM De Guzman, directed by Connie Macatuno.
“It probably is,” Lovi said. “Even when I go to the gym, I preferred to use make-up. Exacto lang. Nothing heavy. We should not forget that what makes us unique is what makes us also shine.”
