In this exclusive, Miss Universe Philippines 2024 discloses the secrets to her longwear beauty look that won her the crown
Chelsea Manalo had an eagle-eye focus on the crown during the Miss Universe Philippines competition. Now with the Philippine sash strewn across her chest, the titleholder balances her duties and responsibilities as queen with grace and poise. However, on some days, it’s easy to get lost in the deluge of tasks and responsibilities that consumes her hours. Thankfully, Chelsea has some tools and secrets that make and ace the ideal beauty queen look: fresh, animated, and ready no matter the agenda. That said, here are Chelsea’s beauty secrets.
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Hydration for Health
When it comes to achieving glowy skin, the beauty queen has one advice: drink more water to hydrate dry skin, and reap the benefits of extra H2O for both internal health and external glow. It’s not just for your skin, but also for your hair.
“It’s a simple step, but drinking water just makes a lot of impact,” Chelsea tells MEGA. “So here’s your reminder to drink up—it reflects in your overall health.”
Take it from the queen herself. Hydration improves the appearance, boosts moisture overall, and keeps the skin looking healthy and radiant. In other words, it’s essential for your entire wellbeing.
Beauty Basics
The queen swears by these get-gorgeous and look-polished fundamentals. Despite the misconception that queens require a lot of beauty tools, Chelsea sticks to her four simple, portable cosmetic basics. “I don’t want to cover my face too much,” the queen tells MEGA. “I want my natural beauty to be emphasized, not hidden. So even when I was still competing, if I have foundation, highlighter, bronzer, and lipstick—then I’m good to go.”
Foundation
“Find your skin tone,” the beauty queen says. “It’s designed to even your complexion to create a flawless base for the rest of your makeup.”
A trusty foundation is indeed essential in any makeup kit. Sticking true to its name, it is the base of one’s makeup with multiple functions: level out skin tone, conceal blemishes, and serve as a buildable canvas to your next layers of looks. As the first line of product that touches one’s face, it must, indeed, be a good foundation.
Highlighter
Highlighters accentuate your features; they have light-reflecting particles that emphasize the high points of your face. Applying the product can give you a soft, natural shine, and draw attention to your best features such as your cupid’s bow, nose bridge, brow bone, and cheekbones.
Bronzer
The warm undertones and shimmery formula of a bronzer give you the perfect sun-kissed look—adding depth, warmth, and dimension to your face. This Chelsea Manalo staple produces a natural-looking complexion, more pronounced cheekbones, or a defined jawline.
Lipstick
Much like Chelsea’s winning glam at the Miss Universe competition, lipstick has the power to instantly transform a look. It’s a versatile tool for self-expression as it comes in an endless variety of colors and finishes. Apart from its cosmetic appeal, a well-formulated lipstick can also hydrate and protect the sensitive skin of the lips.
Hassle-Free When Make Up-Free
“I don’t have a tedious skincare routine,” the Bulacan native declares. “I just moisturize my body and take off my makeup with oil.”
A proper moisturizer will work its wonders for the skin—its ingredients will add hydration and nourish it, smooth and soften the texture, and form a protective barrier to lock in the moisture. Finding a well-formulated moisturizer intended for your skin tone is the ideal version of getting your beauty sleep—it restores skin elasticity, provides antioxidant protection, and the skin feels soft to the touch after application.
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Caring for the Curls
In the Philippines, the standard of beautiful hair is traditionally long and straight. In Filipino culture, curly or wavy hair is connected with undesirability, whereas straight hair is associated with attractiveness. As this is so ingrained in the culture, people who dare to deviate from it are typically mocked and, worse, judged. Because of this, women usually undergo rebonding or straightening methods to conform to the ideal of beauty.
Chelsea, having struggled with self-confidence and bullying due to her hair type and color, weighs in and says, “When I was a kid, I would always imagine myself with straight hair. I’d put my curls in a scarf or a turban because I wasn’t confident in showcasing them. But later on, I was supported by my family and friends to embrace the natural beauty that I have. I never underwent rebonding or straightening and now, I love my hair. I think it’s naturally curly and beautiful and unique.”
But even a queen struggles with dry, damaged, and frizzy hair. Environmental factors, harsh chemical treatments, and heat styling tools can create problems. So when it comes to the tresses, Chelsea has some hair care tips to share for those who share her naturally beautiful curls: “Placing a lot of product in your hair will really create damage. And my hair is constantly in heat from all the ironing and blow-drying,” the queen tells MEGA. “So I wouldn’t say it’s healthy to always wash it. What I do is I rest my curls for a bit, wash the next day, and apply oil at the ends of the strands.”
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Adding hair oil can be a game-changer for curly-haired girls. From frizz to lack of shine, brittleness, and even split ends, adding oil is the solution as it lubricates and seals the strands for that silky soft feeling.
Photos: MEGA ARCHIVES, CHELSEA MANALO (via Instagram)
Photographed by KARL KING AGUÑA. Creative direction by PATRICK TY. Styled by RYUJI SHIOMITSU. Makeup by ANGELINE DELA CRUZ. Hair by BRYAN EUSEBIO. Written by STEF JUAN. Art direction BRIE VENTURA. Beauty Direction AGOO AZCUNA-BENGZON. Production JONES PALTENG. Sittings Editor PEEWEE REYES-ISIDRO. Fashion Assistant BITHIA REYES. Editorial Assistant JONNIE NGO. Styling Assistants RICH FORTU, KIRK LUCAS, AARON DE CHAVEZ, ARIANNE VALDEZ, NICHOLE ANNE PURA, and PATRICIA NAOMI CRUZ. Nails NIKA PASCUA OF LOCAL BEBOT. Photography Assistants JYLLAN BITALAC, SHERIE BOLO, LIGHT RENTALS PH. Makeup Artist’s Assistant ALJON CELIS. Hairstylist’s Assistant KURT ANDREI ROSALES. Shot on Location SPACE AND TIME CUBE+ MUSEUM. Special thanks to MS. UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES, MAU DE LEON, EL JOHN MENDOZA, and NIKKA CHANG OF SPACE AND TIME CUBE+.
