From learning how top models prep for fashion shows to attending the Alice + Olivia show, get an exclusive look at this year’s New York Fashion Week with MEGA Beauty Director Agoo Azcuna-Bengzon and Cetaphil
Over the past several years, there has been a growing appreciation of skincare and its place in high fashion. This fashion week, we see it culminate in Cetaphil’s most fashionable collaboration yet as the global brand brings international beauty experts and content creators to New York for a grand experience. Read ahead for skincare insights from MEGA’s own Beauty Director, Agoo Azcuna-Bengzon, plus a rundown of the best moments that resulted from the partnership.
RELATED: MEGA Goes to New York Fashion Week With Beauty Director Agoo Azcuna-Bengzon and Cetaphil
Day 1 highlights
On the night of her arrival, Cetaphil welcomed MEGA Beauty Director Agoo Azcuna-Bengzon with a special dinner at KYU in Lafayette Street. This served as the prelude to two full days of activities for the Beauty Director. The first full day she spent with Cetaphil began with a learning session among experts to gain a deeper level of understanding of skincare. This was followed by a spa experience using Cetaphil’s beloved products.
After a rejuvenating spa experience and exploring the streets of New York, Cetaphil took our Beauty Director to JIMMY SoHo for happy hour. Here, she met with key figures in the global beauty industry and capped off the night with good food and company.
Day 2 highlights
Day 2 began with a Model Immersion experience at Wilhelmina Models. Here, Agoo was taken backstage to better understand the ins and outs of New York Fashion Week. Commenting on the connection between beauty and fashion, Agoo says, “I’ve always believed that beauty and fashion go hand in hand. For every fashion show, there is always a distinct beauty look that complements the clothes. When models sport healthy skin, the look becomes cohesive and the audience is able to view each look in its totality. Skin that looks neglected will often call attention in a negative manner, and this may change the perception of viewers in that it will distract and take away from the fashion looks being displayed.”
After the Wilhelmina Model Immersion, Agoo was taken to a Cetaphil pop-up event at Chillhouse SoHo. The pop-up event brought together beauty experts and enthusiasts for skincare consultations, facials, and more. This informative pop-up underscored the importance of each step to a skincare routine, starting with the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser to remove dirt, makeup, and impurities while providing lasting hydration that protects against dryness. Here, Agoo relaxed and recharged as well before the start of the main event: the Alice + Olivia show.
Of course, you can’t go to a fashion show without getting ready to put your best foot forward. To prepare, Agoo completed her Cetaphil skincare routine using the Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Perfecting Serum and Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Instant Radiance Mask. These were effective in ensuring her skin looked radiant and healthy even before makeup application. Afterward, she was brought to Highline Stages for exclusive backstage access before the Alice + Olivia show.
Seeing everything she has, Agoo had this to say about the importance of skin prep: “The difference [between models that skin prep and those that don’t] can be seen in the texture and luminosity. Models who go through skin prep can be expected to have skin that radiates and looks smooth to the naked eye. Those who skip skin prep will most likely have uneven, dull-looking skin.”
Backstage insights
After the immersion experience at Wilhelmina Models and the pop-up event at Chillhouse SoHo, Agoo re-did her skincare and beauty routine to prepare for the Alice + Olivia show. She underscores this, saying, “A skincare routine is definitely something that cannot be rushed. It’s important to focus on just a few products that you really need, and it’s a must to use products that are armed with ingredients that work fast and efficiently. Try as much as possible to set aside even just a few minutes to give your skin the attention it deserves.”
Agoo’s glam team definitely did not cut any corners when it came to her skin, especially when doing so would allow her makeup look to glow even more. “Skin prep is very important when it comes to makeup application because makeup will adhere better to skin that’s properly hydrated. Skin that is either oily or stripped of moisture will lessen the staying power of your makeup and worse, make your foundation and concealer prone to caking and flaking,” Agoo adds.
Agoo has plenty of pro tips to share herself. “To achieve glowing skin, you must adhere to a complete regimen, and this consists of a cleanser, a toner, a serum, moisturizer, and for the day, always end with an SPF product,” she explains. “Each product serves a specific purpose so it’s important to choose wisely. For cleansing, use Cetaphil’s Gentle Skin Cleanser. It manages to wash away impurities whilst maintaining a healthy skin barrier (a lot of other cleansers end up stripping your skin, making it feel tight and dry afterward).”
Continuing, she says, “I’m also a huge fan of serums. I love how serums are armed with ingredients like peptides and antioxidants to help the skin look and feel refreshed. SPF is probably the number one product I would recommend because a lot of people tend to underestimate how much damage the sun can have on the skin. Protecting it from both UVA and UVB rays is a must, and my preference is to use lightly textured ones like Cetaphil’s Sun SPF 50 which isn’t sticky and works well with our humid climate.”
Photography LAWRENCE DE LEON
Styling ROKO ARCEO
