Sisterhood of beauty

One of the pioneer Filipina entrepreneurs doing massively well to this day is Rhea Anicoche Tan, a petite bundle of energy whose signature clothes and awe-inspiring bag collection won’t ever truly measure up to her golden heart.

A shining example of “kindness, generosity and entrepreneurial skills,” Anicoche is noted for her warm nurturing of the company’s many endorsers — almost a hundred now, reports say! Ranging from big names from both sides of the network spectrum, these ambassadors speak glowingly about their “Manang” more than the products they endorse, it seems.

Such a tight connection was seen once more recently when Beautederm Corporation renewed its contract with Maja Salvador, who has been with the company for over four years now. She is currently the face behind its Blanc Set skincare line, which contains Tretinoin (acne treatment), Hydroquinone (hyperpigmentation treatment) and sunscreen.

“I founded Beautederm 15 years ago and we’re still going strong. All of these things have shaped me into the woman I am today. Thanks to the support of other women, such as my mother, my sister, my daughter, my female employees, my female endorsers, we have accomplished a lot in recent years…,” Anicoche-Tan said.

“If you ask me, a woman’s real glow comes from generosity and kindness. While we strive to be our most appealing, we must never lose sight of our inner beauty…the way we make others feel,” she added.

Maja attested to this genuine intention. “Si Manang kasi, …alam mong totoo, sa simula pa lang,” she related. Rhea is one of her wedding sponsors (ninang), but Maja said their support of each other had never wavered through the many ups and downs in their lives. “She’s more than my boss, she’s my manang talaga, ate na ate.”

For her part, Maja makes sure to show Rhea how she cares, at one time surprising her with a birthday celebration when the latter had not felt like celebrating at all.

“Ito ang samahan na pang-forever talaga (This is a relationship that will last forever),” said Anicoche-Tan. “At salamat sa pagturo sa akin na deserve ko rin na mahalin (From her I learned that I also deserve to be loved).”

She advised Maja to just enjoy her motherhood because eventually the kids grow up. Maja has a daughter named Maria Reanna with husband Rambo Nunez Ortega.

Although she had a smooth pregnancy, Maja had a hard time adjusting to motherhood. This, however, does not mean she would not want to have more babies, she quipped.

Maja admits motherhood changes a person. Your priorities in life change, and this has meant that she has to think well about projects that are offered to her. She has missed working, she said, as a workaholic, but she is having the time of her life being a mom to Maria. “She completed my dream as a woman,” she said in Filipino.

However, motherhood has brought new skin concerns, which Maja says Beautederm has helped her address.

“Aging is a blessing; we must embrace it. But we can continue to glow,” said Anicoche-Tan.

The ever-petite (“extra small forever!”) boss lady keeps herself fit by eating less rice, “half rice, and once every week,” she confessed.

After joking about eating “hangin na lang (just air),” Maja said for her it’s a protein diet and daily walks. “Everyday, dapat may exercise. Malaking tulong din ang pagsasayaw (Everyday, there should be some kind of exercise. Dancing is a big help).”

On their advice to other women to live their best lives, Anicoche-Tan said: “Love what you’re doing. And as I always say, karma — what you do comes back to you. So I think that’s my blessing from the Lord, kasi sa lahat ng mga ginawa ko, wala talaga akong inapakan na tao (because in everything that I have ever done, not once did I ever step on others to get ahead). There is no formula. Just: do what makes you happy and be kind. ‘Yun lang talaga ang sikreto sa buhay (That is the only secret to a good life).”

For Maja: “Lagi mong isipin na babae ka, at wala kang di kaya (Always remember you are a woman, and there is nothing you cannot do).”

Adding that everyone comes from a woman, the actress reiterated, “Babae ka, malakas ka, at wala kang di kaya. May time na gusto mong mag-give up, pero kaya mo (You are a woman, you are strong, and there is nothing you cannot do. There may be times you may feel like giving up, but remember that you can do it).”