Bianca Umali on self-care: You don’t need a partner to feel beautiful

Bianca Umali on self-care: You don’t need a partner to feel beautiful

MANILA, Philippines — Bianca Umali shared that it was her late parents who inspired her to focus and work on her own health and well-being.

On social media and in interviews, the 24-year-old Kapuso star has been open about the impact of losing her mother to breast cancer and her father to a heart attack. She has advocated for causes that addressed these health issues and has made self-care, including fitness, a priority.

“What became my motivation to start my fitness journey was — I was actually 16, I believe, when I started working out. There wasn’t really anything that pushed me, but I wanted to. It comes, perhaps, from what I went through with both my mom and my dad,” she shared.

“It came on early into my mind that I wanted to take extra care of my body because kapag ako’y nagkaanak (when I have my own kids), I want to be able to live longer and to actually make more memories with them.”

This paper was able to talk to Bianca during an intimate media interview where she was introduced as the endorser of the Filipino beauty and skincare brand Pina, which takes pride in products that are infused with watermelon for its hydrating properties. In terms of soap variants, they have the Pina Light, which is a kojic soap with watermelon, and Pina Glow, which is glutathione kojic with watermelon as well. The Pina Light and Pina Glow products recently bagged the MEGA Beauty Awards’ Best Skincare Soaps of 2024. The actress is also endorsing the brand’s newest product in the market, the Pina Glow Lotion.

“No bias, I tried the lotion right away and it wasn’t sticky. You won’t feel the weight of the product and the moisture that it puts on your skin when you apply it, you will feel it. The quality of the product is really there. Hindi siya yung parang, ‘Ah, ito yung presyo, but you won’t get what you paid for.’ It’s actually affordable for what it can give.”

Affordability and a non-complicated approach to beauty and self-care are part of the reasons why she said yes to becoming Pina ambassador.

The actress credits her ‘advocacy of supporting what the Filipina beauty really is’ to how her grandmother raised her.

“I was never a fan of really marami pong steps and going for what is expensive,” said Bianca, who follows a “cleanser straight to moisturizer” beauty regimen. “Because of how I was raised, I really am one who is also very mindful of — first of all — the budget.

“Brands like this stand for what a Filipino truly is, plus pwede kang maging magandang Pilipina ng hindi mo kailangang mahirapan na maabot yun. It doesn’t have to take so much work. Hindi intimidating ang maging magandang Pilipina.”

Right now, the lead star of the upcoming “Encantadia Chronicles: Sang’gre” could say she’s at her most confident. Though she went through a period where she struggled with self-acceptance and self-love, was more sensitive to comments and harsher on herself.

“I actually went through that for a very long time, and it’s okay. You don’t have to rush yourself, and you don’t need to think, ‘I’m wrong because I don’t love myself,’” she offered when asked for advice to young girls having self-image issues.

“Kailangan mo lang din isipin na maraming nagmamahal sayo, at isa yun sa malaking rason kung bakit dapat mong mahalin ang sarili mo. You will find yourself happier and more beautiful when you tend to yourself because you cannot tend to the whole world if you are from an empty cup.”

Although she said there’s pressure in the industry and today’s generation to fit a certain mold, she learned to be appreciative of what she’s blessed with, and is glad people and brands appreciate her for it.

Pina Skin Care’s new ambassador (pictured with the brand’s executives, from left, Christian Abulencia, Paige Ranola and Emman Cuevas) embraces a simple beauty regimen that aligns with the brand’s philosophy. Pina Skin Care recently won MEGA Beauty Awards’ Best Skincare Soaps of 2024.

“The advocacy of supporting what the Filipina beauty really is, I think it goes back to how my lola raised me — kung ano yung pinaka-simple. Hindi po kami pinalaki sa magarbong pamamaraan, hindi kami pinalaki ng maraming resources,” she said.

“The way she raised us is for us to appreciate what we have, regardless if those are materialistic or even spiritual — up to that level. She really taught us how to appreciate the things around us as they are and as we really are.”

The proud lola’s girl continued, “Seeing how my lola is, her values, how she looks, fixes herself and represents herself not just physically but also emotionally, and how intelligent she is, I think yun yung idol ko.

“That’s where I get everything from, and those are the footsteps that I really am looking into following. That’s why I really am vocal about how proud I am to be a Filipina.”

Bianca went on to share what defines her self-worth with a maturity and self-awareness that would certainly make her late parents proud.

Though her relationship with Ruru Madrid is seven years now and still going strong, she doesn’t believe in having a romantic partner to feel validated.

She said, “Nakakaganda ang pagmamahal, and it is not necessarily the romantic kind of love only.

“Ayoko rin namang sabihin na lalo sa bagong henerasyon na dapat may boyfriend ka o may girlfriend ka para lang isipin mo na, ‘Ay, maganda ako.’

“Hindi requirement na may lover ka. Ang mahalaga, meron kang pagmamahal sa buhay mo coming from family, from the people you work with, from friends. That support system ay yung masasabi kong form ng pagmamahal na nakakaganda.”