Heart Evangelista headlines the 2024 Tala Awards on August 26, 2024, as the latest ambassador for Ultherapy.
Embodying the theme "Confidence to Shine," Heart is all about spotlighting the pool of beauty experts that have elevated every Filipino's choice when it comes to aesthetic treatments.
"It's always nice to be part of such a powerhouse. All of the people that are inside the room have really dedicated their lives, not just for beauty, but for actually making people feel better about themselves," she tells PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal).
"You know, it's not a joke being a doctor because aside from the job itself, it's really the relationship— the 24-hour-7-minute kind of conversation that you have with your patients.
"So it's so nice to be part of this movement. It is actually a movement more than an awards night."
Read: Heart Evangelista denies freshness is due to being childless
HEART CELEBRATES AUTHENTICITY
Part of Ultherapy's new campaign emboldens Heart to show resolve when it comes to revealing her true self.
"I think it would be being brave especially in this day and age where you have social media," she says.
"It is my bread and butter, but, there are pros and cons that come with that, and you just have to remember that you just have to be as authentic as possible."
She explains: "Authentic meaning, not just the way you dress or the way you express yourself or how you talk in your videos, it's really just embracing even your flaws.
"I mean, we're tough on ourselves especially people who know what good aesthetic means, but at some point you really have to embrace your flaws and kind of make it as your beauty mark.
"Meaning to say, not just physically but your heart and your mistakes and I feel like if you present yourself too perfectly on social media then one mistake, you're done.
"I think it's important that resonates to me to be brave, and just to put yourself out there. We are already out there so be brave to own up to your mistakes and just be authentically you."
The 39-year-old multihyphenate reasons that some may "want to be a certain way because they feel like that's gonna be more bankable or acceptable so they try...
"But in the end, your mask will always fall off," she reminds.
"So, you have to make sure that what's inside is still going to be seen even when you're not, you know what I mean, just have to be as transparent as possible."
Read: Heart Evangelista hopes women "can just help each other, not step on each other"
HEART'S BEAUTY TREATMENT
Because authenticity is a relative matter, Heart offers her perspective on what it means to preserve it while also seeking self-improvement.
"Well, personally, I am for whatever you want to do," she says. "Like, if it makes you feel good, don't deprive yourself from doing whatever you must to make yourself a better version of yourself.
"But personally, for me, I used to be afraid of aging. I'm fine with aging now, but I want to age gracefully.
"I want to capture the moment before it's too late. That's why I do a lot of therapies, for example, Ulthera, to prevent.
"So, really, for now, at my age, I can still say that it's all really prevention. But ask me again in 10 years. Maybe it's a different story," she laughs.
Ultherapy is considered a gold standard among industry experts when it comes to non-surgical treatments that improve, lift, and tighten loose skin.
In the Philippines, it is the only FDA-cleared non-invasive procedure that tighten skin around the neck, chin and brow, and improves lines and wrinkles.
Heart admits, "You should do it as much as you can. Once a year, or for me, actually, honest truth, I do every six months.
"I do mine every six months. I do it right here where it matters, so the jaws just stay put and so, I usually visit the clinic, I get my treatments, I'm also on a bone broth fast so that the collagen production doesn't go away."
Aside from ensuring that her skin retains its youthful state, she swears by an equally essential beauty goal that keeps her in check: "Beauty for me is also being healthy."
She adds: "I just really want to live a healthy life, a peaceful life.
"Just, you know, enjoy each moment because there's also nothing, I mean, nothing really beats that natural glow from within. I mean, it sounds cliche, but it is true."
Read: Heart Evangelista recalls "traumatic" lip-filler experience
HEART on VALUING TRUST AND LOYALTY
While countless options are available in terms of aesthetic facilities and cosmetic treatments, Heart is not one to get overwhelmed.
She has been sticking to the medical professionals she has worked with over the years.
"I do believe in relationships and who you're comfortable with. So, I'm very loyal in a sense because they've known me since I was young," she mentions.
"So they know all the treatments I've done. So I want to make sure that we stick to what I really, truly need.
"It's really collaborating with the patient," she furthers.
"It's having their own, like, respecting the person's, in a sense, DNA— and not necessarily totally changing who they are, but working around their insecurities and their flaws and just tweaking that a bit.
"What sets them apart would be, again, it would be the relationship that you have with them.
"You really have to trust and really have confidence with the doctors that you visit or you, in a sense, work with, that they have to have the best of the best machines.
"That's very important. Credibility in this kind of field is top. And of course, having a heart is a major bonus."
When asked what makes the Filipino touch different from other operations that may be provided elsewhere, she answers: "There's love. There's care."
She elaborates: "They communicate properly before they do, what do you call this, a treatment. They make you feel at ease.
"Sometimes, with other places or maybe in other [countries], well, according to my friends, it's just like, you know, you're just a number.
"You come in, you're done, you're afraid, you know, a lot of people are anxious to do these things.
"But here, that's the nice thing about Filipinos is there's care, there's tenderness. May puso."
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