Belle Mariano is still in awe of her new role as an enterpreneur following the launch of her own make-up brand, Talee, which she co-founded with her sister, Daniela Mariano.
The dynamic duo officially unveiled their venture with a grand event at Medusa at The Palace in BGC, Taguig, on November 16, 2025.
Speaking to PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment portal) and other members of the press, Belle expressed her gratitude and excitement.
"I'm so happy that this finally happened, because we've been doing it for quite some time now,
"Daniela and I have been working so much dito sa product na ito and our team, and I'm just so happy that finally nakapag-launch na kami.
"Dream naming dalawa ni Daniela, and we're doing it now. Puwede niyo nang kunin, Talee!"
Belle said she and Daniela had long been working on their makeup brand and felt that now was the right time to launch it.
"Ang tagal na po talaga naming dream ni Daniela ito, so why wait if we can do it now, you know?
"I mean, we have a good, great team with us, and you know, parang I feel like this is the perfect time also kasi mag-Pasko na.
"You know, it's a perfect gift for your loved ones, for your moms, for your titas, kung sino mana make-up enthusiast o mahilig sa makeup. This is the perfect gift for them."
BELLE MARIANO: CREATING TALEE
Belle revealed that the idea of starting a make-up business came from her sister, Daniela.
The Kapamilya star shared: "Pinitch niya talaga sa min ito. Sabi ko, 'Daniela, wow! I can't believe that you would come up with something this great.'
"Like, Daniela and I really wanted to do something together. Whatever business man iyan, sabi ko, 'Okay, I'm gonna support my sister.'
"Pero I never expected that of her. I mean, nae-expect ko siya [make-up business] because she's really into make-up so much, pero I didn't expect at her age that she'd be able to present.
"She actually made up the deck. Nag-present siya sa amin ni mama, and natuwa ako. Over dinner ba yun or lunch?
"Pinresent niya, and sabi ko, 'Daniela, let's work on it. Let's make this both our project.' It's our baby now."
When asked about the brand’s name, Belle said it has something to do with honoring their roots.
Belle told the press, "We were, we had a hard time picking the name nung una kasi sabi ko we want it to sound catchy pero at the same time we want it to have a, a story behind it.
"So sabi namin, 'Why not name it Talee?' Because Talee is our youngest sister's name. Her name's Natalia. We call her Talee at home.
"So, sabi ko, 'I want Natalia to be involved dito sa make-up na ito.' And when my youngest sister nga, found out na Talee yung name, humihingi na siya sa min.
"Sabi ko, 'Hoy, wala pa sa amin yung product! Pangalan pa lang!' So ayun."
With Talee being their passion project, Belle talked about the extent of their involvement.
"Grabe yung insights niya sa product na ito. Actually, sobrang hands-on niya. Sobrang hands-on niya talaga.
"Yung nakikipag-uusap sa team when we were doing the R&D [Research and Develeopment] process, even the ingredients, even down to the texture of the product, she was very hands-on.
"Or minsan, nasa taping ako, because we were currently shooting, I mean we were shooting for Meet, Greet, & Bye. when we were actually doing this, we were in the process.
"Ipapadala niya sa taping ko yung make-up para lang ma-test ko.
"Or minsan kahit gabing gabi na ako umuwi, aakyat siya sa room ko para lang makita yung shades.
"So sobrang grabe talaga yung naging progress and I'm so grateful for my sister."
Has working with her sister ever led to disagreements that required compromise?
"Sa packaging kami medyo nagkaroon ang ano kasi ayaw niyang mag-agree nung una na may ring," Belle revealed.
"Sabi ko, 'Daniela, it's so nice kasi puwede mo siyang ihabag sa bag.' But then, you know, we compromised with each other.
"She chose the yung... medyo glass yung itsura niya. Siya yung may idea nun, ako naman yung sa ring."
Creating Talee was a true learning experience for the two young entrepreneurs
Despite the challenges, she’s grateful to have shared the entire journey with her sister.
She said, "Feeling ko, mas naging closer kami through this process, kasi napapansin ko lang din kung ano yung mga gusto niya, ano yung preferences niya when it comes to creating something that, you know, obviously is both our baby.
"Pero yung, it's a win for me in the sense na, you know, I'm always out po. I'm always busy. I'm always doing other things. So parang sabi ko sa kanya, 'At least my sister's there.'
"And talagang core talaga siya ng product, di ba? At least my sister's there. At least Talee's there. So natutuwa talaga ko na, you know, Daniela's there."
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WHAT MAKES TALEE DIFFERENT?
With so many make-up brands in the market today, what makes Talee stand out?
Belle answered: "I feel like, you know, different brands they all have their way of expressing themselves... And I think what makes Talee different is the core of Talee.
"It's created by both Daniela and I. And talagang we want the make-up to be your sister, to be something that you can bring everywhere you go just like your sister. So you go hand in hand."
Talee currently offers two hero products: the Lip & Cheek Mud and the Glaze Stain, each available in five stunning shades.
"We have the Lip & Cheek Mud, and the Lip Glaze. We have five colors for each which is for everyone. We made sure talaga that these shades talaga are perfect for your skin tone, whatever that may be. And we want it to be a very inclusive make-up line."
The Lip & Cheek Mud comes in Mon Cheri, Cinnamon Girl, Barely There, Bunny Honey, and Soft Launch, priced at PHP449, are available on TikTok Shop, Shopee, and Lazada.
Meanwhile, the Glaze Stain features shades like Golden Hour, Petal Play, Sweetheart, Sangria Night, and Sunset Babe, retailing for PHP548, also on TikTok Shop, Shopee, and Lazada.
Belle expressed confidence in Talee’s formula, assuring that their products are designed to complement Filipino skin tones and withstand the country’s tropical climate.
The two sisters had also tested dozens of samples before finally perfecting the formula.
Belle said: "We want it to be lightweight but, at the same time, buildable. Kasi, you know, sa init ng panahon natin dito ngayon, ayaw ko ng mabigat na product talaga, di ba?
"Like, ayaw ko yung feeling ng you have something on your face that you can actually feel.
"So we want it to be lightweight but, at the same time. if you want it to be bold, nandun siya."
With their makeup brand now officially out on the market, Belle said she welcomes feedback.
"Ang dami ko pa pong matutunan along the process. I think now that, you know, I have a team, I have my sister, I think it's just... I just [have to] be understanding, understand everyone's opinions.
"I don't think naman sa process na ito, you know, I would encounter all good reviews. For sure may mga feedbacks din na ako matatanggap.
"And siguro, I'll just prepare myself for that and just, you know, um, accept others' opinions and improve along the way.
"And I'm just so excited to learn more and improve Talee."
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