Day 1: Dove Summit #RealBeauty

We made it to the headlines of Philippine Daily Inquirer. Dove #RealBeauty gained 66 MILLION impressions in just two hours!!! Whoa! And this happened at the first ever Dove Summit! 😀

When I got an invite from Unilever Philippines and Bridges PR to the Dove Summit, I gave my immediate “YES” not knowing what will actually happen during the summit. It was a 2-day event with an overnight stay at Sofitel Manila. All I know is that I love the brand and I shouldn’t miss it!

I was given such a warm welcome the moment I stepped inside my room. There’s a pillow with my initials on it, hand-written note card, personalized pair of slippers and of course, the entire range of Dove products to make sure I’m well taken care of during my entire stay. WOW, Dove surely knows what #RealCare is!

We were all asked to remove our makeup before going to the event venue. I felt uncomfortable at first. Imagine a room full of beauty enthusiasts whom I always see in various events almost every week, and now, we have to attend a beauty event unmasked, no makeup. Oh my!!!

It was a breath of fresh air as soon as I entered the room. It was surprising how we felt so comfortable right away. One realization I had is that everyone can be unintimidating and approachable when unmasked. It was a liberating and unexplainable feeling, to be honest. I was able to start conversations with some ladies whom I’ve been seeing in events but haven’t had the chance to talk to. Maybe it’s because of the vibe that everyone was being our own selves at that time. We even took selfies- without makeup, something beauty bloggers won’t usually do! We weren’t afraid to show our real beauty.

Marj, me, Nikki and Shen with ZERO makeup!

Just before our first event ended, we were asked to do a quick photo shoot with professional photographers like Sara Black and Joan Bitangcol . And yes, a photo shoot with ZERO makeup! It wasn’t my first time to be photographed without makeup. I did a VTR for Dove and I was asked to remove my makeup as well. I can still remember that feeling. It was terrifying! Imagine, a professional camera capturing all my flaws and the photos and videos must be submitted to Dove’s regional office. Oh, and I forgot to mention, I was being casted for a facial wash advertisement. I honestly felt depressed thinking I wouldn’t be able to get the role since I was barefaced for a skincare product! A few days later, I received a call from my agent informing me that I got the role! I couldn’t believe it myself and he showed me the video and photos he chose without editing anything. He submitted them raw and I was at awe. At the back of my mind I was thinking, do I really look like this without makeup?! And guess what?! I started going out without makeup after that. That experience gained me confidence to show my real beauty.

Right after the shoot, we were asked to prepare for dinner. Again, the Dove team didn’t fail to surprise us. The setup was grand and very inviting.

As dinner was served, all of our photos were flashed on the big screen for everyone to see. Geesh, everyone looked stunningly beautiful. Everyone was so fresh. Every time a photo flashes on the screen, you’ll hear the ladies saying “wow”, “pretty”, “I like that”, etc.

Here I am unmasked- no eyebrow mascara, no bb cream, no powder, no blush, and no lipstick- JUST ME! 😀

Day 1 of the Dove Summit was an eye-opener. Reality is that our society can be harsh as it actually has imposed a standard of beauty, pushing us to conceal what we think are “flaws”. We try to hide them under tons of makeup just to live up to a standard of perfection. We were all presented by the sad fact that only 7% of Filipinas think they are beautiful. This urged Dove to do the #RealBeauty and #IamBeautiful campaign. Dove is serious about changing this staggering statistic because real beauty is not about living up to an imposed standard. Each wrinkle, each freckle has a story to tell, making us unique, special and beautiful. This beauty must be celebrated and applauded, not hidden or altered.

Day 1 was very inspiring and touching. I wouldn’t want that day to end any other way. Everything was just so perfect. I went back to my room feeling good about myself, reconnected and empowered. Thank you to Dove Philippines and Bridges PR. Day 2 of the Dove Summit, coming up next! 😀

P.S. Before I end this post, you might want to watch Dove Beauty Sketches which I shared in this post: You Are More Beautiful Than You Think. It was played during the event and it left most of us teary-eyed even if it wasn’t the first time we saw the clip. 😀

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