For Gayle Guansing, Dr. Joseph Andrei Bongalo, Regine Grace Florida, and Shale Albao, their approaches to their respective creative and entrepreneurial pursuits may be different, but their intentions remain the same: to build with meaning. Photographed by Karl King Aguña
From jewelry to skincare, here’s a look into how intention, not image, drives the vision of these fashion and beauty brands
It starts with an experience. For jewerly designer Gayle Guansing, dermatologist Jaja Bongalo, MD, perfumer Shale Albao, and entrepreneur Regine Grace Florida, the spark to create a brand built on beauty and aesthetics always began with the personal: a first pendant designed for a mother, a childhood desire to be a doctor, a memory passed down through scent, and being the go-to person for beauty tips during her university days.
For these four creative entrepreneurs, beauty goes beyond appearance. Each one builds with deeper values, whether it’s through storytelling, cultural representation, ethical care or purpose-driven leadership.
Gayle Guansing, jewelry designer and founder of GoldAndStones
Every piece of jewelry that Gayle Guansing has designed started with a story. “My first real piece came in 2017: a custom mother’s pendant. It was the first time I translated someone’s story into design,” she shares. “And when I handed it to her, she was moved. That moment changed everything. I realized jewelry doesn’t just have to be beautiful, it can be powerful.”
Growing up with humble beginnings, she learned the value of grit and survival from her family. This instilled in her a sense of depth and authenticity, which shines through in the fine jewelry designs of her brand, GoldAndStones.
She draws inspiration for her pieces from everything around her: mythology, nature, organic freeform shapes, and the stories of powerful women. “I’m endlessly inspired by women, their strength, their growth, the way they constantly evolve. That, more than anything, fuels what I do,” she shares.
She is aware that the jewelry and luxury industry is predominantly driven by price and status. As a participant in this powerful space that shapes the meaning of beauty, she says she stays grounded by always remembering where she came from. “I didn’t grow up with much, so every client, every piece I get to create, I never take any of it for granted,” she says.
Joseph Andrei Bongalo, MD, medical director and founder of Basix Aesthetics
After training in Miami, Joseph Andrei Bongalo, MD returned home to Davao to open his first clinic. It was a 34-square-meter space in his hometown. According to him, back in 2016, the concept of skin rejuvenation treatment felt foreign. This made him pivot to acne and energy-based treatments to compensate for their hesitance.
“It was quite a challenge,” says Dr. Bongalo. “But over time, they became more accepting. There was a need to really educate.”
Now heading Basix Aesthetics, Dr. Bongalo continues to grow his clinic through word of mouth. “For us doctors in the aesthetic field, we need to keep on adapting to what’s new,” he says. “However, not everything is applicable to the Filipino type of skin. That’s why we need to discern whether these new technologies are applicable to the Philippine setting.”
Inspired by his training in the US, Dr. Bungalow emphasized care and responsibility. “I treat all my patients like family, like close friends,” he says. “[As their Aesthetic Medicine Physician], I am treating not just their wants, but also what they really need.”
Shale Albao, chemist, perfumer, and founder of Tadhana Fragrances
Before she became a perfumer, Shale Albao was first a chemical engineer who carried fond memories of her loved ones’ perfumes growing up. Building her independent fragrance house, Tadhana, later on was an alignment of her studies and her lifelong appreciation for scent.
After getting accepted to Institut Supérieur International du Parfum, de la Cosmétique et de l’Aromatique alimentaire (ISIPCA) in France, she discovered her deeper purpose in combining science and art. She recognized the lack of strong representation for Philippine perfumery on the global stage, so she aimed to lead a movement to represent excellence in Asian fragrance-making.
Her brand’s first collection, Persona, focuses on telling Philippine stories through scent by highlighting heritage ingredients unique to the country. The collection successfully exhibited at the first-ever Grasse Perfume Week, also becoming the first Filipino perfume brand to debut there. Through cultural storytelling and community building, Albao helps place Philippine heritage and innovation on the same pedestal as global luxury brands.
Regine Grace Florida, founder of Zionne Beauty Lounge
“I never imagined I could step into a space I wasn’t trained for and actually find my rhythm in it,” says Regina Grace Florida, founder of Zionne Beauty Lounge. “Belonging isn’t something you wait to be given, it’s something you build.”
Before building her aesthetics lounge, Florida was working in finance and accounting, eventually leading her to give franchising small food businesses a try. Living in Bulacan, the trips to Manila, even just for a facial, led her to create an aesthetics lounge that also has a café inside (“It’s for the husbands and partners of women who come for their needed me-time,” she quips).
“From the very beginning, Zionne has been deeply tied to my journey as a mom, even its name was inspired by my son’s name,” says the 29-year-old entrepreneur. “That reminder keeps me grounded: everything I do is not just for myself, but for the future I want him, and my family, to see.” Through extensive training, research, and running the business, Florida’s view of beauty became holistic: “Beauty to me now is also discipline, resilience, and the quiet confidence that comes from knowing your worth. It’s not just about appearances.”
Though her business is still in its foundational years, leadership has also been a huge factor in how she defines growth, not just in revenue, but in relationships. “Success now feels less about numbers and more about impact: how we make people feel, how we help them see beauty in themselves, and how we grow as a team together,” she says.
Photographed by KARL KING AGUÑA, Written by PAT VILORIA and CHRISTINA ZABAT, Art direction by CHRISTINA ZABAT, Styling by GAIL ONG (Shale Albao, Dr. Joseph Andrei Bongalo, and Regine Grace Florida) and ROB LIM (Gayle Guansing), Hair and Makeup by ROSELYN PEDAYO of NIX INSTITUTE OF BEAUTY, Videography by RCE LIMITLESS CREATIVE PRODUCTIONS INC., stylist’s assistants KYLENE BEA NG DU and RICO GUEVARRA, Produced by ESAB RAYMUNDO, Multimedia artist LARA CASTAÑEDA, Account manager BETTINA MENDOZA, CLAUDIA CRUZ, ICE LEE, and YASSI CENTENO.
