Volleyball Player Leila Cruz Keeps Her Skincare Routine Simple, On and Off the Court

Under different kinds of light, the opposite spiker shares how skincare is part of an athlete’s life through the Pond’s Serum Burst Cream

For volleyball player Leila Cruz, a full day is shaped by training, recovery, and the small rituals that help her move between the two. Before practice, there is time to get ready. After, there is the wind-down: a longer shower, skincare, body care, and the rest she needs to return feeling refreshed.

“As an athlete, our body is our investment,” Cruz says. “It’s important to give it the care and attention it needs so I can perform well and stay healthy.” Even on tired days, she makes an effort to be consistent with those routines before morning training and again in the evening.

Her day begins at home with a simple check-in: how will her skin hold up through different activities and changing light? In the bathroom, under fluorescent lighting, she applies the Pond’s Bright Miracle Serum Day Cream before applying minimal makeup. She applies just enough to cover a few blemishes, letting her skin remain visible underneath. For her, skincare does much of the groundwork, while makeup is simply a finishing touch. The result, according to the opposite hitter, is a “soft glow filter” effect that complements her light makeup look without making it feel overdone.

Steph Macapagal, Pond’s content lead, explains that the Serum Burst Cream’s “soft filter” is about translating a fresh, glowing look from screen to real life. “It’s less about covering or changing your skin, and more about enhancing what’s already there, giving you that effortless “soft filter” in real life,” she says.

Cruz is used to showing up under bright court lights, in front of a crowd and on television. “It’s important for us to look nice and presentable,” she says, adding that this visibility gives her “even more reason to be responsible” about caring for her skin. Still, her approach is rooted in practicality. “I try to keep my routine simple and easy to follow every day,” says the 26-year-old. “Keeping things simple helps me stay consistent without feeling too pressured.

After getting ready, Leila heads out for breakfast before training. Restaurant lighting and daylight offer a different kind of check-in as she waits for her meal and moves between indoor and outdoor spaces. Her makeup remains minimal, with the focus on an even-looking base.

Then it’s time to train. The day’s earlier preparation carries into a full day of practice, performance, and recovery. By evening, Leila shares the contrast: from a freshly prepped face at the start of the day to skin after movement, activity, and hours under different lights. Pond’s attributes a “tone-up glow” finish to its formula, which includes niacinamide, pro-gluta, and fine powder. Macapagal says, “This helps nourish the skin while instantly giving it a fresh, naturally brighter and more even-looking glow boost.”

Back at home, the volleyball player returns to the ritual she values most: a shower, followed by skincare and time to unwind. “After a long day of training, taking a long shower and doing my skincare gives me time to relax and reset,” she says. “Outside of being an athlete, I also need to make time for myself and take care of my body.”

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by CHRISTINA ZABAT. Featuring LEILA CRUZ. Photographs by LORENZO CORRO. Video by MICO ONGKEKO. Art direction by LARA CASTAÑEDA. Styling by BRYAN LAROZA. Hair and Makeup by NIX INSTITUTE OF BEAUTY. Produced by BELLA MARISTELA. Project implemented by CHLOE MADLANGBAYAN. Creative services manager IAN URMAZA. Account manager IAH VILLANUEVA.