What It Means to Tell the Story of Your Skin, As Told by 5 Creatives at Vogue Threads Manila 2025

In a series of portraits by photographer Shaira Luna, created in collaboration with Vaseline Philippines, the week-long exhibit frames skin as an archive of lived experience, a source of confidence, and a medium for creative expression

When Vogue Philippines, in partnership with Vaseline Philippines, opened an online casting call, it began with a simple invitation: “Tell us the story of your skin.” Hundreds responded with stories of resilience, identity, and self-expression.

These narratives came to life in a portrait shoot with photographer Shaira Luna, where set designer Erwin Botin built textured panels painted echoing Vaseline’s ethos of care and protection. For some, it was their first time in front of the camera, and nerves gave way to ease and connection: Mattrixia Ibañez snapping selfies with Sittie Brima, Yansei Sy and Aiji Umemori, adjusting to Luna’s direction, while Mariane Lubo walked onto set in a dress that accentuated her features. 

The resulting series, “Body Language: Portraits of the Filipino,” became an installation at Vogue Threads Manila 2025. Displayed on the upper floor of The Art Space at RCBC Plaza, the exhibit framed skin as an archive of lived experience and confidence, paired with Vaseline Gluta-Hya Serum Burst Lotion variants: Dewy Radiance, Pro-Age Restore, Overnight Radiance Repair, Flawless Bright, and Luminous Defense SPF 50 PA+++.

In conversation among the Vogue Faces talents, the group talks about how they’ve come to embrace their skin, not as something to perfect, but as something to live with and learn from. Umemori recalls the time when he was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis in grade school. The chronic condition made him self-conscious. But over time, he reframed his perspective. He shares, “My skin is something that I will be with for the rest of my life. This is my reality. This is my truth, and I’m going to live with it.”

Today, he finds self-expression through music, using performance as a way to turn stares into attention and voice. “I can leverage these stares because technically I am a headturner at that point, right,” he shares with a laugh. “The head-turning aspect allowed me to catch people’s attention, and it’s in that opportunity that I was able to show them what I have and what I’ve got.”

For Lubo, living with PCOS brought its own set of skin struggles: flare-ups, breakouts, and dark spots. “I felt like I was a very underestimated and overlooked type of beauty,” she shares that due to imposed beauty standards, it felt difficult to sustain. Through creating content online, she also found community (they call themselves “CYSTERS”) and strength, and offline through her work at a photography studio.

“At some point, I grew tired of hating my skin,” she reflects. “Slowly, gradually, I tried to look for the middle ground of comfort and confidence. When you’re comfortable and you’re confident, it shines through eventually.”

Brima likens her skin to both student and teacher. “The lessons are endless and the growth is even greater,” she reflects. Growing up as half-Sudanese, half-Filipino in the country, she expressed how her skin often entered the room before she did. But it was through ballroom culture that she found space to celebrate visibility.

She shares, “Through serving face as Sitti De La Blanca from the House of De La Blanca, I’m able to express myself and use my skin as a highlight in my performances, serving face as someone who is black and Filipino.”

Sy’s teenage years were marked by struggles with acne. He shares that his relationship with his skin was complicated, but he eventually figured out that he needed to listen to his body. “I learned to listen to what my skin needs. And at the same time, I learned that whatever state my skin is in, it doesn’t make my value any less,” says Sy.

Modeling and content creation became avenues for expression, spaces where he showed up regardless of breakouts or clear skin. He sums it up by saying, “If those things happen, it shouldn’t hinder you or stop you from doing the things that you love. So, push lang. Continue lang.”

In Ibañez’ point of view, skin is a direct link to identity. “I think my skin is a canvas. It carries my story, my culture, and my identity.” Just like Sy, she was once insecure about acne; she eventually found pride in embracing her brown complexion. 

She also believes that modeling and storytelling are paths that could show who she truly is saying, “My skin allows me to express myself freely. Every mark, every tan line, even my sunburns, tells a chapter of my life. I see my skin as art; it transforms with light, with movement, and with time.”

In recounting their stories, each creative highlighted skin as not something to fix, but to live in. According to the brand, this perspective is at the core of Vaseline Gluta-Hya Serum Burst Lotions, formulated with GlutaGlow Technology that has 70x more brightening power vs Vitamin C, and 4D Hyaluron for multi-layer deep skin hydration, all in a lightweight, non-sticky texture.

For more information, follow Vaseline Philippines on Instagram.

Art Direction and written by CHRISTINA ZABAT, Photography by SHAIRA LUNA, Styling by SHARK TANAEL and JIA TORRATO of QURATOR STUDIO, Makeup by KIM ROY OPOG and DOROTHY MAMALIO, Hair by GAB VILLEGAS, Sittings Editor ANZ HIZON, Videography by LORENZO CORRO, HEINRICH TORRES, and JUSTIN REYES, Set Design by ERWIN BOTIN, Multimedia Artist LARA CASTAÑEDA, Project implemented by ERIKA PALACIOS, Account Manager ANDREA RAMOS, Talents AIJI UMEMORI, MARIANE LUBO, MATTRIXIA IBAÑEZ, SITTIE BRIMA, and YANSEI SY