By Cedie Lazaro
Honestly, when two of the biggest powerhouses in the industry join forces, you usually brace yourself for a little bit of hidden tension or corporate rivalry. But Anne Curtis and Bea Alonzo just completely flipped the script. With the launch of their blk cosmetics x BASH Manila travel collab, they didn’t just give us the ultimate travel essentials; they dropped a major reminder on what true empowerment actually looks like.
To bring the “Expedition” theme to life back home, they didn’t settle for a basic ribbon-cutting either—they transformed the SM Mall of Asia Main Atrium into a massive, interactive map pop-up. Beauty lovers got to touch and feel the actual collection, from the magnetic, customizable “B Charms” and expandable Flex Organizers down to the travel-friendly dual-ended brushes and Soft Blur foundation sticks. It was a full-sensory layout that felt less like a retail store and more like you were packing your bags alongside the founders themselves.
For the international leg of the launch, they took that same grand energy to the breathtaking mountains of Lijiang, China. Anne and Bea didn’t go solo; they packed up a literal dream team of icons—we’re talking Bretman Rock, Gabbi Garcia, Kylie Verzosa, Camille Co, Rei Germar, and BJ Pascual.
And honestly? That is the exact energy we need to carry into our own lives.
Seeing that star-studded squad laughing against the snowy backdrop of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain wasn’t just great timeline fuel. It was proof that “Community over Competition” isn’t just a phrase people throw around—it’s a lifestyle. In an industry that historically tries to pit successful women against each other, these girls showed up to clap for one another. No gatekeeping, no weird energy, just pure support.
The takeaway here is simple but so necessary: a win feels ten times sweeter when you’re celebrating it with a circle that genuinely wants to see you shine. True confidence means knowing that someone else’s light doesn’t dim your own. In fact, when you bring talented, passionate people together, the glow-up belongs to everyone.
A win feels ten times sweeter when you’re celebrating it with a circle that genuinely wants to see you shine.
So, here is your reminder for the week: look at your circle. Find the people who match your drive, lift you up, and are ready to scale mountains with you. Stop trying to build things in isolation. Look for ways to collaborate, lift others as you climb, and always remember that we are so much better, bolder, and more iconic together.
Lorin Gutierrez-Bektas is on the cover of STYLISH Magazine right now. In our latest cover story, discover how she’s carving her own path and challenging what success looks like for today’s generation.
Read the current Stylish Magazine cover story here.
Our #StylishPodcast episode featuring our September-October cover girl Jasmine Curtis-Smith is out. Watch it on Facebook and YouTube.
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