One-on-one with Heart Evangelista-Escudero on love, lipstick, and life

It's easy to make assumptions about an artista as beautiful as Heart Evangelista-Escudero. We have this unfortunate stereotype that stunning women in show business are flighty and scatterbrained but that image is far off the mark when it comes to Heart. She is charming, the very picture of elegance, and she has a sharp mind that was a joy to peek into. 

Thanks to Happy Skin Cosmetics, I got to interview Heart for Project Vanity last Saturday. She has an exciting collaboration with our fave homegrown brand called Happy Skin x Love Marie, her first ever cosmetics collection. I will be featuring the six-piece line in the next post! Beyond politics and showbiz, let's get to know Heart as she talks about her love for art, lipstick, skincare, eyebrows, and life.

Photography by Ryan Ong

We've watched you grow up on screen for 18 years. Were there any challenges coming out with a new identity as a painter?

I went through something with my family and started to paint again. I’ve always painted. One day my [boyfriend then] husband ordered some canvas and encouraged me to paint, you know, make a big one. My friends said I should have an exhibit and I was like, oh [I’d have to deal with] the judgment kasi artista, ganyan. So I thought what if I used my real name, to show a different side of me? Of course that changed. I was declined a couple of times, they didn’t look at my painting and they just declined because they thought it was just an artista thing.

Until I went to Ayala Museum and I inquired. They were full until the next year daw. The curator called me a week later and said they’re full. But then he came back and asked if I want to go next month because someone backed out daw. And then I had the show. I’ve been having shows since then!

image via abs-cbnnews.com

How do you conceptualize your art? Where do you find your inspiration?

First I have to be really sad and really down. But eventually I was just inspired and started to paint all the time! Now it’s therapeutic for me, the process. When I travel, I get inspired. I take pictures. The sun’s position [in other countries] is different, so the greens are different. So when I went to Paris parang the part of my brain that wasn’t working was absorbing all the beautiful colors. And so I travel to get inspired. When I get back, I feel different.

Heart at her meet and greet in SM Makati last Saturday, July 23 / Photography by Ryan Ong

Has painting changed the way you apply makeup?

Definitely! I mix my colors, I mix my lipsticks. I usually have two different kinds in my bag. Contouring is now an art di ba, and strobing. Now it’s easier.

I understand that this is your first ever makeup line. We think it's the perfect collaboration! Tell us, how did your partnership with Happy Skin happen?

I didn’t know Happy Skin was a local brand. I really liked their makeup remover…and then I found out it was them. I’m super a fan! When I came up with my beauty book, This Is Me Love, Marie, I had some Happy Skin products. I was wondering if they were open to doing a collaboration with me! Retty Contreras of Cosmo forwarded my text and Rissa texted back that they’d love to do it. I was so thrilled. It was in the middle of the campaign period so it was super hectic. Chinese New Year, we met, and it took us six months - here it is.

Heart with Happy Skin founders, Jacqe Yuengtian-Gutierrez and Rissa Mananquil-Trillo / Photography by Ryan Ong

Why a lippie line in particular?

It can change your look instantly. It’s always been the lips…I love makeup and I’m all about playing with your look. But at the end of the day you have to be really comfortable with how you look and feel good about yourself. I mean it’s not really about how beautiful your features are, di ba, sometimes it’s about your personality. Some girls walk into a room and they’re not really super pretty but they exude confidence, that x-factor, which makes them beautiful. Lipstick instantly dresses that up!

I chose the mini size, so you can put it in your purse and it instantly gives you the look you want! As for the colors [nudes and reds], it covers your breakfast, lunch, and dinner look.

A "lip swatch" of the new Happy Skin Shut Up & Kiss Me Mini Matte Lippie in New Love / Photography by Ryan Ong

Everyone wants to know what your skincare routine is like! What do you use on a daily basis?

I’m a super fan of Pond’s. I use a lot of their anti-aging stuff, I use their anti-aging cream - the night and day [Pond's Age Miracle]. I use them on my face, neck, and hands. I also use their eye cream you know the pink and the white [Pond's Age Miracle Dual Action Eye Cream], and I put that on my lips. The lips have the same texture [as the under eyes] and so you should put more than just lip balm at night. Matutulog ka lang naman so it’s not uncomfortable to put it there.

Instead of using a mask, I sometimes just put a lot of the moisturizer, as in my face is just white, at night.

Your eyebrows are #goals. What does your eyebrow routine look like?

I’m glad I had a mom who told me not to pluck my eyebrows when I was a little girl. Magtatampo raw! I put also treatments on my eyebrows as well. Hair treatments, like mask. So whenever I put a mask on my hair, I also put some on my eyebrows. It’s the same thing! I use Happy Skin, yung bago, for my eyebrows [Bullseye Brow Trio]. Before it was the Bobbi Brown Mahogany, the mascara one, but now I’m obsessed with Benefit’s Gimme Brow.

Photography by Ryan Ong

Let's rewind a bit to our earlier conversation. How can other women find the courage to face a new challenge, the same way you did?

You just have to embrace yourself. We are our own worst enemy. We have layers and layers of fears and insecurities. You just have to find a way to be brave and come up with something huge, and you’ll feel better about yourself.

It’s recognizing your self-worth that would make a huge difference in your life. Whether it’s wearing a red lip or extending the length of your cat-eye that would make you feel good, go for it and start from there! You can face anything. There are endless possibilities as long as you work with your heart and work on yourself.

A lot of people say na oh, because she’s already an artista it’s easier, but it’s actually harder. There are so many bashers, so much conflict, and so much judgment…you can’t do this or that, it’s corny. But what more if you start fresh and build your brand from there!

So there you go. ^_^ I hope you were as inspired as I was with this interview. Her beauty secrets were also pretty good, (brb running out to put a hair mask on my kilay) and hope you learned as much as I did! She actually showed us what's inside her Hermes kikay kit, which you should stay tuned for next week. ;) In the meantime, come check out the Happy Skin x Love Marie collection at your favorite stores and at happyskincosmetics.com. Part of the proceeds will go to Heart's chosen charity, Corridors for Hope, which benefits cancer patients.