Ricky Reyes: Looking good should be a habit

Ricky Reyes would be the first to tell you beauty is its own excuse for being. He will be the first to insist that form is just as important as function.

“Between a magna cum laude graduate who doesn’t carry herself well and a not-so-bright girl who dresses well, the latter will most likely land the job,” he says. “You see, looks are that important. The interviewer will only look at a job applicant for a few minutes. But those few minutes are enough to create an impression.”

In the same vein, he urges women to change their looks now and then. Seeing the exactly the same image staring back at you in the mirror day in and day out can be boring. It doesn’t speak well of you.

“That’s why I advise women to change their looks every quarter. It may be bangs, it may be a different hair color. Whatever it is, women should be interesting to look at,” he adds.

Ricky himself is a walking testament of what he believes in. He carries a kit filled with face-enhancement tools: Pressed powder, lip gloss, etc. He applies these, not only on himself, but on friends who need some sort of make-over to look better.

It pains him to see women looking sloppy and unkempt, Ricky sometimes offers to give them a make-over right then and there.

His passion for looking — and feeling good — spills over to the kitchen. Ricky doesn’t believe in just whipping up a delicious meal. It has to look good on the table, too.

He explains, “Food — no matter how tasty — will fall flat without garnishing.” In the same vein, he decorates his curtains with fancy cords and other trimmings to make them nice to look at.

Ricky carries these, and other thoughts over on his new magazine show, Life and Style with Ricky Reyes, which premieres Oct. 19, 10 to 11 a.m. on Q-11. The new show, which replaces Parlor Games, gives its host a totally different image as he tackles not just beauty, but fashion and celebrity lifestyle.

“It’s like having your fashion icon or favorite celebrity over for a cup of coffee or tea and having a light but interesting conversation with them,” says Ricky.

Among the women Ricky will chat with are former first lady Ming Ramos; GMA 7 SVP for Entertainment TV Wilma Galvante; Tessa Prieto-Valdes; and Cory Quirino. Ricky is also eyeing Mother Lily Monteverde with daughter Roselle, Au Au Pijuan and Margie Moran-Floirendo as future guests.

They will freely discuss most anything. Ricky’s friend Ming Ramos, for instance, talks about how she would scrimp because her husband, former President Fidel Ramos happens to be a typical Ilocano who always saves for a rainy day.

The Sosyalan Blues segment features socialites like Becky Garcia and lifestyle editors. Great Hair Days will see plain Janes turning into head-turners, thanks to a new hairstyle, makeup, a chic wardrobe and a better view of themselves and others.

Nothing inspires Ricky more than showing women how they can make themselves look better by applying lipstick the right way, or by dressing up well. The satisfaction, he adds, is something he won’t get tired of getting, despite 15 years of showing women the ABCs of looking good via TV.

The feeling is exactly what a teacher gets when he sees his students grow and bloom right before his very eyes. That’s why even if he admits feeling burned out with TV sometimes, Ricky sticks it out, knowing he is helping women all over the country along the way.

“It’s inspiring,” he gushes. It’s like educating people with just one push of the TV remote control button.

Ricky himself has a huge appetite for learning. He reads seven newspapers a day to keep himself abreast of current events and new trends. He imparts what he learns, not only to his staff but to lawmakers as well.

“I tell lawmakers that all the country’s problems — corruption, crime, etc. — will be solved if we provide jobs to feed their families,” Ricky declares.

He is practicing what he preaches. Ricky employs 1,000 people in his 43 salons nationwide. And he has been paying it forward through livelihood programs that teach people how to earn money as hairstylists.

“I tell friends that among the most pathetic people in the world are ageing gays without money. Married people have children who can be with them in their old age. We do not,” muses Ricky.

That’s why he even if he can live on easy street for the rest of his life, Ricky continues to handle money wisely. He doesn’t go beyond the weekly allowance his office provides him. He swears he doesn’t have a lavish lifestyle even if he can very well afford it.

He has not outgrown that habit of stashing away money from his earnings which he learned in his struggling years.

“Saving is the fourth ingredient of success,” Ricky intones. “The first is self-confidence. I only compete with myself. The second is ambition. The third is hard work and the fifth is helping others once you have enough money.”

You’d think someone like Ricky can’t ask for more? Think again.

“I pray for good health so I can continue helping others,” he reveals.

It’s as simple as that. By being a blessing to others, Ricky is getting blessed many times over.