Beny Baluyot: Beautician to the stars

In the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, the name Beny Baluyot was a byword in the beauty business. He was the leading beautician to the stars — be they from Sampaguita, LVN, Premier or freelancers.

All of them, with very few exception, went to Beny’s beauty salon for their hairdo and make-up. Carmen Rosales, Gloria Romero, Anita Linda, Lolita Rodriguez, Ester Buenaobra, Rosa Rosal, Lilia Dizon, Tessie Quintana, Leila Morena, Arsenia Francisco, Patricia Mijares, Susan Roces, Amalia Fuentes, Josephine Estrada, Eva Montes, Shirley Gorospe, Boots Anson-Roa, among many others.

…Eva Montes…

Beny studied beauty culture at Aguinaldo Institute.

In 1949, he put up a parlor on Mayhaligue St. and transferred to nearby Requesens (now Remigio) in 1957 in the Santa Cruz district, then dotted with theaters, dress shops, photo studios and department stores.

But his clientele was not limited to movie stars. They included beauty queens, socialites, wives of government officials and classical singers like Conching Rosal and Sylvia La Torre, who became his good friends. Beny was also close to Rosa Rosal, Tessie Quintana, Lolita Rodriguez and especially Josephine Estrada.

Beny’s contemporaries were Luis Ramos, Nomer Pabilona, Nanding Marasigan and Toti Evangelista. Benjamin ‘Menchu’ Banlingit and Jun Encarnacion trained with him.

…and Josephine Estrada.

To date, although long retired, Beny still ‘services’ so-called ‘loyalists’ who won’t allow any other beautician to touch their hair.

Beny enjoys attending concerts at the CCP and other venues, where every now and then he meets by chance friends and patrons from way back when… when all roads led to his beauty parlor. — RKC