Taking the beauty queen’s path

MANILA, Philippines - It takes guts to be a beauty queen.

Ali Forbes, Binibining Pilipinas 2012 first runner-up and the first Miss Grand Philippines title holder, is no longer a stranger to these qualities.

Ali, 22, who first participated in the Miss Makati beauty pageant, admits her initial motivation in joining the pageant was the prize. But her experience in the competition gave her another perspective in life. “A beauty queen can become an inspiration and represent empowered women,” she says.

With this outlook, Ali was able to make it to bigger beauty pageants that opened doors for better opportunities. One of these is hosting a new reality show Pinay Beauty Queen Academy on GMA News TV.

Pinay Beauty Queen Academy aims to train aspiring beauty queens by making them competitive and at the top of their game. Ali’s involvement in the show has allowed her to witness the contestants’ ups and downs, also their struggles. She has also witnessed how the contestants gain knowledge on improving themselves. She has also seen how they are encouraged to be themselves in reaching for their dreams.

For her part, Ali keeps the future beauty queens motivated to reach their goals by sharing her own personal story, skills and beauty secrets.

The beauty secret she cannot dismiss is her loyalty to Ever Bilena products. According to her, the brand is her recommended cosmetic for beauty queen aspirants, most especially to those who are still beginning to explore the industry. Ever Bilena’s affordable line of good quality is what she loves most.

Ali emphasized how makeup does wonders to a woman’s physical appearance and personality. “Makeup boosts our confidence by enhancing our beauty. If you feel beautiful, you will look beautiful,” she says.

With Ali’s track record, she remains at the core of improving herself to be able to achieve her goals. In Pinay Beauty Queen Academy, she advises the aspirants to consistently train on important skills for pageants such as catwalk and oral communication. More importantly, she tells them to radiate their inner beauty. “Believe in yourself. Be thankful to those people who (support) you all the way (such as) your family and friends,” she adds.

As Ali continues her journey in the world of beauty pageantry, she plans to establish her own school that will help train and guide aspiring beauty queens for the journey of their own.

Ali’s perseverance and commitment to reach her goals are traits of an empowered woman of beauty. She took a step further to overcome the obstacles along her way and later turned her dreams into reality.

Photography by Mau Aguasin • Styling by Rudolph Leonor • Hairstyling by Emily Viñas for Ever Bilena • Necklace by Tutu Shop