MANILA, Philippines - “I think I’ll forever be known as the former beauty queen,” reveals Charlene Gonzalez. Even though this Pond’s girl has added many impressive titles to her name — including actress, award-winning host, mom, and wife — she will always be remembered as the witty Binibining Pilipinas Universe contestant who wowed the world with her infamous “high tide or low tide” line. “I was the face of a country that is renowned for its beautiful women. It’s something that I’m truly proud of,” she says.
Because Charlene attained such a huge and successful milestone in her life at the age of 19, it caused her to worry. “When a great experience happens to you at a young age, you don’t want it to become the defining moment of your life — or worse, the peak when you still have so many years ahead of you,” she explains. “The questions on my mind were — What’s next? What more can I do?”
Instead of getting paralyzed by her fears, Charlene chose to move forward and beyond her Miss Universe moment. “I believed that the best was yet to come, so I prepared and improved myself for the best years ahead,” she said. She persisted to find new ways to succeed — whether it was through pursuing further studies in Harvard or even being the best wife and mother to her two beautiful children. Even until now, Charlene shows no signs of slowing down because of her drive for self-improvement.
It’s now been 20 years since she was the crowd favorite at the 1994 Miss Universe pageant, but this #PondsGirl continues to earn our respect with her genuine love for life and her desire to always become a better version of herself. “At 40, I can look back and feel quite happy that my life and my beauty didn’t peak when I joined Miss Universe,” Charlene proudly says. “I believed then that may igaganda pa ’ko and that I had the best years of my life ahead of me. And, that’s exactly how things turned out.”
Charlene’s Age-Defying Secret
“I’d like to believe that my beauty has also blossomed over time,” says Charlene. Just how did she manage to do this? It’s simple — by consistently taking care of herself. “I eat healthy, exercise, and more importantly, I take care of my skin.” A new constant in Charlene’s beauty arsenal is New Pond’s Age Miracle Firm & Lift. “I love the tightening effect it has on my skin, most especially my neck and jawline, called the Y-Contour,” says Charlene. “Some people think that you only have to worry about wrinkles, but the more advanced sign of aging as you approach 40 is loose skin and sagging. New Pond’s Age Miracle Firm & Lift strengthens skin from inside, so you can look up to 10 years younger with a firmer, lifted Y-Contour.”
Y: The New Shape Of Youth
The Pond’s Institute acknowledges that the lower half of the face — the neck, the jawline — also known as the Y-Contour, can reveal one’s true age. This delicate part is prone to loose skin and sagging. It is important to preserve the Y-shape, like it’s your fountain of youth. For a firmer, lifted Y-Contour, you need a product that specifically offers targeted firming and lifting action to strengthen your skin. “I love how Pond’s Age Miracle Firm & Lift gives you the power to shape your youth in your own hands,” says Charlene. New Pond’s Age Miracle Firm & Lift is composed of a three-product skincare regimen. First, there is Pond’s Age Miracle Firm & Lift Targeted Lifting Serum Massager, a fast-acting treatment that contains the highest level of hydrolysed Collagen and Lipodipeptide in the range. Infused with powerful InstantLift, it comes with a cooling, roll on massage applicator to help precisely target and lift the jaw and neckline. Second, Pond’s Age Miracle Firm & Lift Eye Contour Lifter, a silky cream that is packed in a handy tube that has a unique cooling applicator head, designed for the eye contours for easy product application under the eyes. The Eye Lifter is infused with effective InstantLift to regain firmness and lift the skin of the under eye area. And third, Pond’s Age Miracle Firm & Lift Face & Neck Lifting Day Cream with SPF 30 PA+++, a luxurious, highly concentrated lifting cream infused with potent InstantLift that visibly firms and lifts skin while providing superior sun protection. The cream has a double lifting effect that corrects deep lines and wrinkles and lifts sagging skin.
“Even if I’m 40, I still always get compliments from my husband. He tells me that I’m beautiful, and my beauty grows over time,” reveals Charlene. “I have Pond’s to thank for that, since I began using it even as a teenager. The brand has truly grown with me and helped me feel even more confident in my skin no matter what stage of life or age. I feel more beautiful now than I did when I joined Miss Universe in my teens. May igaganda pa pala ‘ko.”
For information, follow @PondsPH on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or explore the hashtags #PondsGirl and #BeautifulStory.