The Morena Shift

It’s a tricky thing, trying to define beauty. It’s a deeply subjective topic, spanning many aspects and dimensions. In recent times, our understanding of what is beautiful, in the physical sense, has, thankfully, expanded. Beauty here in the Philippines is no longer only equated with white skin or mestiza features. It includes all skin colors now, particularly that of the morena.  

But now we ask the question: Do we only go skin deep? What are the different facets that comprise the meaning of beauty? Do we stick to the physical, or do we delve deeper? Here, we speak to two morenas who have both experienced being run through the stringent beauty standards of local show business—Michelle Marquez Dee and Bianca Umali.

Dee, while doing beauty pageants, noticed that mestizas would always wind up winning the crown, before she helped break through the color barriers herself and began clinching titles. Umali, on the other hand, has been told repeatedly to lighten her skin to be considered more beautiful, even getting bashed when she tanned herself for a film role as the daughter of legendary morena Nora Aunor, with detractors going as far as to nickname her “Dirty Bianca.”  

But in speaking with them for this piece, we don’t necessarily discuss the physical. Instead, we zero in on what sets these beautiful morenas apart—their advocacies. Because beauty goes beyond the color of our skin—it is character and cause as well.

Makeup: Denise Go Ochoa, assisted by Janice Perdigon (Bianca Umali) and Justin Louise Soriano, assisted by Khino Ocenar (Michelle Dee). Hair: Jerry Javier, assisted by Raymond Gatilago (Bianca Umali) and Nelly Seboy, assisted by Joshua Pandato (Michelle Dee). Styling: Geno Espidol and Jermainne Lagura of Qurator. Special thanks to Sparkle GMA Artist Center and Hermès.