The Beauty Breakdown of the ‘Fake Her’ Editorial
We go behind the makeup chair to break down the beauty looks from Amy Perez and Angel Aquino’s shoot with Allure Philippines—dissecting a narrative that blurs the line between distortion and truth.
Renowned actress Angel Aquino and veteran TV personality Amy Perez have both been subject to the malicious use of their likeness in deepfake AI. In this editorial, Allure Philippines interprets the distortion of identity and truth—how women’s faces and bodies are altered, weaponized, and consumed without consent, reclaiming that narrative through beauty. Each look plays on the idea of exaggeration and clarity, mirroring the tension between manipulation and truth, objectification and agency.
Amy Perez
A manipulated AI video once used the face and voice of veteran host Amy Perez to promote a menopause supplement she never endorsed. What followed was more than damage control, it became a catalyst for advocacy. She now uses her platform to fight misinformation, particularly in women’s health, turning a violation of trust into a call for media literacy, accountability, and truth.
Bold and larger-than-life
Charisma Lico-Santos
Perez’s first look leaned into exaggeration and hyperrealism, reflecting how her likeness was manipulated online. Makeup artist Zee Ghielmetti used midnight blue and deep ocean tones from the Kiko Milano Eyeshadow Palette to create dimension on the eyes. The key to a precise eye look? Ghielmetti says to use sticks and pencils for more control. For the lips, she used the Sunnies Face Stay Stick mixed with Sunnies Face shades Major and Hot Sauce. The Rouge Dior Sequin Liquid Duo was used for an ombre effect, topped with Sunnies Face Lip Elixir for maximum gloss.
For the hair, LabelM’s Rejuvenating Radiance Oil, and then slicked by a water-based gel to achieve a wet-look and sculptured curls. Hairstylist, Glenda Eugenio’s hack for a wet-look without going matte? Don’t blow dry the hair.
Softness and grace
Charisma Lico-Santos
This second look softens into clarity and control. Ghielmetti used black eyeliner from Vice Cosmetics and white eyeshadow from the Makeup Revolution Sophx collection to create a visual break. A tip for achieving the look without white eyeshadow: use a lighter base instead. In contrast to the heaviness of the previous look, this version feels lighter and more grounded.
The removal of the wispy lashes and the shift to nude pink lips—using Estée Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Modern Muse, mixed with Sunnies Face Fluffmatte in Nudist and Lilybred Smiley Lip Blending Stick—strip away excess, allowing Perez’s natural features to come forward. The wet, combed hair with a looser structure reinforces a sense of ease and freedom.
Angel Aquino
Angel Aquino’s image was manipulated into a pornographic deepfake, an act that underscores how women’s bodies continue to be objectified and exploited in the age of AI. Her story reflects a broader reality: that these technologies are often used to violate women for male consumption. This narrative asserts that a woman’s body is not public property, and her image is not a tool for distortion or desire without consent.
Shadows and tears
Photographed by Charisma Lico-Santos. Lara Datinguino Fatal Distruction Top.
In Aquino’s first look, the dramatic black lashes become the focal point, representing a heightened, almost caricatured version of femininity. To achieve this, makeup artist, Xheng Zulueta used the Faboulash XL7 Cluster, then she attached ostrich feathers to the clusters. For more eye drama, she also used the Makeup Forever Aqua Resist Eyeliner, and the Colourette Lash Bomb on the lower lashes.
For the hair, Reese Roque, Aquino’s hairstylist, did a sleek bun with asymmetrical, crisscrossed ends to add tension and sharpness to the look. It feels controlled yet powerful, mirroring the complexity of Aquino’s approach to the issue–composed, but not passive.
Vulnerability and clarity
Charisma Lico-Santos
Aquino’s second look introduces contrast as a central theme. The white lashes immediately draw attention. Zulueta used Tarte Tubing Lash Primer and Makeup Forever Flash Palette White Cream, painting it onto the existing cluster lashes. The contrast feels striking and almost surreal against the deep brown eyeshadow, created using the Makeup By Mario Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette—symbolizing clarity emerging from darkness. It creates a visual tension between innocence and violation.
Meanwhile, Roque styled the sweeping, sleek hair, enhancing the idea of exposure and vulnerability. Worn straight and uninterrupted, it feels almost excessive, amplifying her presence while also alluding to how women’s images are often stretched and extended beyond their control in digital spaces.
