Gabbi Garcia and Mom Tes Show Us the Beauty of Shared Rituals, Mutual Interests, and the Precious Ties That Bind Mother and Daughter

May is the month of mothers and children, and in honor of that, Gabbi Garcia and mom Tes Lopez talk about beauty and wellness—and what the shared rituals and inherited lessons mean to them.

From the second that actress Gabbi Garcia and her mother, Tes Lopez, walk into the room, you can tell that this mother-daughter tandem is very close.

In a relaxed, cheery flurry of activity, they settle into chairs to have their glam done, and Garcia, a household name all over the country owing to a showbiz career that started when she was in her teens, asks Lopez, a decades-long flight attendant and now flight purser with national flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, if she also wants a healthy lunch from the restaurant that she just ordered food from. Lopez readily agrees. It’s the kind of everyday banter that goes on between a mother and daughter, but there’s such a pronounced easiness and familiarity between the two that speaks volumes about how close they are all.

“Yeah, we are close. We’re very close,” Garcia says, when asked about it. She shares that people always tell them both that they look so much alike—but the similarities don’t end there. Both move with an inherent casual grace, and both speak in soft, gracious tones that are nevertheless friendly and warm.

Garcia often posts about her mom on social media—and the rest of her family, as well. In the early years of her showbiz career, her father Vince would accompany Garcia to tapings, with her mother joining in when her hectic work schedule flying the skies permitted. Lopez reveals to us that, in fact, their tight-knit unit of four, including Garcia’s older sister Alex, actually slept in the same room up until the girls were in high school. And although Garcia has her own space at this point in her life, she still splits her time between her condo and the family home.

“I was 24 when I gave birth to Alex, and then 27 [when I gave birth to Gabbi],” Lopez shares, pointing out that the fact that she was a younger mom was a probably a factor in how close she is to her children.

When talk turns to beauty, and especially skin care, both women begin chiming in. Taking skin care seriously, it turns out, is an enduring lesson that Lopez has passed down, and one that Garcia has obviously embraced with relish, given the close ups and bright lights of showbiz. When a showbiz star and a high-flying flight purser talk beauty—and the shared rituals and products between them—the conversation is bound to be interesting. And when both are mother and daughter as well, it’s an intimate look into one of the most complex and most beautiful relationships of life.

Shaira Luna

Below, mother and daughter talk to Allure Philippines about all things beauty and wellness, and give us a glimpse into their own heartwarming relationship.

Can you both to describe each other’s approach to beauty and wellness?

GABBI: My mom’s approach to beauty and wellness is very holistic. I feel like she also prioritizes well-being, for you to be beautiful inside and out. I feel like emotions and your personality are also important for you to be beautiful to her.

TES: Ever since, Gabbi was always so maarte. Anything that’s the latest and in fashion, that’s Gabbi. Very trendy. She’s loved wearing fashionable dresses ever since—she’s so fashionable actually. And [growing up], she loved imitating me—like before she used to wear my uniform.

GABBI: I used to wear her cabin shoes—the high-heeled shoes pang-flight attendant. I would ramp around [wearing them] in the house. I was, like, 8. I would wear her shoes. In our old house, there was a hallway where you could walk, co I’d always walk in her heels there.

Tes, have you noticed Gabbi’s approach to beauty, or health and wellness?

TES: She loves working out—and that’s really good because I’m not that type of person who loves exercise. But slowly [I’m doing it]—sometimes biking, walking around the village.

What are the fun beauty things or rituals that you like to do together?

TES: Massage.

GABBI: Yeah, massage. We loooove going to the spa together. I feel like my mom is my best spa buddy.

TES: We always discover something new.

GABBI: Yeah! That’s our hobby. We like discovering new spots around the city.

TES: Like for example, if I try something new, I’ll be like, “Try mo to, try mo to, Gab.”

GABBI: Yan ang lagi naming bonding. Looking for good spots around the city, because we love getting massages together. It relaxes us a lot.

How often do you do that?

GABBI: As much as we can—every week or once every other week.

Shaira Luna

You both have pretty demanding professions.

TES: I knowww.

GABBI: That’s why when we were booking the schedule [for this shoot], I was like, “Guys, actually hindi ako yung problema. Yung problema yung schedule ng nanay ko.” (laughs)

What kind of spa treatments do you go for?

GABBI: Whole body massages.

TES: Whole body massage. We really like the hilot massage.

GABBI: We like taking a break.

Are there any products that you share or that you’ve perhaps taken from one another?

GABBI: Oh yeah!

TES: (laughing) We always compare.

GABBI: We always compare. Every time I go to Korea, she has this list of skin care products that I have to get for her.

TES: And whenever I have flights also in Korea, in Japan.

GABBI: Whenever she goes to Sephora, I always make pasabuy. It’s nice because I have my own personal shopper abroad. (laughs)

TES: I am her personal shopper.

GABBI: (laughing) In like less than three days, my items are ready.

Shaira Luna

What are the specific products that you share? You’re both into Korean skin care and Japanese skin care?

TES: Right now. (laughs)

GABBI: Yeah, we really love [them]. So, my mom’s into PDRN now, so I kind of try it out also. It’s really good. Puro ganoon, yung mga PDRN. I’m into face masks. And also facial spray, the mist. Just to refresh your skin in the middle of the day. We also share this.

Do you live together?

GABBI: Yeah, we do. I have my own space, but I still come home from time to time. Maybe, I just spend like three days in the condo and then I go home and then I go back.

Tes, what are some beauty rituals that have been passed down to you that you are also passing down to your daughters or have already done?

TES: Sunscreen. I always say to her (turns to Gabbi) before kasi, you were not using sunscreen. She was so tamad kasi before. Sabi ko, “Gab, no, you have to take time, you have to make time.”

GABBI: Tamad ako mag-lotion and mag-sunscreen.

TES: Sabi ko, “Mag-sa-sag yung skin mo, magkaka-wrinkles ka.”

So you’re a skin care enthusiast, Tes.

GABBI: Actually, both of us. We prioritize skin care. Self-care.

Tes, are there any existing beauty standards or traditions or beliefs that you don’t want your daughters to pick up?

TES: When you’re always under the sun, without applying any sunscreen.

GABBI: Before, it used to be like, beauty is defined by your skin tone. I remember during my mom’s time, everybody was purchasing gluta, whitening [products]. I mean, I have nothing against it.

TES: But love your own skin.  And take care of it.

Tes, how crucial is the role that a mother plays in shaping a child’s perception of self, of beauty, of self-confidence?

TES: I think, you [have to] show examples to your daughters, diba? Diba sabi nga nila, if your daughter sees you, whatever you do, she’ll imitate, and she’ll copy it.

Shaira Luna

Tes, do you approach conversations about beauty as just a routine, or maybe something that’s just a fun chat, or do they become a teaching moment?

TES: More of a teaching moment, and fun then on the side. I always tell her that when I was younger, I had long black hair. So I used to tell her “You know, Gab, before, I made sure to put coconut oil in my hair.” I’m really very particular when it comes to trying things.

Tes, what have your children taught you about beauty and wellness?

TES: Being fit. [The importance of] being fit. And, eating right.

GABBI: My gosh, I always bug her to walk around the village.

TES: She’s like, “Mommy, mommy, maglakad kayo ni Dad.”

GABBI:  I always bug her with her 10,000 steps.

Do you monitor it?

GABBI: Sometimes. (laughs)

Gabbi, are there some looks or things that you wish your mom would try? Beauty looks or trends or rituals that you wish she’d try?

GABBI: I feel like my mom is always game, but I think she likes to keep her classic look. But then I feel like my mom could also go for, I feel like a 90s supermodel look, but I don’t think she’s game for that. But I would love to see her [like that] one day.

Shaira Luna

What are things that your mom does in terms of beauty and wellness that you would like to try out yourself?

GABBI: Well, actually, I’ve been doing it. Every time she goes out, goes home, she always has lotion. And when I was a kid, she would always tell me to religiously apply my lotion. Up until now, she has really good skin, and it shows that it’s super effective. So I think that’s really one of her strongest beauty rituals that I cannot miss.

Around how old were you when she taught you that?

GABBI: I was super young. Maybe I was in grade school. Because when I was younger, I was super kikay, maarte na.

What are the biggest lessons on beauty and wellness that your mom has passed down to you?

GABBI: It’s really to take care of my skin. That’s really it. Good makeup is really good, but at the end of the day, it’s your skin that’s the base of your whole look. So you have to take care of it. And sunscreen, always.

Can you describe the beauty that you see in your mother, in your own words?

GABBI: Oh, she’s the OG Gabbi. We look alike, super. A lot of people tell us that we’re like twins. Especially when you see her younger photos, we really do look like each other.

Shaira Luna

Art and beauty direction by Nicole Almero. Photography by Shaira Luna. Makeup by Jason Delos Reyes. Hair by Kurt Rosales. Wardrobe styling by Leanne Ledesma of Qurator Studio.