In the Philippines, it’s almost instinctive to ask whether a beauty product can survive the unforgiving heat. Hulas-proof ba ’to? Is this new release oily skin-friendly? Given our constant negotiations with the heat and humidity, the climate gets a say in just about everything—including what earns a place in our beauty bags.

On Angelo Marasigan’s side of Los Angeles, those questions can sound a little different. What’s in the smoothie? Collagen? Probiotics? Adaptogens? Coconut cream?

“Wellness here feels more holistic compared to just focusing on makeup or appearance,” he says.

It’s a perspective Marasigan has grown into since moving to LA from Australia. The Filipino-Australian digital creator is best known for keeping the internet entertained with his Kardashian-inspired comedy skits and viral bits, building an audience of more than 25 million followers across social platforms. But beyond the world he has created online, living in a city shaped by different cultures, faces, and approaches to beauty has given him another vantage point altogether.

Here, he has found beauty in unexpected places: in what he drinks, how he cares for his scalp, and, perhaps most importantly, in the freedom to decide what beauty looks like for himself.

On Wellness Smoothies and LA’s Inside-Out Beauty Culture

One of the rituals Marasigan has picked up in LA comes not from a beauty counter, but from Erewhon, the cult Los Angeles grocery store whose elaborate celebrity smoothies have become social media fixtures in their own right.

“They’re kind of iconic here because LA’s beauty culture is so connected to wellness and taking care of yourself from the inside out,” he says. “A lot of the smoothies include things like collagen, probiotics, adaptogens, coconut cream, or vitamin supplements, so it feels like both a wellness drink and a treat at the same time.”

He admits he’s “literally so obsessed” with them.

The appeal, though, goes beyond whatever happens to be blended into the cup. For Marasigan, something as ordinary as picking up a smoothie can become part of a larger self-care ritual—one that reflects how closely beauty and wellness can overlap in LA.

“Something as simple as getting a smoothie can feel part of a self-care routine,” he says. “Plus, they actually taste really good, so it doesn’t feel like forcing yourself to drink something ‘healthy.’”

It’s a distinctly Los Angeles interpretation of beauty: less about a single product promising a visible transformation and more about the collection of choices that make you feel cared for.

On Scalp Treatments as Self-Care in LA’s Beauty Culture

That thinking has made its way into his beauty routine, too.

Since moving to LA, Marasigan has started going for hair spa and scalp treatments, drawn not simply to what they can do for his hair but to the experience itself.

“They’ve become really popular here because beauty culture is very focused on self-care and overall hair health, not just styling,” he says. “The treatments usually include deep scalp cleansing, massages, hydration treatments, and aromatherapy, so it feels really relaxing while also helping your hair and scalp feel healthier.”

For Marasigan, the ritual offers something that can sometimes get lost in our pursuit of results: the pleasure of slowing down. Rather than treating hair exclusively as something to style, cut, color, or perfect, the experience has encouraged him to think about caring for what’s underneath it, too.

It’s why he would recommend the experience to Filipinos—not necessarily as another step to add to an already crowded beauty routine, but as a chance to turn hair care into something restorative.

On Redefining Beauty as Self-Expression

Perhaps the bigger shift, however, has less to do with anything Marasigan has added to his routine.

“The beauty culture in LA feels very diverse and expressive,” he says. “There are definitely trends, but people are also encouraged to experiment with different styles and do whatever makes them feel confident.”

Being surrounded by people with different backgrounds, features, aesthetics, and ideas of what looks good has gradually loosened his own definition of beauty.

“I’ve noticed that beauty here is viewed more as a form of self-expression and personal choice rather than trying to fit into one specific standard,” he says.

It’s a realization that has followed Marasigan through his experience of living abroad. If beauty once felt more rigid to him, he now sees it as something that is allowed to change alongside the person experiencing it.

“Before, I viewed beauty more rigidly, but now I see it as something personal that can evolve over time,” he says. “Whether it’s skincare, fashion, or even aesthetic treatments, beauty should ultimately be about what makes someone feel most comfortable and confident in themselves.”

For Marasigan, that shift has also influenced the way he thinks about beauty as a Filipino. Living among people who look, dress, and express themselves differently has made individuality feel less like something to reconcile with a beauty ideal and more like the point of beauty itself.

“As a Filipino, living abroad made me appreciate individuality more—not just in myself, but in other people too,” he says. “I realized beauty can come from confidence, self-care, personality, and how someone chooses to present themselves.”

Maybe that is the most significant beauty ritual Marasigan has picked up abroad. Not a smoothie or a scalp treatment, but the understanding that beauty doesn’t have to come with one prescribed way of looking.

“Beauty means something different to everyone depending on their culture, experiences, and personal preferences,” he says.

And from his side of LA, that difference is precisely what makes it beautiful.

Frequently Asked Questions

Marasigan says LA reshaped his view of beauty from rigid to personal and evolving. Surrounded by diverse aesthetics, he now sees beauty as self-expression and individual choice rather than conformity to one standard.

Erewhon is a Los Angeles grocery store known for elaborate smoothies blended with collagen, probiotics, adaptogens, and coconut cream. Marasigan says they reflect LA’s wellness-driven beauty culture, turning a smoothie run into self-care.

LA hair spa and scalp treatments typically include deep scalp cleansing, massage, hydration, and aromatherapy. Marasigan says their popularity reflects a beauty culture focused on overall hair health, not just styling.

Marasigan finds LA’s beauty culture more holistic and wellness-driven, tied closely to diet and self-care, while Philippine beauty conversations often center on skincare and makeup. He also finds LA more diverse and experimental.

Marasigan says living abroad deepened his appreciation for individuality in himself and others. He believes beauty comes from confidence, self-care, and personality — something personal that varies by culture rather than one fixed ideal.