Volume Control: Belle Rodolfo and Arizona Brandy on What Hairstyling Means to Them
Behind the scenes of the Cream Silk shoot, two queens reflect on the shift toward embracing their natural curls and volume, and tell us how they did so on their own terms
Between wind-blown portraits à la 2009 Britney Spears and moments of shared laughter while shifting poses and facial expressions, Cream Silk queens Belle Rodolfo and Arizona Brandy share a moment with the Allure team. They explain what self-expression through their hair means to them and how using volume-boosting products, such as Cream Silk’s Hydration & Volume Salon Renewal Mask, can allow others to do more with their hair without sacrificing strand health and inner moisture.
“Filipinas often think that beautiful hair is long and straight, and bagsak, but now I think that standard is changing,” says Rodolfo. Despite experiencing severe hair damage from numerous hairstyle and color changes a few years prior, the online creator expresses how she sees trends as a new means to express one’s personality instead. “I think trends will always come and go, and I think, depending on what is relevant, it will change our sense of hairstyle in a way that expands our idea of beauty,” she details.
“Alam mo, inuuna natin yung hair ‘cause our hair is our ‘crowning glory’,” Brandy claims. “Binabagay ko sa hair kung ano yung outfit. I always go back to the one I’m wearing [now] because I [would] not be wearing this hair today if I [did] not believe in it.” For the Drag Race Philippines alum, she recalls how making her health a priority in and out of drag has spilled over to her hair care. “Everyone has the right to look good. Kahit drag queen, nurse, teacher, parang, if you want to look good, you can,” she adds.
While both queens share how they found balance in practicing their hair care routines with their desire to explore new hairstyles, Unilever R&D Technical Project Lead Anna Tongco elaborates on how, through Cream Silk’s Hydration & Volume Salon Renewal Mask, the brand hopes to see more women expand the ways they express their beauty holistically. “It’s not just about volume in the sense of making hair big, it’s volume in the sense of letting it [the hair] be lightweight, letting it be free to do and embrace the kind of shape that it actually takes,” Tongco shares.
Frequently Asked Questions
Belle Rodolfo is a Filipino online creator and Cream Silk ambassador known for her evolving hair styling journey. She has spoken openly about experiencing severe hair damage from frequent color and style changes, and has since reframed her approach to hair trends as a form of personal expression rather than adherence to conventional Filipina beauty standards.
Arizona Brandy is a Filipino drag performer and alumna of Drag Race Philippines. She is also a Cream Silk ambassador and has discussed how prioritizing health — both in and out of drag — has shaped her approach to hair care, advocating for the idea that anyone, regardless of identity or profession, has the right to look and feel good.
The Cream Silk Hydration & Volume Salon Renewal Mask is a hair treatment designed to build volume while maintaining inner strand moisture. According to Unilever R&D Technical Project Lead Anna Tongco, the product’s volume philosophy is not about making hair bigger, but about keeping it lightweight and free to take its natural shape without sacrificing hydration or strand health.
Traditionally, the Filipina beauty ideal for hair has centered on long, straight, and sleek (“bagsak”) styles. Creators like Belle Rodolfo note that this standard is shifting, with hair trends increasingly viewed as a vehicle for individual personality and self-expression rather than a single prescribed look — reflecting a broader evolution in inclusive Filipino beauty norms.
Yes, according to hair care experts and brand R&D. The key is using treatments that address both volume and internal moisture simultaneously — avoiding formulas that add lift at the cost of dryness or breakage. Conditioning masks with hydrating ingredients can reinforce the cuticle and improve strand resilience while allowing hair to hold shape and movement more freely.
