What happens to your idea of beauty when you start seeing it from somewhere new?

For Filipino-Australian digital creator Alexandra “Lexy” Marasigan, living abroad has broadened the answer. Now based in Los Angeles, she has found herself surrounded by different cultures, features, and approaches to beauty—an environment that has gradually changed the way she sees both beauty and herself.

“The beauty culture in LA is very diverse and expressive,” she says. “There isn’t just one beauty standard here, which is something I really appreciate.”

It makes sense in a city where beauty can shift easily between natural and glamorous, minimal and experimental. For Marasigan, who has built a following through her TikTok skits and dance content, often alongside her brother Angelo, that freedom has made beauty feel less like something to conform to and more like something to make your own.

Along the way, she has picked up a few LA beauty favorites of her own—and shares with Allure Philippines what has earned a place in her routine.

Lexy Marasigan’s Go-To: The Kosas Concealer for a Skin-Forward Finish

“One beauty product I’ve really grown to love since living in LA is the Kosas Concealer,” Marasigan says.

What won her over wasn’t simply its coverage, but the way it sits somewhere between makeup and skincare. “What makes it stand out is that it feels like a mix between makeup and skincare. It brightens my under-eyes and covers what I need it to, but it still lets my natural skin show through.”

It reflects something that runs through Marasigan’s approach to beauty in LA: enhancement without necessarily covering up what makes you look like yourself.

Themed Nail Art in LA: Lexy Marasigan on Self-Expression Beyond the Manicure

Another LA discovery has been less about a particular product and more about what beauty can become in the hands of the right artist.

“One beauty service I’ve really incorporated into my routine since living in LA is getting my nails done by really talented nail techs,” she says. “LA has so many nail artists who treat nails like actual art, not just a simple manicure. I’ve had multiple themed nail sets in the past, and I love how creative and personal they can be.”

For Marasigan, the appeal is in having another canvas for self-expression.

“You can match them to a season, an event, an outfit, or even just a certain aesthetic you’re into,” she says. “Compared to regular manicures, themed nails feel more unique because there’s so much detail, design, and personality behind them.”

It’s an experience she would recommend to Filipinos who approach beauty with the same sense of play. “I would definitely recommend it to fellow Filipinos, especially if they enjoy fashion, beauty, or creative expression.”

Lexy Marasigan on Why LA Has No Single Beauty Standard

Products and treatments may be the tangible discoveries Marasigan has made in LA, but the more lasting influence has been seeing how differently beauty can show up from one person to another.

“People embrace so many different styles, whether that’s natural, glamorous, trendy, minimal, or experimental, and it makes beauty feel more personal,” she says.

Living abroad has expanded that perspective even further.

“Instead of thinking there is only one way to look or present yourself, I’ve learned that beauty can come from individuality, confidence, and self-expression,” she says. “Being surrounded by so many cultures and different kinds of beauty has made me more open-minded and appreciative of what makes each person unique.”

That exposure has also changed the way Marasigan sees her own features as a Filipino.

“As a Filipino, being surrounded by different beauty features has made me appreciate how unique everyone’s features are, including my own,” she says.

Her biggest realization may also be the simplest: “The biggest realization for me is that beauty is not about fitting into one specific mold, but about embracing individuality and expressing yourself in a way that feels authentic.”

For Marasigan, living abroad hasn’t given her another beauty standard to follow. If anything, it has shown her why she doesn’t need one.

Frequently Asked Questions

LA showed the Filipino-Australian creator that beauty isn’t fixed to one standard — it can be natural, glamorous, minimal, or experimental. She credits the city’s range of beauty codes with helping her value individuality over conformity.

Lexy Marasigan uses the Kosas Concealer, which she says brightens her under-eyes and covers what she needs while still letting her natural skin show through — a formula she’s relied on since moving to LA.

She treats nail art as self-expression, not just grooming. LA nail artists create personalized sets referencing a season, event, outfit, or aesthetic — far more creative and personal than a standard manicure, she says.

Being surrounded by different beauty features in LA taught her to appreciate how unique everyone’s features are, including her own — and that beauty is about individuality and authentic self-expression, not fitting one mold.

Yes — she’d especially recommend it to fellow Filipinos who enjoy fashion, beauty, or creative expression, since LA nail artists treat nails as art rather than a simple manicure service.