Whether we were brainwashed by the Evil Queen in Snow White's fairy tale or by the society that has always equated beauty with youthfulness, women do make an effort to defy aging.
Jackie Lou Blanco is one of those few lucky stars who, at 52, remains young-looking.
Her secret?
At her pictorial for Calayan Surgricentre, she told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), "Actually, me and my daughter have been going there for the past, siguro, year or two years?
"Just have regular facials, some treatments, ganun lang."
Also at the shoot was her Because of You co-star Iya Villania-Arellano and her mother, Pilita Corrales.
"My mom has also been going to Doc Manny and Doc Pie before pa. Mas nauna pa nga yata siya sa ’kin e."
It is common for people to assume that trips to beauty clinics are ways for stars to hold on to their youth, but for Jackie Lou, she has gone past the physical.
"Now, beauty is much more, e." she mused.
"Probably beauty is important now, but not physical beauty. It’s the totality kasi siyempre, dati, okay, wala akong wrinkles or basta maganda ako, maganda buhok ko.
"Physical beauty fades, beauty inside, beauty of your faith, beauty of love for God, beauty of love for family, that stays. That’s most important."
She admitted to having a bit of regret about some of her decisions and choices when she was younger.
"I think I miss it when I think lang na sana at this age, I did this, o,r sana at this age, I did not do it.
"But I am happy and thankful even with the mistake that I have made because I am more appreciative of every thing now.
"If there’s anything lang siguro na babalikan ko and change a few things, change a few stupid things that I did, but they taught me a lesson, e.
"They made a better person.
"They’re all mistakes but always lessons learned."
THE BEAUTY OF AGE. The actress said she has fully embraced the reality of her life at present.
"I think that I appreciate and I’m thankful for everything that’s been given to me—my work, my health, my children.
"Parang at this point when you reach this age, parang for me, wala akong itatapon na nangyari sa ’kin.
"Parang I don’t have any reason to complain, just to be thankful and grateful for everything.
"I think age does that...that there’s another day, that you can do something better, that you can correct a wrong."