This March, Ayala Malls Central Bloc celebrates Women’s month by putting the spotlight on five inspiring Cebuanas who, despite the pandemic, have continued to thrive and succeed in their chosen industry.
Meet five resilient women and girl bosses behind some of the brands at Ayala Malls Central Bloc.
Raissa Alexandra Ong Oh, owner of DARA beauty market
Dara Beauty Market, located at the 2nd floor of Ayala Malls Central Bloc, started in 2014 in a small cafe in Lahug and has now evolved into a brand acknowledged by Filipinos nationwide. The brand works tirelessly to provide affordable Korean skincare, haircare, and make-up beauty products.
What empowers Alex are people who feel enthusiastic about their job, family, & life. “Women’s Month is the time we dedicate to appreciate and celebrate women who have the ability and willingness to be selfless. Hopefully through this gesture, inspiring women will know we value them because most often they don’t realize they have such a great impact on our lives.”
Marie Feline David Soria, owner of Let’s Stylize
Let’s Stylize started online in 2012 and set up their first physical store last 2018, followed by their 2nd store the year after at Ayala Malls Central Bloc’s Trading Bloc at the 2nd Floor.
For Feline, Women’s Month is the time to promote gender equality, inspire women to be agents of change, and about empowerment of all women without exemptions.. “I have always believed that one of my purposes in life is to empower other women and other people around me, especially those I closely work with by being my best self, as a leader and an entrepreneur. This purpose keeps me going and sets my soul on fire.”
Being a woman is no easy task, but a well-deserved fashion and beauty treat to self at Ayala Malls Central Bloc can help slay the day.
Trina Mikaela Go, owner of My Lash Salon
My Lash Salon started out as Winked in 2017 offering cosmetic eyebrow tattoos and introducing Yumi Lashes, all in a 2x2m space as a side hustle to show how beauty can be made simple. Today, Trina does it full time with a team in a prime space at the Wellness Zone, 3rd Floor of Ayala Malls Central Bloc.
On what empowers her, “It’s true what they say that nothing is more empowering than being empowered by other women. It is being around those who are strong and successful, those who hustle hard, encourage, & share knowledge — this is what inspires me to be a better version of me. Also, a good pair of brows and lashes always helps. Anything that makes you feel good inside and out can change the way you carry yourself.”
Vanessa Elaine Gajudo, founder of Beauty Getaway Aesthetics
Vanessa trained in Aesthetics at the Canadian Beauty College and started the brand in May 2017 in her own house then moved to a commercial building in Lahug. After two year, together with her partners Ms. Ivy Pilapil and Mrs. Gail Lim, they expanded to Ayala Malls Central Bloc. Beauty Getaway is located at the Wellness Zone, 3rd Floor.
Vanessa and her partners are driven to empower women through their services by making women feel more confident and beautiful. She also shares, “Women’s Month is a month to celebrate and appreciate women all around the world, may it be successful women in business and career or simply being a successful homemaker. There are a lot of strong and independent women and it’s nice that we get to celebrate the beauty of it every year.”
Mary Rose G. Dakay, CEO of Macao Imperial Tea
Macao Imperial Tea, located at the 4th floor, is one of the fastest-growing cafe chains. People love it for its profoundly rooted approach that highlights a mix of the rich Macanese culture and a personalized experience.
For Mary Rose, the thought that anything a man can do, a woman can do too is what keeps her going and empowered. Women’s Month to her is an opportunity to debunk the age-old thinking that women are underdogs and inspire the young generation of today by shining a light on significant contributions that women worldwide have made.
Read more: Where to Eat at AyalaMalls Central Bloc
Alex, Feline, Trina, Vanessa, and Mary Rose are five of many young, modern, Cebuana entrepreneurs today who show that women never fail to prove that their potential to do great things is limitless, for as long as women are there to empower each other. Being a woman is no easy task, but a well-deserved fashion and beauty treat to self at Ayala Malls Central Bloc can help slay the day.
Treat the ladies in your lives and get up to 70% off discounts when you shop at Trading Bloc from March 16-22 with the mall’s What to Wear: Fashion Sale. Catch the online Fashion Show: What to Wear live on their official Facebook page on March 15. For more information and updates, follow Ayala Malls Central Bloc on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/
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