Cover From salons to wellness centres, women are reshaping the beauty industry, gaining visibility, agency and tools to thrive professionally (Photo: Canva)
From salons to wellness centres, women are reshaping the beauty industry, gaining visibility, agency and tools to thrive professionally (Photo: Canva)
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Once fragmented and undervalued, the beauty and wellness sector now offers women entrepreneurs visibility, tools and agency—an ecosystem reimagined for growth, confidence and impact
In a sector long overlooked, salons and wellness centres are gaining a new dimension: they are now platforms for women to lead, grow, and shape their industries. Parlon, the platform behind this transformation, provides the structure and tools to connect practitioners with clients efficiently while foregrounding the people who run these businesses.
At the helm of Parlon, Kristine Claire Ongcangco has brought structure and clarity to an industry once fragmented, giving salons and wellness practitioners a platform to connect with clients efficiently and professionally. Beyond creating a tool for convenience, this lawyer-entrepreneur's work foregrounds the people behind the services, especially women entrepreneurs, offering them resources, mentorship and a tangible way to grow their businesses.
Trained in the field of law, Ongcangco, a Gen.T Leader of Tomorrow, embarks on leadership with discipline and care, balancing operational rigour with an understanding of human needs. She frames self-care not as indulgence but as a form of confidence, a way for women to assert agency in both professional and personal spheres.
In every platform she builds and every opportunity she creates, Ongcangco shapes a more considered, equitable and intentional approach to entrepreneurship, one that promises lasting influence for women and the industries they inhabit.
Read more: A very Filipino skincare: beauty products made from widely produced ingredients in the Philippines
Above Through her platform Parlon, Ongcangco elevates salons and wellness centres, giving women professionals tools, visibility and agency to thrive in a previously fragmented beauty industry (Photo: Kurt Alvarez/ACME Visual Productions)
Through her platform Parlon, Ongcangco elevates salons and wellness centres, giving women professionals tools, visibility and agency to thrive in a previously fragmented beauty industry (Photo: Kurt Alvarez/ACME Visual Productions)
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Q&A
Looking at where your industry is now, where do you feel your work has made the most lasting impact?
For years, beauty services were treated as a secondary vertical on platforms, never the main story. We built Parlon to change that, creating a dedicated space where salons and wellness centres are not an afterthought, but the star. At the same time, owners, managers, receptionists, and their entire teams feel empowered and more seen because there is technology built specifically for them.
On the consumer side, we have helped make beauty and wellness feel more transparent and accessible. That confidence, feeling guided through options instead of being intimidated by complex choices, knowing what it costs, and being able to choose services according to your budget, transforms the entire experience.
What about your work feels most urgent or necessary today compared to when you first started?
The industry has become more complex. More services, more choices. What feels urgent is building more intelligent systems that help both businesses and consumers make smarter decisions.
With the rise of AI, the opportunity is not to overwhelm people with more technology. It is to design systems that work quietly in the background, strengthening judgment while preserving the human touch and authenticity.
What challenges have you faced as a woman in your field, and what have they taught you?
Parlon operates in two worlds: beauty, which is shaped largely by women, and technology and investments, which are still predominantly male-dominated. There have been moments when men in the room have explained beauty and wellness back to me through a personal lens, often simplifying it in ways that underestimate its complexity and economic power. I understand that this often stems from unconscious bias rather than any intent to diminish the industry. Thus, I treat those moments not as setbacks, but as opportunities to expand the conversation. Those moments push me to show results and to champion the potential of the beauty and wellness industry. Over time, the narrative changes. Genuine questions give way to understanding, and understanding grows into appreciation and support.
Beyond your own projects, how do you hope your journey inspires the next generation of women in your industry?
Our vision should not be limited by the roles the world may try to box women into. The world is big, and so are our dreams and what we are capable of. We should not feel the need to dilute our femininity to be taken seriously. Strength and empowerment should never come at the expense of who we are. I hope my Parlon journey encourages more women to strive to be builders and leaders at the forefront of industries. We can embrace our inner princess and still build the kingdom. Greatness, leadership, and excellence should never be defined by gender.
Looking back, is there a moment in your career that stands out as a turning point or a proud milestone?
I have always considered all my “firsts” as milestones, because they signal the beginning of every ambition and every dream. From seeing the first website we built for a client at Concept Machine go live, to signing the first client in our law firm, each one marked the start of a new chapter.
Parlon was another defining “first.” They say the hardest step is going from zero to one, that getting your first few partners is harder than gaining your next hundreds. Convincing our first merchants to believe in a vision that had not yet fully taken shape was already a milestone. Before there was proof, before there was traction, there was trust. Those early partners were not just signing up for a platform. They believed in what we were building and the problem we were solving.
I still remember our first booking, our first deal sold, our first app download. Each “first” felt small on paper, but monumental in meaning. They were signals that the vision was no longer just an idea. It was taking shape.
As we celebrate our 25th anniversary this year, Tatler honours 25 remarkable women whose vision and courage are transforming industries, communities and the national conversation—each one taking a decisive step and leaving an enduring mark on Philippine society
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Syrah is Tatler Philippines’ Power & Purpose editor, where she spotlights extraordinary journeys shaping the Philippines and Asia. She covers business, innovation, impact, and culture—chasing the people, ideas and forces shaping how we live and think today.
