In a world of appearances, it’s crucial for her to be genuine. “Authenticity is when you’re not pretending to be someone else,” she explains with ardour. “It’s when you fully embrace all your flaws and who you are. It’s being carefree. It’s being raw and organic to everybody.”

Plus, “I enjoy doing content. I love it,” she says. “I get to express myself on social media. I love getting messages from [people] that I inspire them. . .I love that I feel more grounded. I feel more like a human being.”

More from Tatler: Empathy and Humility in Hollywood: How Jung Ho-Yeon Stays Grounded

But there was a time when Garcia was not the brave person she currently is: “It wasn’t an instant thing.” When she first set foot in the industry, she was full of doubts and insecurities. “There’s that feeling that you want to fit in or you want to blend in with what’s trending or with what’s ‘in’ right now,” she shares. And it never really totally disappeared, “It’s always there.”

When she was younger, Garcia would go to auditions as a child. It wasn’t an easy process. She would often be turned down, as the preference was skewed towards more mestiza or fair-skinned talents. While now confident in her skin, she felt insecure about her physical appearance, especially complexion, back in the day. It’s no secret that the showbiz industry has many beauty conventions, but a lot of trailblazing women have since challenged this and are continuing to do so through representation, awareness, and discourse, much like Garcia is doing now.

For her, what truly makes a Filipina beautiful is “their confidence, their values, and how comfortable they are in their skin.” But most especially, their kindness must be highlighted; it is what can make (or break) them as a person. “I feel like when you’re kind, you’re beautiful. It follows all the time,” she enthuses. Beauty, after all, is subjective, constantly redefined, and is realised.

And this is exactly why Garcia prides herself in being a LazBeauty and LazAffiliates ambassador. With this platform, she’s able to extend her influence to young fans about confidence.

“If you’re comfortable with how you look, or what you’re wearing, confidence will follow.” The actress considers herself a “religious person” when it comes to skincare—for her, it’s a form of self-care.

Related: These are 5 skincare ingredients to look out for in a product

Instilling discipline in her daily routine, she makes sure she never goes to sleep without removing her makeup. “I feel so dirty if I don’t remove it,” she says. “My skin needs to recover [from all the cosmetics].” When she arrives home, she double cleanses: once again washing the face, then applying toner, essence, serum, and moisturiser, respectively; particularly mentioning the Ponds Age Miracle Ultimate Youth Essence, a favourite of hers. “Before, I had more steps to my routine, but I learned that less is more.”

Sunscreen is a holy grail for the actress as well. Having her trusted goods with her every day is a must too, like the GRWM Lip & Cheek Tint, Happy Skin Velvet Lip and Cheek Stain, and an eyelash curler. “Because I’m a chinita, I really like my eyelashes curled.” She pairs this with the Canmake Transparent Mascara. “I got everything from Lazada. It’s easy, [you can receive it in at least] two days,” she raves. “It’s convenient for all of us.” By dutifully following her beauty and skincare philosophy, she embodies her own idea of what a beautiful Filipina is—a confident, self-assured woman.

Still, the people around you may tell you what you should or shouldn’t do (be or shouldn’t be)—“it’s the pressure of being in the limelight.” At times, it came to the point that it was affecting Garcia so much that she felt like it might never end. “And, I wasn’t aware of it,” she quips. “My friends reminded me that, ‘Hey, you can make your own decisions, too,’ and that’s okay. I learned how to listen to myself and not just the people around me.”

Without friends and family—her support system—she wouldn’t have overcome that part of her life. “They are the ones who would stick with you through thick and thin, through bad times and through good times,” shares Garcia. “And it’s time that will tell who these people are.”

Related: When mindfulness and chaos meet: Maxene Magalona on self-healing

This newfound independence and confidence no doubt prompted the actress’ most recent self-discovery trip to Japan. There, she bravely conquered an advanced and extensive railway system, wandered backstreets and several tourist spots, and engaged with new faces—locals and tourists alike. “It was more than just me travelling alone,” Garcia starts. “It was getting to know myself better and discovering things that I didn’t know. . .It was kind of like grounding myself again, and reminding myself that the world is so big. Not everything is about you.”

“It’s hard to describe the rush of courage it took for me to approach people and ask if it would be okay to take my photo,” she says in one of her Instagram posts. She further adds, “I feel like you’re truly brave [to be able to do that].” Especially considering how being alone feels her with dread at times. “I always had this fear of being alone with my thoughts and telling myself, ‘Can I do this?’. So, it’s just really discovering so much about myself, things I didn’t know I could do.”

Next year, Garcia will be celebrating 10 years in the entertainment scene. Despite a decade of experience under her belt, being in the public eye is still a Sisyphean task. “The notion in your head that you have to please everybody is the most challenging part of the job,” she confesses. “It’s still there, but I can handle it better [this time around].”

“It’s a constant battle. I feel like it’s everybody’s struggle in the industry,” she says. “But now I’m more conscious and proactive about it. Whenever I feel it, I always remind myself that I am in this business not for anybody, but because it fulfils me as a person.”

As for her plans, she is keeping her doors open. The actress revealed once that she loves the idea of being a beauty queen. “The desire is there, I want it,” she says. But some things should be in the right place and at the right time, and this is not her focus at the moment. “I’m in that position that if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

Garcia believes in who she wants to become, signalling that she is still in the middle of her journey, whether in work or personal endeavours. “It’s only the beginning. I’ll discover so much more about myself. I just need to keep going.”

What else can be more relatable? The actress serves as a beacon of light and inspiration for us who are struggling to find our place—our purpose and passions—in the world. If someone who has achieved so much at a young age may still grapple with the same things we do, it’s just a humble reminder that such is the nature of the human experience: it can be difficult, trying, and at times, hopeless. But it is in the will to shoulder that we can make our mark.

Gabbi Garcia is so many things in one: a good daughter, a loyal sister, a supportive friend, a doting partner, a promising singer, a devoted content creator, and an accomplished actress—complete proof of a confident woman with a lot of good things attached to her name. And she will be so much more.

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