<p>Ayn Bernos talks to <em>L'Officie</em>l about growing up Filipina, brown, and proud, and why she is championing the underrepresented <em>morenas.</em></p>

<p>You'd think beauty standards for Filipinas have come a long way until you see the comments section for a beauty pageant. The Philippines is a pageant-loving country, and we love to closely follow contestants. The Philippines also has a colorism problem &mdash; and it's something you clearly see in the pageant photos' comments section, where users would talk about a woman's complexion, on top of their weight, their looks, and their height. This year's competition removed the height requirement for the candidates which allowed diversity and inclusivity into the contest. Representing San Juan is Ayn Bernos, an entrepreneur, content creator, and former educator. Way before she joined the pageant, Ayn has already fought for representation for <em>brown&nbsp;</em>women and men via her brand <em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/morenathelabel/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morena the Label</a></em>. <em>L'Officiel </em>beauty editor Belle Rodolfo sits down with Ayn to talk about growing up a brown girl, what representation is for her, and what beauty products she uses that work well with her skin tone.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><span class="freebirdAnalyticsViewQuestionTitle" jsname="tbOalc" data-questiontitle="1374936443">As a fellow brown girl, I love seeing you out there representing Filipinos like us. I&rsquo;m sure you know though, not a lot of us brown-skinned or <em>morenas</em> started out with an appreciation for or confidence in our skin color and looks. Personally, I was lucky because my mom would never tell me to whiten my skin, only keep it healthy. Outside that bubble though, I was subjected to colorist jokes often! How was it for you growing up?</span></strong></p>
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          <div class="freebirdCommonAnalyticsTextResponse">I had a very similar experience. My family was supportive, but in school, I often heard jokes about my skin color. I'd been called names like "uling," and often teased about not being visible in the dark. When I was in sixth grade, I decided to quit swimming because of that experience. Looking back, I wish I didn't though! I wish I knew that my tan was beautiful.</div>
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<div class="freebirdCommonAnalyticsTextResponse"><strong><span class="freebirdAnalyticsViewQuestionTitle" jsname="tbOalc" data-questiontitle="428621936">I love that you responded to the <a href="https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/hobbiesandactivities/799417/ayn-bernos-claps-back-at-comment-saying-she-has-a-mental-health-problem-for-joining-miss-u/story/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comment</a> about &ldquo;you must have mental health issues for thinking you have a chance&hellip;&rdquo; saying you&rsquo;re doing this exactly because you don&rsquo;t look like what&rsquo;s traditionally expected of beauty pageant queens. I completely agree &mdash; when I was younger there weren&rsquo;t a lot of people in mainstream media that looked like me. When Bianca Gonzalez came out on the cover of Candy magazine, I really felt seen and represented. Did you ever have a moment where seeing someone who looked like you made you feel seen and beautiful? Who was it for you, and what was it like?</span></strong></div>
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            <div class="freebirdCommonAnalyticsTextResponse">I love that you mentioned Bianca Gonzalez because she was my role model, too! More than just being a morena, she was also very vocal about liking her skin. I found that so refreshing. It made me think, "Wow, if Bianca doesn't want to change her skin, why would I?" I even wrote a fan mail in 2014 and showed it to her a few months ago when we collaborated on the <em>Kwentong Morena</em> virtual event. I went from being a self-conscious teenage fangirl to a fellow morena advocate. That's how she inspired me. That's what representation does.</div>
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<p><strong><span class="freebirdAnalyticsViewQuestionTitle" jsname="tbOalc" data-questiontitle="1076834549">So, colorist and racist jokes &mdash; it&rsquo;s unfortunately very commonplace and even capitalized on in our culture. What small things do you do in your daily life using your platforms to change this kind of perspective?</span></strong></p>
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          <div class="freebirdCommonAnalyticsTextResponse">One of the things I always tell fellow <em>morenas </em>is to stop laughing at colorist and racist jokes just to make people feel comfortable. Over time, in my own circles, people have learned to respect me more because of the boundaries I set, and I believe anyone can do that, too. I made a habit out of asking, "What's so funny about that?" and watching them realize that our lived experiences aren't a joke.</div>
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<div class="freebirdCommonAnalyticsTextResponse"><strong><span class="freebirdAnalyticsViewQuestionTitle" jsname="tbOalc" data-questiontitle="1521423309">Let&rsquo;s talk <em>morena</em> beauty! It used to be so difficult to find shades and finishes that would work well on our skin tones. Growing up, I only had access to drugstore beauty &mdash; I had to go hard on bronzers for the foundation to fit, or else it looked like white cast. What about you? How did you navigate beauty for yourself growing up?</span></strong></div>
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            <div class="freebirdCommonAnalyticsTextResponse">It was so hard to find shades! I remember loving this Clinique foundation that my Tita from the US brought home, so I went to the mall to repurchase it. This was many years ago. The salesperson told me it wasn't available in the Philippines because darker shades didn't sell well. I was so frustrated because all I wanted was to embrace my skin tone, but the selection wouldn't let me do it with makeup. It took a lot of trial and error (and many years) for me to find products that worked for me.</div>
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<p><strong><span class="freebirdAnalyticsViewQuestionTitle" jsname="tbOalc" data-questiontitle="1273899868">What do you love for your <em>morena</em> looks currently! Tell us what you use to create your Miss U looks &mdash; the base, the blush, we want to know.</span></strong></p>
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          <div class="freebirdCommonAnalyticsTextResponse">It's all about the base! I switch between the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD foundation in Y385 and the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Spiced Sand. For virtual interviews where I don't need as much coverage, I love using the Issy &amp; Co. Skin Tint in Brulee. One of the biggest game-changers for me though is the Make Up For Ever Redness Corrector Primer because I'm the kind of <em>morena</em> that goes red way too fast. I blush like a tomato whenever I feel excited, nervous, surprised... almost any emotion, really. And it's not even a subtle rosy red &ndash; it's full-on tomato red. That primer has saved me a lot especially during nerve-wracking tasks and interviews.</div>
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 Make Up For Ever Ultra HD foundation in Y385, P 2,700.00, Sephora PH

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Spiced Sand, P 2500, Lazada

Issy & Co. Skin Tint in Brulee, P 499, Lazada

 Make Up For Ever Redness Corrector Primer, P 2,600, Sephora PH

<div class="freebirdCommonAnalyticsTextResponse"><strong><span class="freebirdAnalyticsViewQuestionTitle" jsname="tbOalc" data-questiontitle="995279109">What drove you to join Miss Universe? And in a pandemic!</span></strong></div>
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            <div class="freebirdCommonAnalyticsTextResponse">It was an elusive childhood dream that suddenly, with the removal of the height requirement, became available to me. I didn't have to think twice or worry about what it meant, because my decision was made many years ago! I always promised myself that I would join the moment I could, and so this year, pandemic or no pandemic, I showed up!</div>
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<p>Follow Ayn's journey on her social media <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aynbernos/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@aynbernos</a>.</p>

This Miss Universe Philippines Contestant Is Fighting for Representation

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