Viva Hot Babes' Ella V returns to Manila to launch skincare line
MANILA -- Sexy star Ella V, who left showbiz in 2007 to start a family in the US, is back in the local scene -- not to resume her career but to launch her skincare products and business that started only last April in the US.
“Right now, I simply want to create noise and publicity about the products,” Ella V told ABS-CBN News. “I am back, but not in showbiz. I can do guestings only to remind the public who is Ella V. They need to remember who I am, so they will patronize my VGlow products.”
Her VGlow products are slated to arrive in Manila late August. Then in September, she and her VGlow team are set to attend a beauty convention at SMX Convention Center.
“I always wanted to do the aesthetician program,” Ella V said. “Thanks to Dr. Vicki Belo, I am always inspired by how she started her Belo clinic. It started from there.”
Skincare expert Dr. Vicki Belo inspired Ella V to start her business. “I always remember her story, how she found herself ugly before, she was discriminated and that led her to start her clinic,” Ella V shared.
“I’m always a fan of Dr. Belo. She’s so successful. Who doesn’t want to be successful like her? That’s why when I learned that I was going to meet her then, through Katya Santos and Quark Henares, I was super excited.”
Ella V tried her hand in the skincare business only this year. “I love being in the business not just employment-wise to give work to other women who are in need, but this a way for me to help them become successful.
“Skincare is one of the biggest motivations for me. I always want to be in the skincare industry. Since I started in the entertainment industry, skincare is investment in the business. I also want to help other women.
“How you are and it defines my personality, my mission and vision. This is also my way for small-time business to prosper even more. They can distribute the products.
“America has a lot of beauty businesses. I believe it’s not just a trend there. America is the easiest place to start your skincare business, because you can start from the house. As long as you finish the course.”
Ella V took up the aesthetician course at Garden Grove Advance Beauty College at Orange County in California.
She is accompanied by her spa manager, Joyce Leasure, who also took up the same program. “We both decided to put up the spa,” Ella V said. “The course only takes six months, but I finished it in 10 months.”
She started taking up the aesthetician program at Cerritos College in 2012, then got pregnant four times. So she had no time to finish the course and subsequently transferred to Orange County.
She met Leasure who took up the course to work at Ella V’s facility for developmental disability. In 2019, Leisure worked part-time. When Ella V learned that Leasure is a licensed aesthetician, the former was egged on to start her VGlow Beauty Bar.
“I always want to have glowing skin,” admitted Ella V. “In our spa, one can have the best hydro-facial treatment, the deluxe.
“We want to hold a workshop with Esthemax here, so we can demonstrate how we do a facial massage. Esthemax is the leading hydrogel max worldwide. Together with our organic products, the facial massage creates more glowing efficacy.
“The hydrogel max came from algae, infused with electrolytes, so it’s very organic. Ideal for all skin types. Even after your procedure from facial, you can use the max to make the inflammation subside.
The smoothing peel and toning mist are the spa’s best-selling products to date. “Especially here is the Philippines na very polluted ang surroundings with smoke and dust, this toner mist can really help. It even comes in travel sizes,” she said.
VGlow also has the hydrating moisturizer, glow restore serum, exfoliating glow and calming cleanser.
Back bars are for pre-cleansing, double cleansing and exfoliation, normally used by spa. “We are going to have online workshops, even live workshops, but that will entail membership,” Ella V said.
Ella V started a spa in Costa Mesa last February. Then, Torrance opened in March, followed by Northridge – all in California. The spa in the Philippines is scheduled to open this November.
Having four kids with hardly any time to go to the parlor for facial is what prompted Ella V to start her VGlow products.
“When I did this, I wanted to launch a product that could really help the maintenance of everybody – single mom, adolescents – so it was be easier and affordable.”
At present, Ella V has four registered nurses in her spa and three aestheticians, with very dependable staff who can run the spa even without her around.
The spa is open six days a week, Mondays to Saturdays, with Sundays by appointment. They are open for hiring other staff who are available to work on a per-day basis.
“So they are not officially full-time, only for appointments, until we get busier,” she said.
The spa also offers medical services like PRP (platelet rich plasma) treatment, Botox and fillers.
“We are on the edge where we can do anything and make the patient beautiful. It’s not to be perfect, only confident. Especially the women today who are driven and more conscious.”
Ella V started to work at Viva initially as a receptionist, her entry level in the office back in 2003. Then, she joined Viva Video as marketing assistant and that became her stepping stone to join showbiz.
She finished her Mass Communications degree at Dominican College and initially wanted to become a newscaster. “I looked up to Karen Davila at that time,” Ella V said.
However, while working for Viva and seeing the showbiz stars constantly, Ella V subsequently wanted to join showbiz later on.
“Ang saya ng mga stars while working at Viva,” she recalled. “Lagi akong tinutukso to audition for Viva Hot Babes. But I started getting bit roles in Viva movies and projects already.”
She appeared in the Salbakuta video, “Stupid Love,” Lyle Sacris’ “First Time” (2003), Mac Alejandre’s “Lastikman” (2004), Jon Red’s “Boso” (2005) and even in Chito Roño’s “Caregiver” (2008), with megastar Sharon Cuneta.
Ella V became a mainstay of ABS-CBN shows like “Home Along da Airport,” with ace comedian Dolphy, as well as the erstwhile reality show with Carlos Agassi, “Kaya Mo Ba ‘To?” and Judy Ann Santos’ teleserye, “Ysabella” and “Sa Piling Mo.”
She met her hubby, Shane Manalang, in 2007 at Embassy, then a night haunt at The Fort.
“I also did shows in the US with Rico J. Puno, Freddie Aguilar and Rachel Anne Go,” she recalled. “After December 2007, that was my last visit to the US.”
From then on, she decided to stay for good in the US and Manalang offered marriage. They tied the knot on March 21, 2008.
She was too homesick the first year she was in the US. “Recession noon sa America at wala akong trabaho,” Ella V recalled. “I wanted to go back home. Then in 2010, my husband suggested that I try working with his mom, who owns caregiving homes. Then I learned the ropes.”
To date, Ella V owns six caregiving homes in California. “I tried to make a name for myself to be known in the caregiving industry,” she said. “I learned to like caregiving and I love to advocate developmental disability. I want to sound professional and inspiring at the same time.”