Actress Sherilyn Reyes insists she is nothing like Nora Dominguez, her character in the recently concluded GMA 7 fantasy-drama series “Kakambal ni Eliana.”
“Nora is ambitious, scheming, selfish. She worked hard to get rich and when she did get rich, she didn’t know what to make of it,” says Sherilyn. She also notes Nora’s lack of fashion sense. “She’s always over-accessorized. Her hairdo is so 1980s; her makeup, always too much.”
Clothes
HER DOLCE & Gabbana “reliables” in black and in white
“I got this red dress from Gucci three Christmases ago,” she says. “Whenever I wear this, my friends say, ‘Pasko na!’ I have a similar dress from Dolce & Gabbana. I bought most of them when I started losing weight after giving birth to my daughter Eia.”
She and Eia, now 2, used to dress up in matching outfits. “We had the same style of Hello Kitty velour pants by Victoria Casal. We had matching dresses from Purple Candy and TwiLo. I didn’t want a baby girl but when Eia came, I realized it was so much fun.”
Sherilyn adds: “Since my whole family is into wakeboarding, I make sure I have my bathing suit, rash guard, leggings and denim shorts always packed and ready. I’m really proud that I can still go wakeboarding at 38. Even Eia is starting to show interest in this sport.”
Shoes
A useful tip: “If you find the most comfortable shoes, get at least two pairs in different colors. I have this really comfy Chanel espadrilles that I wear on short trips abroad. I regret not having bought an extra pair.”
She has a pair of Chloe slippers that she got last year to resell. “But the brand isn’t popular here,” she says, “so I couldn’t find a buyer. I wore it recently and posted a photo on Instagram. Everybody liked it.”
After years of looking for “the perfect silver shoes,” Sherilyn found just the pair, by Rene Caovilla. “It cost P75,000 at the time, and worth every peso,” she says. “I’ve also found the most comfortable platforms, from Tribute. I have eight pairs of the same style, in different colors.”
Sherilyn suggests saving up for comfortable shoes, even if they’re pricey. “When traveling, the feet are the most stressed part of your body,” she explains, then holds up a pair of studded Manolo Blahnik gold sandals. “This is 3 years old. It was the best-looking pair [in the store] when I bought it. Sadly, it’s very uncomfortable—so I always bring flip-flops. These [Louis Vuitton] slippers I wear almost every day—to tapings or to the beach, when the family goes wakeboarding.”
Bags
Sherilyn’s “everyday bag” is an Hermes Birkin. “I love it. It’s functional, and it’s also hard to come by. If you buy it from local resellers, the value is still high. I got it as a birthday present
SHERILYN Reyes and daughter Eia used to wear matching dresses. She bought this LV tote for the child, too.
for myself last year on a trip to New York. I also love my bubble-gum pink Birkin. This color is rare. There are only a few pieces being sold today.”
On “slow and lazy” days, she uses her red Givenchy Pandora. She explains, “Pang-harabas siya. It’s made of light material but very spacious and practical for travel; you can put everything in it.”
Sherilyn also buys designer bags for Eia. When the baby was christened, mom gave her a Louis Vuitton Alma in patent leather. “I got her another LV piece recently. I hid it from my husband (former basketball cager Chris Tan) while we were shopping because he would have never approved. I got it when he went to the restroom. At home, he was surprised when he saw Eia carrying it and saying, ‘Thank you, Daddy!’”
The actress used to like backpacks. “I’ve kept this canvas Gucci piece that I bought in Japan in 1999. Eia can use this when she’s older. She can also have [my denim LV backpack]. It’s 17 years old and still in top shape.”
Accessories
“I don’t like wearing too many accessories. For me, less is better, especially when I’m with my 2-year-old. There’s always a risk of losing them when you’re carrying or running after your kid,” Sherilyn says.
Her favorite watch, a Rolex GMP, is actually her husband’s. “It’s too small for him now,” she says. “Although I’m pretty content with what I have, Chris tends to spoil me.”
She has resold a lot of her Hermes scarves. “The ones I kept, I plan to have framed. They’d look great as wall décor,” she says. “I also have Hermes bangles; my favorites are in black-gold and silver-gray designs. They match my Kelly bag.”
Cosmetics
Sherilyn wears makeup only for work. “If you’re not a TV personality,” she counsels, “it’s best to go with the fresh look. Chris doesn’t like me wearing even just lip color. On our wedding day, I had to wipe the color off my lips so he’d kiss me.”
The NatuActor concealer is highly recommended by local makeup artists, she notes. “It gives full coverage. Most of my friends in the business use it. My favorite loose powder is Urban Decay.”
FAMILY photo. She says her two boys gifted her with a MacBook on Mother’s Day.
Her major concern are thin eyebrows. “I use Urban Decay liner, as suggested by a flight attendant friend. For lip color, I go for Mac’s Jubilee and Twig. When I played Nora, I used Rebel Red or Del Rio.”
Books
Sherilyn read Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” series in two weeks straight. “They are the only books I’ve gotten so engrossed in,” she says. “Someone sent me a soft copy of Meyer’s unfinished novel, ‘Midnight Sun.’ I liked it, too. Too bad she decided not to publish it.”
The actress has previously read the autobiography “I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action,” and Stormie Omartian’s devotional books “The Power of a Praying Parent” and “The Power of a Praying Wife.”
Gadgets
At the Tan home, gadgets are not allowed at the dining table, says Sherilyn. “Nobody talks at dinnertime anymore because everyone is busy tinkering with gadgets. That’s why Chris and I imposed a rule—no one is allowed to use the cell phone or tablet while having dinner.”
Recalls Sherilyn, “I couldn’t understand why some people needed two to three phones, until I went out of town for a show and had trouble with network signal. My iPhone 5 and BlackBerry Z10 are gifts from my boys (Chris and his sons Paulo and Lorenz). They also gave me a MacBook for Mother’s Day five years ago, but I use it only to update spreadsheets for work.”
Scents
The classic Bulgari is Sherilyn’s current preferred scent. “It’s not so fruity; it smells fresh, like you just came out of the shower,” she explains. She also uses Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey, English Pear and Freesia, and Wild Bluebell. “When I’m not working and the weather isn’t too hot, I splash on Denenes baby cologne.”
(E-mail mcruz@inquirer.com.ph)