Bianca Gonzalez. Image: BJ Pascual via Instagram/@iamsuperbianca
Bianca Gonzalez once again sent fans into complete awe as she showed off her bare face in a photoshoot to mark her 40th birthday.
The mom of two flaunted her no-makeup face, eye bags, and morena complexion while donning a set of casual outfits, as seen on her Instagram account on Monday, March 13. The photos were taken by photographer and makeup brand ambassador BJ Pascual. Gonzalez said this is her favorite set of portraits to date.
“‘Beej, I turn 40 this March and I wanna shoot a portrait that’s very raw, no makeup or styling, literally ‘this is me’ ang peg,” I told BJ [Pascual]. He answered, ‘Game!! That would be amazing,’” she began, recalling a past conversation with the photographer prior to the shoot.
While Gonzalez enjoyed modeling since the age of 17, she admitted that she always wanted to have a “raw portrait” of herself, explaining why she enlisted the help of Pascual.
“I’ve been modeling since I was 17 years old and so every professional photo I’ve had has me in full make up, hair, and styling. I loved doing all that, yes! But I’ve long wanted to have a very RAW portrait of me—like those I’d see in Richard Avedon’s work—and I was never really sure if I could pull it off. Baka mamaya (Maybe later), I’d set up this fancy shoot, only to have photos I’m not happy with,” she said.
The “Pinoy Big Brother” host reaffirmed her pride for her morena skin, scars, and dark knees, as she declared that she’s “no longer tough on myself about it.”
“I’ve been proud of my morena skin for many years, yes, but it’s only now that I’ve fully embraced and accepted all my body’s flaws and imperfections, peklats (scars), dark knees, and all. I still get conscious about it at times, but I’m no longer tough on myself about it. In this stage of my life, I feel confident to step in front of a lens with no make up on my face. Literally, just me,” she said.
The celebrity mom also thanked Pascual for understanding the “deeper meaning of what I wanted to do” in her 40th birthday shoot, sharing that they didn’t have a makeup artist, hair stylist, and fashion stylist on set.
“BJ understood the deeper meaning of what I wanted to do. With no make up artist, no hairstylist, no stylist on set, we just played around,” she said. “The most chill shoot ever, and one of my favorites to date. Thank you @bjpascual, you are a creative genius and I love you! These are officially my favorite portraits because you captured ME.”
The TV host also looked back at a past conversation with makeup artist Lala Flores, where they reflected about the true meaning of happiness.
“I was in @lalaflores16’s makeup chair and she told me something I would never forget. She said, ‘Ang happiness, hindi napho-Photoshop (Happiness is not about being photoshopped).’ That has stuck with me ever since. And I guess now, the reason I want to have these portraits taken is not just because I fit a certain standard of what is “beautiful” in my mind. It’s really because I AM truly, genuinely HAPPY,” she added.
Fellow personalities including Pascual himself, Pia Wurtzbach, Mimiyuuuh, Ayn Bernos, Karen Davila, Dimples Romana, Darren Espanto, Lovi Poe, Hannah Pangilinan, Shaina Magdayao, and Charlene Gonzales were in awe of Gonzales’ beauty, as seen in the comments of her post.
The photographer said, “Truly beautiful inside and out!!!!”
“This is a great idea and @bjpascual captures the real you! Such a natural beauty B,” Davila wrote.
Bernos said, “I see your daughters in you, we love you our morena queen!!!!”
Image: Screengrab from Instagram/@iamsuperbianca
Image: Screengrab from Instagram/@iamsuperbianca
Days before her 40th birthday, Gonzalez revealed that she had the names of her daughters Carmen and Lucia tattooed on her arms – which, she described, is a “magical” experience.
The host tied the knot with former professional basketball player JC Intal in December 2014. She gave birth to Lucia in October of the following year, and their second child Carmen in 2018.