Ashley Ortega is not your typical girl-next-door. Underneath her sweet exterior lies a tough young woman who constantly seeks new horizons and new experiences. Just scroll through her Instagram account and you’ll see her riding the ocean waves on a surf board, speeding through the sand dunes on an ATV, or suspended on a cable while she zip lines on air.
The 18-year-old GMA artist and newest ambassador of Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Inc. admits, “I’m very adventurous. If I don’t have work, I don’t like staying at home and doing nothing. I like outdoor physical activities, but recently, I’ve been trying contact sports like Muay Thai and boxing.”
In a way, her preference for such extreme activities can be due to her early years as a professional figure skater. She represented the Philippines in various competitions in Asia. “I started skating when I was four, and then I stopped when I was 12.” But while she’s finished doing it as a competitive sport she adds, “I still like to do it for fun, with friends or as cardio exercise.”
And, like a true adventure-seeker, her showbiz career was also a risk that she gamely took. “I was modeling and doing commercial gigs when someone saw me and asked me to audition at GMA,” she fondly shares. “I tried it but I didn’t expect anything at all. Luckily, I got in, and they gave me a drama to work on right away.” Her starring role was Marian “Julie” Dela Guardia in GMA’s now-defunct show Cielo de Angelina, which was then followed by roles in shows like Dormitoryo, Magpakailanman, Maynila, Dangwa, and Oh, My Mama! and these days, you will find her as one of the regular co-hosts of the afternoon variety show Wowowin, showing her playful and sweet side.
But, Ashley has a lot more to offer. Aside from her blossoming showbiz career, she’s also an interior design student at SoFA, and a self-confessed art and make-up enthusiast who enjoys experimenting with different make-up looks just like any other girl. “I love experiencing new things, and learning to apply make-up is one of them,” she says. “It’s part of my life. I feel like I can’t be an artista without make-up.”
On most days, she carries either Ever Bilena’s or Careline’s Cheek and Lip Tint in her bag, along with Blackwater Women Activ’s So In Love body spray to keep her feeling fresh and clean all the time. She shares, “I like that Ever Bilena, Careline and Blackwater offer dual-purpose, long-lasting products that I can always apply while working out or during tapings.” And just like her, she also recommends other girls to keep these products in their kits. “We should take care of our appearance, and maintaining a good hygiene is one of them. These products will not only help us feel fresh and clean but they’re also confidence boosters,” she advises.
With all that’s going on in her life, she says she still has more challenges to conquer. “I want something different – I want to play a superhero because I want to do action, or an ice princess so I can skate.”
