Some of the beauty secrets passed down from one generation to another are focused on the number of products you put on your skin, but for Filipino-American Olivia Quido-Co, it’s all about going back to basics.
“Hydration is one, but the best beauty advice I got was from my mom. She told me to take care of myself in general. It’s very broad but it’s a holistic approach—take care of your body, take care of skin, and take care of your wellbeing. That’s the best beauty advice that I really took to heart,” the beauty expert told Manila Standard Life during the Beauty Event of her brand O Skin Med Spa.
Quido-Co is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of O Skin Med Spa, based in Los Angeles. She has devoted almost two decades of her career to making women feel and look beautiful. Her clinic, which has been servicing a number of A-listers, is popular among Americans and members of the Filipino community in the States.
Quido-Co is also popular among pageant fans for being the skincare sponsor of Miss Universe for three years in a row. And for the fourth time later this year, her brand O Skin Med Spa, once again, is partnering with the world’s most prestigious beauty pageant as its official skincare provider.
“This time, we are preparing for Miss Universe skincare line. It’s formulated to give visible results in one day like when you wake up, you would already see the difference. We are sourcing the ingredients from different continents and in Asia, we’re using the Philippines’ banana extract. It’s a good form of preservative. I just wanted to tell the world that we’re using the best ingredients for this beauty formula but what binds them is an ingredient coming from the Philippines,” Quido proudly said.
The licensed esthetician expressed her deep gratitude to Miss Universe Organization for giving her the platform to promote her brand.
“It helped me and my company so much beyond I expected. Prior to my partnership with Miss Universe, my clients and the orders I got are from Los Angeles, but after the generous exposure from the pageant, the territory is getting bigger and bigger. The exposure really helped in brand awareness,” she enthused.
Despite the organization’s trust in her brand, Quido-Co still feels the pressure of being the pageant’s skincare provider.
“They are like walking barbie dolls,” said Quido-Co alluding to the candidates of Miss Universe. “It’s quite challenging to make someone already beautiful even more radiant. So, I revamp their beauty regimen so that on pageant night they would look great. Basically last-minute preps.”
Armed with a deeply-rooted passion for skin esthetics and nurturing instincts, her holistic approach to beauty and life, in general, has brought her success as an esthetician, entrepreneur, women’s advocate, and Christian philanthropist.
“It gives me so much satisfaction when I get to make other people feel confident about themselves. Of course, it all starts with having clear skin, that bright aura that boosts someone’s confidence,” the top-rated beauty expert underscored.
“Ms. O,” as most people call her, started her career as a California-licensed esthetician inside a leased spare room in a beauty salon in Artesia, CA in 2003. Undaunted by the pressures of being new in the industry, she zealously honed her skills in performing facials in the confines of an eight-by-six-foot space, while learning the ropes of running a spa. Her resilience and determination paid off as word spread about her talent and work ethic, which later earned her the Woman of the Year award, Top 100 Filipinos in the USA, AARP’s Top 8 Woman Entrepreneur in LA, and a Mayor’s Award for Entrepreneurs in Los Angeles.
In 2007, Quido-Co moved to a bigger clinic. By 2012, she opened her second branch in Eagle Rock Plaza Mall. In 2013, she moved her Artesia branch in Cerritos Mall to accommodate more clients. O Skin Med Spa is now the most sought-after Filipino-owned medical spa in Southern California employing over 40 people, mostly Filipinos, comprised of licensed nurses, estheticians, doctors, micro-blading artists, and board-certified plastic surgeons.
In 2009, Quido-Co signed with ABSCBN International and The Filipino Channel (TFC) to star in her own TV beauty segment. Her show entitled, Beauty by O, is running in its 10th year and is rating fairly well. Olivia also appeared on Balitang Amerika, an award-winning international news program on the same network.
In 2011, Quido-Co launched her own skincare line which quickly attained a massive following due to its “amazing results.” And the rest, as they say, is history.
Using top-of-the-line ingredients from different parts of the world, Quido-Co’s products have earned a reputation for dramatically replacing surgery for curing certain skin problems, thus revolutionizing the use of topical products as a non-invasive alternative.
