At 49, Christine Jacob-Sandejas surely looks awesome.
For the benefit of our young readers, she joined the longest-running noontime show Eat Bulaga as a co-host in 1990.
When she entered showbiz, she recalls being "very, very plump."
Though still very much in demand as an events and corporate host, Christine has not been as active in showbiz because of her choice to be a hands-on mom to her four kids with husband Francisco "Paco" Sandejas.
Prior to her showbiz stint, Christine competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics at 17 years old.
Swimming and being outdoors have been innate to her, so do freckles and sunburn.
But she has no regrets or whatsoever.
"It's a journey. That is what makes it better, knowing you have come to a certain spot where it was not easy and you had to learn your way.
"If you were born perfect, there's no journey.
"And I have the scars and muscles and varicose veins.
"What can I do? I just go with it."
She can choose to be a bit more vain especially that she's in the business of looking good.
“The easy answer would be stay out of the sun, but I would never stay out of the sun.
“I would tell myself to eat better, because I was so heavy then.
“I was a swimmer but when I stopped, I gained so much weight and I had to lose so much weight."
Her other battle scars came from her children and these, she bore even more proudly.
"I didn't mind really the scars, you can't get rid of that.
“I have five kids, four came through C-section.
"I have my wonderful motherly scars there which I proudly show my kids, 'Look, this is where you came from.'"
SKIN SECRETS. Of course, she sometimes feels she could have done better by heeding some commonly-held skincare wisdom.
She remarked, "If I knew then what I know now, it would have been much easier."
But Christine still wouldn't exchange her experiences for perfection even if it was possible.
"It's the lifestyle, you can't do one without the other.
"Your skin also glows naturally if you hydrate internally."
Her skin secret is an age-old practice: Drink water.
"I bring with me a whole jug of water, and I have to finish three of those in one day. I really have to make an effort to do that.
"I don't have a secret effort for those things, I think because I hydrate internally and externally, I am a low-maintenance chick.
"You won't find me in the parlor for 10 hours, that's just not me.
"I'm like, I'll tie my hair and, 'Let's go do stuff.'”
Her five kids, whose ages range from seven to sixteen, also contribute to her youthfulness.
She added, "Maybe hanging around my kids makes me young, plus I don't sweat the small stuff. I just kinda wing it and go with the flow, smile, even with wrinkles in my eyes."
She never bought into any of the skin myths because of her outlook.
Christine swore, "None talaga. I am not maarte, e. I'm not the type.
"I do like girly stuff, but I'm not the type that would put cucumbers on my eyes. That is not something I will try.
"Maybe one of the myths was applying the thing for stretchmarks. I never did any of those.
"I think my mom didn't have stretchmarks, so I would think it's genetic."
Lastly, she believes in using products that are good, natural, organic, pure, and kid-friendly.
She mentioned at the event of Aveeno, which launched her as one of its brand ambassadors, the use of colloidal oats that help prevent dryness and irritation caused by skin dehydration.
"It's about a healthy and active lifestyle, and whatever I can eat should be good for my body. Oats inside should be good outside, it won't harm me."