MANILA -- Heart Evangelista admitted that it took a while before she finally got to know herself, after years of trying her best to please other people.

Speaking at the launch of Avon's new fragrance Eve Truth, the actress and style icon said she felt the need to "pretend to be someone" and "fit a mold," having started in showbiz at a young age.

And it was when she found herself all alone when she finally mustered the courage to stand up and carve her own path.

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"You're surrounded by people that just don't get it, and you try so hard for them to like you... Sad to say, people are going to turn their back on you, people are going to leave you. You're gonna be alone, you're not gonna know what to do," she said. "And then boom, your survival instinct will just kick and you will realize that you love yourself so much."

"[You'll say] 'I'm gonna toughen up because I deserve this. I'm gonna step forth and I'm gonna love myself. I don't care about what you say, I don't care if I stand here alone. I have a good heart, I'm an honest person with so much love to give.' And that's where you get that confidence," she added.

Citing her own experience, Evangelista believes that confidence is something that is developed after a long process. "You can't pick it up, you can't buy it, you can't attain it. You earn it, it grows eventually," she said.

When asked what it means to be a role model, the sought-after endorser stressed the importance of being "real" instead of "perfect."

"A role model is someone who's real. Someone who makes mistakes [but] carries on with her life. Someone who can carry herself with grace, sometimes not, but still recovers," she said.

"You want to be someone like that because everybody goes through bad things. [They'll say] 'I want to emulate what she's doing because if she went through this horrible thing in her life and she's smiling, then I can also get out of my black hole.' So that's a real role model. Perfection is not of this world," she explained.

FIGHTING FOR HERSELF

And while she is proud of what she has become, Evangelista revealed that she continues to fight for herself each day, citing the negative comments and judgment she regularly receives on social media.

"It gets to you, like how people ask you, 'When are you gonna get pregnant?' They ask you, 'Oh, you're not really happy because you have sad eyes.' Dear, mabigat lang 'yung lashes ko! You know, nakakainis," she recalled.

"Alam mo 'yon? Guys, this is my life, whoever said I didn't want a baby? Who said I didn't want to be a mom? I was a mom, right? Bubuklatin niyo ba ulit 'yung buhay ko again and again? What, do you want me to cry blood or something to satisfy you? It's not like that," she pointed out.

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Evangelista said she always makes sure not to "allow anyone to do anything bad to me," putting her foot down even if it involves her loved ones.

"I fight for myself every day. Even with the people that love me, I still have to correct them, you know? And I love it. I love it that I do that for myself now because before I was such a pushover," she said.

Evangelista then took the opportunity to give advice to women like her who are struggling to find their truth.

"Don't pressure yourself so much. Okay fine, you're pressured, I get it, [but] it's part of the process. Eventually you will develop immunity to everything that you're feeling and you'll just get stronger and stronger," she said.

"You're gonna be the number one person that's gonna defend yourself. And your dog," she added in jest. "Of course you'll meet someone great naman but at the end of the day, it's still about yourself. It's okay, you'll be fine."