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Ruffa Gutierrez embarks on lifestyle business venture

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Leah C. Salterio

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Ruffa Gutierrez at the launch of Gutz and Glow" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/11/02/ruffa.jpg"/><figcaption>Ruffa Gutierrez at the launch of Gutz and Glow</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- After more than three decades in showbiz, actress-beauty queen Ruffa Gutierrez now tries her hand in not just product endorsement, but doing business by attaching her name to a lifestyle brand, Gutz and Glow, her recent venture with Skin Solutions.Undoubtedly, Gutierrez is a benchmark when it comes to beauty in showbiz, and she wants her products to be innovative and even to compete globally.Pre-pandemic, back in 2019, Gutierrez was ready to launch her products with Skin Solutions. “We wanted to make sure that the products are good and fit for our branding,” Gutierrez told ABS-CBN News.“But when the pandemic happened, everything came to a halt. We weren’t able to push through with that. Now that it’s almost 2023, I’m just so happy that Gutz and Glow is one product that can be used for men, women, all genders.“I’m so excited because it’s my first time to really launch a business. I had the &#x27;gutz&#x27; to take this bold step outside my comfort zone. Ito talaga ang product na akmang-akma para sa akin at para sa lahat.”For the product name of her new lifestyle brand, Gutierrez went for something that will instantly have strong recall. &quot;Gutz&quot; was taken from the Gutierrez’s reality program, “It Takes Gutz To Be a Gutierrez.”“We wanted something catchy, something relatable to the name. Pwede sa babae, sa teenager, sa Gen Z,” Gutierrez said.This isn&#x27;t the first business venture of the actress. In 1995, Gutierrez entered into a co-production venture with Viva Films when she did “Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa,” directed by Celso Ad. Castillo. Burt this is the only time she is lending her name to a lifestyle brand.Maricor Monton Flores, the CEO of Skin Solutions, is the business partner of Gutierrez. Flores said Gutierrez didn’t want to settle for anything less.“Ruffa wants to be proud of the products that she will come out with,” said Flores. “The range of products are more functional. With Ruffa, hindi pwede na basta-basta lang.“She told me, ‘Dapat hindi papahuli ang product na ‘yan.’ She already tried several brands, even the expensive ones. She has her standards already.”The products are made available in the market initially through direct selling, with distributors all over the country. More recently, Gutz and Glow are physically seen through pop-up stores in malls, especially in the provinces.“We started talking to Ruffa in April 2018. She is part of my Bible study group and we have common friends,&quot; Flores said.“We also share the same interests when it comes to beauty and lifestyle. When we were conceptualizing the lifestyle brand, of course, hindi pwedeng malayo kay Ruffa. We had to be realistic in a way.“The product that the people would adapt is basically a piece of Ruffa. We wanted to give not only to her fans, but also to the community.”Gutierrez and Flores went into careful trial and error before all the products were finalized. “Every time Cor would send product samples to the house, ginagamit ko talaga,” Gutierrez said.Then, she would immediately give her feedback. “Ay, ayoko ng green tea, palitan natin ng lavender. I didn’t like the packaging, can we change it? They were offering me make-up, soaps. I readily told them what I wanted.”Through the years, a number of businesses offered to launch products for Gutierrez. “Natakot din ako baka maloko tayo,” she said. “Ms. Cor is not only a God-fearing woman, being part of my Bible group, she also knows the products that I like.”Even with the packaging, Gutierrez made sure she had a hand in choosing the look of the products. “Gusto ko talaga mabango and pastel,” the actress-beauty queen insisted. “Even the color, I was thinking, ano kayang colors ang bagay sa akin?“My favorite are winter colors. We wanted something fresh that everyone can relate to. Tatlong palit sa colors. The first one, when I saw it, it was too bright. The last look was the final color. I wanted lilac/lavender, which is perfect.” Skin Solutions didn’t have a hard time zeroing in on what particular products to launch for Gutierrez.“Ruffa knows what she really wants,” said Flores. “When we were deciding on the products, we decided on basic products, essential products, with high-functional ingredients.”Gutierrez chose the products – hand moisturizer, hand soap, feminine wipes, make-up remover wipes, butt and body scrub, hand sanitizer – that underwent a lot of testing.“Hindi ako nahirapan, kasi alam agad ni Ruffa kung ano ang gusto niya. Sobrang hands-on siya in choosing the products,&quot; Flores said.“It was easy for us to come up with a product that is functional and high quality. The most important is that it’s affordable. Our partners were saying pwede naman pala that you launch a product at a very affordable price.“Kasi normally, we know, ‘pag masyadong maganda ang produkto, mabango, mahal din. But we can apparently achieve the best quality product in a good, affordable price.” The best-selling products, so far, are hand sanitizers, apparently a much-needed bring-me for everybody especially these days. “The high functionality of Ruffa’s products became her main concern,” added Flores. “She’s putting her name into this brand. Ruffa will not agree that these are just so-so products.“If you will notice, the line-up of the products of Gutz and Glow is challenging. These may be essential products that you can actually access over the counter. But since it’s a lifestyle business, Ruffa wants everyone to appreciate the products in a different level.”<div>Related video:</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TfK6zXOF5NE?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

After more than three decades in showbiz, Ruffa Gutierrez now tries her hand in not just product endorsement, but doing business by attaching her name to a lifestyle brand, Gutz and Glow.