The Beauty Direction Behind the Preview Pride Cover for June 2026

Pride does not happen only once a year. For queer Filipinos, Pride is reflected in every glance at the mirror and every day they choose to live their truth.

With that in mind, the beauty direction centered on elevating the looks people wear every day. The hairstyles were intentionally simple and approachable—the kind seen in schools, gyms, offices, and libraries. From braids and ponytails to loose waves and classic cuts, the looks reflected the reality that queer people exist in every space, living their lives just like anyone else.

Eight talented hairstylists from J/Monis Salon teamed up to execute these looks flawlessly. Jing Monis, founder and CEO, tells Preview, “The salon believes that the right hairstyle helps a person stand out, and its mission is to bring out the beauty within each individual, so they leave feeling confident, empowered, and ready to express themselves boldly.”

The Preview Hall of Fame 2026 honoree also shared his “immense pride” in his team’s dedication to their craft and to every person who sits on their salon chairs. “Their passion, creativity, professionalism, and commitment are their best assets.”

In every aspect, we aimed to highlight the individuality of our cover stars and make them feel most like themselves. That's what allows confidence to radiate, and it's also what we hope more spaces make room for.

This is why the makeup looks varied according to personality. Some wore soft, natural-leaning glam that simply enhanced their features. Others embraced vivid colors, shimmering finishes, lifted eye looks, and undeniably pouty lips.

Bringing out the best in our cover stars were seven skilled makeup artists from the L’Oréal Groupe. Working within a tight schedule, they perfected each look while understanding the intention behind every stroke and shade.

That shared understanding was shaped not only by their artistry, but also by lived experience. Many members of the team are part of the LGBTQIA+ community themselves. Makeup artist Miz Raffy shared, “As someone that grew up male-presenting, beauty itself made me feel like I'm making a statement. ‘This is me. I'm not trying to hide anything. I'm not silencing this part of me just because those are your societal norms.’”

Through her work, she has also witnessed how beauty helps people reconnect with parts of themselves they may have long kept at a distance. “Wearing makeup is not just about making a statement, but also finding yourself and showing the parts of you that aren't normally seen by other people. It's also like making noise to release something that you didn't know you had inside there.”

As a brand that is no stranger to advocacy campaigns centered on empowerment, L’Oréal Paris also found resonance with the cover's message. Public Relations and Content Lead Raj Traballo recalled the brand's Stand Up movement, which encourages individuals to stand up for themselves and their well-being. “Standing up means actually taking up space. Being noisy doesn't mean you're rowdy or annoying. It's not negative. If it’s about things that require attention and action, then it's worth being noisy for.”