A Seeker's Spin: Rene McHugh Rodrigo

by Nasia Cammayo Reyes June 13, 2025

Oh Holiday Apothecary Founder and Clinical Herbalist, Rene McHugh Rodrigo, shares her world in effortlessly feminine looks from both our past and recent collections.

As devoted tea drinkers ourselves, we were thrilled to sit down with Rene McHugh Rodrigo—to get to know her better, explore the heart of her businesses, and learn about the restorative power of tea and herbal healing. While she considers being a wife and mom to her three kids her greatest priority, Rene is an incredible entrepreneur managing multiple brands within the beauty and wellness space. Not to mention, she is also a clinical herbalist, lymphatic therapist, and spa consultant. She is the founder of Oh Holiday Apothecary, where they craft restorative teas; and co-founder of Face Sculpt—a lymphatic-based sculpting brand—and Beré Herbal Spa & Consultancy—blending herbal wisdom with modern spa experiences. She also co-created IRO Japanese nail polish, a wellness-forward nail polish brand. Rene also shares that she's opening a boutique children wellness business soon. Can the list get any longer for this girlboss? Phew!

Even as we photographed Rene in her store, it was very much business as usual—she moved fluidly between scenes, checking in with her team and tending to the day’s operations. Her focus is admirable, yet it's when she speaks about her children that we see a different light in her. Her eyes brighten, her tone lifts, and pride fills every word as she shares their latest milestones and endearing quirks. It’s in these moments that her nurturing side shines just as brightly as her professional one. We also learned that Rene is a former athlete, which explains her natural drive and why she’s become her children’s biggest cheerleader, especially when it comes to sports and staying active. 

Thinking of starting your own venture? Let the story and style of this remarkable woman spark your inspiration.

 

Have you always wanted to be in the wellness industry or become an entrepreneur? Who are your inspirations?

I have always known I wanted to be in wellness but was not at all expecting I would become an entrepreneur. I would have been perfectly happy working within a wellness company but noticed the many gaps in the industry that I had no choice but to create and innovate my own brands. Most of my companies are proud “firsts”: Face Sculpt is Philippines’ first sculpting experts, Oh Holiday is the only restorative tea company in the Philippines, Beré spa is the Philippines’ first and only truly herbal spa, and so on, which means my partners and I take big risks in our industry. 
So naturally I am drawn to idolize disruptors in entrepreneurship, but my everyday inspirations are my children and my family. I want to create products that better the world they live in, something that I would be proud to pass down. And because I did not come from a privileged upbringing, I am also inspired everyday to create a better life for my parents and siblings.

How do you keep yourself relevant with the changing times and trends?

I keep myself relevant by being authentic to what I like, what my passions are, and how I live my life. I don’t make products I don’t use, nor do I make products just because they’re trending. I think in order to create long-lasting businesses, it is so important to focus on creating high quality products that have a niche customer. This way, you won't need to keep up with the Joneses by watching every trend or worrying about if you’re relevant. 


What's the tea? Rene sips in style wearing an Intricado dress.

We see your content and appreciate the mix—from work snippets to family time. Care to share tips for entrepreneurs on using social media to promote and educate others on their businesses?

I’m actually still working on this myself. But when I don’t know what to post, I ask my team. I’ll ask what the customers are asking at the stores, what are our biggest FAQ’s right now in our business DM inbox, and that’s how I get my topics for educational posts. Alternatively, I like to post what I’ve just learned. This is something I do normally after class or reading a book with interesting information on herbs, business, lymphatics, and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). If I learn something, I like to share it right away. 

How do you slow down after a busy day?


I put my phone away. So far away. My close friends know me for my weird phone habits at night and in the mornings. In the evenings, after I have checked all my last work messages, I switch my phone to airplane mode and leave it across the room or in my office.

 

Share with us three valuable lessons you have learned that help you in navigating your career. 

First, when it comes to competitors, I’ve learned not to chase being better than anyone else—because the truth is, no one else can do what you do the way you do it. The real edge is learning how to lean into your own lane and become irreplaceable there. Always aim to be different, even slightly, from your competitors—and then do that the best. 

Second, when it comes to teams, generational communication is a thing. As a millennial who hires both younger and older team members, I put effort into learning how to communicate across generations. I read up on different styles, send out memos to my team with helpful communication insights, and keep an open mind when exchanging with staff, especially my managers. 

Third, I believe one of the most important parts of leadership is mentorship. I learned early on that to lead is to mentor—and also to be mentored. Whether it’s your team, your investors, or your partners, someone is always in a position to teach or be taught. It’s essential to surround yourself with people who expand your thinking. 

A bonus lesson I’ll add: good leaders know what they don’t know—and are willing to learn. 

How does being a mother help you in being an entrepreneur? 

Being a mother straight up drives me to excel in business. Because as an entrepreneur you are going to miss some time with your children. There are going to be days you’re heavy in the work and you haven’t had a chance to properly connect with them. There are going to be long nights and you’re not going to have the patience with them. 

My goal is really to create a life where I can afford to spend quality time with my children. For example, our children are very well traveled. It is one of my life’s greatest achievements to be able to whisk away my kids on an off the beaten path trip at whims notice and spend quality time with them in the Cambodian jungle learning about local fruits and animals. Everyone has different goals and different ways to parent, but if I were to be truthful about entrepreneurship and motherhood, there are going to be tradeoffs most times, so make sure you make it worthwhile. 

 

What empowers you as a woman? On the flip side, how do you think are you empowering other women, including your young daughters? 

I like the softness that comes with being a woman, really living in my feminine energy but in a very masculine world makes me feel fueled and ambitious. Now, balancing those two is the real trick and this is where I hope to empower other women, including my daughters. I believe every woman can be strong, in charge, in her element, live through her passion, but also nurture, mentor, give love freely and embrace her fragility all while building her dreams. 

Aside from being a beauty and wellness inspiration, you are a style inspiration too! Describe your personal style. What makes it “Uniq”? 

My style shifts between my roles actually. I embrace feminine outfits when I’m with my husband, earthy and safari style when i’m working with herbs and botanicals, elegant when I’m with my Face Sculpt team, fun and girly when I’m with my Ayumi team, and bohemian when I’m with my Bere team. It’s fun to see my style shift so quickly throughout the week, but I will always prefer unique, high quality, natural material over fast fashion, I actually have not shopped at Zara, or such stores, for several years now. 

What style lessons can you impart to others, especially those who haven’t found their personal style yet? 

I like to match my style to my passions, which evidently are my businesses. If you’re having a hard time finding your personal style, look to what you love to do—what are your passions? And then what do you feel most beautiful and comfortable wearing? Put them together and now you have your own personal style. 

Don’t worry about fitting into a trend or genre, because after all those will always change. What stays is your essence. When you align how you dress with what you love and how you want to feel, you naturally create a personal style that’s both authentic and timeless. Trends fade, but style grounded in purpose is something you’ll carry with you always.

 

You have five minutes to get ready. How would you fit your beauty routine and look given the limited time? What would your final outfit be? 

One of two things: a beautiful soft-fitting casual dress with feminine flats, or a high-quality tank top with jeans, a belt, and a linen blazer with loafers or sneakers.

Share a fashion memory you’d never forget. 

I don’t have just one. My favorite fashion memories are the little moments I share with my daughters. Anytime I’m getting ready for a wedding, a party, or a special event, they’re right there in my closet, watching me choose my outfit and get dressed. It’s the sweetest thing, they give their opinions (sometimes very honest ones!) and tell me what they would wear if they were coming with me.

They help me pick my accessories and shoes, and in those moments, I’m reminded of how much we women shape the way our little girls see themselves. They’re watching us. And if they see us loving ourselves, caring for our appearance with intention, and feeling confident in our own skin, they’ll mirror that in their own way. Those fashion memories aren’t really about the clothes; they’re about the practice of self-love we pass down. 

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