14 Latinx-Owned Beauty Brands You Should Have on Your Radar

Valis Vicenty · Sep 9, 2018

When it comes to beauty, one size does not fit all. The Latinx community is made up of people of every gender, skin tone, and hair texture (which is why many have begun using the inclusive phrase as opposed to gendered terms like Latina or Latino). And until recently, having those unique beauty needs met by the industry was a real challenge. The community has serious spending power, but they’re also the most industrious, with many launching their own beauty brands (in the last five years, businesses owned by Hispanic women jumped 87 percent, far outpacing Hispanic men and total women-owned businesses). So to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re looking to the future by highlighting a number of burgeoning Latinx-founded brands that are bound to shake things up in the beauty aisle. Scroll on to see a sampling!

Vive Cosmetics: After noticing how the beauty industry had underserved the Latinx community, Joanna Rosario and Leslie Valdivia launched Vive Cosmetics to combine cosmetics and culture. Though only a year old, the brand has made a splash across social streams with vibrant pops of color as well as empowering messages that celebrate the different stories, skin tones, languages, and origins that make up the community.

(Photos courtesy of Vive Cosmetics.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: Vive boasts a bevy of vegan and paraben- and cruelty-free lip products that really put your pout in the spotlight. Its ¡Que Matte! Enduring Liquid Lipsticks ($19) delivers a long-lasting, transfer-proof finish in an array of rich shades including Selena Forever, which was made to match the late songstress' costume from her last concert.

(Photos courtesy of Vive Cosmetics.)

Brujita Skincare: Founder Leah Guerrero has always felt a deep connection to the earth and incorporated it into her holistic approach to skin care for the last 10 years before launching her own line last year. She sources many of her skin-healing ingredients, including clays and earth powders, straight from mercados throughout Mexico. And with them, she adds a little bit of magic to her skin-healing mixtures, thus the name Brujita, which means “little witch” in Spanish.

(Photos courtesy of Brujita Skincare.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: The line has a number of serums, scrubs, balms, and masks, including the popular Brujita Herbs Facial Mask with Chamomile Hydrosol Set ($27) that helps eliminate acne naturally. The powder mask combines a blend of detoxifying green clay with acne fighters like oregano and mint, as well as aloe to soothe. The chamomile-infused hydrosol is comparable to a skin essence. But if you want to carry that magic even further, you’ll love the Lotería-inspired pins ($13) as well.

Melt Cosmetics: Lora Arellano and Dana Bomar initially bonded over their love of lipstick from across the Nordstrom beauty department and built a beauty business that has taken Instagram by storm, with no signs of slowing down.

(Photos courtesy of Melt Cosmetics.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: While the brand got its start with matte lipsticks in shades you wouldn’t normally see on makeup counters, Melt has become known for its now-signature shadow stacks. The Rust Eyeshadow Stack ($58), in particular, takes earth tones that flatter all skin tones and pumped up the pigments you can use in combination to create an incredibly eye-catching look.

Rizos Curls: Like many curly girls, Julissa Prado spent years experimenting with her strands to try to find products fit for her texture. After going through tons of formulas, she created a haircare range with high-quality ingredients that hydrate and define everything from loose spirals to tight coils without zapping any moisture or making them feel crunchy.

(Photos courtesy of Rizos Curls.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: You won’t find sulfates, silicones, or parabens in the Rizos Curls System Trio ($45), but you will notice how soft your strands feel while you’re still in the shower. With rich ingredients like aloe vera, shea butter, and coconut oil, each product will provide your hair with the nourishment it needs to stay not only healthy but also frizz-free. The brand also offers tutorials for a number of textures.

Bésame Cosmetics: Throwback babes and Disneyphiles are familiar with Bésame's array of vintage-inspired beauty buys, especially after it collaborated on collections for Snow White, Marvel’s Agent Carter, and Avengers: Infinity War. Founded by Gabriela Hernandez in 2004, the line has channeled the charm and romance of the past but with modern formulas that are meant to last.

(Photos courtesy of Bésame Cosmetics.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: It makes sense that Hernandez launched her line with an array of highly pigmented lipsticks, including the 1946 Red Velvet Lipstick ($22). After all, the brand's name literally means "kiss me!" It’s an especially rich rouge with a neutral undertone that works well for day or night, no matter what era you're trying to channel.

A Complete: We know how important it is to invest in our skincare, but we don’t have to break the bank in order to do it, at least according to Angélica Fuentes. She developed her line as a way to give women on the go a streamlined and affordable anti-aging routine that felt as luxurious and effective as anything slathered on at a spa.

(Photos courtesy of A Complete Skincare.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: Speaking of a speedy routine, you can’t really argue against the 3-Minute 5-Step Youth Preserve Routine ($98). The kit features a soap-free, exfoliating cleanser, a serum that uses antarcicine and Hyanify to iron out fine lines and maintain elasticity, and an eye cream and moisturizer that hydrate, smooth, and brighten. What's more, it also includes a month’s supply of supplements to help improve skin from the inside out.

Alamar Cosmetics: Makeup artist Gabriela Trujillo has long had a penchant for pumped-up pigments and colorful beauty looks, and she translated her style into a just-launched line named after the Cuban city she was born in before moving to the United States.

(Photos courtesy of Alamar Cosmetics.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: Though only eye essentials currently comprise the line, they’re worth more than a second look. The Reina Del Caribe Vol.1 Palette ($28) draws its inspiration from her home country with rich hues that vary from velvet mattes like Cafecito (rich brown) to pearlescent shimmers like La Costa (sparkling pink bubbly) to mega metallics like Varadero (vibrant blue/teal).

Idaly: “At a very young age I discovered my passion for beauty and making others feel great about themselves,” says hairstylist and founder Joanna Idaly. And with almost a decade in the industry, as well as a number of beautiful cuts and colors flooding her feed, she created a complete haircare line meant for the Latinx community that nixes parabens and other not-so-safe ingredients from the mix.

(Photos courtesy of Idaly Haircare.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: While many might not get enough of the cheeky apparel and accessories on the site, Bien Buena Conditioner ($25) is definitely worth boasting about. Formulated with keratin, it not only repairs and strengthens strands but also smooths the cuticle and seals out any frizz-causing humidity. There are also soothing ingredients like calendula, white oak bark, and coconut oil to nourish your strands and scalp.

Necromancy Cosmetica: You don’t have to wait until Halloween to indulge your dark side. In fact, that’s the exact direction that founders Des and Zal wanted to steer makeup lovers with their line of vegan, cruelty-free lipsticks. The Puerto Rico-based beauty brand is less than two years old, and it’s quickly become a covetable cosmetic that artists and influencers alike can’t get enough of.

(Photos courtesy of Necromancy Cosmetica.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: The handmade line is filled with a mix of classic, wearable hues as well as spookier shades that would look amazing whether for a costume, an editorial-inspired look, or a not-so-basic #MOTD. While all the products are Snap-worthy, we have a feeling that many may fall in love with the Lydia Lipstick ($16) during the fall and winter seasons, thanks to its cool-toned plum color.

GYV Mesoamerican Beauty: The a-ha moment that inspired GYV (pronounced “give”) came courtesy of a sweet and tangy treat called Raspado de Mango, shaved ice with mango, lime, and a hint of chile, according to founder Horacio Portillo. After noticing how Mesoamerican staples like vanilla and pumpkin are key ingredients in many of today’s formulas, Portillo wanted to bring the flavors and his experience in beauty full circle in a line of his own.

(Photos courtesy of GYV Mesoamerican Beauty.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: The brand offers an array of aromatic bath and body care, but the candles made with a proprietary blend of pumpkin seed, corn, coconut, and other natural waxes are some of the most illuminating. The Dalia Candle ($35) pays homage to Mexico’s official flower with notes of the flora itself, as well as jasmin de media noche, plumeria de Yucatan, vanilla bean, and red cedar. A portion of the proceeds for each purchase benefit a number of charities that nurture and improve the communities in the region the line was inspired by.

Reina Rebelde: Like most makeup lovers, Regina Merson first learned about beauty by watching her mother. She brought sexy and severe together in her own makeup collection launched in 2016. It just became shoppable in the UK, and though it’s only available online at the moment, you can snag it at Target, which is always a win in our book Target.

(Photos courtesy of Reina Rebelde Cosmetics.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: Versatility is at the core of the brand, and the 4 Play Wet Dry Eye Color ($18) is the perfect example of that as it comes in four colorways that range from nudes for everyday wear to vibrant jewel tones so you can stand out. Simply dust on the pigmented powders for a soft and smoky look, or dampen your brush for a more striking swatch of color that can serve as an eyeliner substitute.

Breakups to Makeup: What’s the point of curating a makeup collection if you don’t have a way to tote it around in style? It’s the question makeup artist Angelique Velez wanted to answer when she launched her brand back in 2013 after an actual breakup. Featuring a collection of clutches, totes, and tees, all emblazoned with cheeky and empowering phrases any beauty buff would love, each serves as a standout piece worthy of showing off, no matter what you carry inside.

(Photos courtesy of Breakups to Makeup.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: When it comes to quirky cases, you can’t go wrong with the original, the Signature Lipstick Makeup Clutch ($35). All of the pouches are made of durable canvas so it’ll hold however much makeup you need to pack for travel, or you can use it as a clutch to hold your keys and phone for a night on the town.

Loquita Bath: Mira Perez channeled her love of living in Latinx and ‘90s nostalgia to develop a bath and body care company “con caracter.” With offerings like churro-scented bath salts, pinata-shaped soaps, and even a Giga Pet-inspired bath bomb, it’s no wonder the brand went viral.

(Photos courtesy of Loquita Bath & Body.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: Many might’ve become familiar with the brand after spotting the Concha Bath Bomb ($7) in action while scrolling on any number of social media platforms starting late last year. It looks and smells just like the classic breakfast confection, complete with the colorful “icing,” so be careful where you store it should you decide to snap it up.

Emvi Beauty: Esthetician Mairany Rojas started stirring up recipes for soaps and scrubs for her Etsy shop in 2015, where she stills sells a selection of her handmade bath and body care inspired by her Mexican roots. Since then, she’s built an arsenal of natural, vegan, and cruelty-free formulas that leave you smelling like a snack whether you smooth or spritz them on.

(Photos courtesy of Emvi Beauty.)

The Must-Try Beauty Buy: Among her array of uniquely shaped soaps, she also offers an interesting alternative to body washes. The El Valiente Whip Soap ($9) feels light and fluffy as you lather it up and smooth it onto your skin. It deeply hydrates with the help of almond and olive oils while delivering an earthy (and sultry) scent of forest moss, resinous woods, light musk, and amber.

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Valis Vicenty

Valis Vicenty is beauty writer who started swatching lipstick when she was still in diapers (sorry Mom!). Her work has been featured on Refinery29, NewBeauty, and Glam.com, plus she maintains her own beauty and lifestyle blog, Val’s Vanity, where she regularly shares her favorite finds and inspirations. When she’s not scrolling through her social media feeds for an emerging trend or test-driving the newest beauty buy, you can find her binging on comedy specials and classic movies on Netflix, listening to the latest bestseller as an audiobook, or adapting a new recipe to whatever’s in her fridge.

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