These Latinx-Owned Beauty Brands Are Putting Their Culture Front & Center

From makeup looks to unique hairstyles to nail trends, the beauty industry thrives on culture. Though it’s taken some time, diversity within the space has grown drastically, and today it’s truly exciting to see underrepresented communities and untapped lanes of beauty being brought to the forefront. Take, for example, the many Latinx-owned beauty brands creating products and companies rooted in their heritage. Whether it’s showcasing glorious and extensive curl patterns or infusing rituals and art into the soul of the formulas, these brands are making their own lane within the industry.

With the help of social media, many have gained more than a few followers along the way. Showing your support on Instagram is helpful for their growth, but adding the products to your daily routine is even better. Just like the many cultures that make up the Latinx community, there’s a wide range of brands to choose from. Some you may already be familiar with, while others you might not. However, with so many great options in makeup, hair care, and skin care, you’ll definitely find a brand (or two) to love.

Ahead, 12 Latinx-founded beauty brands to get to know and shop right now.

Rizos Curls

Growing up with thick and curly hair, Julissa Prado realized early on the lack of products available for her texture. After years of relegating her curls to slicked-back styles, she decided to take matters into her own hands and created a hair care line dedicated to coils of all shapes and sizes. A quick scroll through Rizos Curls’, Instagram page will show you her products cater to a wide range of curls. No matter if you have tight coils, an afro, or free-flowing waves, Prado’s formulas encourage you to embrace your natural texture with pride.

It's A 10

A true story of determination, It's A 10 founder and CEO Carolyn Aronson attributes her work ethic and drive to her cultural background. After developing the formula for her signature leave-in conditioner in 2005, she went on to become the sole owner of her company in 2017 making her one of the few Latinx and female beauty brand owners at that time. Today the brand, is widely sold across major retailers, like Ulta and Target, and remains one of the largest Latinx-founded companies in the beauty industry to date.

Ceremonia

Already well-known for her work in digital marketing and advocacy for diversity within beauty, Babba C. Rivera, yearned to bring more Latinx representation to the space. In October 2020, her vision came to life when she launched her hair care brand, Ceremonia. With a focus on clean ingredients, her products celebrate a range of hair patterns and deliver a ritualistic wash day system. From loose waves to tight curls, the brand has embraced an untapped lane of natural texture, all while gaining a cult following along the way.

Better Not Younger

Founded by Sonsoles Gonzalez, hair care brand Better Not Younger fills a gap in the hair industry that is often overlooked: aging. With a focus on providing a holistic solution to common concerns such as thinning, dryness, and loss of volume, Gonzalez’s goal was to make people feel good about their hair at every stage of life. Each product uses a skin care mindset and notable ingredients, like biotin and niacinamide, to approach the issues and provide long-term results.

Treslúce Beauty

Latinx pride runs deep throughout Treslúce Beauty. From the brand’s name to many of its products, you’ll find a selection of Spanish words and motifs that celebrate founder Becky G’s Mexican heritage. But beyond the surface, Treslúce is infused with other cultural elements including Latinx-sourced ingredients and packaging created by artists in the community.

Beautyblender

It’s hard to imagine applying makeup before Rea Ann Silva dreamed up the Beautyblender. Not only is it one of the most used tools, it’s completely transformed the way many people work with foundation and other cream products. As a makeup artist working on TV and movie sets, Silva aimed to develop a quick way to apply foundation and create a natural look for her many clients. It took some time, but after lots of trial and error, she created the original Beautyblender sponge while working on the set of the TV show Girlfriends.

While there were standard makeup sponges on the market, Silva’s invention effortlessly blended products into skin of all types for a finish that was smooth and never patchy. The rest is history, and today the brand’s reach extends well beyond the tool to makeup, cleansers, and of course a wide range of blending sponges.

Toty

At the core of Sofía Vergara’s debut beauty line, Toty, you’ll find suncare but that ethos runs deeper than just the products. As an advocate for education on the importance of sun protection for melanated skin tones, Toty celebrates the beauty of diversity. Each of the complexion products in the line includes SPF 50+ and embraces the many nuances and undertones that make skin of all shades unique.

Melt Cosmetics

Founded by Dana Bomar and former makeup artist Lora Arellano in 2012, Melt Cosmetics is known for its highly-pigmented products. With a range of bold lipsticks and eyeshadow palettes, the brand has gained many fans within the online makeup community. But there’s much more to Melt than rich colors and out-of-this-world highlighters. As an advocate for creativity and self-expression through makeup, it inspires others to celebrate what makes them unique.

Lights Lacquer

After rising to beauty influencer fame via YouTube, Kathleen Fuentes set out to create her own brand. Her love of nails and clean beauty also drove her decision, and in 2019 Lights Lacquer was born. With each release, the trendy line of vegan and cruelty-free nail lacquer and art tools pays homage to Fuentes’ Cuban roots through curated collections and colors. Today things have come full circle for the former influencer as the brand is one of the most beloved by social media creators.

Valdé

Founded by beauty industry veteran Margarita Arriagada, Valdé produces high-end lipsticks and balms housed in artistic refillable cases inspired by the curves of the female body. What began as a way to pay homage to her mother soon turned into a celebration of culture, and even more, the determination of women entrepreneurs. Each lipstick is packed with intense pigments that boldly saturate the lips. But the artisanal elements don’t end there, as the full lip set includes an armored vessel for the case and custom mantra for a truly unique experience.

Rare Beauty

With Rare Beauty, singer Selena Gomez aimed to create a beauty brand with no boundaries, one that would help people take pride in their individuality and appreciate the quirks that make them special. That message became the label's ethos and has allowed it to be relatable to all sorts of makeup lovers. From the cult-loved soft pinch blushes, to the viral products like, the tinted lip oil, lRare Beauty has become a staple in the makeup and influencer community alike.

Tata Harper

Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, Tata Harper grew up around a family of entrepreneurs. However, it was the dangers of synthetic ingredients in skin and body care items that first sparked her interest in clean beauty. In 2010, she launched her namesake skin care brand with 100% natural ingredients and eco-packaging. In the 13 years since its debut, the company has consistently crafted luxury products that have been coveted by celebrities and industry leaders.

Hyper! Skin

Melanated skin is prone to different concerns, such as hyperpigmentation, and often needs products that work specifically for the skin type. For years, those kinds of items were hard to find in the beauty industry, but Desiree Verdejo aimed to change that with her melanin-focused brand Hyper! Skin. Having battled dark spots and acne throughout her life, she created formulas centered around improving skin and owning realistic standards.