Mexican-American Makeup Artists Launches Brand Flaunting Ethnic Roots

With so many “cool-girl” aka modern, progressive, and adventurous, makeup brands (think Glossier or Milk Makeup) making big splashes in the beauty world, how does a former bankruptcy lawyer-turned-makeup artist like Regina Merson get into the game?

According to Yahoo News, her answer is a relatively easy one: Authenticity.

Merson first started dreaming of opening up her own line, now called Reina Rebelde, back in 2011 when she realized there was a lack of makeup brands that fully embraced the Latina demographic.

Although she was working in the legal field, she harbored a long-standing infatuation with makeup that stemmed from her upbringing. She most specifically remembers being transfixed by the popular soap opera Rosa Salvaje and looking on as her mother primped for nights out with gal pals.

Years later, Merson moved to the United States and began experiencing the complexity of living a multicultural lifestyle; a lifestyle that spawned the desire to create a makeup brand that echoed the Latina component of American culture.

As a result, Merson wanted to develop a brand that was evocative of Mexican colors, symbols, cuisine, fashion, and even music. Holding true to her value of authenticity, she also decided to ditch professional models in favor of everyday women to showcase the launch of her Reina Rebelde collection in 2013.

But for Merson, authenticity doesn’t mean exclusivity. While she consciously hires ethnic employees, she maintains a strong belief in cultural sharing between women of all ages and backgrounds. Helping women make lasting connections through the exchange of cultural beauty customs and preferences is, in fact, her biggest source of pride.

So what’s next for Reina Rebelde?

Right now Reina Rebelde’s product list is still rather limited, but as her company continues taking off, Merson is planning on expanding her repertoire of color shades and blends. To check her current product line, head to reinarebelde.com.