Latinas Drive Beauty Trends. L-Beauty Founder Emily Perez Wants to Make Sure We Own Them, Too (Interview)
From Shakira to Beautyblender, newly launched platform L-Beauty brings Latina founders together under one digital roof
Credit: Mancheva | Unsplash
Latinas have shaped beauty standards for generations, from Frida Kahlo, Rita Moreno, Celia Cruz, and Selena Quintanilla to today’s stars like Selena Gomez, Cardi B, and Alexa Demie. Economically, their influence is just as undeniable: Latinos make up 20% of the U.S. population and boast purchasing power that, if measured as an independent country, would rank among the world’s top four largest GDPs. Yet that cultural footprint and economic power have historically failed to translate into revenue for Latina entrepreneurs.
Now, a new dedicated e-commerce hub is stepping in to change that. On October 6, Latinas In Beauty—a nonprofit advancing equity and representation for Latinas across the industry—launched L-Beauty. Created as a centralized digital destination, the platform aims to transform how Latina-owned and -founded beauty is discovered, experienced, and shopped.
According to market research firm Circana, 70% of Gen Z Latinas and 60% of Millennial Latinas say they would buy from a Latina-owned or -founded beauty brand. Yet these brands account for just 2% to 6% of Latinas’ spending on categories such as prestige fragrance, skincare, makeup, and hair care. Put another way: for every roughly $100 Latinas spend on prestige beauty, Latina-owned brands receive only about $2 to $6.
“What excites me most is how L-Beauty will change the way our brands, our stories, and our people are seen. For so long, we’ve talked about how our community is influencing beauty, driving growth, and building new brands,” Emily Perez, founder and president of Latinas In Beauty, tells HipLatina. “Now we have one destination to show it to our community, to shoppers, and to the industry. And I hope that visibility inspires the next generation to build in beauty, too.”
Perez created Latinas In Beauty after seeing the talent, innovation, and ambition across the Latina community—alongside a persistent lack of access, capital, and infrastructure. To bridge the gap between strong consumer interest and brand discoverability, L-Beauty brings together dedicated storefronts, founder-first storytelling, editorial content, and curated commerce under one digital roof.
Crucially, the platform gives rising entrepreneurs the visibility to stand alongside household names. Shoppers will find makeup staples from Rea Ann Silva’s cult-favorite Beautyblender, Shades by Shan, Rokael, and the viral plastic-free line Aora Makeup; skincare powerhouses including influencer Desi Perkins’ DEZI Skin, Gente Beauty, and Camino Beauty; hair care innovations from Ocoa Beauty, Lasio, and Shakira’s newly launched Isima; and culture-forward lifestyle and luxury brands like Nopalera, Sarelly, Ortega by Ettienne, and Valdé Beauty. Industry heavyweights like Tata Harper and Julissa Prado’s Rizos Curls are slated to join soon.
“The Latina consumer is already a powerful force in beauty, and the opportunity ahead is significant,” Desi Perkins, founder of DEZI SKIN, said in a press release. “L-Beauty creates a destination where consumers can discover the brands shaping the category and where those brands can come together to build something much bigger than any one company. I’m excited to be part of that.”
That collective power isn’t just cultural—hard market data back it. Today’s consumers increasingly demand genuine representation when they shop, and brands that reflect them are outpacing the broader market. Latina-founded companies prioritizing inclusivity and representation—such as Rare Beauty, Ceremonia, and Ocoa Beauty—are growing 1.8 times faster than less inclusive brands, according to the 2026 SeeMe Index. For Perez, championing an inclusive future is central to L-Beauty’s commitment.
Following its October 6 online debut, L-Beauty will make its in-person appearance at the Velocity Conference at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles, from October 7 to 9. Looking ahead, Latinas In Beauty aims to become the definitive ecosystem for Latina-founded beauty—giving founders the visibility and resources to scale, while creating a one-stop destination for shoppers to invest in their own community.
“I want Latinas to walk away knowing that this platform was built for us. It’s a place where we can see ourselves and feel proud of what we’re creating. Together, our influence and purchasing power can move this industry, and when we use them to discover and support Latin-owned and -founded brands, we make a meaningful impact,” Perez says. “At Latinas In Beauty, our mission has always been to open doors for Latinas in this industry, and L-Beauty is one more way we’re turning our influence into ownership and opportunity.”
