The color pink is a reflection of Esmeralda Hernandez’s personality. The soft, chic, and feminine color mirrors her delicate yet tenacious personality, and accents of rose gold reflect the resilience found in her brand, Beauty Creations.
Known for its charming and dainty identity and collaborations, Beauty Creations has become a staple in the beauty community. Its pink aesthetic trickles over to its best-selling products, from the Bye Filter Pink Cloud Loose Setting Powder to its collaborations with pink queens Barbie and the Powerpuff Girls.
However, for Hernandez, Beauty Creations goes beyond the aesthetic of just being pretty, pink, and pleasing. Aside from creating affordable products that blend like a dream and provide a high-end, luxury experience without the heavy price tag, Beauty Creations is rooted in culture.
Dreaming of Pink
When Hernandez migrated to the United States from Mexico at the age of nine, she clung close to her Mexican heritage.
True to the American dream, Hernandez landed a scholarship at the tender age of 18 but was unable to take it because she became pregnant with her first child. Finding a way to provide for herself and her newfound family, she would begin selling cosmetics at the flea market, with products ranging from perfume to Barbie dolls. In 2014, an opportunity presented itself for her to travel to China and Hernandez not only welcomed it with open arms but also gambled on herself – thus Beauty Creations was born.
“I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m gonna do my own brand,’” the founder recalled, with sparkles in her eyes as she remembered the core moment of launching her business.
Aiming to be the first ‘pink’ brand in the States, the brand quickly took off. With 90% of sales generated from distribution, Beauty Creations is now sold in 47 countries. Revenue is projected to surpass $84 million in sales for 2025, a significant increase from $60 million in 2023, driven by strategic growth, particularly its popular co-branded My Little Pony and Barbie collections.
Breaking Into the Market
According to Mordor Intelligence, the Mexican beauty and personal care market size reached USD 16.82 billion in 2025 and is forecast to attain USD 21.49 billion by 2030, rising at a 5.02% CAGR over the period. Demand gains stem from rising disposable incomes among urban households, Gen Z’s digital buying habits, and the near-shoring of manufacturing capacity that reinforces supply-chain resilience. However, despite high shopping numbers, in a survey of beauty industry professionals, only 25% represent Latina-owned brands, and only 12 % of LatinX firms received bank loans compared to 18.4 % of white-owned firms and 15.3 % of Asian-owned firms.
“I think we did it backwards,” the founder chuckled. “It’s pretty funny because when we started, we were the pink brand. We were in Latin America, and they didn’t really have something like that. So it was pretty fast for us to grow in those markets. This year, our main focus has been on the USA just because we have been e-commerce, but now our goal is to keep expanding into CVS and Target.”
With recent Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion rollbacks in the states, many businesses are struggling to land at top retailers, and Hernandez is not immune.
“It has been a struggle. At the beginning, it’s not normal to see a Latina doing business in cosmetics. They think, what are the possibilities for you to survive? Even with banks, we had accounts closed because we dealt with too much cash. No one took the time to explain the right process,” the founder admits. “We don’t have the same opportunities. Because in those markets, since we didn’t have that much competition, we were one of the first brands that was the pink brand and the cute packaging. Here in the US, you have so many different brands
and you’re competing with brands that have been here for 30, 40 years.”
Sticking to the Culture
Still, the brand’s social-first marketing and connection to LatinX influencers have gained the brand over two million followers on social platforms and partnerships in Urban Outfitters, Hot Topic, Aerie, and more, garnering a cult following, especially in the LatinX community.
“Beauty Creations reflects women like me, first-generation, hard-working, and passionate about creating something bigger than ourselves,” says Alyson Fortuna, a Latina makeup artist. “As a first-generation Latina myself, seeing Esmeralda succeed in this space reminds me that we can break cycles, take up space, and build something impactful. It shows me that representation matters, and it motivates me to keep growing my own business.”
Hernandez credits an affordable business model and her community-based model for her success.
“Anyone can be an affordable brand nowadays. It’s not only [about] being an affordable brand, but what else are you gonna bring to the consumer?” the mother explains. “We educate ourselves. What’s coming, what are the trends, what are the big brands using? It’s not just an affordable product, but what else are you bringing to the market?”
Partnering with large Latin influencers, including Lesdomakeup and Louie Castro, further amplifies the brand’s ties to culture.
“Being a Latina-owned company means everything to me. It’s a reflection of my roots, my resilience, and the community that shaped me,” Hernandez concludes. “I started Beauty Creations to show that Latinas, immigrants, and moms can lead, create, and thrive while staying true to who we are.”