The Story Behind Latina-Founded Pink Makeup Sponge

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In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which wraps up on Oct. 15, we’re celebrating Beautyblender founder and CEO Rea Ann Silva. Fans of Silva’s iconic pink egg-shaped sponge know it’s a favorite among beauty lovers and celebrities alike, including Selena Gomez, Sabrina Carpenter, Tinashe, Tate McRae and Madison Beer.

In a recent interview on the Today show, Silva’s inspiring journey was highlighted, showcasing her roots and beginnings. Raised in a working-class Latino family in Los Angeles, she worked hard to achieve her success. To support herself while studying at fashion school, she worked at beauty counters in department stores before transitioning to a career as a makeup artist, where she had the opportunity to work with notable stars like Kerry Washington, Taraji P. Henson and Regina King.

On April 18, Silva posted on her Instagram account, sharing her backstory. “I was a makeup artist that did film and television for many, many years. And I was one of the first, if not the first, to create a tool for high-definition and that’s where this little baby was invented on the set of Girlfriends on the Paramount lot here in Hollywood, California.” For those unfamiliar with Girlfriends, it was a 2000s sitcom that aired for eight seasons, focusing on a variety of family and friendship dynamics.

Silva continued: “I was tasked with trying to make sure that the girls from Girlfriends looked really natural and beautiful while they were wearing makeup all day in high-definition when you would see every pore on their skin. And that’s where this little beauty was born.”

On Sept. 27, Silva was honored with the 2024 Entrepreneurial Award at the Kennedy Center’s Hispanic Heritage Awards. “The simple fact of having Latina aunts, mothers, cousins, there is no way of escaping beauty because in our community and in our heritage, beauty is such an important part of who we are and how we express ourselves,” she shared in an interview with PBS.

You can find this easy-to-use Beautyblender Original Makeup Sponge at Sephora, Amazon, Target, Ulta Beauty, Walmart and Kohl’s. Scroll down to add this celebrity-approved pink sponge to your makeup bag.

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