DUBAI:  The beauty industry has boomed in recent years, with consumers more willing than ever to part with their money for makeup and skincare – especially when the product is endorsed by a trusted influencer. So, it’s no surprise then that many successful social media bloggers and influencers have taken the steps to create their own beauty brands in recent years.

“The dream of having my own beauty brand was always there,” said Brazilian influencer Camila Coelho, who has a stellar 9 million Instagram followers and recently launched her own clean cosmetics and lifestyle line Elaluz, which is available in Saudi Arabia via Net-A-Porter. "One of my favorite things about being a digital creator is connecting with a community from all over the world," said Coelho of her brand being available for purchase in the Kingdom. "My dream is to share the brand with as many people as possible, in as many places in the world as possible... Our mission is to make Elaluz available everywhere we have fans. I’m very happy to say that Elaluz is available to purchase in Saudi Arabia," she added.

The influencer, who closed out Ralph & Russo’s S/S18 couture show and is a mainstay on the high end fashion scene, spoke to Arab News about taking the leap and launching her own brand.

“Finally two-years-ago, I was like ‘okay I’m ready. I want to launch my brand and it's going to be a beautiful brand,’” she said of the big step.

Each of the eco-friendly skincare, haircare and makeup products in the brand are inspired by her vibrant home country of Brazil, down to the ingredient list. The Beauty Oil, for instance, is a mix of natural oils like cacay, buriti fruit and cupuacu that are native to Brazil. Even the name has personal resonance. “Elaluz” is Portuguese for “she is light.” 

“I  believe that we are all born with a beautiful light shining inside of us,” shared Coelho. “Sometimes we may think that our light doesn’t shine as bright as other peoples’, but all it takes is for you to believe in yourself.”

The entrepreneur recalls the personal hardships she faced as a result of epilepsy, a neurological disorder, which is characterized by seizures caused by sudden surges of electrical activity in the brain,  after her diagnosis at age nine. “Growing up with epilepsy, I struggled with accepting myself and believing in myself when I was younger. My inner light has always been what made me strong and made me go after my dreams,” she said.

The 32-year-old immigrated to the US at the age of 14 and started her career at a Dior makeup counter at her local Macy’s shortly after graduating high school. Today, she is a globally-known fashion and beauty influencer with over 8.9 million followers on Instagram, two successful YouTube pages offering beauty tutorials in English and Portuguese and numerous collaborations in addition to an eponymous clothing collection.

So, her own cosmetics line was the natural next step for the beauty mogul, who reveals that makeup has always been a huge part of her life. “Beauty has always been my passion,” she notes. “Since I was a little girl wearing red lipstick in my passport photo when I was six.”

In addition to combining her passion for beauty and her love for her South American heritage, Elaluz, which is stocked online, is also committed to sustainability and mindfulness. The EWG verified brand uses recyclable, reusable materials and FSC-certified boxes for its packaging. Meanwhile, each eye cream, lip and cheek stain and finishing spray are formulated with ethically-sourced ingredients.

“I test every single thing,” she added. “It’s a huge responsibility to put a product out there. When I want to launch something, I need to love it. I need to be passionate about it. And I need to believe in that product.”