Founder Gabriela Trujillo’s Immigrant Background Is Weaved Into New Brand Alamar Cosmetics

In the United States, immigrants have combined the best of their old countries with what they’ve learned in their new one. That’s what Gabriela Trujillo, who left Havana for Miami at 3 years old, attempts to do with the brand Alamar Cosmetics, which marries her makeup artistry and cultural background.

“If I’m being honest, the only reason I’ve ever worked hard is to prove to my family that bringing me here and pretty much sacrificing all their family and friends wasn’t in vain. It wasn’t always easy, and we didn’t have much food when was 1, 2 and 3, but we were able to make it here,” she says. “My brand connects to where you are from and your roots, and finds inspiration in that for new things.”

The brand’s relationship with Trujillo’s personal history is communicated through its name and the shade names in its first product, the $28 Reina Del Caribe eyeshadow palette. Alamar is the Havana neighborhood she grew up in before Miami became her home. Among the shade names are La Costa, the Spanish word for coast; Coco-taxi, a term for the coconut-shaped taxis that roam Havana streets; Celia, a nod to Celia Cruz, the Cuban-American singer and Trujillo’s muse; and Varadero, a reference to a beachside resort destination in Cuba.

The shades and packaging evoke Caribbean sensibilities, especially the vivid turquoise Celia and royal blue Varadero. Trujillo explains blue shadow is staple of Cuban and Cuban-American makeup. “It just screams my abuela to me,” she says. Including the blues, the debut palette’s eight shades incorporate four matte, warm tones and four metallic, cool tones. The palette’s multihued box has a throwback aesthetic exemplified by a vintage floral and leaf print. The shades are encased in burnt yellow packaging. Trujillo says, “People now are doing a lot of minimal, clean packaging. That’s fine, but I wanted my brand to be lively.”

To go with the palette, Alamar Cosmetics sells The Ojitos Brush Trio, an $18 set containing a flat brush to apply metallic shades to eyelids, a blending brush to create smoky looks and a flat liner brush to place the shadows along lash lines. Eventually, Trujillo aspires to expand Alamar Cosmetics’ assortment to a full makeup range spanning concealer, foundation, primer and more with formulas that are designed for a diverse customer base. Next up, though, is a second palette due out later this year.

“The only reason I’ve ever worked hard is to prove to my family that bringing me here and pretty much sacrificing all their family and friends wasn’t in vain. It wasn’t always easy, and we didn’t have much food when was 1, 2 and 3, but we were able to make it here. My brand connects to where you are from and your roots, and finds inspiration in that for new things.”

No matter what products Alamar Cosmetics releases, Trujillo is insistent on them being reasonably priced. “What makes me different is that I’m not just making a beauty line for money because beauty is a lucrative industry. I have a passion for it. I’m educated in it. I’ve been doing it for years, and I want to do something inclusive and affordable,” she says. “There are inclusive brands right now, but they are pricey. Not everybody can shop at Sephora. I want the beauty industry to be relatable and brands that aren’t super expensive to thrive.”

Trujillo, 25, has been enmeshed in beauty since she was a child. Her mother was employed in beauty salons until eventually setting out to run a beauty salon of her own. As a girl, Trujillo would use her mother’s beauty products to do makeup, dreaming she’d someday develop a brand. At 18, Trujillo began her career as a professional makeup artist. During her tenure as a makeup artist, she’s honed a signature glamorous style.

“I’m known for having a very bold eye and glossy, nude lips. I never do colorful lips,” says Trujillo. “It’s flattering and sexy to have glossy nude lips, and a bold eye and lashes. In the future, when I do lip products, you’ll recognize them from what I’m known for.” About translating her makeup style to a palette, she adds, “Maybe a couple of years ago, my palette would have been very risky, but people are a lot more open today to trying new things.”

Trujillo has depended upon the support of her community to help bring Alamar Cosmetics to fruition. Friends Lily and Ely Oliveros, and Schevon Fraga provided loans to kick-start the brand. Bridgette Howard, CEO of Parlor West Ventures, has also backed Alamar Cosmetics.

“I want to do something inclusive and affordable. There are inclusive brands right now, but they are pricey. Not everybody can shop at Sephora. I want the beauty industry to be more relatable and brands that aren’t super expensive to thrive.”

“Alamar represents the future of beauty. It has all the elements that millennial/gen Z customers want in a brand: a relatable founder, cultural storytelling, transparency with customers and quality formulations,” says Howard. “Gaby is cognizant of inclusivity, and it’s in the DNA of the brand. The younger generation of multicultural makeup consumers want to see themselves represented in a brand, and I see this brand easily breaking into specialty and larger retailers that are seeking a fresh multicultural perspective on beauty.”

Alamar Cosmetics is sticking primarily at the outset to a direct-to-consumer distribution model. However, Trujillo has put merchandise in subscription service Boxycharm’s box this month and isn’t opposed to presenting it in store environments. She’s particularly interested in spreading the brand to retailers overseas. Early on, Alamar Cosmetics has received meaningful purchase volumes from Europe and Australia, a surprise to Trujillo suggesting Alamar Cosmetics resonates beyond the U.S. borders.

“I have already exceeded what I thought I would sell. I ordered the quantity that I thought would last me until my next palette and, now, that’s not the case. It won’t last until then,” she says. “I hope that people will be this excited about everything I launch.”