ORLANDO – Many people are always looking to enhance their beauty routine. For the owner of Bettina Cosmetics, she’s not only helping customers with their look, she’s also helping business owners with their success.
The nail polish line is the best-selling brand in Puerto Rico, and last year, the Puerto Rican woman-owned cosmetics company expanded to Florida, launching 50 nail polish colors in 602 Walgreens stores statewide. According to company President Bettina Mercado, the expansion is not just about the success story of a Latina-owned company, it brings a message of optimism and hope to women leaders who want to start a business.
“When my family gave me the opportunity to take over this company, which has been a family business for six decades, I had a successful acting career in New York. However, I took a chance and embraced this project and we have already seen the fruits of our effort. In the same way, we want to recognize other stories of women who have successfully taken that leap. Their testimonies will help inspire others and, with it, boost the economy,” Mercado said.
Mercado knew that in order to succeed in Florida, she needed to reach out to the Latin community. So she launched a contest for women business owners, so she could learn how businesses were developing during the pandemic, and how she could help. Four winners were chosen from Miami, Tampa and Orlando, and they were honored with a designated nail polish color with their company name.
“We developed a product that was only for them in terms of color,” said Mercado. " All of the proceedings went back to them so they could invest in their new business opportunities.”
Bettina arrived to Florida with 50 colors – from classic pinks, reds and nudes, to the modern and daring neons – but the goal is to have new colors introduced according to the seasons of the year. In fact, today, Bettina Cosmetics nail polish line has more than 145 colors.
Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to recognize how Hispanic and Latin Americans are contributing and achieving, and one of the best ways to celebrate is by supporting a business or brand.
Bettina cosmetics isn’t just nail polish, it also includes compact powders, foundations, shadow palettes, lipsticks, and brushes.
For more information on Bettina Cosmetics, click here.