Meet Margarita Arriagada | Founder, Valdé Beauty

We had the good fortune of connecting with Margarita Arriagada and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Margarita, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was inspired by my Mother’s love of wearing lipstick. I was profoundly impacted by the fact that even though she suffered from dementia and did not recognize me, everytime I took out a lipstick to apply on her, she would express happiness and joy and look in the mirror and kiss the mirror. I thought to myself how is it possible that she did not remember me but she never forgot how wearing lipstick made her feel? As I looked around the beauty assortments to see what I would gift my mother to celebrate this love of beauty, I did not see anything that I felt was worthy or significant enough. Therefore set off to create a new path for beauty products that are more purposeful and thoughtful in their creation beyond function.

What should our readers know about your business?
By most people’s accounts, I have had a very long successful career in both retail and brand corporate business. What most people do not know, are the personal and professional struggles to achieve professional success. Personal challenges from experiecing insecurity and fear. Stemming from being a woman in male leader dominated organizations, being latina, lacking ivy league education, and social status. So I worked my way up by working hard and at times obtaining promotions when there was no one else to promote. Driven by my desire to earn my way to have the financial ability to support my mother, I became a warrior. Internalizing the struggles while perservering though toxic environments caused me my health to deteriorate severely. In the end however, when I finally stepped down from a very covetable corporate role in 2015 after my mother passed away, I realized how much people expected me to retire or perceived to have been done. The transition away from having lived through society’s expectations and allowing myself to have been defined by my roles, left me in a very dark place. It is during this time of surrender, thus begun the journey of discovery, rebuild self esteem, realize who I am and what my gifts are. Ironically, through the creation of Valdé, because I wanted this brand more than anything, to be a brand that celebrates and encourages women to discover their authentic selves and step into their power, that I have overcome the fears and let go of the strongholds I have been carrying for most of my life. What I want the world to know through me is that I am the poster child for what most women face, severe imposter syndrome, fear, panic attacks, autoinmune, warrior, and yet I overcame and I am free. Not to be confused with plowing through fear which is certainly something I did throughout my life, but becoming fearless. As women, we lack the realization of what we are capable of. We lack the realization of our worth. We are by nature, givers, healers, doers, submissive and will often put everyone else above ourselves. But the fact is, our world NEEDS us to step into our divine feminine power and reclaim our birthright and be the women we are meant to be. We are the ultimately healers but we must heal ourselves first before we can heal others. This is real freedom from the chains we have been carrying and my purpose and mission in my remaining life is to influence women to this realization. Lastly I want people to know, that it is never too late to live life to the fullest and be who you are purposed to be.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Depending on where friends are were visiting from, as I live in Los Angeles, I most likely show them around the coast. Up to North towards Santa Barbara for a day and South towards San Diego. If time allowed I would cross the border to Baja and take them to Valle De Guadalupe for incredible wine and culinary experience. I am also a fan of the desert, from Palm Springs to Joshua Tree to La Quinta. Spending time in Nature hiking near the ocean or the desert would be at the top of the list. Taking in Art and History Museums in LA and in the desert would be part of the itinirary including viewing the mid century architecture. In LA, I would take them to the Arts District Downtown for shopping and eating out. Also Culver City is sprouting with great restaurants.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Valdé was inspired by Mother’s journey of resilience, and liberation beyond the story line of how much she loved wearing lipstick. Every aspect of the brand is inspired by her. Therefore my brand is entirely dedicated in gratitude to her yet also to my brothers and sister who have believed and supported me throughout my entire life no matter what wihout any judgement. Lastly, I could not have overcome the fear of creating such a risky and complex brand without my closest female friends cheering me and encouraging me along every step of the way.

Website: www.valdebeauty.com

Instagram: @valdebeauty

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margarita-arriagada

Twitter: @valdebeauty

Facebook: @valdebeauty