Things I love: Nina Cabrera

The Colourette Cosmetics CEO on standing your ground, navigating social media, and how she unwinds.

Navigating the online world is tricky these days. In a world where anyone will attack anyone about anything, one wrong tweet can really bring you down.

The stakes are arguably higher for brands. While people appreciate a socially-aware label, some will scoff at the thought of a brand that uses its platform to get its consumers to become more politically involved.

Nina Cabrera is quite familiar with the feeling. As the founder and CEO of make-up brand Colourette Cosmetics and skincare company Fresh Formula, Nina enjoys a big following on social media formed by the people who love her products.

But when Nina began voicing out her political complaints, she received polarizing results. Some people supported her, but others threatened to boycott her brands. But she stuck to her guns, which to her is the more important thing.

“I feel proud of myself for standing my ground,” Nina shares. “All the hate I got wasn’t a joke.” She admits she feared people would really boycott her brands, “But you know what, I know my customers; I know my products… Our brand is a socially-aware one. We’ve always been and will always be.”

Like many businesses, Colourette and Fresh Formula had to pause operations when the lockdown began. But since then, they’ve resumed and come back stronger: “We pursued all of our product developments and decided to launch them all,” shares Nina.

Most recently, Colourette relaunched Shimmertints, a liquid highlighter that’s been revamped with a new applicator and brand-new packaging. “Thankfully, everything’s working and we’re still afloat,” Nina muses.

In these busy Holiday weeks, Nina took some time to chat with Pasyal over email about what keeps her busy, her favorite Ayala Malls restaurant, and other things she loves.

1. On what keeps her busy:

“Honestly? My social media accounts! [laughs]. I am currently on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. It’s pretty challenging to maintain all of those accounts while running a company.”

2. On unwinding:

“Pre-pandemic, I would travel. Now, it’s still the same. We would go to the beach whenever time permits — only the process is more excruciating and the safety protocols must really be followed.”

3. On her favorite take-out:

“I particularly like Conti’s and Pepper Lunch! I usually go for anything beef.”

4. On her favorite album of the moment:

“Positions by Ariana Grande!”

5. Nina's five tips to anyone reading this:

1. “Listen to your body and rest. Do not be afraid to seek help when needed.”
2. “Open your eyes and become socially aware. Check your privilege, please.”
3. “Treat yourself to a beach trip if you can!”
4. “Be kind to yourself, especially to your body.”
5. “Support local brands!”

Visit Colourette Cosmetics at TriNoma and Market! Market!.