Abby Connolly
If you wear makeup, you’ve most likely heard of the beloved little sponge, the Beautyblender. Although makeup sponges have been around for years and years, the design of the Beautyblender took applying makeup to the next level.
Although the Beautyblender is one of the most favored makeup tools, little know about it’s actual origin.
For instance, did you know that it was designed by a woman who was a first generation college student and makeup artist?
Rea Ann Silva is the woman behind the Beautyblender, and she has quite the interesting story. Rea Ann was born in 1961. She lived in Los Angeles with her Latino family.
At a young age, Rea Ann had a creative spirit with an interest in art, which prompted her mother to enroll her at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles in the 1980s.
This was a big deal for Rea Ann’s family, as her parents did not have the opportunity to go to college when they were her age.
At FIDM, Rea Ann developed her skills for drawing and sketching. She learned all about art which eventually led to an interest in the beauty industry.
Although she didn’t begin working in makeup right away. She actually began by selling perfume at department stores before showing interest in cosmetics.
Once she learned how to properly apply makeup, Rea Ann took her skills onto various film and television sets around Los Angeles.
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