Here's why we started Vamigas. 

Ann faced some fertility issues in her 30's. When she got pregnant she started researching "green beauty" options - because she wanted to use products that had no questionable ingredients, were more naturally derived, safe to use during pregnancy, and safe for the baby. She even got some recommendations from doctors on what to avoid (did you know they make you avoid deodorant during IVF?). What she found was really worrisome. 

Actual scientific research has consistently found that Latinas have more hormone disrupting chemicals in our bodies and higher rates of fertility issues. Researches speculate that this may be because we use 30% more beauty products than other groups. That means green beauty is particularly critical to us - but there's zero clean or green beauty brands by Latinas for Latinas. So we created Vamigas (and doesn't everyone want simple, green beauty products?). 

CHRISTINA

Christina is a #thirdgen Mexican-American (Oaxaca), a Forbes Next 1000 recipient, and began her career working for a Congresswoman. She eventually pivoted into investment banking, where she helped Silicon Valley startups with funding. It's here where she had the desire to start her own company, left to become a beauty founder, and has now been in the beauty industry for a almost a decade. She continues to invest in and advise CPG startups with 100% of her portfolio consisting of Women & BIPOC founded companies. 

ANN

Ann is #firstgen Chilean-American, born in Viña del Mar, Chile and raised in LA. She went on to attend UCLA and USC, and ended up in Silicon Valley helping hundreds of startups with growth. She is a Public Relations pro, and was among the first Latinas in online publicity and marketing at the start of the digital era. In her 20's, one of her first freelance clients was a little brand called Waze (pre Google).

Christina and Ann met through Pipeline Angels, a network of women and femme investors in Silicon Valley, and started investing in BIPOC who helm pioneering startups. They also co-founded blxVC, an angel syndicate fund for Black and Latinx founders where they encourage other Black and Latina Women to start investing and creating generational wealth.