JACQUELINE “JACQE” GUTIERREZ thought she was destined to be a corporate employee. Now, she sees that corporate experience gave her invaluable insights that helped her as the co-founder and chief executive officer of BLK Cosmetics. READ
Ms. Gutierrez first worked as a management trainee in a global consumer goods company before moving to a permanent position in marketing. She eventually became the head of the company’s skincare division, handling several internationally renowned brands.
It was during this time that she met actress Anne Curtis. Ms. Curtis wanted to launch her own brand, and Ms. Gutierrez shared her goal of creating a wide-reaching and more accessible makeup brand. Together, they created BLK Cosmetics under Beauty Refinery, Inc. in 2017. The company faced challenges, such as building a brand from scratch and convincing Filipinos to patronize a local cosmetic brand over international names.
The company’s collection was number one in sales in an online shopping platform during that month. BLK continued introducing products and remained a top seller in the two biggest online selling platforms even as stores reopened. While growing its online business, Ms. Gutierrez resumed making plans with Watsons in anticipation of post-pandemic recovery.