Mery Rodríguez, a 22-year-old Spanish content creator who has become a leading beauty influencer in Spain, has built a second career as an entrepreneur with Lume Beauty, her own "made in Spain" vegan cosmetics brand.
She said her dream since childhood was to create a brand that was entirely her own, with her own values and vision, designed 100% by her, and that once you start planning something like that, you look for where the demand is and what fits you naturally.
Why she entered the beauty industry
Rodríguez said the decision was less about doing something different from her usual work and more about always wanting to build something of her own. Research into her audience showed that ever since she started on social media in 2020, one in every three videos asked her about her mascara, and people asked her about it in the street and at events too. She said it was something that identified her, and still does, so it made sense to start there.
From idea to launch
The Lume project began in April 2024, during a conversation with an acquaintance in which the idea of creating a beauty brand came up. At the time it did not even have a name, but Rodríguez said both of them knew it made sense for her and could work well. She did not sign the first contract until October that year, saying she was scared because she had just turned 21 and it felt like a huge step.
Almost two years of work followed, including tests, mistakes, reformulations, problems with manufacturers and changes, before the brand's first product, the Black Velvet Mascara, launched on 28 May 2026.
A vegan, cruelty-free brand
Rodríguez said Lume was built on a clear idea: quality, honest and coherent products. The brand is made in Spain, vegan and cruelty free, and ships using recycled ocean plastic. She said the goal is for every product to be clean, functional and suitable for all types of people and lashes, and that beyond the product itself, Lume represents transparency, consistency and attention to detail.
She described cosmetics as a form of expression that she has never seen as superficial, but as a tool for feeling good about yourself, something that has been part of her daily life since childhood.
Rhode and the Black Velvet Mascara
Asked about her biggest beauty influence, Rodríguez named Rhode and its founder Hailey Bieber, saying she is inspired by how they built a brand with such a strong, recognisable identity where everything makes sense. She said they had managed to sell not just cosmetics but a whole universe, a lifestyle and a way of doing things.
Lume's only product so far, the Black Velvet Mascara, contains hyaluronic acid, ginkgo biloba extract, and jojoba, argan and avocado oils. Rodríguez said it often feels more like a serum than a mascara because of the treatment behind it.
A dream endorsement from Taylor Swift
Asked which celebrity she would dream of wearing Lume make-up, Rodríguez named Taylor Swift, her favourite singer, whom she praised for her sensitivity toward small brands and for giving visibility to genuine projects without being asked. She recalled how Swift once wore gold freckles from a tiny brand, which she said brought in more than a million dollars within 48 hours. Rodríguez said reaching that kind of moment would matter to her less for the visibility than for having someone she truly admires value her work.
On beauty trends, she said her signature look is a touch of highlighter on the inner corner of the eye, which she wears every day because it transforms the eyes. She said she would banish overly heavy foundation and overloaded make-up, adding that she has always favoured a natural, understated look.
Expanding beyond beauty
Rodríguez said she is keen to build businesses in other sectors too, describing herself as restless and someone who loves creating from scratch. She has already organised two group trips to Thailand, saying travel combines two things central to her: creating experiences and connecting with people. For her, entrepreneurship is not just about selling a product but about creating something with soul that connects with people, an idea she believes can apply across many fields.
More than 40 countries by 22
Alongside her business ventures and social media work, Rodríguez has travelled to more than 40 countries at the age of 22, largely through careful planning. She said her love of travel dates back to childhood: although she did not begin travelling extensively with her family until she was 16, she had flown regularly to Seville from a young age to see her father's side of the family. Her father spent more than a decade working in different parts of Africa, and the family would spend part of the summer there, an early cultural experience she said sparked a lasting curiosity about the world and an interest in geography and different cultures. From the age of 17 she began travelling around Europe with friends, and as her social media career grew, she was able to put more of her income toward what she called her greatest passion.
Balancing business and content creation
Rodríguez said the hardest part of combining her business with social media is producing content for her personal account, since spending several days working from home or in front of a computer leaves her feeling she has less to show. Without fixed hours for either the brand or her social media, she said it can be difficult to switch off, though she loves both sides of her work and feels one feeds the other.
Recent trips and dream destinations
Rodríguez said she has no major trip currently planned after an intense stretch of travel that took her to Miami, Puerto Rico and New York, where she also used the trip to announce her brand. With the demands of running a company, she said she is trying to slow down and focus on consolidating this stage of her career, though she has smaller summer getaways in mind, including London and Formentera. Her dream destinations are the Philippines, for its wild nature, beaches and sense of adventure, and Japan, for its culture, food, aesthetics and way of life, which she said is unlike anything she knows.
Her best travel companion
Asked about her best travel companion, Rodríguez named her close friend Paula, with whom she has visited more than ten countries over the past five years. She said Paula never objects to anything and is always open to improvising or changing plans, and that the two share very similar tastes in how they travel. She described Paula as the person she laughs with most and said that even a trip that goes wrong with her always turns into a good story, adding that travelling with her boyfriend is different but something she also enjoys.
For a summer trip, Rodríguez recommended exploring Spain, pointing to its islands as well as road trips through the south, the north, the Costa Brava, or areas such as Jávea and Valencia. For destinations abroad, she suggested Italy or Greece for their climate, food, beaches and mix of culture and relaxation, adding that she tries to avoid the most crowded spots in favour of less exploited areas.
Life on social media
Rodríguez said social media means everything to her. She recalled watching creators such as Dulceida and knowing that world suited her, and said she was already recording vlogs and editing videos at the age of 12. Interest resurfaced when one of her videos went viral during the Covid-19 pandemic, and she said she realised creating had always been part of who she is, tracing it back to childhood arts and crafts and drawing classes.
She said the most positive part of social media has been how it changed her life, bringing campaigns with brands she admires, trips and projects she never imagined, and above all a community that has followed her for almost six years. The least positive part, she said, is constant comparison over looks, numbers or content, along with a social side of the industry built on relationships that are not always genuine, which she said can create insecurity and social anxiety.
Asked what she never travels without, Rodríguez listed a toiletry bag full of medicine, a hoodie for cold planes and trains, noise-cancelling headphones, and her camera or phone, since she said she is always filming something.
In a quick-fire round, Rodríguez named Thailand as the place she would choose to get lost, and named "The Midnight Library" and "El día que el cielo se caiga" as her favourite books. She said travelling is her favourite pastime, and that her favourite plan this summer is being in Salou with friends, with night barbecues and board games after days at the beach.
