Get to Know the Founder of Lights Lacquer, Kathleen Fuentes

Cuban-American entrepreneur and beauty influencer Kathleen Fuentes (AKA @KathleenLights) is the founder of Miami-based Lights Lacquer, a vegan, cruelty free, and Twelve-Free nail lacquer brand that offers press-on nails, jelly lip balms, and nailcare treatments. Kathleen and Lights Lacquer have been featured in Forbes, Teen Vogue, and Allure, among others.

We are honored to celebrate female entrepreneurs during Women's History Month, and every month. Get to know Kathleen Fuentes through the Q&A below!

Born and raised: 

I am a first gen, Cuban-American and was born and raised in Miami, Florida to Cuban immigrant parents. A proud Latina, my love for my Cuban culture & roots runs deep. 

I am known for:

My authenticity in my makeup and skincare reviews started on my YouTube channel, back in 2013. Today, I have over 4.13 million subscribers, with a collective reach of over 7 million on all my social media platforms. In 2019, I launched my first solo venture, "Lights Lacquer,'' a 12-free, vegan and cruelty-free nail polish line that has expanded beyond nail polish, to include press-on nails, jelly lip balms, and nailcare treatments.

Most people would be surprised that I:

I am left-handed!

My guilty pleasure:

I love watching Jersey Shore. Jersey Shore is my favorite Reality TV show; the drama, the cast, and the one-liners make the show a beautiful train-wreck worth watching. 

For inspiration I:

Love to scroll through Pinterest. It’s my go-to for inspiration - it’s filled with cute, aesthetically pleasing photos that help stimulate my creativity. The photos allow me to develop themes, colors, and stories that bring to life my collections.

Best piece of advice I ever received:

Keep it real, in business and in life! In fact, being honest & authentic is my #1 priority and it always has been that way and I believe it has been the key to my success. This advice has helped me so much in my journey, and even more recently, the topic of authenticity continues to come up among the creator community. Your audience will always see through what’s not authentic and that is why my integrity is everything! I won’t work with a brand unless I truly love, use, and recommend its products. Otherwise, I’d lose trust in my audience - and trust is what keeps them coming back.

My mentor:

Hands down, my mom. When I thought about launching Lights Lacquer, she truly helped guide me. I’ve always been passionate about nails and I’ve been painting my nails since I was a little girl and always kept a box under my bed, and when I was younger I would talk about how my dream job would be to name nail polishes. One day, I was sitting in my kitchen doing my nails and complaining about the nail polishes I used to my mom. With every other brand, there was always something I didn’t like. She asked, “Why don’t you create nail polish?” That’s how this journey began.

My style icon:

Selena Gomez has solidified herself as my style icon. She has an impeccable sense of style, can rock many different combinations of styles, and still look effortlessly gorgeous.

My fave social platform: 

TikTok, by far!!! 

My best vacation:

Hawaii! With the views, the waterfalls, the mountains, and the volcanoes, Hawaii truly is paradise.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Lights Lacquer (@lightslacquer)

I relax by:

I love doing self-care related things. I love disconnecting and reading. Lately, I’ve been into a lot of reading, and when I don’t have the time, I keep up with my latest read on Audible. But, an easy way for me to relax is to paint my nails, oil and massage my cuticles, or go on bike rides. 

Shout out to someone who helped me along the way:

Gabby! Gabriella Trujillo is the Founder & CEO of @alamarcosmetics - she’s helped guide me so much along the way.

My goal as an entrepreneur and business owner:

From a business perspective, my goal is to get Lights Lacquer in retail stores and nail salons nationwide. I’d love to start with Miami because the city holds a special place in my heart since it’s my hometown. But overall, my goal is to always inspire through my business, my products, and my content and community. 

I am most proud of:

I am most proud of starting my business, Lights Lacquer. Seeing my business and myself grow organically in the last couple of years is incredible. Lights Lacquer went from only selling Nail Polishes to now including nail art, nail tools, and other spectacular accessories in their collections, beautifully crafted to help create your color story.  

Favorite place on earth:

As a Miami native, Miami is my favorite place on earth. Known for its strong Cuban community, beautiful beaches, and electric nightlife, There really isn't a place that is homier to me than the 305.

The talent I would most like to have is:

I wish I knew how to play the guitar. My dad and brother are so good at playing it, and I’ve always been interested in learning how to play an instrument. 

The one word or phrase I overuse:

Juitcyyyy - everything is JUITCY! My lips, my skincare, colors in my collection, flavors - I am all for the JUITCY life!

My motto:

Always stay true to yourself. 

Learn more about Lights Lacquer at lightslacquer.com.