For Toni Bravo, makeup was never just about looking good. It was a form of play, a little creative world she built for herself as a kid. Growing up in Long Beach, California, she would experiment with her mom’s makeup alongside her twin sister, not knowing those playful moments would one day shape her future.
Back then, Toni wasn’t dreaming about being a beauty creator. She was studying film and media at the University of California, Irvine. But when the pandemic hit in 2020 and everyone was home, she started posting videos online. That moment of curiosity quickly turned into something bigger.
She began sharing videos of herself roller skating on TikTok, just having fun and documenting her life. One day, she filmed herself trying purple blush in her car. That video went viral with over a million views, and people loved how real she was. Toni realized she could blend her love for storytelling with beauty in a way that felt genuine and fun.
Her creativity and growing presence online opened new doors. During her time in school, she joined BuzzFeed as a talent resident with the Cocoa Butter team. There, she learned what it really meant to create content for the internet and how to balance her personal life with the always-on nature of social media. It also taught her the importance of staying authentic while building a community.
Then came a big moment: she landed an internship at Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty. What started as a short-term role turned into a full-time job right after she graduated. Toni worked as a social media coordinator, helping create content, organize brand trips, and manage online communities. It was fast-paced and full of learning experiences. “It was so helpful to see how much work goes into building a brand and a community,” she said.
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After six months, Toni Bravo decided it was time to focus fully on her own creative journey. By 2023, Toni had become a full-time content creator with nearly a million followers and tens of millions of likes across TikTok and Instagram. With the support of her manager and team at Digital Brand Architects, she began collaborating with major beauty brands, sometimes juggling multiple deals in a single week.
But even with her growing success, Toni stayed grounded. For her, it wasn’t about chasing numbers or trends. It was about learning through each project, figuring out what she enjoyed most, and staying true to her voice. She also made it a point to understand her worth as a creator. “Your creativity is priceless,” she said. “But to really know your value, you have to know your numbers and understand your analytics.”
Now known to her followers as the “CEO of Blush,” Toni recently achieved a full-circle moment. She teamed up with Tower 28 to launch the GetSet Blush duo, a set designed for sensitive skin. It was the brand’s first-ever creator collaboration. “Blush was where it all started for me,” she said. “So for that to be my first beauty collaboration felt like things came full circle.”
Toni Bravo’s story is proof that a little curiosity and a lot of courage can go a long way. From roller skating videos to launching her own blush collection, she’s showing that the best beauty careers are the ones built on authenticity and joy.
