By Shae Walker.
SMU’s Latinx Fashion Leadership Council hosted its third annual Hispanic Heritage Month Summit on Tuesday, Oct. 17. Headlining the event was entrepreneur Helena Oseguera, founder of Plantéa Skincare, who spoke about her experience as a Latinx entrepreneur and how multiculturalism supports her success.
The theme of the summit was “The Power of Multiculturalism,” and Oseguera spoke in response to questions posed by LxFLC president Alexandra Phillips Parlatto, offering insight into how her Mexican, American, and Swedish identities influenced the creation of Plantéa Skincare.
She also offered advice to aspiring entrepreneurs based on her experience formulating her product and building her brand, which is sold online in the U.S., Europe and Scandinavia.
Oseguera’s story and suggestions held specific appeal for attendees of the event because she is an SMU alumna – she earned a fashion media degree in 2021 – and also served as the first president of LxFLC.
“Hosting this summit gives us the privilege of amplifying the voices of our community to a wider audience, and this year to showcase the inspiring journey of one of our esteemed alumni,” said Lauren Villarreal, an SMU senior and LxFLC’s VP of programming and community engagement.
“The idea for Plantéa began in my junior year of university, when my mother began to age and started experiencing rosacea; as it progressed I began to notice how it affected her self-confidence,” said Oseguera. “So, the main factor that motivated me to start Plantéa was to help my mom and others suffering from rosacea.”
Because her family is prominent in the agriculture industry, Oseguera said she was taught at an early age about the healing powers of plants. This inspired her to incorporate the prickly pear cactus into her skincare formulas, which she sources from her family’s ranch in Texas and also from Mexico.
Oseguera explained that the Swedish term “lagom” influenced the creation of Plantéa. This translates to “just right” in English, and she said the “lagom” mindset was reflected in the composition of her products in a balance of acids, oils and other ingredients. Currently, Plantéa sells two products, the Nourishing Serum and the Rich Serum .
In the coming years, Oseguera says she plans to increase the number of retailers that carry Plantéa in Europe and to expand into retailers in the United States. She also announced that Plantéa will be adding new products to its line.
Learn more about Plantéa by visiting their website or following them on Instagram.
