by Megan Moyer, corporate marketing manager, as appeared in Inside Beauty for Drug Store News
Growing up in Monterrey, Mexico, Ere Perez, founder
of Ere Perez Natural Cosmetics, was surrounded by family members who created natural remedies and influenced her interest in natural products. Perez pursued a Bachelor Degree in Nutrition, which included a year studying naturopathy and acupuncture, as well as two and a half years in Mexico City working for the Public Health Department. She contributed to research on maternal mineral transfer, supporting the study of nearly 200 births. Perez credits this work as the beginnings of her interest in research.
She followed her husband to Australia nearly thirty years ago, and in addition to being struck by the “stunning paradise,” she discovered the country’s proclivity for natural products. She noticed the small details: “For the first time, I saw cafés with real sugar on the tables, not artificial sweeteners — simple, unrefined brown sugar. And the strawberry yogurt I loved as a child was naturally soft pink, not the bright, artificial pink I knew in Mexico.”
Since her degree wasn’t recognized in Australia, she took a sales job while studying to complete the tests needed to practice as a dietitian. “I sold earrings — I love earrings! I did every market on Saturdays and Sundays.” But it wasn’t enough to earn a living or travel back to Mexico each year. “Then it hit me! I wanted to sell a product of my own, something I could call my own.”
There was a health store across from the cafe Perez frequented, with beauty brands like Dr. Bronner’s and the German brand, Dr. Hauschka, but there were no makeup products. “I started it right there. I decided to make a clean mascara.”
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It was her sensitive skin that led to the creation of her first product, Natural Almond Mascara, the brand’s top seller in the U.S. “When I wanted to wear mascara, my eyes were very sensitive. So I never find something that I could use, but I did find something to clean it, which was olive oil.”
Remembering her grandfather telling her that beeswax was good for her, she wondered why it — and olive oil — never seemed to spoil. “When I asked him, he said something that stuck with me: there’s no water. No water in olive oil, no water in honey, no water in beeswax.”
“That’s when I realized, if I didn’t add any water, my products could stay natural, just like my honey and olive oil. So that’s what I did. I made it myself, and that’s how it all began.”
Perez knew she wanted her brand to be priced somewhere in the middle, between prestige and budget-friendly makeup. She also knew what she needed to earn to cover expenses. “I needed to make more money so I can focus on my career, which is what I really wanted.”
She found a formulator in Mexico City, Mexico. “I still work with this guy, this incredible engineer. I said to him, ‘I made this,’ and he said, ‘Ere, are you crazy? I’ve been making mascaras forever. This is not a mascara formula,’ and I said, ‘That’s why I want you to help me.’”
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“Most mascara formulas have mineral oil, alcohol, parabens to preserve, and water. I don’t want water because I don’t want parabens. I don’t want those toxins on my eyes. And I don’t want alcohol. Not because it’s bad for you, because it’s bad for my sensitive eyes; I knew.”
Perez started selling the mascara herself. At first, she didn’t have a brand name, but close friends, who happened to be in the marketing field, suggested “Ere Perez.” She recognized she needed a brand name because customers were asking her for other things: lip balm, bronzer, and more.
In the early 2000s, taking note of the rise in popularity of Bare Minerals makeup, Perez realized she needed to grow her brand beyond health stores. “I needed to put myself out there. I started simply talking about a clean lifestyle, not even clean beauty yet. I travelled across Mexico and the U.S., giving talks wherever I could.”
The company started with five employees and today there are 50 employees and the brand is sold in 40 countries. There are 38 products with more than 100 SKUs, which can be found on the Ere Perez website as well as Credo
Beauty, The Detox Market, Amazon, and Revolve in the U.S. In addition to the Avocado Waterproof Mascara, top sellers include Oat Milk Foundation, Jojoba Eye Pencil, Coco Crayon, Beetroot Cheek & Lip Tint, and Aloe Gel Lash & Brow Mascara.
Perez is passionate about sustainability, transitioning the product range to responsible materials, like infinitely recyclable glass, aluminium, and PET or PCR plastic. According to their website, the company has partnered with DHL GoGreen Carbon Insetting to reduce their carbon footprint across the entire supply chain, including cutting emissions by up to 80% by using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). They have been certified Carbon Neutral by the Carbon Reduction Institute since 2016. Packaging has evolved to become more earth-friendly, including the award-winning zero-waste Coco Crayons, designed to avoid the waste of a traditional bullet lipstick package. The company also donates $1 of every order to SEABIN, an initiative addressing ocean pollution by removing plastic waste directly from waterways.
March 2026 marks the 24th year of the Ere Perez Natural Cosmetics. Perez says the company is constantly pursuing innovation, introducing three to five purpose-led products every year, combining high-performance formulas, and ethical ingredients with responsible packaging.
With her family background of natural healers, chemists, and a mother who avoided harsh chemicals, Perez grew up with a respect for natural products. She wants to be known for her honesty, integrity, and transparency while creating beauty products that support skin and protect the earth.