filipina businesswoman doing good in new york with her beauty saloons and beauty products
Renowl
Filipina entrepreneur
Rita Villadiego, Jan 21, 2004
NEW YORK — The only Filipino-owned maker of hair care products in New York is
venturing into new business – manufacturing organic beauty products – as
part of its expansion project.
Gloria Cabrera, founder of CasCan Corp., which owns two beauty salons here and
manufactures its own brand of hair care products, is unveiling its line of new
organic products made from coconut oil, lavender and flowers.
With the growing economy, the beauty business is becoming more lucrative.
More and more women flock to salons to experience rejuvenation. Demand for
beauty products is rising as well. “I feel great, it’s satisfying to see
happy clients here. Our business is increasing every year,” said Cabrera
Located in bustling Midtown Manhattan between 48th and 49th Sts and Fifth Ave.,
the spa is the right place to relax and be pampered with a whole range of
services, from organic facial, aromatherapy, body massage, body scrubs, deluxe
pedicure, to hair styling and color. Visiting the salon means indulging in
flower-drenched emollients to cleanse the face, as new age music is played.
As the right combination of steam, massage and toning rejuvenate the face, one
can easily forget the stresses of daily living. The spa uses special organic
ingredients like rose and lavender to clean, steam, massage the face.
They also offer sweet-brown mask to firm the face. The mask is enriched with
collagen, organic products, with layers of vitamins.
Cabrera said they started manufacturing new organic products called Cocotier to
make long-lasting shine for hair, Cocotier organic face creams to erase the
lines, and coconut-lavender firming mask.
“We want to promote more natural products and sell it to the salons,” said
Cabrera.
The company has acquired a warehouse and a laboratory in Bronx to manufacture
beauty products. With the help of her chemist sister-in- law, she has been
developing and selling own-manufactured hair products for four years now.
The new line of organic products is slated for release in the market by March
this year, marketing of which will be handled by her daughter Caroline.
Cabrera’s love affair with beauty started in the Philippines where she used
to own a beauty parlor in Manila before coming to New York. Upon migrating to
the U.S. 30 years ago, she started off with a small beauty parlor on 23rd St.
Through hard work and talent, she was able to open a bigger salon in Midtown
Fifth Ave.
She now operates two salons and plans to open more in other cities in the
future. She fondly recalls her struggle as an entrepreneur: “When we were
starting the business, my husband and I did everything, from painting and
wallpaper to carpentry,” said Cabrera, who attends beauty seminars to keep
her updated on modern beauty techniques.
Some of the salon’s famous clients are the princesses of Saudi Arabia and the
Queen of Finland. The place is also a favorite salon of the wives of many
United Nations diplomats and fellow Filipinos.
Cabrera, who was given the Business Owner Award in 1998 by the Asian American
Association, says: “I remember my parents’ advice, take care of your own
name, and everybody will trust you.”