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Becky G took to social media to share a teary video addressing plagiarism accusations from fellow Mexican beauty founder Araceli “Cely” Ledesma. According to the founder of Araceli Beauty, the singer, actress, and businesswoman created Treslúce Beauty as a blatant copy of her 2018-launched brand. However, Becky G denies the allegations and assures her culturally rich products are inspired partly by her Latina roots, ingredients, and symbols native to Mexico.
On June 1, Ledesma shared a statement denouncing how another brand was “replicating” her original ideas and how it was hurting her company. At the time, the business owner didn’t single out Becky’s brand. “As an immigrant woman from very humble beginnings, I have learned to work hard for anything I wanted in life. I am very proud of what I have accomplished thus far and believe this is possible for anyone to achieve with hard work and integrity,” she wrote.
“There are so many Latina-owned brands that are completely different from my own, and I wish them all so much success. Building and growing any business is not easy. Unfortunately, this past year, I have been put in a difficult situation. Another company is replicating my original brand concepts and ideas, in direct competition with my own brand,” Ledesma added. “I have no choice but to bring this to light and help give self-starting businesswomen and independent creators the value they deserve.”
Weeks later, Araceli takes social media once again to share a review from the founder and CEO of Crème Collective, commenting on the similarities between Araceli Beauty and Treslúce Beauty.
The following day, Ledesma addresses the situation again and asks her community for support. “As of late, we have seen many self-made independent businesses take a hit from celebrity brands,” she began. “This is very hard and uncomfortable for me to share; however, it’s time I shed light on this situation. I put my entire soul into my beauty brand, and I feel it’s being replicated.”
“My goal is not to tear anyone down. I have admired Becky G for a long time; however, I owe it to myself and other self-starting entrepreneurs to speak up in order to protect our self-made unique businesses. We ask our beauty network for support and understanding during this difficult time.”
Immediately after, Becky G releases her side of the story via Treslúce Beauty and shares a statement and a lengthy video asking for unity. “I’m really sad that what I’m about to share is happening. Really sad that it’s come to this. I was really hoping that I wouldn’t have to comment on this publicly but handle it privately, and here we are,” she said.
“As the granddaughter of Mexican immigrants from Jalisco, Mexico, I am very aware that my experience compared to others like my abuelos is very different. But the pride for our roots as the generations [that] came along is no different. And I am absolutely devastated by the posts and comments that I’ve been seeing circulated not only about Treslúce but specifically about me,” Becky added. “My integrity and authenticity and character are being attacked and being called a sellout. My hard work is being questioned; I am called lazy. That I only call myself Latina for my benefit.”
According to Becky, she is hurt that people think she is successful because everything was handed to her. “I feel the need to tell you about me because clearly some of you don’t know, or some of you are choosing to forget that since day one. I have always represented two flags, and everything I have today I worked for I has spent more of my life working,” she said, reminding people she began working when she was nine years old to help provide for her family.
Becky also said in her video that she wasn’t forced to record it and that she isn’t scared of getting canceled; however, she is confused. “I don’t understand. I don’t get it. Because our shared culture, in the beauty, in the key elements that it has, is something we are all inspired by. From the streets to nature to fashion, colors, food, music, novelas, phrases. The list is full of beautiful traditions and common culture that is used every single day. Jalisco is known and celebrated for its agave. Mexico has only one national flower,” she explains.
“Doing business with Mexico was important to me. Celebrating and hiring Latinx artists is a way of paying it forward and bringing opportunities to others in our community. Something I hope for more brands to practice. And Spanglish. Spanglish was the only way for Treslúce because that is my way of communicating as it is for many other first and second and third generation Latinos,” she said.
The California native star said she named her brand Treslúce because the number three is her lucky number. “I’m third generation Mexican. Three liquid liners launched, three false lashes launched at a time. It’s a theme; it sprinkled into our brand with intention,” Becky explains.
The Latina beauty founder also said that in the same way, many skincare brands share ingredients; hers and Araceli’s brand share Agave as one of the hero ingredients in their formulas.
“I do not take these claims lightly, and I would never want to participate in the tearing down of another female Latina brand or Latina, let alone publicly inspire others to tear them down,” Becky said, directed to Ledesma. “I am no better than you. I don’t see myself bigger than you. I came from where I came from like you came from where you came from. And our community needs unity, not division. And I think we can all agree that this is not the way, and I would hope that my community would trust in my heart that what has to be done for us to find understanding and clarity and peace in the situation for all who are involved.”