Rea Ann Silva is a Mexican, Spanish, Irish, and Portuguese descent CEO and the inventor of Beautyblender, the iconic sponge that makeup lovers swear by.

Her product is not just a simple tool to eliminate lines and streaks; her invention is a top-rated product and a phenomenon in the beauty industry. It is reported that her company sells seventeen sponges every minute, despite the many knock-offs currently available on the market.

According to Silva, she used to spend hours cutting sponges in tear shape while she was working as a makeup artist on the set of “Girlfriends.” After realizing other makeup artists and actors used to grab her sponges she thought of the possibility of making her invention a real business venture.

For almost two decades, Silva‘s company and the product have entirely changed the way beauty lovers apply makeup, making her sponge a staple in every beauty bag. In 2019, it is reported that Beautyblender has a revenue of $215 million in retail sales.

The tool has won multiple beauty awards and is currently one of the most searched makeup products. The company is also focused on emphasizing diversity; therefore, Silva launched a collection of foundations in 40 different shades.