Hi everyone, I'm Hilary Kerr, the co-founder and chief content officer of Who Up Wear, and

this is Second Life, a podcast spotlighting women who have truly inspiring careers.

We're talking about their work journeys, what they've learned from the process of setting

aside their doubts or fears, and what happens when they embark on their Second Life.

Today, I'm speaking with Rianne Silva, the co-founder and CEO of Beauty Blender, the bright pink

teardrop sponge that revolutionized the beauty industry. Beauty Blender is the number one makeup

tool in the US and is projected to do over $200 million in global sales this year alone.

Even more impressive, Rianne has funded the company entirely by herself with no outside

investment whatsoever. The company has expanded to include more than 20 different products,

including makeup, brushes, cleaners, and kits, and is resonating deeply with both beauty professionals

and enthusiasts alike. And it's no wonder why, after spending 10 years on set in her first life

as a professional makeup artist, Rianne solved for a need she saw firsthand. As the department head

of one of the first TV shows shot in high definition, she needed a low lift way to touch up airbrush

makeup. Years later, she's changed the way millions of people apply their makeup. Now, on Second

Life, it's Rianne Silva. All right, Rianne, so we like to start at the beginning for this podcast.

So what did you study in school and what did you think you were going to be when you grew up?

Well, that is an interesting question because I actually wanted to be a veterinarian.

Really? Yes. Was that because you just loved animals? I loved animals. As a kid, I loved animals.

I was that kid that would bring home every stray. And I ultimately wrote horses for a long time when

I was young and I really loved horses and showed horses and thought, oh, I'm going to live in a bar

in the rest of my life and work with horses. But then I discovered boys.

And I went to school, finished high school and went to FIDM. I had absolutely no idea what I was

...