Araceli “Cely” Ledesma, the founder of the cosmetics company Araceli Beauty, posted on social media accusing singer Becky G of stealing ideas from her and incorporating them into her own beauty brand, Treslúce Beauty.
“As of late, we have seen many self-made independent businesses take a hit from celebrity brands,” Ledesma wrote. “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.”
Some of the similarities between both brands include the fact that both companies include agave in their products and both set up pop-up stores in Jalisco, Mexico. Also, there is a case of eyeshadow in the Treslúce Beauty collection called La Flor de México Palette, which was released earlier this year. Araceli Beauty already had a blush case called Las Flores Blushes.
On Tuesday (June 28), Becky G posted a 9-minute video on social media responding to Ledesma’s accusations and said that any similarities between the brands was only because they are both inspired by their Mexican culture. She also voiced her displeasure about the personal attacks she has been receiving online.
“My integrity and authenticity and character [are] being attacked,” Becky G said. “I’m being called a ‘sellout.’ My hard work is being questioned. I’m being called lazy [and] that I’m only Latina when it suits me. My pride for my roots is being denied that that hurts.”
Ledesma responded to Becky G’s video on social media stating that she attempted to keep her concerns private, but that she never heard back from anyone from Becky G’s team.
“Sadly, you and your representative have taken no accountability for the brand similarity, product similarity, ingredient similarity, manufacturing similarity, launch similarity…all of which have been incredibly damaging to my brand, which launched years before yours,” she wrote. “I have to defend myself and the business I have created by pointing out the wrongdoings.”