Emily Gamboa

Sophia Cleofas, Women in Business Club vice president, interviewing beauty industry professional, Jasmine Torres.

California Lutheran University’s Women in Business Club hosted a guest speaker chat with Jasmine Torres, a beauty industry professional, who shared insights into brand storytelling, influencer marketing and data analytics on Wednesday, Oct. 30. 

Sophia Cleofas, a junior and Women in Business Club vice president, organized and moderated this event. Cleofas said that she had connected with Torres via LinkedIn, added her to her network, and invited her to share her story and build connections with fellow Cal Lutheran students. 

“I think a lot of girls in our club are really into marketing, influence marketing and the beauty industry,” Cleofas said. “This [event] gives women a little bit more … confidence and security, especially knowing how attainable it is to talk to someone or … being able to connect in a network.” 

Torres has been active within the beauty industry for seven years, working for brands such as ColourPop Cosmetics, Peach & Lily and Milk Makeup. She said that her love for the industry stemmed from using her mother’s makeup products growing up and later learning that her love for makeup could translate into a career. 

“When I found out the beauty side, the beauty industry marketing side of it all, I knew that that’s what I wanted to do,” Torres said. “It turned from me snagging my mom’s products, to me being the brand storyteller for those products, which I love.”

Torres originally wanted to enter the medical field and become a physician’s assistant; however, after talking with one of her best friends, she had decided to pursue an Associate in Advanced Beauty Industry Marketing and Product Development degree and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. 

When she first decided to pursue an academic career at FIDM, Torres said she had “wanted to pursue product development,” however after her first internship at ColourPop Cosmetics, she decided to pursue other opportunities within the beauty industry. 

Torres did a deep dive into her career experience and timeline, highlighting each role that has shaped her career history. 

Starting out as a ColourPop Cosmetics product development intern and landing a full time position a year later, Torres said she was able to immerse herself in “different aspects of the beauty industry and how [one] can impact a business.” 

Throughout her time at ColourPop Cosmetics, Torres said she found a passion for the influencer marketing industry and saw the effects of building a community in the industry, first-hand. 

“I really started to recognize the power of community, the power of relationships, and how that can affect a business,” Torres said. 

After some time as a full-time ColourPop Cosmetics employee, Torres said that she was ready for the next chapter in her life and career. Torres landed a position at Peach & Lily as an influencer relations manager, where she said she got to blend her love for product development and innovation in a place that was also diversifying [her] background. 

Eventually, Torres became the senior manager of community growth and partnerships at Milk Makeup. Torres said she oversaw ads, agencies, partnerships and growth within the company. 

“I’m someone who blends creativity and data and finding moments that last and drawing in a community that is authentic, while also bringing consumer loyalty at the same time,” Torres said. “I’m someone who loves a challenge and thinks that we’re in a beautifully saturated time where there’s so much out there to consume and to see, so I love being able to shift through that and find marketing moments that last.” 

Torres said that one campaign that she participated in that stood out the most, particularly at Milk Makeup, was the launch campaign of the Cooling Water Jelly Tint. Torres said that her team and herself “worked cross-functionally as a team and [brought] to life a product [that had] never been seen before.” 

Cleofas said Women in Business Club’s events assist with networking opportunities and allow students to get involved in their dream career field. 

“I feel like it can be super intimidating to reach out to people,” Cleofas said. “I think this is super important to have events like this, just to, like, ease the tension of what life is like after college, what it’s like getting a job [and] what it’s like being face-to-face with someone who’s in the industry.” 

Sophomore Dru Bauman said that as an attendee, it is important for Cal Lutheran and Women in Business Club to host guest speakers like Jasmine Torres, because it inspires the next generation of women looking to enter the business field. 

“It’s important for Women in Business to host events like this to share their experience and what challenges [guest speakers] had to overcome, to help inspire younger women that are trying to go into, like, marketing positions,” Bauman said. “I think it can just be really helpful and [gave] us insight on what we can expect.” 

Torres said that she hoped attendees gained insight on how to enter their dream career field, through the telling of her career timeline, strengths and challenges. 

“What I hope the attendees learned from today or took away from today is that the [beauty] industry, yes, is very competitive and it can feel really noisy and hard to figure out how to get your foot in the door,” Torres said. “I think it’s super important to lead with a sense of curiosity, kindness, but also be assertive and knowing your knowledge and your worth, for this industry.”