Beauty Spotlight: RĒJINS Founder Jilleo Recio on Redefining Beauty Norms and Well-Aging 

“Glass skin. Glazed donut skin. Glowy skin. We’ve heard it all. But what about your own skin? This June, EnVi celebrates the beauty of you.”

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Once fine lines appear above furrowed brows, the beauty industry presents one option — anti-aging products. But what if there is another alternative? Say hello to RĒJINS, an AAPI, LGBTQIA+-founded brand celebrating fruitful expression lines with well-aging skincare products. After working in the Singaporean beauty market, RĒJINS’ founder, Jilleo Recio, felt compelled to rustle up the narrative in the industry. With well-aging in mind, he created a brand to challenge stereotypes and beauty standards. 

The Filipino-American entrepreneur chatted with EnVi to discuss the concept of well-aging and his passion for redefining beauty norms. 

The Beginnings of RĒJINS

Recio’s longtime love for travel and skincare, as well as his global adventures, played a pivotal role in the conception of RĒJINS. Fueled by his passion for exploring cultures and meeting people, Recio got the travel bug at an early age. Amid constant travel, he discovered the need to streamline his skincare repertoire.  

“I was inspired to create an inclusive and minimalist beauty line during one of my business trips,” he recounts. “I needed an efficient skincare product that addressed my needs as someone with maturing melanated skin,”

The California native’s love for travel led him to Singapore, where he worked as a business development manager for major beauty brands from 2018 to 2021. Over time, he noticed that a common goal for many businesses was to lighten natural skin color. This recurring theme, along with his desire to challenge traditional beauty standards reinforced in his culture, inspired him to launch a brand that would reshape the discourse. 

“My Filipino heritage, which often places value on fairer skin, has undeniably influenced my relationship with beauty,” he explains. “This experience has fueled my commitment to redefining beauty norms. It has motivated me to create a more inclusive narrative in the beauty industry […] There’s this false narrative that fairer skin equates to beauty. I created RĒJINS to combat that message and to highlight the beauty of our natural [skin] shade.”

On Well-Aging 

In addition to embracing natural skin color, the concept of well-aging is at the core of RĒJINS. “Well-aging to me is about connectivity with your body as it changes, which includes your skin. I want to shift the conversation from anti-aging to well-aging, emphasizing the importance of self-care, overall wellness, and feeling confident at every stage of life. This is especially important to me as I’m in my forties and acknowledging that beauty is not confined to youth. It evolves and flourishes with time,” Recio says.

Focussed on well-aging, RĒJINS encourages consumers to embrace a minimalist but effective skincare routine. The brand’s stellar product is the All Encompassing Serum. Highlighting botanicals found in Asian cultures, Recio formulated his serum with ingredients commonly found in Asian cultures and rituals. The formulas work twofold by effectively nourishing the skin and representing world cultures. 

“Our serum is curated with ingredients that are effective for your well-aging ritual. It has heritage botanicals such as Centella Asiatica, a potent antioxidant known for its well-aging properties, and peptides to help stimulate collagen,” he explains.

RĒJINS

All-Encompassing Serum

Vision for the Future

In an industry often saturated with new brands, Filipino and LGBTQIA+-owned brands flipping the script on beauty stereotypes are a rarity on the market. This gap has encouraged visionaries and innovators like Recio to step up for the next generation. 

Betting for change, however, is not without challenges. The brand founder shares advice for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.  “A piece of wisdom I’d like to pass down is the importance of giving yourself grace. Entrepreneurship is challenging, and it’s crucial to recognize that setbacks and challenges are a natural part of the journey,” he says. “During moments of self-doubt or difficulty, remember that success is a process, it’s a journey and not a race. Be kind to yourself, and celebrate the wins along the way, no matter how small. It all adds up.”

As for the future of the brand — and though RĒJINS focuses on simplicity and efficacy — Recio is not opposed to expanding the line where it’s necessary. After all, well-aging is still an emerging concept in the beauty industry, so finding products that highlight this philosophy are few and far between. The importance is to remain loyal to the brand ethos. “Our vision for the brand is rooted in the belief that a minimalist skincare ritual can both be powerful and nurturing, providing you with essential and purpose-driven products that contribute to overall skin health and well-being,” Recio emphasizes.

Want to read more about API brands? Check out 5 AAPI women-owned brands making waves in Hawaii here.