For Rachelle Bravo, founder and CEO of lash and nail hotspot New Lounge, beauty is more than aesthetics—it’s about community. Growing up, she found purpose in serving others, from church work to medical missions with her Air Force reservist mother. It was this same sense of purpose that transformed a passion project into a thriving business—one that not only enhances beauty, but also changes lives.

Like many businesses, New Lounge started small. They create their own lashes using anti-bacterial sable, a premium material that allows for thinner and more natural-looking extensions. In the early years, Bravo did everything herself. “Marketing, social media, manager, receptionist, customer service, hiring—lahat!” 

Manifesting dreams—and making them happen

From its humble beginnings, New Lounge grew with a vision: to make beauty both effortless and safe. Fueled by her relentless drive, Bravo took a bold step in 2023, bringing New Lounge to Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. The beauty CEO is big on manifestation, and shares that even in one of their earliest company videos, the concept of something “minimalist and Beverly Hills-inspired” was already a peg for New Lounge.

Stepping into New Lounge Beverly Hills, you’d hardly guess it began as a dream half a world away. With sleek interiors and an expanded service menu—including Japanese hair removal, brow lamination, and dry foot spas—the flagship US branch blends modern luxury with Filipino warmth. But Bravo’s vision goes beyond just aesthetics. “The work ethic of Filipinos is different,” she says, explaining why she fought to bring homegrown specialists abroad, despite the challenges. Bravo has a degree in hotel and restaurant management, so Filipino hospitality is what she wants the world to see.

To date, she has brought one homegrown specialist and one branch manager to the U.S., assisting them through the tedious process of papers, and even providing housing, something which she also does for 90 percent of her workforce here in the Philippines. Despite the obvious challenges of bringing homegrown team members abroad versus hiring people already based there, she plans to bring more.

Expanding abroad and building the LA branch turned out to be a bigger trial than Bravo anticipated, having found out she was pregnant with her third child while setting up the branch. It was a difficult pregnancy for her, dotted with stress, which culminated in a premature delivery and time spent in the ICU with pre-eclampsia. Thankfully, both Bravo and her baby are healthy now, and, like the dynamo she is, Bravo is already looking to the future, envisioning all sorts of plans, possibilities and, yes, dreams—not only hers but her team’s as well.  

New Lounge Lashes. Photo: Kieran Punay.

Rooted in Filipino community

New Lounge’s story is deeply personal for Bravo. “I want to give credit to Nanay Jojo,” she says, referring to her firstborn’s nanny, who played an unexpected role in shaping her mission. Like many Filipinos, Nanay Jojo’s two daughters applied for work in a different country, and unfortunately, Bravo shares, “hindi sila tinanggap.”

It was because of these women who needed work that Bravo decided to take the leap and grow the business—to provide them, and others like them, with livelihood. Eventually, Nanay Jojo’s entire family, and even her neighbors from their barrio in Iloilo, would come to apply to work for them, setting foot for the first time in Manila as breadwinners, most battling the fear of riding an airplane for the very first time. 

For many, these women’s dreams were simple—eating at Jollibee, affording electricity, owning a TV, or saving enough to start a small hog farm. But for Bravo, these simple dreams were powerful motivators, and it’s what continues to drive her to grow the business.

Dreaming for the future 

Despite hitting a massive milestone by opening their first branch abroad, Bravo is already planning ahead, envisioning the next phase of New Lounge to go deep into the wellness realm. As of press time, they have already begun offering lymphatic foot massages and dry foot spas.

And while growth is part of success, her measure for it isn’t just limited to scaling up—it’s also about unlocking doors for others. “My role is to pursue opportunities for them,” she says. “That’s the heart of New Lounge.” From Iloilo to Beverly Hills, her journey proves that when dreams are nurtured, they don’t just stay dreams—they become reality.

Photographer: Kieran Punay

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