New Lounge CEO Rachelle Bravo Is Our Women Of Influence Glow Getter

Rachelle Bravo wasn't meant to be in the beauty business. But she was called to it.

The New Lounge CEO and founder has lived many lives—from hospitality management training to a decade as a car sales agent, and at one point, nearly becoming a missionary. But the newest chapter in Rachelle's life has taken her to Los Angeles, California, where she's bringing the care that goes into Filipino beauty services to an international market. Each newly opened branch has become a wellness stop, whether you're squeezing in a quick pamper sesh after a long day at work or maximizing your "me time" on vacation.

For Rachelle, being in the beauty service industry is about more than making people feel and look their best—though it is an important part of it. But to look at the bigger picture, her mission in life has been to create a strong community where women can feel safe and empowered. New Lounge is merely the means for her to achieve that.

"It's always about community, it's about experience, it's about the journey," she emphasizes.

One thing the Filipino beauty scene has in abundance, Rachelle observes, is exactly that: a sense of community. You have the women getting their hair rebonded every December, the bond between a customer and her go-to nail girl, to the pamper sesh besties reserve every month. It's clear that these relationships rooted in beauty matter as much as the treatments themselves.

At Cosmo, we've seen this IRL. Rachelle's events for New Lounge bring a signature wellness touch—from morning runs around Ayala Triangle, to healing sound baths, to staycations in one of Metro Manila's most prestigious hotels. Attendees don't just relax—they reflect, share, and reconnect during wellness retreats. They're spaces where beauty, care, and community come together in one truly fulfilling experience.

Now that she's semi-based in the U.S., Rachelle aims to bring the same sense of belonging abroad—showing how Filipino beauty hospitality can connect people anywhere.

Rachelle: Knowing the strengths and the weaknesses of the Philippines, I think I'm the type of person who's very optimistic and very positive. I always highlight what's beautiful.

I brought New Lounge to other locations because I believe that we already have beautiful places. I wanted to bring people to those destinations and then highlight that, "Oh, New Lounge is here." It's just a reason for me to say, "Oh, maganda ang Boracay. Oh, maganda ang Davao. You guys have to experience it."

Kasi each city that we have, in the province or sa Manila, or even ibang regions—iba ang Alabang, iba yung experience mo sa Makati, sa BGC. Community-wise, it's always unique. I learned that in each location, I'm part of the localization. So I believe that each part where New Lounge is, it's like planting a seed and embracing the culture within that community.

So it's really beyond a salon concept. It also goes back to beauty, lifestyle, and community.

Rachelle: Ang hospitality [for us Filipinos], it's always done with love. So I think it goes back to that single word. It's really putting your heart [into it]. Once you do it with love, you nurture, you care for the career path, you look at these people as people that you wanna help grow.

Ninety percent of our workforce comes from the barangays, the barrios, mga probinsya [near our branches]. These girls are just coming out of school, hindi nakatapos [ng pag-aaral], and then are the breadwinners of their families. So I think my husband and my inspiration is really their story.

Rachelle: It's really the heart. [Kapag may] intention ang leader [ng business] it's gonna reflect. That's how I would describe the signature of New Lounge, and bringing that here [to the U.S.], that's actually a very significant aspect that people recognize with us.

Kasi dito, gagawa ka ng event, pagandahan ng event, pamahalan, but it lacks the substance. You won't feel it. [Pero sa] event sa amin, maliit pero when they come out, umiiyak sila. They feel like, "I'm gonna support this community, how can I support?” Sila pa mag-o-offer sa amin, "Oh gusto mo magbigay ako ng libreng food sa susunod na event niyo?” It's crazy, but that's naturally us. That's very Filipino. That's the beautiful part about us.

Rachelle: Anything that we offer [our customers], we offer that to our employees as well. So if you experience this, they have to experience it first. Even the pamper and reset experience, we give that to our employees. It has to be something that they experience, we give them the immersion. It has to be something that is felt, so they can deliver it from their point of view kasi they felt it. That's an integral part of the integrity of the business.

It still comes back to the product. We take pride in the service that we offer. And if they really experience it inside out—and not only experience, but really learn about it—that becomes natural. But it takes time. It's a consistent learning [process].

Very personal talaga yung approach ko [to business]. Para sa akin kasi, it's not just business. I let people understand what's New Lounge, and it's really beyond lashes. So with lashes, you fall in love with the product—but you fall in love more because of the people. And when you become part of the community, you want to support its advocacy, its mission, you want to be contributing and to grow it more.

Rachelle: I would like to bet on the Gen Zs. They are the future. They are in a position right now na they can decide what they want to receive and what they want to adopt. I think it's very powerful if we empower that generation. So however they want to receive and perceive beauty right now, we have to be attentive because they are the ones that can drive the future.

We have to understand that different na yung approach nila. They're very firm with what they want. That's why yung mga advocacy projects ko is also going back to connecting it to generation nila. So if I will bring back all my non-profit and mga foundation work, mga outreach ko, it will all connect and benefit the younger generation because they are gonna bring the change.

Rachelle: Embracing your becoming because we all have different paths. The good and the bad are always gonna be part of your journey, and you just have to trust that you are being prepared for something greater.

One day, you will just realize that each path that you take and each season that you go through—good or bad—you gain something from it. You will see yourself standing in a place where you will be so proud of yourself.

Most importantly, never let the outside noise change who you are. We live in a time and world where there's a lot of distraction, especially on social media. We compete, we compare, but we're not all equally the same. Kasi we are all unique. So if we focus on nurturing our true gifts, that's gonna make you achieve so much more if you focus on building inward.

*This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.

Executive Editor: Ida Aldana

Art Director: Ica Del Mundo

Photos: Courtesy of Rachelle Bravo

Story: Alyana Olivar

Producer: Alyana Olivar
Video: Chapters by Mayad USA

Video Editing: Cherrie Julian and Jino Del Mundo, assisted by Alfred Locsin & George Tuliao

Social Media: Aina Lizarondo, assisted by Margaux Bataclan