Our Story

About Colores

Colores Custom Cosmetics is owned by Colores Enterprise Pty Ltd. A wholly Australian owned and operated company founded in 2003 by Master Colour Blender – Antonietta Bergamin.

We specialise in all natural custom blend mineral cosmetics and have also extended our range to include natural skincare and lifestyle products.

All our ingredients are sourced exclusively for Colores, made both locally and off shore. All our products are packaged in beautiful Coolangatta, on the southern end of the Gold Coast and most are exclusively handmade and finished in our store.

Every effort is made to keep our products free from synthetics, chemicals and dyes, to ensure the finished product is enjoyed by our customers.

Why Colores

Our Mission Statement:
To offer customised beauty products with the highest quality and exceptional service and commitment to meet our customer’s needs.

Our Vision:
To have every, everyday woman experience Colores

The History Of Colores

The brand was founded and created by Antonietta Bergamin

Who was frustrated with main stream makeup that was irritating her skin and was never the correct shade. Her career expands over two decades in the Beauty Industry, holding a Diploma in Advanced Beauty Therapy and Advanced Clinical Equipment treatment, having owned and operated two Beauty Clinics. She has been awarded many accolades including Young Achiever Awards, Small Business of the Year and Awards for Innovation within her industry throughout her early stages of her career. In her later years also winning an Ausmumpreneur Award and securing a spot on TV's Reality show Shark Tank.

2003

Antonietta raised capital funds when she sold her established successful Beauty Clinic to fund her dream of building the brand Colores.

She began selling and her branded products to Beauty salons across Australia and even overseas. Travelling extensively around Australia teaching industry experts about Colores her brand was gaining attention within the industry. Her brand was also used on TV personalities and she too had an opportunity to showcase the brand on a popular Ch.9 midday product show called Top Spot. Her product was even seen on Ch 9 in Melbourne. It was used in high end fashion shows, magazine photoshoots and bill boards. This was well before any social media was even heard of.

2004

Relaunched brand directly to the customer

After 3 years of travelling around Australia wholesaling, attending multiple Australian Beauty Expos and teaching the benefits of mineral makeup to store owners she felt her time had come to re launch the brand directly to the customer. She felt the brand had enough traction to bring it home.

2006

The first showcase store was opened Adelaide

The first showcase store was opened in her home town Adelaide, South Australia. Only two years later to be hit by the Global Financial Crisis, forcing the brand to make a strategic move and open a second smaller store.

2007

The second store was opened 30mins from the first store

The second store was opened 30mins from the first store. At this time 14 staff were employed by the company.

2010

The showcase store was closed

The decision was made to close the showcase store that was attracting huge rents and expenses driving the brand to down size its operations. The second store continued to trade for a further 3 years. It was at this time that a website and online sales were beginning to be a new trend and Colores had to once again evolve into this new space of retail buying. The first website was launched.

2011

Arriving In Carins

At this time after exhausting all avenues Antonietta saw an increase in online sale demands and decided to pivot the business and turn to online sales only. Sadly all but three staff were laid off. Antonietta created an online presence and concentrated on raising her three children, moved back out to her home town of Virginia and just played the dedicated mum with a home based online business. It was not too much longer that she decided to pack up and sell her family home with her partner and make the big move to Cairns, QLD. With an online business Colores could operate from anywhere.

2015

She converted her garage into a small studio and re launched the brand Colores in Cairns

The time spent in Cairns was such a personal growth period for Antonietta. Her entrepreneurial eagerness couldn’t be tamed. She converted her garage into a small studio and re launched the brand Colores in Cairns. She spent her time between raising her kids and getting to as many local expos as possible. The market was extremely small but it was an opportunity to work with such an array of skin tones. Her love for building an inclusive brand was top of mind and the work achieved with the Indigeneous and Islander skin tones was so rewarding.

Her work included photo shoots for local fashion shows, fashion stores, and magazines. Her editorial pieces were published in local magazines and she even had an opportunity to be on Channel 10’s Shark Tank representing Cairns. This was an out of comfort zone experience for Antonietta to be chosen and represent the business on live TV. It was the beginning of a new journey both personally and professionally.

2015 2016

Antonietta relocated to Coolangatta

In December, Antonietta decided that her time in Cairns was coming to an end. She felt her time on Shark Tank inspired her to get back to business, drive the brand forward and enter into a new space of growth. The decision to relocate to the seaside town of Coolangatta was made. The sun, sand and beautiful beach was the perfect environment for her family and business lifestyle.

2018

Antonietta opened the first Pop up shop

In February, she opened her first Pop up shop in the local shopping centre, then 6 months later moving down the mall to a larger space. The business was growing nicely but once again got hit by another crisis. This time one that would never be experienced in her lifetime again (she hopes). Covid 19 arrived driving her out of the shopping centre once again. It felt like a slow painful blow this time. She was done! But was she?

2019

Antonietta secured a lease in the main strip in Coolangatta

The Pop up stuck it out until March and then closed its doors. Little did anyone know that whilst in Cairns she had set up a mobile studio on wheels as a back up plan, so decided to operate from there. It was the biggest bullet dodge and best strategic move ever made for the business. It allowed her to take advantage of the empty shops on offer and jump on the best rent deal when the time was right. She secured a lease in the main strip in Coolangatta and it was home. It really felt like she and the brand had come home once again. This is where the brand operates currently and has a beautiful retail shop front and is the home to all things Colores.

2020

Antonietta has expanded to include a workshop space

Moving forward to today Antonietta has expanded to include a workshop space to offer new and existing customers a safe space to learn and grow. She works with passion and purpose and has most recently taken an online Volunteering role with Global Sisters.org who help to unlock potential and talent for women experiencing socio-economic disadvantage to accelerate an idea from start up into a fully operational micro business or social enterprise. Her passion for the environment drives her desire to reduce cosmetic plastic waste by refilling lipstick and skincare products.

With an overarching desire to improve the lives of all who come into contact with her. Antonietta’s ingenuity, care and expert skill prove themselves everyday. She continually works to expand her reach globally through her online presence, and ensures that responsible environmentally friendly quality products that fit every skin are accessible to all, filling a self drive legacy of purpose and passion in her wake.

2021