Marianne Fonseca’s Gente Puts Brazilian Beauty In The Spotlight

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After a successful career in modeling, Marianne Fonseca had entrepreneurial pursuits on the agenda. The Brazilian-born beauty saw an opening in the market and launched Gente Beauty, a range of bodycare products with a fresh angle. She tells The Daily how she came up with the idea, what differentiates them, and which ones you should be ordering ASAP.

Tell us about your professional background before you developed the Gente brand. I started my career as a model at the age of 15 and began working internationally shortly after. I lived in Asia for a couple of years, then moved to Europe, where I spent time in every major fashion city. At 21, I received my first American contract with Elite Models, which allowed me to obtain a work visa. I then moved to New York City, where I spent nearly seven years modeling. The modeling industry gave me not only exposure to incredible brands but also insight into what was missing. I have always been fascinated by rituals of self-care, and coming from Brazil, bodycare has been part of my lifestyle from the beginning. Lymphatic drainage was my ally before big photo shoots and runway shows, long before I ever considered starting a brand related to the treatment. It has now been almost 20 years since I began my modeling career, and over time, my desire to change paths has continued to grow.

How did you come up with the idea for Gente? The idea came from noticing how, in Brazil, bodycare comes first. It’s cultural; we don’t see it as an afterthought to skincare, but as the very foundation of beauty. When I began thinking about what my brand would represent, I saw a gap in the market. Here, so much focus was placed on the face, while the body was often overlooked. I wanted to create a brand that not only brings the richness of Brazilian ingredients but also integrates innovation through biotechnology, caring for the skin on our bodies with the same dedication we give to our faces. Lymphatic drainage is a perfect example of this cultural connection. In South America, it’s deeply rooted in our beauty and wellness rituals. I was first introduced to it by my mother at the age of 13; it’s truly a generational practice for us.

What’s your day-to-day role in the company? As founder and CEO, I’m deeply involved in product development, ensuring that every formula truly delivers results. I also oversee creative direction, manage partnerships, and stay closely connected with our community. At the same time, I’m very much a startup founder—my role shifts daily between strategy, operations, and, on occasion, even packing PR boxes myself.

What products are the most popular?

Our Bye Bye Cellulite cream has quickly become a cult favorite, selling out every time it’s restocked. The Lymphatic Drainage Effect cream is our all-time bestseller—and together, they were the first products we launched. We started strong with formulas that deliver real results, and these two products remain our core drivers of sales, both individually and as a bundle.

What differentiates your line from other brands? Two things set us apart—ingredients and intention. We combine native Brazilian ingredients sourced straight from the Amazon rainforest with advanced biotech molecules, so every product is grounded in both nature and science. On the cultural side, bodycare has always been a priority in Brazil, and lymphatic drainage is a common, accessible treatment that’s part of everyday life. Our goal is to show people how they can maintain that professional treatment at home—performing their own lymphatic drainage “on the go,” anywhere, with formulas designed to support the lymphatic system. It’s about educating, sharing, and bringing this philosophy to

a wider audience.