Gina’s story
Gina Rivera,
The Icon
Humble Beginning Rich in Salon History
Gina Rivera started her life in beauty as a little girl sweeping hair from the floor of her parents’ salon. With 25 family members currently working in the industry, her family’s legacy dates to 1929 and is rich with hairstylists, barbers, salon owners and beauty school operators. Determined herself to have a career as a hairstylist, Gina dropped out of high school to attend beauty school at the age of 17. After graduating from cosmetology school, she worked for other salon owners who discouraged her from pursuing a career in the industry. Undeterred, she opened the first Phenix Salon in 2007 while raising two small children and franchised her first Phenix Salon Suites location 5 years later, naming the brand after her first-born son. Her goal was to provide a cost-effective solution for Lifestyle Professionals to own and operate their own businesses throughout the country and beyond.
Serving the lifestyle professional
An Uncompromising Advocate
A tenacious businesswoman, Gina worked tirelessly alongside her husband Jason building the business and expanding the brand for the next several years. In 2015, Gina appeared on the CBS Emmy-winning series UNDERCOVER BOSS which launched the brand into the global limelight. This was followed by guest appearances on television shows such as EXTRA and HSN. Gina was even featured in a music video. Simultaneously, she launched her International Artistic Team which participated in additional high-profile events including the Grammys, NBA All Star Week, and the Coachella Music Festival. From there, she went on to develop a list of highly innovative beauty lines that included infrared styling tools, her own hair color line; Colours by Gina, and her makeup line; xoxo Gina. With success on multiple levels, Gina became a sought-after expert columnist featured in publications such as Modern Salon, O Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Glamour, Huffington Post, and numerous others. With a mass following, her articles and social media page impressions are in the billions, and she is well-recognized as a fierce advocate for beauty professionals everywhere.
The World Takes Notice
Gina Steps Into the Global Spotlight
Today, Gina is a household name in beauty, growing the Phenix Salon Suites brand to over 415 locations on two continents with global expansion plans underway. The company has won multiple awards including being named as the Best Beauty Franchise, Best Personal Care Franchise and nine times to the Top 500 Franchise list reaching the elite Top 25. The rapid elevation of the brand, in just over a decade, is directly related to Gina’s unique ability to make heartfelt decisions that support the needs of every Lifestyle Professional. Gina’s passion for the professional led her to create the Gina Cares Foundation established to support beauty professionals that are facing catastrophic illnesses or circumstances. At the core of Gina’s success, and long before she launched the multi-national brand Phenix Salon Suites, she is a hairstylist who has worked over 42,000 hours behind the chair and has genuine empathy for the Lifestyle Professional.
Gina’s Recognition
Press & Placements
Family history
Roots in the industry since 1929
From her early roots of sweeping hair from the floors of her parent’s salon, Gina attended beauty school and later moved to a booth renter salon where she quickly established a winning reputation. Clients loved her as she never let anyone leave without feeling amazing. And, the staff adored her because she was so open about sharing her knowledge and off. Coming from a family who has been in the industry since 1929, Gina Rivera, was destined to pursue a career in the world of beauty.
The #1 viewed episode
Gina Goes Undercover
Our Family of Brands
Colours by Gina
Colour Your Life
Created for the hair entrepreneur, inspired by Gina’s journey behind the chair.
Hair entrepreneurs today must be more than just artists; they’re also business owners. As a lifelong stylist and successful entrepreneur, Gina Rivera understands the challenges salon professionals face in balancing creativity with the realities of running a business. From inventory management to marketing and building client loyalty, these are demands that big brands often overlook.
That’s why Gina created COLOURS by Gina, a professional hair colour line crafted specifically for the independent stylist. Featuring a curated collection of Gina’s go-to shades, the line offers 60 intermixable colours that deliver vibrant, long-lasting results. Infused with Biogen Technology, each formula supports healthy, beautiful hair while giving stylists the freedom to create everything from rich, natural tones to bold, expressive looks.
Smartly streamlined and economically priced, it helps reduce inventory waste while supporting profitability, making COLOURS by Gina the perfect partner for today’s hair entrepreneurs.
XOXO Gina
Beauty that empowers you
Founded by visionary entrepreneur Gina, xoxo Gina is built on the belief that beauty empowers. With a mission to create inclusive, high-quality products, we inspire confidence, celebrate individuality, and empower you to not only embrace your beauty but also build your own social selling business. Our vision is simple: to help everyone reach their fullest potential while creating a life they love.
Gina’s Platform
Download the Mobile App
Gina’s Platform is a free booking app designed for the independent Lifestyle Professionals to run their business seamlessly from the palm of their hand. Key features include appointment booking, payment processing with the industry low rate of 2.25%, client communication, revenue reports and new client lead generation. Gina’s Platform also offers free resources including product discounts, insurance, loans, education and more to help Lifestyle Professionals be successful in all aspects of life.
