OFRA Cosmetics

OFRA Cosmetics is an American makeup and skincare company based in South Florida. According to the company, it was founded in 1994 by Ofra and David Gaito and spent its first two decades as a business-to-business manufacturer of cosmetology school kits before turning to direct-to-consumer sales in 2015 [1]. A 2017 press release issued through PR Newswire instead gives the founding year as 1998 [8]; the brand's own About page and trade coverage in Cosmetics Business both record 1994 [7].

The company is best known for its highlighters and long-lasting liquid lipsticks, products that found a wider audience in the 2010s through collaborations with YouTube and Instagram beauty influencers. It remains family-controlled and continues to publish content and release products, including ongoing influencer collections.

OFRA was started by Ofra Gaito, a professional makeup artist, together with her husband David Gaito. In its early years the company supplied beauty professionals and cosmetology schools rather than the general public, building a reputation as a manufacturer of professional-grade kits. All product development, manufacturing, and distribution have taken place in South Florida, where the company operates its own factory.

The defining shift in OFRA's history came as social media changed how beauty brands reached customers. Cosmetics Business describes how the rise of "bloggers and influencers" prompted the company to move beyond its professional base: as collaborations with these creators became fan favorites, OFRA "felt the shift from B2B to Indie" and set out to evolve accordingly [7]. The company began selling directly to consumers in 2015.

In 2017 OFRA released a collection with the Dutch makeup artist and YouTuber NikkieTutorials (Nikkie de Jager), comprising three liquid lipsticks and the three-in-one Everglow highlighter; the announcement video drew more than 1.3 million views within a week [8]. The following year the company unveiled a redesigned logo, packaging, and website at a Miami launch event, and reported distribution through its own site, ulta.com, and more than 450 Ulta Beauty stores across the United States [7].

OFRA has remained under family ownership throughout its history. In June 2021 founders Ofra and David Gaito stepped down from their leadership roles, and their daughter Carine Trezza, the company's chief operating officer, took over [5]. No acquisition by an outside company has been reported.

The company presents beauty as personal and continually evolving. Its stated mission is to create "innovative products with good-for-you ingredients that are cruelty & gluten-free," and it describes a belief that "beauty is never perfected" [1]. OFRA positions itself under the tagline "Cruelty-Free Beauty," stating that every product it makes is 100% cruelty-free, and trade coverage has described its formulations as manufactured in-house, vegan, and cruelty-free [7]. The brand also emphasizes inclusivity, saying it is "proud to be part of an industry that is for all."

OFRA's catalogue spans eye, lip, face, and body makeup alongside a skincare range of serums, moisturizers, and cleansers. Its highlighters and liquid lipsticks are the products most associated with the brand. The Rodeo Drive highlighter, a champagne-gold shade, is described by the company as a long-running fan favorite, and OFRA states that its highlighters use a "liquid-to-baked" technology that draws luminosity from pearls in the formula [9]. The long-lasting liquid lipstick line, available in numerous shades, has been highlighted in trade press as among the more comfortable formulas on the market [7].

Influencer collaborations have been a recurring part of the product line. Beyond the NikkieTutorials collection, the company has worked with creators such as KathleenLights and Manny MUA on custom shades and collections, a model it has continued with a rotating roster of beauty bloggers and influencers.

In June 2021 the company's founders stepped down following a social-media backlash. A December 2016 photograph, originally posted to Ofra Gaito's Instagram, showed David Gaito wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat and making an "OK" hand gesture that the Anti-Defamation League has designated a hate symbol; the image resurfaced in May 2021 and drew criticism from beauty influencers, including Manny MUA and NikkieTutorials [5][6]. David Gaito said his actions "were never meant to be malicious or in support of white supremacy" [6]. The company stated that Ofra and David Gaito would no longer serve in leadership roles, effective immediately, donated to the NAACP and the It Gets Better Project, and named Carine Trezza as the new head of the company [5].

OFRA Cosmetics is active. It continues to publish editorial content on its blog, with posts dated into 2026, and maintains an ongoing program of influencer collaborations and product launches [4]. Its products are sold through its own website and US retail, including Ulta Beauty.