Bustos was born in the village of Constancia in the region of Loreto. She was interested in singing and she tried to pursue it as a career. However, it was unsuccessful due to pressure from her parents, and later from her husband, whom she married in a failed hope for greater freedom. Bustos became a cosmetologist at an early age, and emigrated to Lima, expecting to be involved in show business in some way, becoming a makeup artist for Lima's television stations and starting a career that lasted for over twenty years.