There are plenty of ways to celebrate where you come from. Whether it’s cooking a meal, wearing a certain outfit, or even drawing on your eyeliner a particular way, feeling close to your roots is a way to feel connected to yourself and your community.
September 15 to October 15 marks Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month in the United States, calling on us to center and celebrate the influence of the Latinx community on our country. The event originally started in 1968 as a week-long affair recognizing American citizens who have roots in Mexico, the Caribbean, Spain, and Central and South America. Twenty years later, it was extended to a full month, starting smack-dab in the middle of September. The choice was intentional: September 15th is Independence Day for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. To top things off, Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16, so it’s extremely apropos.
Though its official government title is Hispanic Heritage Month, to keep up with evolving notions of identity and make it as inclusive as possible, many people now call it Latinx Heritage Month. The term Latinx is one that refers to the many races, nationalities, histories, and experiences that make up our culture. There are Afro-Latinx communities, there are brown-skinned Latinxs indigenous to the Americas, there are people who are non-binary and Latinx. Suffice to say, our tent is large—and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Latinx Heritage Month specifically recognizes the cultural contributions of Latinx people and beauty is one such space where our community’s influence is strong. Many “earth-rooted ingredient concepts” that are popular in mainstream beauty products stem from our abuelas’ traditional practices, ones we’ve seen in action all our lives. Blade-sharp winged eyeliner and lips framed in dark brown or almost black pencil—the signature look of Chicanas from Los Angeles—is now a classic in the American beauty canon. Some of social media's buzziest beauty trends (a slicked-back bun and hoops, brown lip liner and clear gloss) are rooted in Latinx and Black communities in the Americas.
Our impact is major. Our culture is rich. Our population is diverse. To celebrate Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month, Milk Makeup chatted with six Latinx creators about what it means to be represented in the beauty world, love for their heritage, their favorite trends inspired by the Latinx community, and the changes they hope to see in the beauty industry.
Gaby Rios (he/him), Makeup Artist + Beauty CreatorWhat does it mean to you to see yourself represented in beauty and fashion spaces?It means everything. Growing up, I always had a dream to be able to show the power, glamor, and beauty of the Hispanic community. I didn’t think it would ever be possible for me but here I am. What special memories do you have about your heritage and beauty?I’m close to my family. Growing up in a Mexican household, every holiday for us meant getting completely dolled up. [I remember] watching my grandmother serving tamales in full glam and my mother in a beautiful dress and the highest heels finishing up a delicious pozole. What does Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month mean to you?To me, it means celebrating my culture and history. Celebrating the power of our presence. Giving my parents, my grandparents, and ancestors their flowers for their hard work and paving the way. Who in the Latinx community is inspiring you the most right now and why?I’d say women like MJ Rodriguez and Indya Moore inspire me a lot. They were incredible in Pose, which is one of my favorite TV shows. Singing, modeling, acting—they have talent all around and are trailblazers for the transgender community. Icons, truly. |
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How do you #LiveYourLook? What is your fashion + beauty vibe?
To me, #LiveYourLook means being authentic. I love to dress up. One day, I'll wear baggy jeans, a fitted cap, and sneakers. The next day, it’ll be opera gloves and cowboy boots. Depends how I’m feeling. As far as beauty, I love clean skin, lots of blush, a strong brow, and a smoky wing.
What do you wish the beauty industry would be more open to?
Something I’d wish the beauty industry would get right when it comes to the Latinx community is showcasing more representation. It means the world to see someone who is just like you become a star. We’re all stars and everyone deserves to feel that way.
Sonia Valencia (she/her), Content CreatorWhat does it mean to you to see yourself represented in beauty and fashion spaces?It means a lot as a Latina, as a content creator over 40, and as a mature lady that I can represent in this space. I can teach about beauty, skincare, and that it’s OK to take breaks and put yourself first! We were taught to take care of everyone else—with my platform, I encourage everyone to be more vocal about a healthy mindset with self-care, beauty, and skincare. [I want folks to] love themselves fully with no makeup or filters—just their real skin. What special memories do you have about your heritage and beauty?Growing up in my family meant good food, [quality] time, and chaos! I spent a lot of time with my primas and my tias because my mom worked. I watched my mom do her everyday winged eyeliner, burgundy lip, and slicked-back hair with hoop earrings. She also wore burgundy nails. When I was 16, my Latina staple was a winged eyeliner and a red or brown lip. I wore my hair in either a bun, a high ponytail, or a waterfall, aka bangs that were six inches long. What does Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month mean to you?It means we are being more vocal and changing our ways from when we were younger. [Saying] that being perfect means what you want it to mean. It means that we can do anything we set our minds to—big or small. Sometimes we limit ourselves due to fear and we need to stop doing that so we can fly higher. |
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Who in the Latinx community is inspiring you the most right now and why?
Everyone! Everyone has their own story [and interpretation] of what Hispanic heritage month means. Latinx content creators build their own communities, share their views, style, and upbringing. That’s beautiful and builds new traditions.
How do you #LiveYourLook? What is your fashion + beauty vibe?
My vibes are all about comfort. What I feel that day I wear. When it comes to makeup, I do a little concealer or tinted moisturizer on no-makeup makeup days. I’m not trying to look perfect but don’t get it twisted: When I do have a moment, I bring the eyeliner and that red, brown, pink, or brown lip.
What do you wish the beauty industry would be more open to?
Getting older—aging is beauty and not scary or ugly! Embrace your age, your wrinkles, your dark spots. Embrace the new chapter of your life and set your own beauty standards instead of living someone’s else’s beauty standard.
Stefany Camacho (she/her)What does it mean to you to see yourself represented in beauty and fashion spaces?It amazes me to think of [how beauty has evolved to become] more inclusive every year. I’m especially proud of Milk for the actions they take to make our workplace so culturally diverse. What special memories do you have about your heritage and beauty?My mom never leaves the house without makeup and when I say never I mean never. We are fair-skinned and it’s easier for us to burn if we’re out [in the sun for too] long. She taught me it was her personal life hack to avoid sun damage. [Ed note: using SPF 30 or more is the most effective form of sun protection.] What does Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month mean to you?It means the public is taking steps to honor a group that sometimes isn’t recognized. We aren’t just soulful, good cooks, or entertainers. We are authors, scientists, poets, Nobel Peace Prize holders. That is what I hope people begin to acknowledge from the Hispanic/Latinx community. Who in the Latinx community is inspiring you the most right now and why?It’s going to sound crazy, but Bad Bunny. He’s using his platform to speak on many social issues, whether it be about sexuality or helping Puerto Rico. He seems to defy the norm of an entertainer—Benito is killin’ it! |
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How do you #LiveYourLook? What is your fashion + beauty vibe?
My look depends on my mood—I can take an hour to get ready or five mins. It’s about being comfortable in my own skin.
Alexa Darling (she/her), Fashion + Lifestyle CreatorWhat does it mean to you to see yourself represented in beauty and fashion spaces?It means the world. Growing up, I used to watch a lot of telenovelas with my mom. And I never saw another Black woman like myself who spoke Spanish or anything like that on TV—not even on the news. I wanted to see more representation. I'm glad that it now it has become more normalized [to see Latinxs who look like me]. We're becoming more inclusive and we see more Black women on bigger platforms. It makes me feel like we're making progress. What special memories do you have about your heritage and beauty?I actually grew up in Honduras. I moved [to the U.S.] when I was 14 years old. In Honduras, around September 15th or 14th, every school would come together for a parade—every year I would be part of it. I would get dressed up, representing my Garifuna culture. [Beauty-wise,] my mom and my grandmother are very holistic. Their beauty routines are always done with natural ingredients—we make a lot of [homemade] face masks. We have this cream called Batana. It's an oil, but it's so good for the hair and for the skin. That was a thing for us growing up. Any time we needed [our skin to glow], our hair needed to be moisturized, or I had a pimple on my face I needed to get rid of, Batana would be the one I'd always go to. It's so good for removing scars and dark spots. |
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What does Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month mean to you?
It means celebrating people who are hardworking, humble, and appreciate life. Some Latinxs come from poverty, so coming to the States and being able to grow here, take care of our families, or even buy a home here—that's that's huge to us.
Back home, life is different. It can be rough. [Now, I'm] able to do the things like be an influencer. I never thought I would be doing this and working with brands—that's huge, too.
Who in the Latinx community is inspiring you the most right now and why?
One of the girls that's killing it is Selena Gomez. I love Rare Beauty. Then we have Becky G and her Tresluce makeup brand. There's a lot of people have done a great job in the space right now. I think that Latinx influencers have done a great job putting the culture out there more and making it more known.
How do you #LiveYourLook? What is your fashion + beauty vibe?
My look is very classy, elegant. I'm a heels girl—I cannot wear sneakers. I feel like I'm not dressed when I wear sneakers. I like color, too. I started wearing more color recently also because I used to be obsessed with brown. Color is my thing right now.
What do you wish the beauty industry would be more open to?
I wish the beauty industry would be more open to hiring and placing more Black Latinx people on the big screen and being more inclusive when it comes to beauty products. Sometimes, I still struggle with finding the right foundation shade and it can be frustrating having to go through that in 2022. I will say this though: We have made progress and that makes me happy!
Madeline Alcantara (she/her), Staff Accountant, Milk MakeupWhat does it mean to you to see yourself represented in beauty and fashion spaces?I’m fair-skinned but most of my family members aren't. I’m very proud to see [a diverse range of people] who share a background similar to mine on the big screen, living their truth. Some of us were conditioned to believe that we had to change our natural look to fit a norm. Be proud of your freckles. Be proud of your curls. What special memories do you have about your heritage and beauty?[I’m Dominican.] We come in different colors and creeds, but one thing we all have in common is that we celebrate any and everything. Music brings us together. What does Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month mean to you?I would love for our communities to be acknowledged all year round, but it brings me joy to see everyone being celebrated and exchanging customs and traditions with one another. Who in the Latinx community is inspiring you the most right now and why?A few women have been inspiring me lately. Mental Health advocate @melaniesantos.co is breaking that stigma of therapy in Latin communities as well as entrepreneur @allthingsAda. @Transparentcitymama is shining a light on all things motherhood and womanhood. @Lizbelortiz’s strong, truthful, comedic videos discusses breaking "norms" in Latinx families, like machismo, grooming, colorism, anti-Blackness, [internalized racism], and more uncomfortable conversations still need to be had within our communities. |
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How do you #LiveYourLook? What is your fashion + beauty vibe?
Unapologetically, with ease and a bold red lip.
What do you wish the beauty industry would be more open to?
I wish the beauty industry were more transparent. Everyone doesn't have to look perfect! There's a great diversity of people that use beauty products. I would love to see everyday people—not just models—get their chance to shine.
Miguel Vivas (he/him), Beauty + Lifestyle Content CreatorWhat does it mean to you to see yourself represented in beauty and fashion spaces?For me, it means having a voice and being able to show that you have the power to be what you want. The limit is in your mind. What special memories do you have about your heritage and beauty?I remember lunch time at my grandma’s house. All the family would come to eat. It was like a party. I miss those gatherings full of food and laughter. What does Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month mean to you?It means being proud of who we are every single day of our lives. This month is a reminder of our roots and how much our community had to overcome and achieve. Who in the Latinx community is inspiring you the most right now and why?[I’m really inspired by] Karen Gonzalez (@iluvsarahii). She is a hard-working woman who has evolved over time. She is proud of her Hispanic roots and stays humble with her feet on the ground. I thank her for being my inspiration to follow my dreams and start my career in the world of makeup. |
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How do you #LiveYourLook? What is your fashion + beauty vibe?
Whatever makes me feel good. One day I want to use my sneakers and no makeup. The next day, I might want to put on my heels and full makeup to walk around Miami. Everything is about balance.
What do you wish the beauty industry would be more open to?
That we are versatile and able to do any type of job. I would like to see us more out there instead of being confined to a category. We Latinxs are a big percentage of the world that [spends a lot on makeup]. I feel that we should have more opportunities to record makeup tutorials in Spanish all year ‘round—not only during the Hispanic Heritage Month. [This is how] the Spanish speaking community will reach even farther and accomplish much more.
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