"national lipstick day"
One of my earliest memories growing up in my Dominican household was seeing my mom swipe on a bold red lipstick, similar to the iconic red hue that Mexican-American singer Selena Quintanilla Pérez used to wear. My mom would say, “Mija, if you’re going outside and don’t put anything on your face, at least wear lipstick! Lipstick will instantly pull your look together!”
I did listen to mom; it's always been the number one product I apply on my face even if I’m going outside without a full face of makeup. As I got older, I've realized that lipstick is a powerful cosmetic; not only does it make us feel beautiful, but it gives us that extra boost of confidence.
One of my earliest memories growing up in my Dominican household was seeing my mom swipe on a bold red lipstick, similar to the iconic red hue that Mexican-American singer Selena Quintanilla Pérez used to wear. My mom would say, “Mija, if you’re going outside and don’t put anything on your face, at least wear lipstick! Lipstick will instantly pull your look together!”
I did listen to mom; it's always been the number one product I apply on my face even if I’m going outside without a full face of makeup. As I got older, I've realized that lipstick is a powerful cosmetic; not only does it make us feel beautiful, but it gives us that extra boost of confidence.
Image: JAPAN-COSMETICS-COMPANY-SHISEIDO-ANIMAL-RIGHTS-FILES
A range of glossy lipsticks . YOSHIKAZU TSUNO / AFP/Getty Images
In honor of National Lipstick Day on July 29th, we spoke to several beauty-obsessed Latinas about their love affair with lipstick and the cultural influence that it has had on them. For many, their strong bond to the popular cosmetic item came from watching their mothers and grandmothers — or even wearing it once in a while at an early age.
One of my earliest memories growing up in my Dominican household was seeing my mom swipe on a bold red lipstick, similar to the iconic red hue that Mexican-American singer Selena Quintanilla Pérez used to wear. My mom would say, “Mija, if you’re going outside and don’t put anything on your face, at least wear lipstick! Lipstick will instantly pull your look together!”
I did listen to mom; it's always been the number one product I apply on my face even if I’m going outside without a full face of makeup. As I got older, I've realized that lipstick is a powerful cosmetic; not only does it make us feel beautiful, but it gives us that extra boost of confidence.
Image: JAPAN-COSMETICS-COMPANY-SHISEIDO-ANIMAL-RIGHTS-FILES
A range of glossy lipsticks . YOSHIKAZU TSUNO / AFP/Getty Images
In honor of National Lipstick Day on July 29th, we spoke to several beauty-obsessed Latinas about their love affair with lipstick and the cultural influence that it has had on them. For many, their strong bond to the popular cosmetic item came from watching their mothers and grandmothers — or even wearing it once in a while at an early age.
Image: Martha Luna
Favorite lipstick: FACE Stockholm Cream Lipstick in Fantasy, Instagram: @MDollyNYC Elias Nunez
“I remember wearing red lipstick for the first time at 5 or 7 years old, when I would dance música folkórica, a tradition in Venezuela,” said New York City beauty influencer Martha Luna, 34.
As Luna matured, she didn’t wear the shade until she was about 18. “Part of the fun of wearing lipstick is experimenting with shades until you find the perfect one," she said.
Arielle Lopez, 27, wasn’t allowed to wear makeup or even nail polish because her Puerto Rican father didn’t allow it. But that didn't stop her; she admired the way her mother and grandmother meticulously applied the red tube during their beauty routine. So much so that when she was around 6 she would buy the most vibrant shades of lipstick from metallic silver to blue at her neighborhood bodega.
"I was immediately hooked with the magic that was makeup,” she said. “Wearing lipstick has always allowed me to feel confident, sexy and strong. As my abuelita always said, ‘When you look good, you feel good.’”
Regina Merson, 37, is the founder of Reina Rebelde, a makeup line inspired by her Mexican culture.
Her parents did not allow her to wear makeup until she was 14, but that did not stop her from trying; the first time she ever wore lipstick was at 10, when she borrowed lip gloss from a friend as they were heading to a birthday party.
