6 Latina Beauty Stereotypes I’ve Embraced

We all know the Latino stereotypes that plague most of us every single day, right? Things like the fact that we’re all spicy Latinas (my personal favorite) or people calling us exotic. Or that we have big families, crazy curves that we show off 24/7 and all love hot food. And then there’s the funny accent that is embodied by Sofia Vergara on television, who is somehow simultaneously both someone I admire for being a successful Latina but also hate because she has largely made her money off of stereotyping the rest of us. It’s all enough to drive us crazy, amirite?

But then, when I really think about it, I realize that some stereotypes actually do hold up. And although I admire the #WeAreOrgullosa campaign that’s meant to dismantle the stereotype boxes Latinas live in (such as “feisty,” “sexy,” and “curvy”), I also have to admit: But what if some of them do actually fit me? As a Latina who loves beauty, it turns out that sometimes I just can’t help myself. And so, here’s a funny list of the 6 Latina stereotypes I’ve embraced in the name of beauty. What are yours?

1. Wearing red lipstick pretty much all the time.

Okay, but seriously, WHY is red lipstick so damn addicting?! I currently have, and I kid you not, about 20 different types and shades. People might say I’m a bit crazy but there just hasn’t been a red color that I haven’t seriously fall in love with. And I swear they’re all different, either in different shades of red or different styles of lipstick (all-day wear, evening wear, lip tint, etc). Plus, a girl has to keep up with the latest trends, right? wp_*posts

2. Getting my nails done almost weekly. 

This is a trend that I inherited from my mom, who insisted that I get my nails done for every major event growing up and then taught me to get my nails done once I entered the job force. It wasn’t something that I really cared about when I was younger but, as I got older, I came to appreciate my time at the nail salon. My all-time favorite is going for regular pedicures, which I find extremely relaxing. But I also love the look of done nails, so at one point I had over 50 nail polish bottles at home. Although I’ve downgraded since then, it’s still hard to pass by the nail polish aisle at the store without at least stopping to take a quick glance at some of the latest colors.wp_*posts

3. Using fizzy hair products like it’s my job. 

I’ll admit that I don’t always do my hair, since I work from home and don’t really see the point all the time. But I’ll also fully admit to being pretty darn vain when it comes to my hair, so using the right products for my fine, frizzy hair is definitely a must. Plus, for really special occasions like my birthday, I always make sure to get a fabulous blow-out. There’s just something about having your hair on fleek that definitely puts me in an instant good mood.wp_*posts

4. Loving the cat eye more than I love any other makeup. 

I’ve always been a really big fan of eye makeup, and have even been known to experiment with many different colors. There’s really not a color that I don’t like… but you know what I truly love? The cat eye. Every time I try to do something different, a small part of me regrets it just a little bit because I know that nothing looks quite as good as the cat eye. It’s a classic for a reason, right? wp_*posts

5. Wanting that famous JLo glow.

Jennifer Lopez made sun kissed skin all the rage, and everyone pretty much everywhere has been chasing that look ever since. As someone who naturally tans pretty well, I was kind of thrilled to be honest. I remember when pasty, practically translucent white skin was all the rage in the 90s as I was growing up and it was torture for a girl who looks white-ish but not quite. Now all I do is chase that glow at the beach, soaking up sunshine whenever I can. wp_*posts

6. Spending hours at the salon.

I kind of hate to admit this one, because I don’t believe the Latina old wives tale of getting my hair trimmed only on the full moon (which my mami swears by), but I do fit in the Latina spending-hours-at-the-salon stereotype. As I mentioned, I am pretty obsessed with my hair and one of the things that I am obsessed with is changing it pretty frequently. I’ve gone through blonde phases, red haired phases, dark brown, and so many other colors in between. I’ve done super short, very long, medium, and pretty much anything you can think of. And you know the one big reality of changing your hair all the time? Yup, tons of time at the salon. But it’s okay, because my Latina stylist loves me… I hope.