Unless you’re a hardcore lipstick lover like myself, chances are you didn’t even know National Lipstick Day was a thing — let alone that it’s today. While it’s barely a real holiday, I would never pass on an excuse to shop for a new lipstick or share some of my faves with my fellow lipstick-loving friends. But I wanted to take the time to not just talk lipsticks but shine some light on some of the best Latina-owned formulas out there. Latinas are now part of the fastest-growing demographic of entrepreneurs in the U.S. and according to the 2016 States of Women-Owned Business Report, for every 10 women-owned businesses launched since 2007, eight were started by women of color. In fact, Latinas own over 788,000 businesses in the U.S. So what better time than now to support and shop from our fellow Latina beauty business owners?
Lipstick holds significant value for a lot of Latinas who grew up seeing our abuelitas starting some of the beauty trends we see today and always reminding us about the importance of owning at least one signature red lipstick. We take our beauty products very seriously. Here’s a look at a few Latina-owned lipsticks that you need to have in your makeup bag this season!
Reina Rebelde Bold Lip Color Stick in Fresca
Founded by Mexicana Regina Merson, this Latina-owned makeup brand aims to celebrate today’s mujer — Reina Rebelde! “The exquisite and ambitious woman who embodies her powerful cultural duality by showing her gran belleza to the world. She is blessed with many choices: she speaks English y algunas veces Español. She loves being Latina and Americana. She equally celebrates the beauty of her Reina and fierceness of her Rebelde.” Some of the line’s best seller lip formulas are the Lip Brilliance in Malinche, a fierce red liquid lipstick and the Bold Lip Color Stick in Fresca — both available in Target stores.
Reina Rebelde Bold Lip Color Stick in Fresca, $13, target.com
Bésame Cosmetics Bésame Red Lipstick
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This luxury vintage makeup line was founded 15 years ago by beauty-lover Gabriela Hernandez. The brand is known for its made-to-last lipsticks, with Besame Red being a cult favorite. It’s a replica of a cooler red shade straight from the 1920s and looks amazing on a range of different skin tones.
Bésame Cosmetics Bésame Red Lipstick, $22, besamecosmetics.com
Alamar Cosmetics DesNUDEas Lip Gloss
This Latina-owned and operated makeup line was founded by Gabriela Trujillo, a Cuban American who wanted to create a beauty brand that celebrates Latinx and Caribbean culture. The brand includes a range of tropical-inspired eye shadow palettes, blush palettes, and lip formulas but their latest launch — the nude launch — features a collection of nude lip glosses for every skin tone and is perfect to help you get your hot girl summer vibe going. Each lip gloss can be used by itself or paired with an Alamar Cosmetics liner for the perfect contoured, pouty lip. I’m obsessed with the Dulce shade. It looks great on tan or caramel complexions.
Alamar Cosmetics DesNUDEas Lip Gloss in Dulce, $15, alamarcosmetics.com
Honest Beauty Liquid Lipstick
Actress and beauty guru Jessica Alba founded Honest Beauty in 2015, a few years after launching her company The Honest Company. The skincare and makeup brand is dedicated to creating clean and safe products that are free of toxic chemicals and that work for every woman. The liquid lipstick comes in 7 high-pigment shades that look bomb on a variety of skin tones. The BFF shade works as the perfect mauve nude for brown-skinned girls.
Honest Beauty Liquid Lipstick in Forever, $13, target.com
Kat Von D Beauty
Celebrity tattoo artist and beauty junkie, Kat Von D created a bold makeup brand that’s 100 percent vegan and cruelty-free, speaks to our culture, and unapologetically celebrates a woman’s beauty. She recently launched her Long-Lasting Lip Trio, that features the brand’s most loved nude shades — Lolita, Ophelia, and Crucifex. The liquid formula dries to a long-lasting matte that stays put for hours without drying out your lips.
Kat Von D Long-Lasting Lip Trio, $34, katvondbeauty.com
Melt Cosmetics Liquid Set Lipstick in Immoral
Co-founded by Lora Arellano, this brand is all about fierce beauty and bold colors. If you’re looking for a true red shade that will stand out and stay put, try their classic Liquid Set Lipstick in Immoral. It’s fire!
Melt Cosmetics Liquid Set Lipstick in Immoral, $19, meltcosmetics.com
Vive Cosmetics Cremosa Matte Lipstick in Piel Morena
Latinas Joanna Rosario and Leslie Valdivia created Vive Cosmetics with the goal to celebrate Latina beauty. Their latest Cremosa Matte Lipstick in Piel Morena, is a warm chocolate shade designed to celebrate and embrace women with brown skin tones. I love this so much!
Vive Cosmetics Cremosa Matte Lipstick in Piel Morena, $17, vivecosmetics.com
Necromancy Cosmetics Matte Lipstick
The Puerto Rican beauty brand is owned by Des and Zal and known for their vegan, cruelty-free, all-natural matte lipsticks. The brand itself gives us serious vampire/bruja/goth vibes, so I’d suggest checking out their Martyr’s Blood shade.
Necromancy Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Martyr’s Blood, $16, necromancycosmetics.com
