Vive Cosmetics Shines The Spotlight On Latina Beauty
Representation matters — there’s no other way to say it
Photo: Unsplash/@element5digital
Representation matters — there’s no other way to say it. If I am shopping for a lipstick and I see a skinny white woman modeling a new line of makeup and then I see a Latina with brown hair modeling another kind of cosmetics, you can certainly bet I will look at the Latina model a little more closely. The reasoning behind this is pretty simple, a color of lipstick, blush, eye shadow looks vastly different on a white woman’s skin tone than a Latina. The skin tone might not be that off base, but when you put the context of a woman that looks like you as oppose to someone that doesn’t — it just makes sense to opt for someone that represents you. If more brands hired Latina models, perhaps we wouldn’t have this kind of issue, but the fact is they don’t and Vive Cosmetics is doing something about it.
The brand, founded by Joanna Rosario and Leslie Valdivia states on their website that “Vive Cosmetics unites our love for all things beauty and pride for our heritage and culture in one place. Vive life to the fullest and be unapologetically yourself- equipped with great lipstick and an unending cultural pride.”
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In an interview with Mic,Rosario said that “Vive Cosmetics started as a makeup company by Latinas for Latinas with an idea, a passion and a goal to combine all things beauty and cultura,” Rosario told Mic. “With Vive Cosmetics, we not only want to offer beauty products, but we want to empower the Latinx community to go after their dreams.”
“Representation is important, especially in the beauty industry, where women are expected to look a certain way,” Valdivia told Mic. “There is so much diversity within the Latinx community that people need to be aware of, appreciate and celebrate.”
It’s not just about supporting Latinx brands, which is very important, but also applauding companies that get it and are actually very good. And Vive Cosmetics is one of those that is raising the bar and giving mainstream brands a run for their money.
H/T: MIC “How one cosmetics brand is paving the way for Latinx representation in the beauty industry“
