3 Beloved Latina Beauty Icons Who Aren’t Selena or Frida

It’s Latinx Heritage Month (technically
Hispanic Heritage Month, but IMO, we’re due for a rebrand),
and while Selena
Quintanilla and Frida Kahlo are two of the biggest names that
come to mind when talking about the beautiful, iconic
Latina women who have helped propel the culture into the
mainstream, there are so many more out there who also made
tremendous strides.

I tip my hat to all the stunning Latinas currently turning heads
in the Hollywood fashion and beauty landscapes (looking at you,
queen J.Lo), but I
think it’s time we get a little historical and throw it back to
the classic beauties who walked so the following generations could
run. A little cultura, if you will. Perhaps I’m a bit more tuned
in as a Latina myself, but I firmly believe these groundbreaking
women should be on everyone’s radar. They’re true legends.

Here, three iconic Latina beauties who deeply inspire folks
around the globe, and the signature looks that solidified them as
beauty icons.

Latin
American cinema was booming in the ’40s and ’50s, and no one
personified that time period like Mexican actress María
Félix. Her riveting personality earned her the nickname La Doña
(a title signifying her diva status) very early on. She was a true
firecracker and in control of her career from the very beginning,
when she eschewed Hollywood moviemakers who typecasted her in favor
of roles in her native country. By the end of her career, she had
made 47 films around the world. Like many actresses of her time,
she had pronounced features—bold (yet skinny) brows and an
exaggerated Cupid’s bow. She was the subject of many painters,
including Diego Rivera. She loved jewelry and collaborated with
Cartier for two huge (read: ridiculously expensive) necklaces in
her lifetime, one featuring crocodiles encrusted with diamonds and
emeralds.

Get
bold brows with this ink-stain and waterproof pencil by Urban
Decay.

Create
a slight cat eye with this amazingly precise liquid liner that
applies blacker than black.

I
can’t be sure what kind of mascara Félix kept on hand, but I
imagine it was a formula just as iconic as this one by Too
Faced.

Emphasize
your Cupid’s bow with a lip liner before applying lipstick. Not
only does this one plump the lips with a unique peptide and
hyaluronic acid boost, but it can also be worn alone or as a
base.

George
Bernard Shaw once said, “The two most beautiful things in the
world are the Taj Mahal and Dolores del Río.” Another actress
from the Golden Age of Cinema, Dolores del Río was one of the
first Latina crossovers to Hollywood, although she eventually made
her way back to her native Mexico. Later, she would hop between the
two worlds—Hollywood and Mexican cinema—to create a
revered name for herself and represent Latinas in mainstream
films. She ran in elite circles, both in Mexico and
Hollywood, starred in movies alongside Fred Astaire and other big
names of the time, and was also the first major actress to wear a
two-piece bathing suit on-screen. In films, she was very much the
glamour starlet of most of her movies, with an elegance that
transcended typical “Latina” roles at the time. She had defined
bone structure and big, playful eyes and favored a dark lip.

Play
up your eyes with these reusable falsies made of high-quality silk.
(Psst: The line was created by Latina YouTuber Ydelays of Golden
Dream Beauty.)

Open
up those peepers even more with the oldest trick in the makeup
book: White liner along the lower lashline. You’ll look like a
wide-eyed ’50s starlet in seconds.

Hit
all the right angles with a contour kit that will make your bone
structure pop. This one my Anastasia has everything you’ll need to
make it happen.

Go
bold with a lip look that demands attention (and a camera). This
one from Nars is long-lasting and non-drying.

¡Azúcar! That
was the battle cry of Celia Cruz (literally meaning “sugar!”),
the Cuban songstress and creative who brought pure joy to the
world until her death in 2003. Nicknamed the Queen of Salsa and
also the Queen of Latin Music, Cruz started her professional
singing career in her native Cuba before making her way to the
United States, where her prolific presence won her three Latin
Grammy Awards and two Grammy Awards. She was known for her
over-the-top costumes, including colored wigs, formfitting sequined
dresses, and super-high heels—one such look was collected by the
Smithsonian Institution. Her contributions to the world of music
and changing the perception of Latinas stateside cannot be
overstated.

Add
a playful pop to your lips with these colorful, shiny lacquers
from Glossier Play.

Milani
is known for making highly pigmented products that are vibrant on
a multitude of skin tones—something Cruz probably would have
appreciated as an Afro-Latina. This liner would set the tone for a
truly epic lip moment.

Add
life and color to your look in homage to the Cuban songstress with
this colorful (and sparkly) Cuba-inspired palette. It even includes
a shade called Celia.

Want
to really go all out? Sparkle on with these luxe glitters from Nyx.
They’re super affordable and provide a high-shine payoff. Up next,
25 cheap beauty basics to buy when you’re bored.