Why Beauty Is so Important to Latina Culture

Data from over the past decades reveals that Latino consumers spend more on personal care products in the United States. This trend has grown nearly 40 percent, or almost three times faster compared to non-Latino consumers.

A Latina lifestyle writer, Sophia Melissa Caraballo Piñeiro, used Yahoo to share her experience as a young Latina that attended her first dance recital when she was just 10 years old. Peneiro said that during that time she was required, along with other girls, to use foundation, concealer, blush, eye shadow, lipstick, mascara, and lashes.

Peneiro said that the dance school also taught her to properly apply makeup. She also revealed that this was not something new to her as she started using makeup at the age of five years old. This was mainly due to becoming a part of a modeling agency.

There is an undeniable obsession with beauty among the Latino community. A recent study called "Hispanic Women: The Foundation for Beauty Sales" found that beauty sales increased among Hispanics by about eight percent and it dropped almost two percent among non-Hispanics.

Moreover, skincare and haircare products have also increased in sales among the Hispanic community and its sales dropped in the non-Hispanic market. It was found that Hispanics are spending $44 on a single product while non-Hispanics are spending almost half of the price on the same product.

Regina Merson, founder and beauty brand owner, explained why Latinas are obsessed with beauty and why they work so hard to perfect their beauty routine. She said: "The Latina woman has very unique beauty standards that happen in an intergenerational way. We have control over our beauty standards because our mothers and grandmothers taught us to luxuriate over ourselves. And Latinas know they're worth the time it takes them to do their makeup, even if other people see it as indulgent. It's the one thing they have control over."

Subsequently, the beauty of Latinas is indeed adored and admired worldwide. There have been three countries from Latin America that have dominated the international beauty pageants such as Miss World, Miss Earth, and Miss Universe. These countries are Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and of course, Brazil.

Some international actresses are admired by most people because of their stunning beauty. Actresses like Jennifer Lopez, Sofía Vergara, Eva Mendes, Salma Hayek, Selena Quintanilla, Roselyn Sanchez, Zoe Saldaña, Michelle Rodríguez, Rosario Dawson, and many more.

Beauty standards in Latin America come in various ways which make them unique and versatile. They have different shapes and colors and they are always ready to wear the newest trends in beauty. As the popular Latino saying goes: "Antes muerta que sencilla."

Latina beauty is greatly admired and celebrated throughout the world. The beauty that they have is what most of women want to achieve. Executive Women's Editor at The Huffington Post, Lori Leibovich, wrote for Salon Magazine in 1997 and stated that, "Argentina has a higher incidence of anorexia and bulimia per capita than either the United States or Europe." This means that Argentineans will sacrifice almost anything to be viewed as beautiful.