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We are weeks away from officially starting the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, but luckily for us, the fiesta begins on August 20th with National Latina Day!
To commemorate one of our favorite festivities, find below five Latinas making it big in the United States.
Founder of Birdy Lashes, Yasmin Maya
© GettyImagesYasmin Maya is a beauty entrepreneur and lifestyle creator. Born and raised in Amatepec, México; and moved to the U.S. when she was a teenager. As the only girl in the family, Yasmin taught herself how to do her makeup and practiced glamming her mom and tias.
Her passion for eyelashes started after suffering an incident that burned all of her lashes. Since then, she‘s been an avid user of falsies, and at the age of 21, she decided to start a beauty YouTube platform. Inspired by her nickname “Birdy,” Yasmin launched Beautyybird. A channel that she transformed into a safe home for her “Beauties,” and the perfect place to present herself as a proud Latina.
With over 3M followers, Yasmin has become an authority in the beauty space, working with large beauty brands and breaking down barriers for Latinx consumers and talent alike. She‘s used her voice to show that she is proud of her Mexican heritage and is seen as an inspiration to those who feel the need to hide their background to be accepted in the beauty industry.
In 2020, she achieved her biggest dream yet, the launch of BIRDY LASHES —the result of Yasmin’s passion for the beauty industry, the love for her culture, and wanting to create lashes and lash tools that have the best quality and are affordable.
Founder of Valdé Beauty, Margarita Arriagada
© Margarita ArriagadaThe story of Valdé is a blend of personal and professional. What began as an homage to her immigrant mother’s courage and determination took on to become an artistic tribute to all women. Margarita Arriagada took on the lipstick business at full force and introduced us to Valdé Beauty, a luxurious refillable lip collection.
Margarita is a first-generation Peruvian American with quite a beauty resume. Known as “The Godmother of Beauty,” the former Chief Merchant of Sephora USA worked in merchandising strategy, always focusing on differentiation, innovation, and elevating the client experience in this role.
With Valdé Beauty, Margarita hopes to elevate the lipstick experience. In her vision, lipstick is more than an afterthought – it is armor for confidence, a celebration of authenticity, and honors what it means to be unapologetically you.
Emmy-winning Tv Host & Style Expert Lilliana Vazquez
© @LillianavazquezLilliana is known as one of the fashion blogging OGs, and has carried many titles — from blogger to style expert, TV commentator to now a television host on E!. The enterprising star has curated a career that began from her small blog (CheapChicas.com), which she launched in 2008, to being seen by millions daily on numerous platforms including NBC TODAY, Extra to The Talk, Rachael Ray, The Wendy Williams Show, and Steve Harvey.
The host of Daily Pop was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, to a Puerto Rican father and Mexican mother. As a first-generation Latina, she radiates gratitude for her family’s dedication and sacrifices for her.
Among the first in her family to attend college, she graduated from George Washington University, earning a double-major in international business and entrepreneurship. Lilliana has always used her platform to advocate for her community, fight for Latinx representation in media and entertainment, and raise awareness on social issues.
In April of 2021, Lilliana announced she was pregnant with her first child after battling six years of infertility and IVF. After living this experience, Lilliana wishes to use her voice and platform to break the taboo around infertility and how it affects the Latinx community. In late July, Lilliana announced her healthy baby boy, Santiago “Santi” Merrick McGrath. Lilliana hopes to continue sharing her journey to motherhood, the lessons, the challenges.
Celebrity Hairstylist, Curl Expert & Owner Of 5 Salon & Spa, Ona Diaz-Santin
© @_hairsaint_Ona started doing hair 20+ years ago. Influenced by her great-grandmother in the Dominican Republic, who cut hair for her friends and family, and then by her mother, an immigrant hairdresser who owned four shops in NYC and New Jersey for 20 years, Ona’s destiny was a no-brainer. Today she is encouraging others to embrace self-love through their hair– their natural hair.
As a child and young adult, she neglected her natural hair due to its taboo being known as “pelo malo,” which translates to “bad hair.” Until she discovered her love for her natural hair, she made it her mission to educate others on self-love and learning to accept their natural curls.
Ona’s ambition, coupled with hard work, paid off, and in November 2017, she became the owner of 5 Salon & Spa, located just outside of New York City in Fort Lee, New Jersey. In 2019, 5 Salon & Spa was named by Refinery29 as one of “The Best New York City Salons for Natural Hair & Curls.”
Founder Of Second Wind, Karen Perez
© SecondWindKaren Perez is genuinely a face behind a mask. The New York-based Stylist/Designer launched Second Wind, a boutique quickly turning heads for its empowering line of handcrafted covers. Amid the coronavirus pandemic as well as recent waves in social justice reform, this bold Latina sought to embrace a new “normal” with her talents. As clients inquired about stylish masks that wouldn’t hinder their busy lives, she designed a mask that could enhance the natural contour of feminine features while remaining true to practicality while making a statement for women. Second Wind carries the intent to empower women with every decision. With every piece Second Wind brings to life, there is a message of spirit, equality, and persistence as the world embraces a new normal.
Ceo & Brand Founder Of Stitch Lab, Karina Rosendo
© HolaA native from Caracas, Venezuela, Karina came to the U.S. as a young child and discovered her love for broadcast journalism during her teenage years. Karina has been a TV producer, a digital marketing strategist, and now a fashion entrepreneur with a startup business.
In 2018, she launched Stitch Lab, a talent incubator based in Miami that supports emerging designers from Latin America. Since its launch, Stitch Lab has propelled more than 100 brands in the U.S. and has curated multiple pop-ups cross-country. In 2020, Karina introduced Stitch Lab’s online marketplace as a virtual solution during the COVID-19 pandemic to offer consumers access to some of Latin America’s most treasured fashion talent.
As a CEO and founder of Stitch Lab, Karina continues to lead its mission to deliver coveted designs and showcase hidden talents, paving the path for these brands to connect with local wholesale buyers, press, and influencers.
