As a Latina with olive skin tone, it is always so hard for me to find the right shades of makeup that complement my complexion. That's why I'm super excited about one of Target's latest addition to its makeup inventory, Reina Rebelde, a makeup brand created by a Latina for Latinas.
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From the packaging to the shades and the name of each product, everything in this makeup line pays tribute to the Latina woman's boldness, beauty and pride. Reina Rebelde, which translates to rebel queen, was founded by Regina Merson, a Mexican-American who gave up her career as a bankruptcy lawyer to follow her passion for makeup and pursue her dream of launching her own cosmetic line. How's that for a reina rebelde?
As Regina puts it, the name Reina Rebelde "calls out the inherent dualities of the modern Latina woman living in the United States. We speak English and Spanish, we are American and Latina, we can be a Queen and a Rebel, etc. We are also a fierce community of many generations of women that elevate and support each other by calling each other "reinas." Mothers call their daughters that, we celebrate other women by giving them that title, and we call our friends that. Reina also speaks to the internal pride and vanity that we inherit as part of our Latina heritage."
But there's another side to being a Latina, right? Regina says, "the contrast to that is the fierce energy and passion that we bring to everything we do, that is the rebelde side. For me, the privilege of being a Latina is that both sides can coexist so beautifully and unapologetically within each of us, and beauty is one area in particular where one or the other, or both sides, are always on display."
Regina tells us how she chose the shades for her makeup line.
"Latinas come in so many beautiful shades! I chose hues based on the more olive, darker undertones and on the unique lifestyle of the Latina woman – her willingness to be bold, experiment and take risks with her makeup. Latinas are one group of women that really can pull anything off and look show-stopping – from the softest and most feminine to the boldest and edgiest of looks. The entire collection is designed around that sense of unapologetic makeup for the Reina Rebelde in all of us–dynamic, mysterious, unpredictable but always stunning."
This is the one makeup tip Regina has for you.
"No matter whether [the occasion] calls for a reina look or a rebelde look, your brows have to be full and beautiful," Regina tells MamásLatinas. "I think a fuller brow adds youthful energy and structure to our faces, and always helps frame our naturally prominent facial features. Our Rebel Eye Paint for Brows and Eyes in Frida and La Doña were designed with this exact purpose in mind."
This is Regina's go-to item for a quick mood lift.
"It is so hard to pick [a favorite item], but I will say that the product that gives me the biggest mood lift in the shortest amount of time is the Bold Lip Color Stick in Brava, " the makeup queen says. "It is the perfect red for all Latinas and is a red with such tremendous energy. I swear it can change your whole day. I wear it on my most somber of days and for any event where I need to feel 100% Reina Rebelde."
Regina has been inspired by other strong women.
"Mi mami and mi abuelita have been tremendous inspirations for different reasons," she tells us. "They are both incredibly strong, intelligent women and both educated me on how important it was to always honor your beauty ritual. Watching them both get ready when I was growing up, it became clear that the ritual is centering, self-respecting, and empowering. I have admired many different women growing up, but I would predictably say that Frida Kahlo has always been an inspiration. She was so ahead of her time, and so forward thinking, it is no surprise that she has had a cultural resurgence and newfound relevance every decade since her death."
Regina is a Yale-trianed bankrupcy lawyer who gave up her career in law to follow her dreams of launching her own makeup line.
"It actually is really difficult being an adult and taking responsibility for your own life and your own path. Deciding to own your decisions, even if they are bad decisions, is almost more important than the actual changes you make," she says. "I’m a lawyer and am so grateful for the education and experience that came with that career path, but it didn’t move me enough to dedicate the rest of my life to it. I changed my mind, and I thought for a long time I was not allowed to change my mind. I was totally wrong, we are allowed to change our minds and go in different directions – that is part of the journey."
And while leaving her career (after putting herself through college and law school) was a scary decision, her passion was way stronger than her fears. "My whole life, if I ever expressed doubt or hesitation, my dad would say to me, 'You see that sign on the wall? It says Just Do It.' It was a point well taken]," she says. "There are people that think of all the reasons not to even try, and then there are people that actually just do. Either process takes the same amount of time from your life. And like all things, if you really want something and want it for the right reasons, the energy and dedication that it will require of you will come naturally. So I always tell people to make sure that they are really clear on what it is that they want to do and why. The passion should override the doubt and the fear."
Regina launched Reina Rebelde in the fall of 2016. Now, 18 products from her line are available at Target.com and will be coming to more than 100 stores accross the country on May 20. The products include some of our best-sellers including our Bold Lip Color Stick in Brava, 4 Play Wet Dry Eye Color in Azteca, Rebel Eye Paint for Brows + Eyes in Frida and Rebel Eye Definer Liquid in Zapatista, among others.
