Column: ‘¡Ponte la crema!’ The beauty commandment every Latina daughter knows

If you're Latina, then you probably witnessed your mom purchase Avon Products growing up. Every month, my mom would visit her friend’s house to re-stock on her sunscreen, day and night moisturizer and, most importantly, her anti-aging cream, para no envejecer … so as not to grow old.

“¡Ponte la crema!,” which translates to putting on your cream, became an everyday ritual before school that my mom pushed on me and my siblings. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely not. I was about 10 years-old and did not understand why I needed to put this sticky stuff on my face. But it wasn’t until I was in 6th grade that I started struggling with acne and took my mom’s skin-care routine more seriously. At the time, seeing a dermatologist was never an option for me due to its cost. 

Acne has been a struggle which I had to contend with for the vast majority of my teenage years, and even now, when I am in my twenties. Last year, I found out that Latinos are also more likely to suffer from acne, and it can be genetic. However, there is little research as to why we are more prone to developing it.

At 27, I finally saw a dermatologist but it wasn’t intentional. I had my gallbladder removed and my doctor decided to send me to the dermatologist for scaring procedures. While I was there, they asked me if I needed help with anything else, and of course I brought up my acne, and two months later, I had no breakouts. 

It honestly feels amazing to not have to worry about this anymore, emotionally, physically and financially. I would have never imagined that the pills they prescribed would change my life. Although I'm required to take medication to control my hormonal acne, I still continue my mom’s skin-care advice, but in my own way. 

Recently, Neutrogena powered a study conducted by the Hispanic Marketing Council on how Latinas view beauty, skin care and healthy skin. According to the study, “Uncovering What’s Shaping U.S. Hispanic Beauty & Skincare,” nine in 10 Latinas ages 18 to 34 say clear, healthy skin is extremely important as they are shifting from high-glam ideals to a natural, skincare-first approach rooted in heritage and global influence.  

The study also notes that 72% of Latina women prefer to go out without makeup, a shift from previous generations. Growing up, I admired my mom for the way she embraced her natural beauty. She only wore makeup for special occasions, believing that frequent use would make her age faster. As I grew up alongside her, those same values became part of me. Now, at 29, I too reserve getting glammed up for special occasions.

Another key finding from the report is that 76% of Latina women focus their makeup routines on the traditional Latina “beauty trinity” — defined brows, lashes and lips. As a Latina myself, I completely relate to this. I always make sure my eyebrows are shaped, my lashes look full and lifted, and my lips stay tinted and hydrated.

Minimizing my use of makeup has become my ultimate goal. Now that my skin doesn’t break out like it used to, I’ve shifted my focus to keeping it clear, clean and hydrated. My two go-to, holy grail products are the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel with hyaluronic acid, which helps improve skin texture and reduces appearance of fine lines, all while also supporting my skin barrier. The other product is the Magic Molecule, an antibacterial skin spray. The great part about these two products is that they are both less than $10 each, which is an affordable  way of doing skin-care on a budget.

I’m honestly grateful that my mom traumatized me with her constant “¡Ponte la crema!” reminders. Without her, I probably wouldn’t take skincare as seriously as I do now. 

Thanks to her influence, I know one thing for sure: que quiero envejecer bien … I want to age well.