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.

María Félix

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.

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Dolores del Río

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.

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Celia Cruz

¡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.

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