Cai Para Mi

Most people arrive for their doctor appointments on time. I’m that crazy person that arrives twenty minutes early. One, I live a short distance away from my eye doctor’s office. Two, this office is in Target, my own version of Disney World. I mean, you go in for one thing and come out with a handful of stuff you don’t need. 

Being twenty minutes for anything in Target is a dangerous thing, but there is a sweet ending to this story. As I was waiting for my appointment time, I walked around the makeup section. There were the usual companies; Covergirl, NYX Professional, and the affordable e.l.f. cosmetics. I had seen all the same products, the same shades. 

Then my eye caught something completely different. A cosmetic company name that was in Spanish. It was all Spanish. There were even accent marks in the company’s name. 

To be honest, I was filled with happiness when I saw all the products that were made for Latinx women or men. Even though the brand had a small section it was nice to see the inclusivity that I hadn’t seen in my twenty-one years of living. 

You’re probably wondering why I got excited over this cosmetic company and their products. If you’ve ever met me, I look white, which is true for the most part. My father is from Indiana while my mother is from Puerto Rico. So, I’m a mixed child with two totally different cultures running through my veins.  Growing up, I had seen white women being the face of a cosmetic company. I hardly saw women of color proudly showing their faces next to a cosmetic company’s title. That vision just didn’t exist for many reasons that I’m starting to learn as I get older. 

​As I stood in front of Caí Para Mi’s small display, my hands began to pick up every lipstick shade and my eyes glanced over the shades of foundation. To my surprise, the shades of foundation focus on the colors of most Latinx women. There was a healthy amount of both light and dark shades. Shades that I have seen on Latinx women, including myself. 

After spending some time testing out these products, I’ve decided to share my honest thoughts on them: Natural Radiant Foundation, Nude: I have dry skin. Shout out to my chronic illness and acne medication! With that said, I have a struggle with picking a foundation that doesn’t exaggerate my dry patches or flakes. Oh, fun. After using this foundation almost every time I wear makeup, my hesitation went away. It’s easy to blend and comes to a natural finish on my skin, which is exactly what the bottle says. 

But, note to anyone who uses this for the first time, do NOT use a brush to blend the foundation on your face. It will streak on the skin and not give you a pretty finish. Instead, use a trusty beauty blender or sponge to put on the product. I’ve had to learn that a couple of times. 

Bronzer, St. Tropez Tan: I’ve never used bronzer as much until I bought this product. Again, I’ve learned the hard way to use this bronzer lightly unless you like to go for that intense, bronzed look. You do you. The product is a buildable powder that gives a natural finish to the skin. Before I put this on during my makeup routine, I looked like a pale girl with no color. After, I looked like I had just come back from a vacation that I never went on. 

2 in 1 Lipstick and Lipgloss, Flame: I hardly ever go for bright, berry colored lipstick. But when I saw this in the brand’s display, I decided that it’s never too late to try something new. Two things that I enjoy about this color is how pigmented it is and how it stays on the lips throughout the entire day. I’ve used both finishes by themselves and I feel like I can take on the world. Or at least lead a very important meeting. 

Matte Lip Crème, Poppy: Listen. My relationship with red lipstick blossomed when I saw pictures of movie stars from the 1950s growing up. As I got older, and a fan of Taylor Swift, I finally decided to try it on myself. Turns out, I really love dark red lipstick. Not because of the “power” some people may think it gives, but how it gives me confidence when I don’t necessarily feel it. 

This lipstick is heavily pigmented and stays on without smudging or fading away, just like the 2 in 1 Lipstick and Lipgloss. One thing that isn’t my favorite part of this lipstick is how difficult it is to take off since the formula is waterproof. But I guess you have to pick your own battles when it comes to makeup products.  I’m glad that I was super early to my eye doctor’s appointment because I wouldn’t have stumbled upon this company sooner. Who am I kidding? I probably would’ve stumbled on their beauty stand because I’m at Target every week, and I spend about 50% of that time in the beauty and book sections. Either way, I hope that if you ever find yourself in Target, please check out this brand because it stands out with great products and its mission.