My Glam Squad of Chingonas
Words by Carmen Vidal
As someone who grew up feeling “unpretty” (cue that TLC song) it is hard for me to make peace with my looks even as an adult. Feeling self-conscious about how the world sees me has caused a tremendous amount of anxiety in my life. I may look like I don’t care how I look sometimes but in reality, I care… I care a lot. And it all stems from insecurities that were instilled in me by all the outside influences I was constantly exposed to from childhood on.
Being a fodonga or descuidarse are among the worst offenses a Mexican woman can commit. I grew up hearing all the criticonas (myself included at times) destroy women merely based on their looks. It doesn’t help that Media in Mexico is brutal when it comes to that. Que si subió de peso, que si se ve demacrada, que si sale toda greñuda. All sorts of horrible things that can be said about a woman’s appearance, I’ve heard and internalized in one way or another.
It’s been a long process to unlearn all those negative self-concepts and start feeling… pretty. Ironically, taking care of my appearance was in a way one of the most healing experiences that have helped me make peace with my looks. My beauty rituals are not so much about looking pretty but more about being worthy of care and luxury. They’re a way I connect with my body in a caring and loving way.
I could say that this growth is the result of “self-care”, but it’s more than that. It’s the collective effort of some very talented womyn who helped me build on these practices that empower me to feel as beautiful as I do now. It’s because of my glam squad of chignonas who help me look good and feel so much more true to myself that my inner beauty just glows!
First, we have the amazing Whitney, she is my nail girl! I can’t tell you how many times I get compliments on my nails and how beautiful my hands look. Working with Whitney is a joy, I can come in with the craziest idea and she will make it happen, or she will surprise me with an idea of her own. Now, my hands help me stand out in such a positive way. It wasn’t too long ago when you would recognize my hands for a very different reason. As a nail bitter, my poor hands have suffered a lot, I’m glad that now they are something I care for regularly.
To help me make my hair dreams come true I have the very talented Yvette, she is one of the coolest individuals I’ve ever met. Visiting her salon replenishes my soul in ways that you wouldn’t think possible with “just a haircut”… but it’s never just a haircut. I talk to her about what I want to feel like and she makes it happen! It is so great to have someone who is on the same wavelength that you can trust to be in charge of your hair. I wouldn’t trust mine with anyone else.
Lastly, my dear friend Tina has helped me gain and maintain my beautiful skin. I came to her after an eyebrow disaster and her work ethic and drive just made me trust her completely. Not only has she helped me have enviable eyebrows, but she also helped me reconnect with caring for myself. I take a lot of pride in my skincare not only because people can never clock my real age, but because I know that all this glow comes from a space of love. The love that I put into caring for my skin, and the hard work that Tina puts in make me look my best EVERY DAMN TIME.
These amazing womyn are so close to my heart. I respect them, I respect their hustle. I recommend them constantly because I know how important that is. Through the pandemic, I made sure I continued to support them because I know how much pride they have for their businesses and I woulda HATED to see them fail. I love them and I can wholeheartedly call them my amigas. I am so lucky that the Universe put them in my path to help me heal parts of myself that I never thought I would heal. To help me ease my anxieties around my appearance, and to move past them so I could learn that I am more than what I look like. But with their help… I for fucking sure look good!