I’m the kind of person that prefers to face the world with a natural face. (Just the thought of having a “full-face beat” makes me itchy.) However, there are those rare moments that I do decide to “elevate my look” a bit by adding some lipstick so as you can imagine I have a growing collection of lipsticks. From Kat Von D to IMAN cosmetics, my lipstick collection primarily consists of a range of muted pinks with the occasional red from brands that are either founded by women of color or make the effort to support and empower women of color.  I’ve been introduced to may of these kinds of brands via social media and I was super excited to find out about one Latina-founded brand called Vive Cosmetics.

e The packaging is just so colorful and fun!

Vive Cosmetics is a beauty brand created for Latinas/xs by Latinas, Joanna and Leslie. Cruelty-free, and vegan, the brand’s mission is to celebrate Latinx culture while working to empower Latinas as we are often ignored when it comes to representation in the beauty industry. Obviously this is a mission that I relate to as I work towards providing some Afro-Latina representation within the plus size fashion blogging space. I wanted to make sure that I supported this brand and I thought the best place to start would be with their new Cremosa Matte Lipstick Bundle that they launched this spring. Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I ordered and received my Cremosa Matte Lipstick Bundle Pack back in April and have since been using it. I wanted to include these lippies in my daily routine for a more honest review.The bundle brings 4 moisturizing pigmented lipstick shades. First we have the burnt red/orange Candela. As the name implies the color is hot! The amount of compliments I get whenever I wear this shade is pretty astounding yet it has to do with how bright this shade of red is due to the undertone of orange. It really does set itself apart from all the other red lipsticks I currently own and has become my go-to shade for those times I want to add a major pop of color to a look.

Kuna Mola headband and Candela Cremosa Matte Lipstick = ultimate Latina/Panamanian pride

Then we have the sweet mauve pink, Pan Dulce. What I really like about this one is how subtle the pink is even while being so pigmented. It is a shade or two lighter than Lupita which is why it has been dubbed “the tease” by my cousin. This is mostly due to how one may find it difficult identifying which is Pan Dule and  which is Lupita  prior to swatching them without looking at their labels. Either way, I love the soft, feminine feel the color brings. Since adding these lippies to my growing collection I will admit that the  pink nude with brown undertone Lupita has become my go-to lippie during the work week. It is very similar to my Kat Von D Lolita Studded lipstick while not being as drying. It’s also my mother’s favorite because “its the same as my actual lip color but evens it all out.” I highly recommend this shade for those “Girl Boss” occasions where you want an extra boost to your overall professional look.

I should note that while the Cremosa Matte line is not transfer/beso-proof like the ¡Qué Matte! Line, it doesn’t bleed which is great. I’ve worn all of these shades without a liner and it worked very well. I also love the fact that the colors are morena-friendly, though I will admit that the muted mocha ¡Azúcar! shade is very close to my natural skin color which is the reason why I don’t wear it too often. However, I have mixed it with Candela for a more brick-red color that I love and will be wearing a lot this fall.Bonus: ¡Qué Matte! Enduring Liquid Lipstick – Selena Forever

Back in 2016 I was beyond disappointed that I  missed my chance to get anything from MAC’s Selena Make-up collection so you can kind of imagine how excited I was to see that this brand had a shade of lipstick that celebrated her memory. Yes, I’m a metalhead but like many Latinas of my generation, I grew up listening and singing to music by Selena Quinanilla.

The color is absolutely gorgeous! It is this purple-pink shade reminiscent of the iconic jumpsuit Selena wore during her last concert. It is long lasting so you won’t find yourself reapplying this lippie like you would with any of the cremosa shades. I will admit that I was very worried that the color wouldn’t work well with my skin tone yet I was quickly proven wrong by none other than Stephanie(Stephora Beats) who immediately lined my lips and applied the lipstick at my desk once she saw my package had arrived. I have since taken a liking to adding a layer of Black Lace Rabbit by Lipstick Queen for a sheer, smokey finish that works very well with my more edgy-outfits.

Having tried all of these I’m super excited to try some more. I’m a bit nervous but I think my next purchase will either be the hot pink Chingona ¡Qué Matte! lipstick or the watermelon-coral Señorita Cremosa Matte. Both are bold and bright shades that are prefect for the summer so you may see me wearing those very soon.

Have you tried Vive Cosmetics? What are some of your favorite Latina and/or black owned beauty brands that you recommend I try next?