![]() Its a way to keep her memory alive and her bright spirit front and center for this day. ![]() ![]() I want to bring that into the theme of my Catrina this year. This will be a year where we’ve had a death so close to this holiday-this year I’m going to channel a memory with her that was so much fun, a big adventure. This year in particular, I lost my Tia to COVID in 2020. Hopefully that’s whats seen and felt when people see us walking down the street representing our ancestors. Art is taking what you’ve lived and turning it into a beautiful expression. When you have a loved one on your mind while creating this art to honor them, they are the inspiration while you’re choosing the flowers, headpiece, and what you want to portray. ![]() Q: What do you channel when creating Sugar Skull makeup looks?ĭ: Making art in general is putting a piece of your heart into something. It’s such an expression of love in Mexican culture. We all got to the funeral home, and everyone who came to visit brought a stunning, bright, beautiful floral arrangement. When Guicho (our grandfather) died, we were with him the whole time. It’s a family affair from the time you are born to after you die-it’s forever about family in our culture. In doing so, you relive that person’s memory, call them in. You fill it with photos, jewelry, drinks of family and friends who have passed. Marigolds make it a colorful, joyful, spiritual celebration their scent leads spirits to the ofrenda made in remembrance of their lives. Instead of death being a sad thing, this holiday treats it as the compete opposite. The culture is so colorful, celebratory, and rooted in tradition - it’s the only one I know that celebrates the dead and honors their lives. Mari: Mexican culture says let’s take something that everyone is afraid of-death-and turn it into the most wild, bold celebration you can think of. That’s how you get a holiday like Día de los Muertos. Mexican culture has this way of being loud, playful, vibrant and fun-but also very soulful, reverent and deep at the same time. We don’t forget about our family, we keep them alive in the way we honor them. It reveals the depth and reverence we have for family-and in Mexican culture there’s usually a lot of us! Our big Día de los Muertos celebration brings us together to remember the family we lost. It’s about keeping your family history and the memories of the people you love alive. Q: What does Día de los Muertos tell us about Mexican culture?ĭrea: What Día de los Muertos reveals about Mexican culture is our devotion to family, ancestors, and those who contribute to making us who we are. ( Psst: For more info on DDLM Altars, peep this Smithsonian article !) Orange marigold blossoms adorn the altar, alongside the most recognized hallmark of Día de los Muertos: sugar skulls ( calaveras) covered in brightly colored designs. This tradition honors the dead, calling those who have passed back into the present with altars ( ofrendas) filled with photos of deceased loved ones and their favorite things like food, drink and heirlooms. It is believed that the veil between the seen and unseen world is at its thinnest this time of year-hence spooky Halloween celebrations in the days prior.Īs macabre as it might sound to the uninitiated, Día de los Muertos is a celebration of life and legacy. But first, a little cultural background on Day of the Dead:ĭía de los Muertos is a Mexican festival with Aztec origins tracing back to the goddess Mictecacihuatl, aka “Lady of the Dead.” Today, the tradition has evolved with Catholic influence into a celebration on November 1 (All Saints’ Day, which celebrates children who have died) and November 2 (All Souls’ Day, which celebrates adults). appropriation, and what beauty products they would take beyond the grave. Read on to hear about this year’s sugar skull makeup inspiration, and their thoughts on cultural appreciation vs. We sat down with Mari and Drea to dive into their unique and longstanding tradition of creating sugar skull makeup looks for Día de los Muertos-a yearly celebration that lies at the intersection of their identities as Mexican-American makeup artists. This year they had the honor of a feature in Latina Magazine, in collaboration with El Jimador Tequila and Evette XO. Their sugar skull makeup artistry has been featured in POPSUGAR Latina, Refinery29 and HuffPost. Every year for the past 7 years, this duo creates intricate sugar skull makeup looks (aka Catrinas) to mark the Mexican holiday, transforming themselves into ethereal, otherworldly beings in remembrance of loved ones who have passed. Halloween is just around the corner, and Mari and Drea are gearing up for Día de los Muertos. It’s late October, and grey clouds cast a cool hush over Los Angeles, making the orange pumpkins and marigolds pop.
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