Moms Who Raised Dreamers: How Latina Moms Inspired Us to Shine Bright

Our mamis didn’t just raise us—they styled us for success. From life lessons to beauty hacks, they showed us how to dream big, hustle hard, and keep our hair ultra-glassy sleek while doing it. This A Toda Madre series with Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine is all about celebrating the OGs who taught us to shine—inside and out.

If you watched Zoe Saldaña’s speech at this year’s Oscars, then from her shouting “Mamiii” upon receiving her award, you know how important the mother-daughter relationship is for Latinas. 

Our mamás are our first role models, guiding us through the world. They inspire us to dream big and pursue our goals.

For many of us, they were pillars of strength, resilience, and beaming beauty. From teaching us to believe in ourselves, echarle ganas, and keep our hair ultra glassy for success, the lessons our mothers have taught us always stay with us. 

Here are a few ways they inspired us to shine. 

Embrace Your Natural Beauty 

Latina moms are beauty queens, and nobody can deny it. Growing up in a Latino home you probably saw your mom get dressed de pie a cabeza even if it was just to head to the store. Still, Latina moms have also taught us to embrace our natural beauty. Whether embracing our diverse hair colors and textures, celebrating our curves, or accentuating our features, our mamás always tell us “Eres hermosa tal y como eres.” If that’s not a great lesson, then we don’t know what is.

Hair Care is Self-Care

One thing Mami will never let you do is let down your locks. As soon as we’re old enough to understand, we’re introduced to the wonders of hair care. We all grew up with products like Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine, which gives our hair the nourishment and care it needs to go after our goals and slay. 

Mami taught us to use an amazing shampoo and conditioner, as well as the best treatments and styling products. Ah! And “don’t you sleep on that hair when it’s wet!” One thing Latinas also know all too well is dealing with frizz, so products like Fructis Sleek & Stay Serum are a must to rock ultra-glassy locks everyone will be turning heads for. It also keeps hair humidity-proof and water-resistant, so it’s sure to keep hair looking super shiny all day long.

Confidence is Your Best Accessory

Our mamás are our greatest hype women, reminding us to keep our “cabeza en alto.” Beyond keeping good posture, our mamás always encouraged us to carry ourselves with confidence. After all, how we present ourselves is just as important as what we wear. Plus, a confident smile, great hair, and a bright smile are enough to light up any room.

Bold Lips Sink Ships

A touch of vibrant lipstick can transform your entire look—no questions about it. One of the best lessons we could’ve learned from our moms was to keep our lips bold and our personalities bolder. A symbol of strength and femininity, red lipstick is a simple and powerful way to express yourself and add a touch of glamour to everyday life. While our mamás always wanted us to keep our eyes on the prize, they also knew that a pop of color would always help you stand out. We can neither deny nor confirm this. 

The Right Hairstyle is Your Crowning Glory

Whether it’s long and flowy or tightly woven into a braid, Latina moms would never let you go out with terrible hair. Your pelo is an extension of your personality, and who doesn’t love a beautiful updo? Using Garnier’s Sleek & Shine Frizz Tamer, you can achieve an effortless look that takes care of flyaways & frizz, while hydrating and boosting shine. 

Be Fuerte and Chula

Latinas are known for their strength and resilience, which, of course, they learned from their mamás and abuelas. Many of us come from immigrant families or are immigrants ourselves who know the power of hard work, resilience, and keeping our heads up high when things get tough. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t look good while you do it. 

One thing our moms always taught us was that little things, like taking care of our hair and skin, eating well, and staying active, can make a big difference in how we pursue our dreams. 

Antes Muerta Que Sencilla

Growing up Latina, you definitely heard the women in your family tell you, “Antes muerta que sencilla,” meaning you’d rather stay home than not look your best. Whether that meant taking your shoes off and dancing at your prima’s quinceañera or leaving the house with your hair in knots, we’re still debating, but mami certainly didn’t raise you to go around looking and acting like a cualquiera. 

Authenticity is Better Than Perfection

One of the greatest lessons we learned from our Latina moms is that being ourselves is never a bad way to go. Authenticity beats perfection, and while most of us deal with “elder daughter” syndrome, sometimes the best thing to do is to take a break, mija. Many of our moms never had the chance to chase after their dreams as they were working to make sure we could reach for ours. This doesn’t mean we have to change who we are to fit society’s molds or expectations of us. Our moms always encourage us to be ourselves, show up authentically, and remember that while the road to our goals may not be perfectly paved, we can still leave our mark. 

Hard Work Pays Off

No one shines brighter than a Latina mom on graduation day. Most of us are the dreams of our ancestors, and we don’t even realize it. Latina moms are always pushing us to work hard, go after what we want, and persevere. It doesn’t matter if they have to stay up all night with us preparing for an exam, or make us food for a week so we can concentrate on what we have to do. They know hard work will pay off eventually. No matter what you’re going through, just know that echandole ganas there’s no way you can go wrong.

Shine Bright from the Inside Out 

Another important lesson our mamás taught us is to take care of ourselves. Even if they are the queens of putting themselves last, they show us that your greatest shine comes when you are joyful, at peace, and connected to yourself. Coupled with a great outfit, a killer skincare routine, and a few drops of Garnier Sleek & Stay Serum you’ll reap the sleek and shiny benefits of reaching for the stars fearlessly.

No matter where life takes us, the lessons from our mamás stay with us—reminding us to move through the world with confidence, strength, and a shine that comes from within (and, let’s be real, a little help from the right hair care routine). Want to keep your locks sleek, frizz-free, and ultra-glassy just like Mami taught you? Head over to Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine to shop the products that help you glow from the inside out!