Hispanic Heritage Month goes from September 15 to October 15 and is an annual celebration of the cultures & contributions of the US. Latinx and Hispanic communities.
To celebrate the occasion we chatted with INH Babes and they shared their stories, how they celebrate HHM & what their hair means to them.
Plus, we got some tips from them that we think you'll be able to relate to (especially if you're Latinx).
Lisa Dvorak
Where are you and your family from?
“I was born and raised in a small town in Central Ohio; my parents, however, were immigrants from Mexico before having children (about 5 years before I was born, they moved to Ohio).”
How do your hair extensions make you feel about yourself?
“They make me feel great. It is just another way to express yourself and be extra sassy. Actually, I'm wearing them today; I'm wearing my ponytail. I bought them for fun originally; I like a full ponytail or a bun. It's fun to be able to change your look quickly. I've had medical issues that made my hair thin out quickly, and I had to have it pretty short, like a short bob, and now I love them because I don't have to have my hair short. I love that you can wear your ponytails in different ways, high, low, or to the side. It's another accessory, a way to express your mood. Even when my hair was long, it never looked that big, and it's fantastic because now you only have to spray it and go.
Would you consider your hair as a form of expression?
“A 100% YES! I've always been the one who changes her hair color and hairstyle, have it long or in a pixie cut, highlife, as a burgundy. As I got older and got more responsibilities, I didn't have the time to be at the salon all day. So this is a quick way to change my look without investing time and money at the salon. There's no commitment when you're using hair extensions!”
How does Hispanic Heritage Month make you feel?
“It makes me proud and happy to know there's at least a month in a year where we can share our pride in the Hispanic community. My son is half Mexican and half Czech, which gives me time to tell him about his culture. We go to family dinners or events in the city that may be happening to celebrate it. It is an excellent time to celebrate.”
Do you celebrate, and if you do, how?
“Family means a lot to us, and most of my family is worth a couple of hours, so we make a point to have family dinners regularly, regardless of the time of year. But there's a special significance to this time of year when we really celebrate our culture and share an identity.
Once, we were even lucky; when my husband and I were still engaged, we went to Mexico City, where my family is from, and we were there for Mexican Independence Day. There are different traditional dishes that my mother, not that she couldn't make, but they are just so time-consuming that we got to have them there, in a restaurant. I think that is all about that, the richness of our culture.
The preparation of the food was the party! You have music, and people gather in the kitchen. Food is what brings my family together. Tamales take some time because it is such a long process. One day you make the meat, and the next, the masa.”
Is there any hair care tip that your moms or abuelas gave you that you still use today?
“I will say that my mother said that she wishes she never dyed her hair blonde. She always said to me: "Lisa, don't dye your hair; you can do it when the gray hairs come; you're not going to want to show them off." Save that time and effort for when you have to cover them up. Embrace your natural color, and that's what I have done! I dyed it long ago as a teenager, but over the past few years, I embraced my natural color. My mom was even surprised; she said: "I didn't remember your hair was so black!", and I said, "Me either." I guess we didn't remember it because I was always coloring it. She also used to tell me to take care of my hair and brush it every night.”
Zaira Coronado
INH Babe Zaira Coronado @Sublime.Mujer444 wearing Lola in Jet Black
Where are you and your family from?
“We're from Mexico originally, but we live in southern Arizona.”
How do your hair extensions make you feel about yourself?
“They make me feel confident, and they make me embrace femininity.”
Would you consider your hair as a form of expression?
“Totally! It totally can be, especially if you know how to style your hair how you like it to emphasize certain features of your face. It's way easier than having to damage your hair.”
How does HHM make you feel?
“I would say it makes me feel happy because I have family in Mexico and sometimes we go down there to celebrate amongst ourselves or we will go to a parade or something.”
Do you celebrate, and if you do, how?
“I celebrate it with a mixture of family and friends celebrations. My parents are from Agua Prieta, so we usually gather with them. We would go to a parade and the carreras. We usually would eat something my grandma made, or we would go out to eat together. I'm very fortunate to still have my grandma.”
Does INH Hair help you express yourself?
“Yes, I incorporate them into my everyday life to go out. Let's say I want to go to the bar, or I want to go to the mall, or I want to go on a date with my husband. Using the ponytails makes it convenient because they can be really quick, or the extensions are easy to put on. It's really fun to change my look. My favorite ponytail is Lola. Brit is also nice, but Lola is the best, you can wear her every day. She looks good on anyone! My husband likes my hair extensions too. He thinks they make me look sassier. Extensions give you confidence, and they can make you feel more like yourself. It helps you embrace femininity even more.”
Is there any hair care tip that your moms or abuelas gave you that you still use today?
“I can totally relate to the "don't pluck your gray hairs. They are small habits and phrases, but it's love & affection.”
Throughout the interviews, we realized there are some things our Hispanic moms constantly told us:
If we ever got sick: "Por dormirte con el pelo mojado." (You got sick because you slept with wet hair)
If we were chilling with no shoes inside the house: "No andes descalza." (Don't walk barefoot)
If we got a headache: "Por andar en el celular." (‘Cause you use your phone too much)
Looking for more Hispanic Hair resources? Check these out:
We want to see your Hispanic Heritage Month celebratory looks! Tag us on Instagram, Tiktok, Pinterest, Twitter & Facebook, and use the hashtag #INHBabe
