What’s the connection between Hispanic Heritage Month and facial hair removal cream? Apparently, a strong one. These customers came across a display at Walmart that has many viewers asking themselves, “Is this OK?”
Maria Delmoral (@maria.delmoral_) and two others had to stop, laugh, and document a seemingly absurd display case at Walmart. The display case is for a product by the brand Flamingo. The product is a facial hair removal cream. The video shows the display case with audio that says, “All hell nah.”
“They’re going craaazy!!” Delmoral captions the video. The video has over 4 million views and 616,000 likes.
Why Would Flamingo Promote Hair Removal Cream for Hispanic Heritage?
While everyone grows body hair, there is often an expectation that women should only have visible hair on their heads, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Body hair is significantly more frowned upon on women’s bodies than it is on men’s. While this is true across many ethnicities and cultures, it’s especially normalized in Latinx culture to be hairless; take, for instance, the name for the removal of pubic hair, a Brazilian Wax.
There are tons of Latinas online speaking about their experiences being scolded for being hairy. Whether that be a mustache, arm hair, or other body hair. For example, this Glamour article states, “Latinas and Latines have a complicated history with body hair thanks to years of misogynistic beauty standards upheld by our own communities.”
One woman in an Allure article shares a similar personal story. “Post-college, I’ve learned a lot about white colonization and how beauty standards are deeply eurocentric and anti-indigenous/POC,” makeup artist Karol Rodriguez says. “I’ve realized that there is nothing inherently unattractive or shameful about body hair.”
It seems that the Flamingo Walmart display case was trying to tap into the Hispanic/Latino community’s beauty standard of being hairless as a way to advertise specifically to this demographic.
‘It Be Our Own Raza’
Well, is it OK to tap into this beauty standard imposed within a community to connect with said community? Folks in the comments section aren’t sure, but they are definitely having a good time laughing about it.
“Hate it when the racism is right,” says one comment that has 80,000 likes.
“Not me shocked with my hand over my mouth then feeling my lil stache underneath my fingers [crying emoji, mustache glasses emoji] how much is it? Lol,” says another.
“I should be offended but I also get it,” someone else comments.
“At first I was like ‘well maybe it’s cause the creator is Hispanic. You know celebrating Hispanic creators.’ Nope… both Americans,one of Asian [descent],” another comment mentions.
“Just because they aint wrong dont make it right,” a different viewer points out.
Perhaps it is a bit insensitive to target a community with something many of the people in that community have a complicated, maybe even traumatic, relationship with. On the other hand, some view it as spot-on marketing.
Subplot News has reached out to Flamingo and Walmart for comment via email and to Delmoral via TikTok direct message and comment. We will update this story if they respond.
@maria.delmoral_ Se la vuelaaaaaaaan!! @Walmart ♬ original sound – ᯓ★
