It is hard not to get excited when you hear the names Michael Phelps, Kerri Walsh Jennings, Simone Biles, and so many others all over TV. The Rio Olympics are here, and America is giddy. But, amidst all the excitement, a lot of negative energy surrounds these Olympic games. News outlets have painted a pretty ugly picture of Rio de Janeiro in the months and weeks leading up to these 17 fantastic days. After all the talk of unsafe water, poor living conditions for athletes, and a myriad of other concerns, Facelogic BCS wanted to say thank you to Brazil.
Have you ever heard of a Brazilian blowout or a Brazilian wax? Or maybe you have watched Gisele Bundchen or Adriana Lima dominate the Victoria’s Secret runways. These beauty practices and models are only a few of the reasons American beauty industries owe gratitude to Brazil. Modern day skincare and beauty industries have taken several pages out of Brazil’s beauty book. As we watched our athletes compete this weekend, Facelogic wanted to do some research into the famed Brazilian beauty culture.
“Not all Brazilians look like models, but I think everyone in Brazil is more or less conscious of the power of beauty. It’s very clear to Brazilians that beauty can empower you. Beauty here doesn’t come from a place of paranoia, it’s just that people want to feel good. It’s about feeling well and happy with yourself.” / Victoria Ceridono, Vogue Brazil Beauty Editor
Not only do Brazilian women win gold when it comes to natural looking beauty, they also focus on feeling good and the positive vibes that follow.
Brazilian Beauty Rituals
As we dug deeper, we found that “27% of Brazilian consumers use facial skincare products mainly to improve the texture of their skin, 25% use them to treat and prevent acne and 23% to minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.” Brazilian women maintain glowing skin by regularly seeing dermatologists, scheduling frequent lymphatic drainage massages, and following beauty rituals. These rituals include concoctions passed down from mother to child. Byrdie.com interviewed Brazilian model, Victoria Brito, who has learned many of her beauty tricks from her mother and grandmother. One of the beauty tricks she shared helps diminish the appearance of dark circles. “[You] take a potato, cut it into slices like a pepperoni, and put one slice over each eye for about 15 to 20 minutes once a week. I swear, after doing it about five times, you’ll start to see a drastic reduction of dark circles. The potato literally starts to get dark and shrivel up while you use it—it’s crazy!”
Like Victoria, Adriana Lima has a beauty ritual she lives by. Adriana drinks coconut water every day. “Besides being one of the most refreshing drinks there are, which is especially suitable for the tropical climate of Brazil, it contains compounds called cytokinins that have been found to have an anti-ageing effect. As if that’s not enough, coconut water — the liquid inside green coconuts — is also packed with essential minerals, such as magnesium, zinc, and iron, plus the complete set of B-group vitamins. All of these are vital for the skin’s health.”
Beauty Inspiration
It is hard not to envy the seemingly unattainable beauty that Brazilian women embody. These women are not only stunning, but they also express confidence in themselves. As Brazilians strive to look as good as possible, they propel their national beauty market forward. Brazil is a rich source of natural ingredients. Companies like Mac have begun to use these resources as inspiration for beauty products. Vibrant vegetation and a wide array of colorful minerals have inspired eyeshadow palettes, bronzers, and other beauty products.
Brazilian women put a lot of time and energy into their beauty regimes. They pay attention to their skin and body, and they flaunt what they got. These women are confident, and they are leading the global beauty industry. Before our jealousy overruns, let’s remember that Brazilian women work hard because looking good makes them happy. So thank you, Brazil, for sharing your waxing techniques with us, and thank you for hosting this year’s Olympic games!