Sultry skeleton costumes weren’t the only need for beauty enthusiasts to hone their calavera faces this Halloween 2023.

 

In recognition of the Mexican Día de Muertos – or “Day of the Dead” — 20 Latinx beauty and lifestyle influencers gathered at The Dust Studios in the City of Angels last month to partake in the Pond’s Día de Muertos makeup masterclass. The third annual event was helmed by celebrity makeup artist Susana Niño. 

Pond’s—which is part of Unilever’s Elida Beauty unit – first discovered Niño on Instagram at the height of the covid-19 pandemic when virtual gigs were king. Pond’s interest was piqued after eyeing one of Niño’s calavera or “skull” face posts. The calavera face involves a white painted face embellished with a detailed bejeweled skeleton makeup look, typically complete with a brightly-colored flower crown. 

 

“I’ve always had a deep connection with Dia de Los Muertos, as it’s a special way for me to honor my father’s memory,” Niño told HAPPI in an email. “So, I’ve loved doing these types of intricate makeup looks to celebrate the holiday.” 

 

After hosting the first two masterclasses virtually, this year it was held in-person.

 

On Instagram, Niño’s bio is “helping women glow from the inside out” her handle being, “Glow By Susie.” Throughout her colorful career, she’s made up the faces of Hollywood elite like Paris Hilton and the hair of Nadia Ferreira before she accompanied husband Marc Anthony to his star ceremony at the Hollywood Walk of Fame this past September.

 

During the masterclass, Niño demonstrated the calavera look on model Ana Lorena. Participants then tried their hand on their own faces.  

 

“They were all so immersed and focused during the event,” said Niño. “I loved seeing everyone’s unique take on the calavera look! The results were stunning, and we had a great time bonding over our personal Dia de Los Muertos experiences and appreciation for the holiday.”

While attendees enjoyed putting on their makeup, taking it off can equally as pleasing—with the right products, according to Niño. She says Pond’s Dry Skin Cream and Cream Cleansers are “must-haves” for makeup removal. 

 

According to Niño, Pond’s Cold Cream Cleanser effortlessly and thoroughly removes makeup, (even waterproof mascara) while still infusing the skin with vital hydration so it doesn’t feel overly stripped after cleansing. 

 

“The Pond’s Dry Skin Cream is a really rich and hydrating moisturizer that’s perfect for dry skin and locks in moisture,” she explained. “The formula is easily absorbed into the skin;  I love using it as a primer or base under makeup so my makeup looks are applied seamlessly.”

 

Karen Laker, marketing director at Elida Beauty, called Pond’s a “generationally loved” skincare staple. The brand has been around for more than 150 years.

 

Laker said the event afforded the Latina/x community with the opportunity to capture beautiful, engaging social content that demonstrates Pond’s products in action.

 

The digital content shared by the influencers at the event garnered “millions” of views on Instagram and TikTok.

Unilever created Elida Beauty in 2021, spinning off Pond’s and a number of smaller brands. The current roster also includes Q-Tips, Caress and TIGI among others.
 

According to several reports, including one from Reuters, Unilever has hired an investment bank to resume the sale of Elida Beauty.