Hi there!
My name is Marcela and I am Mexican and Japanese.
My mom is Japanese, but was born and raised in Mexico, and my dad is Mexican. I was raised in a Mexican household and strongly identify with the Mexican culture.
It wasn’t until I became an adult that I wanted to explore my Japanese side. Actually not just me, but my sisters and mom. So we decided to go to Japan and meet our Japanese family a few years ago. Turns out we have a big family in Japan!
I currently live in Brooklyn with my husband (who is Ukrainian) and my dog (who is Maltese).
First thing you do when you wake up/go to bed?
The first thing I do when I wake up is ask my husband for a hug. Every single day. The small gesture makes a big difference in my day.
Before going to bed, I turn on my Muji aroma diffuser and add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil.
Any ritual health/beauty/wellness routine or products?
I love beauty and skincare products and constantly change them. However, I always do the following:
I remove my makeup daily
I wash my face every morning and night
I try to gently exfoliate at least once a day (please note, I have really oily skin and this method works for me)
I take a bath once a week
Favorite feature on yourself and why?
My eyes. You can tell what I am thinking by my expressions.
How do your job, lifestyle, and background affect your routine?
I don’t think my job, lifestyle and background affect my routines at all. However, I am very goal-oriented and enjoy discipline and routines. Following through (or at the very least, trying) and putting practice into action is important and a priority for me.
What do you do to stay healthy?
I recently did Whole 30 and it was great. I did not feel a big difference while I was doing it. However, when I began to re-introduce foods into my diet, I realized how bad some foods made me feel. Therefore, Whole30 motivated me to eat whole foods as much as possible. I do think it is all about achieving a balance. I love cookies, ice-cream, and croissants, but I believe that everything in moderation is OK.
For fitness, I was recently introduced to 305 Fitness and it is so much fun and an amazing work out.
Any cultural tips/tricks you've learned from family and/or friends?
I grew up very Mexican, and I learned that family comes first. My family is everything to me and we support each other, tell each other everything, and try to be with one another as much as possible.
How do you choose beauty products?
I don’t have a specific method or approach to beauty products. I like to try them all. Anything that is new and trendy—I must try it!
What is your ethnic background?
I am Mexican and Japanese.
How do your ethnicity and identity intersect and affect your beauty preferences (or grievances)?
Ah yes. This one is interesting because, internally, I really see myself as a Latina woman and I identify with the Latin beauty community. However, I look very Asian. So I am always looking to bring out the Latina in me as much as possible.
If you were to create the perfect beauty/wellness product for yourself, what would it be?
This one is a hard one! I have very oily skin and makeup tends to disappear a few hours in. So here are two dream products I’d like:
1) Non-sticky eye gloss
2) Long wearing, creaseless eyeshadow in a cream formula
Instagram: @mexicanbutjapanese