Inside Chuwi’s Lorén Aldarondo’s Beauty Routine

While each product featured is independently selected by our editors, we may include paid promotion. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Find out more about our Product Review Guidelines Here.

Long before their collaboration with Bad Bunny, Sweet have already made a name for themselves in Puerto Rico. The local band was founded in 2020 by siblings Wilfredo “Willie” Aldarondo, Loren Aldarondo, Vester Aldarondo and their friend Adrian Lopez and quickly became a cult favorite on the island thanks to their EP “Tierra”, which mixed plena, Latin jazz, indie rock and urban music with powerful lyrics about gentrification and the current crisis facing many Boricuas. in recent years – they had to leave the island in order to survive. But when Bad Bunny invited them to be part of the “.I should have taken more photos” for the track “Welita” and then invited the band as the night act for his 30-date “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí” residency at El Coliseo in Puerto Rico – everything changed.

The group performed to a sold-out crowd, showcasing stylish looks exclusively from Puerto Rican designers and using their time on stage to show love and tribute to the music, fashion and culture of Boricua. Their visibility has become so widespread (they have been featured in article in Harper's Bazaar and also viral appearance on NPR's Tiny Desk) that by the time Benito announced his stadium-sized “Debi Tirara Mas Photos World Tour”, it almost seemed a given that Chuwi would be the official opener, bringing the same soulful island energy of the residency to stages around the world.

Chuwi lead singer Lauren has quickly become the “voice” of a new generation – and as soon as she takes the stage, you understand why. Her voice is hypnotic, her style is impeccable, and her island cut (consistently and intentionally by Boricua designers) creates a whole mood. Add long curls to her iconic mane and she's a true Boricua goddess. The world tour only began at the end of November, and Lauren has already presented a series of unforgettable images.

At the tour opener in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the singer showed off her signature curls and glowing makeup, which lasted throughout her stadium performance despite the hot weather and stifling humidity. Her dress was an emerald green sleeveless minidress with mesh and a ruffled hem, created by a Puerto Rican designer. Lisaimi Rivera Rivera. The singer says she continued to work with the same Puerto Rican stylist the group worked with throughout their PR residency – Katia Sanchez Ruiz.

“I feel like there's something special about growing up with her,” Lauren says. “Because we really define what styles everyone feels really comfortable in. It feels like we are improving.”

When it comes to beauty, Lauren sticks to what suits her best—not just stylistically, but practically. She embraces her natural curls and gravitates toward makeup that enhances her already stunning features: a caramel complexion, big dark eyes, and naturally full, plump lips.

Lauren turns to her hairdresser. Nicole Denisse like a hair wizard and the reason her curls stayed so defined and intact in Santo Domingo. “I learned a lot of my advice from her during my residency. She did my hair twice and I learned a lot during that time,” she says.

Working closely with Bad Bunny – from appearing on the Debí Tirar Más Fotos album to performing nightly during his residency and now on a world tour – has been a surreal experience for the band, one that Lauren admits she is still experiencing. It was an epic year for the band and collaborating with Benito was everything she dreamed of and more. She says her favorite part of working with him was simply observing his genius.

“We’ve already done a couple of rehearsals for DR’s show, and then he comes in and analyzes everything,” she shares. “And at the last rehearsal, in the part where I come in, he said, ‘Lauren, I think we should change the floor lighting because this part is different. The song changes to something else. And Lauren sings so beautifully, the floor lighting needs to be changed.” . . . He watches the performance, the singing, but he also watches all these details, and it is these details that create the storyline. It’s amazing how he’s so protective of what he shows.”

She shares that one of the things she was privileged to observe during her residency and is now performing with him on his world tour is how much Bad Bunny truly cares about Puerto Rico and the Latin diaspora. Everything he does is truly for them, she says. In many ways, it can be argued that this is part of his calling as a musical artist.

“[Bad Bunny] – said once in an interview, and he and I were talking about this too, about how he could just go and buy a house in Iceland right now and live the good life. He doesn't have to look at Puerto Rico and say, “Oh, this is systematically wrong.” Usually he doesn't need to do this. He has the key to salvation,” she says. “The fact that he chose not to and actively wants other musicians to grow with him and embrace who we are culturally speaks volumes. He was very vocal politically and we didn't necessarily get the winner we wanted in the election. Instead of choosing hate or anger, he took the approach: “No, I'm going to show you why you should be deeply in love with PR.”

Next, the singer reveals how she prepared for the tour, the products she uses to create luscious locks, and the glow-from-within makeup that complements her most vibrant looks.