The Creamiest Moisturizer I’ve Ever Used Is Made From A Mexican Cactus
As most people can (unfortunately) relate, the bulk of my teen years were spent battling overactive, oily skin. While that resulted in tons of painful, cystic on my face, the happy side effect was au naturale glowy, shiny skin on the rest of my body. A decade later, I'm happy to say the acne has subsided, but—yup, you guessed it—so has the natural radiance I used to have neck-down.
Sure, I have tons of lotions, moisturizers, butters, oils, and even body makeup in my rotation that keep me looking and feeling my silky best, but nothing quite matches the buttery, rich texture and feel of Nopalera's Moisturizing Bar ($30, Nopalera).
Not only is this moisturizing bar one of the best body products I've ever used on my dry skin—trust me, I feel like I've tried them all—the Hispanic-owned brand is one I love to celebrate and support. Here's more on why I'll always be a fan:
The brand was founded to elevate and celebrate Latina culture.
Raised by Mexican immigrant parents, Sandra Velasquez founded Nopalera to proudly celebrate her culture. (The brand name pays homage to the nopal cactus, a plant that grew abundantly in her yard growing up and is now a key ingredient in all her products.) But, she doesn't stop there.
For Velasquez, her brand isn't just about delivering high quality, botanical-based beauty products (which it also does, very well). "My ultimate goal is to grow the business as big as possible so I can focus more on mentoring other Latina-owned brands," she says. "There’s simply not enough of us running companies given the size of the Latinx population."
It’s a low-waste brand.
It's probable that by now, you've incorporated some waste-decreasing practices like a reusable straw or menstrual cup in to your daily life. Nopalera tackles that from the bath and body front. "Traditional lotion is mostly water and comes in a plastic bottle," says Velasquez. "I wanted to eliminate all the unnecessary components needed to hydrate the skin. Our moisturizing botanical bar is a solid plant butter bar that comes in a reusable, recyclable tin." Not only does it reduce waste, it also takes up less room on my vanity—looking gorgeous while doing so.
Simply rub the velvety-soft bar in to your skin, and your body heat makes it melt right in. Admittedly, I've used body bars before, and they've left my feeling messy with lots of excess product on my hands. This didn't do that at all. It truly retains its solid format—even in humid summers without AC. In fact, I actually loved the way the bar felt like a massage on my skin.
It’s more nourishing than anything I’ve ever put on my body.
As someone who's experimented with a lot of moisturizing body products, I've tried my fair share of butters and oils that simply sit greasily on top of my skin. Since the formula on the bar is cocoa butter and jojoba oil-based, I was pleasantly surprised that it left the skin on my arms, chest, and legs feeling silky smooth rather than oily.
It's still a bit too heavy for what I prefer to use during the day time, but my favorite way to use it is on my slightly damp skin right out of the shower. Giving myself a little body massage with it before bed is like the ultimate act of self-love. Plus, the ultra light scent makes it perfect for night time. If you have super dry skin or a sensitive nose, you'll love wearing it during the day time, too.
Whether you're looking to incorporate more clean beauty products into your routine, are trying to live a less wasteful lifestyle, are trying to support more Hispanic-owned brands, or all of the above, Nopalera is a brand I've already recommended to tons of my friends—and they're all huge fans.
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