In conversation with Ceremonia’s founder: Babba Rivera

"Simultaneously, I was also on a bit of a hair journey after years of damage. After successfully replacing my entire skincare routine with a clean, toxic-free ritual, I was able to unlock my most naturally glowing and healthy skin, and this inspired me to want to do the same for my hair. I quickly realised that the haircare industry has been built from a styling-first approach, versus care and health at the core. That gap, combined with a deep desire to reconnect with my Latin heritage and celebrate the richness of my culture, led me to launch Ceremonia in October 2020. I’m proud to see what the brand has been able to become today; award winning products with clinically backed results to actually treat hair concerns at the root, using a ritualistic approach with powerful superfruits from Latin America.”

“I grew up as the daughter of a Chilean hairdresser who, from an early age, taught me the importance of practising beauty as a form of self-care and utilising natural ingredients from Latin America as medicine for skin and hair. My parents immigrated from Chile to Sweden during the Pinochet dictatorship, and I grew up watching my mother practice self-care rituals in our tiny bathroom. Those rituals felt sacred. They were about nourishment, not vanity. That philosophy is at the heart of everything I do with Ceremonia today.”

“My beauty essentials are all focused on nourishment. I'd rather spend my time and money on clean products that help rebuild my skin and hair for a low-maintenance daily routine. ‘Skincare over makeup, and haircare over styling’ is my motto, and my favourite products are the ones that double as both! On an ideal day off, self-care means a full spa day: a 90-minute massage followed by sauna time and a good book. More realistically these days, as a mum of four, it means a hot shower when all the kids are asleep, using the Aceite de Moska Heritage Scalp Remedy Oil and giving myself a little scalp massage. I live by ‘things are better done than perfect’ and consistency. Progress over perfection, but staying consistent is how I approach life.”

“The Aceite de Moska, it’s the foundation for healthy hair, but our Guava Leave-In Conditioner (or Guava Rescue Spray for those with finer hair) is a close second: lightweight, nourishing and packed with hydration.”

“Sweden gave me a minimalist, functional approach to beauty. Less is more, quality over quantity. Berlin taught me to be my most natural self, no make up and air dried hair, with an emphasis on sustainability. New York is where I reconnected with my Latin roots and found my purpose. I fell in love with the city and never looked back. It's where the scale of the Latin community helped me see, for the first time, how many people had grown up between cultures, just like me. That's what gave Ceremonia its direction.”

“Profoundly. As a mum of four young children, self-care looks very different now. Sometimes it really is just a hot shower after the kids are asleep. But that's taught me something important: self-care doesn't have to be elaborate to be meaningful. Even five minutes with a good scalp oil is an act of love toward yourself. Motherhood has made me more intentional about those small rituals, and more efficient with time than ever before because I now know its true value. Additionally, seeing my girls watch me every morning has made me so aware of my own rituals and what they signal to my kids. I want them to grow up with beauty as a sense of self-care and joy, versus a chore you have to do to conform to someone else's idea of beauty.”