“No dejes que le de sed al árbol del que eres sol” - Frida

This month, love and friendship have taken the spotlight, and we sure hope you’ve had lots of reasons (and people) to celebrate! But we also hope you saved some room for self-love — whether you’re single or choose to make space for your own identity outside the boundaries of any relationship, we want to remind you it’s not too late to celebrate the one that matters most: YOURSELF.

One of our favorite things at the shop is when you order our popular goodie bags for yourselves: you tell us the theme and a little about yourself, and we curate your gift to perfection with a few surprises! What a great reminder that giving to yourself is equally, if not more important, than giving to others. If you’re not a fan of surprises, check out our self-care section, where you can choose your own. Browse mazapan, churro, and horchata-scented sugar scrubs by Loquita, a soothing Mexican moon bath to unwind with, and a variety of Cielito nail colors that’ll help you shine!

And because self-love can also manifest as love for your identity, we want to highlight one of our favorite bath and body brands doing it right: Nopalera. We’re really into their products, but even more fascinated with the story of the founder, Sandra Velasquez, an immigrant-raised San Diego native who is revolutionizing the use of Mexico’s iconic nopal. The prickly plant, usually seen along fences, yards (or on your plate!), hasn’t been necessarily synonymous with beauty or self-care. But Velazquez felt that the nopal was undermined as a botanical additive, and that its symbolism could be leveraged to elevate and celebrate Latin@ culture through her brand. Thanks to Velasquez and her team, you can now lather yourself with four of their stock-keeping products and moisturizing botanical bars:

Seeing the ultimate symbol of Mexican identity and resilience on a beauty bar is nothing short of revolutionary. Nopalera’s logo — a goddess woman with a cactus crown — pays homage to the plant as much as to the women who brought the brand to fruition, and all those for whom the products are intended for. “Nopal is the most Mexican plant ever, and it’s resilient as hell,” says Velasquez. “For me, that’s the inspiration.” Read more about her story in this interview with Beauty Independent.