10 Latine-Owned Body, Hair & Fragrance Products That Earned a Spot in My Shower Routine & Why
From a viral soap-and-sponge bar to Shakira's peptide hair mask, these Latine-owned body care, haircare, and fragrance picks complete my head-to-toe routine
Credit: Zameena Mejia, HipLatina | Courtesy
My beauty routine starts well before I reach my makeup vanity. Some of my favorite products live in my shower organizer, and they deserve just as much love as the ones in my makeup bag. With dry, sensitive skin and color-treated, type 3 curls, I’ve spent years figuring out what works for me—and finding products I can count on.
In part one of this two-part series, I shared the Latine-owned skin prep and makeup products that anchor my routine—from the cafecito eye elixir I apply before bed to the setting spray that keeps my makeup in place.
Consider this part two: from a soap-and-sponge bar to the styling combo that makes my curls pop—and the perfume I reach for as a finishing touch—these Latine-owned body-care, hair-care, and fragrance picks have earned a spot in my routine. Here are the rituals I rely on in and out of the shower.
Esponjabón Aloe Vera Soap Sponge
Esponjabón has been a household name in Mexico for decades, thanks to its founder, Emilio Smek, but it went viral on TikTok in 2020, when I first learned about it. This has become an underrated part of my shower skincare not only because it’s super affordable, but also because the unassuming soap-and-sponge bar calms my sensitive skin. At the same time, the sponge’s exfoliating texture helps remove dry, dead skin.
Esponjabón Aloe Vera Soap Sponge is available at CVS, Target, and other retailers ($4.99).
OCOA Beauty Curl Care Shampoo
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For those who can go several days between wash days, this shampoo strikes the right balance between nourishing and clarifying. With ingredients like apple, cupuaçu butter and apple cider vinegar, OCOA’s Curl Care shampoo moisturizes, removes product buildup and supports scalp health. Dominican sisters Cory and Nicol Varona founded Ocoa to fight the pervasive “elo malo” stereotype about curly hair and help people embrace their natural hair texture.
OCOA Beauty Curl Care Shampoo is available at Ulta and Ocoabeauty.com ($22).
Isima Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Hair Mask
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Who hasn’t dreamt of having Colombian singer Shakira’s long, hip-grazing curls? Factors like hair dye or your shower water quality can hinder stronger hair, but swapping your conditioner for a hair mask once a week is one way to grow healthy locks. Shakira’s new hair-care brand, Isima, introduced the Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Hair Mask, a game changer in my ongoing journey to support my high-porosity, color-treated, curly hair. Its peptide-rich formula quite literally bombs your hair with reparative ingredients that strengthen hair and reduce breakage. My curls spring back to life after I use this mask.
Isima Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Hair Mask is available at Ulta and isima.com ($38)
1st Gen Beauty Despierta Coffee Scrub
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I battle dry skin year-round, so I reach for 1st Gen Beauty’s Despierta Coffee Scrub to exfoliate on days when I have a few extra minutes in the shower. Colombian entrepreneur Diana Londoño Ramos spent over 10 years in the beauty industry before noticing a gap in brands that honor first-generation latines. She launched 1st Gen Beauty in 2025 to encourage beauty rituals that help them slow down, build a mind-body connection and buff away dead skin. Made with Colombian coffee grounds, shea butter, glycerin and vegan squalane, this scrub smells like my morning cafecito and leaves my skin feeling smooth and prepared for the rest of my skincare routine.
1st Gen Beauty Despierta Coffee Scrub for Body is available at 1stgenbeauty.com.
Santu Beauty's Lima Mexicana Body Lotion
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Santu Beauty’s Lima Mexicana Body Lotion touches your skin; a soft hint of Mexican lime, eucalyptus, and rosemary rises, refreshing yet not overpowering. This light lotion absorbs quickly and hydrates, with ingredients like Copal oil, shea butter, aloe vera, and vitamin E, without leaving a greasy or tacky feel. I enjoy using it right out of the shower, before I go out, and before bed. Alicia Nogales and Angelique Van Wyk founded Santu Beauty in Mexico and created an award-winning skincare lineup rooted in Mexican heritage. This lotion really captures the essence of a spa in a bottle.
Santu Beauty’s Lima Mexicana Body Lotion is available at Free People and SantuBeauty.com ($42)
Rizos Curls Curl Defining Mousse, 6-in-1 Styling Cream & Strong Hold Gel
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Styling my naturally curly hair takes my makeup looks to another level, but I’ve spent years finding the right mix of styling products that reliably makes my type 3 curls pop every time. This cocktail of Rizos Curls products has consistently left my curls hydrated, defined, and bouncy. Julissa Prado, a Mexican-American Los Angeles native, founded Rizos Curls and pioneered the Latina hair-care category at Target and Ulta Beauty between 2020 and 2021. Around that same time, I discovered her hair-care line and never looked back.
While my hair is still wet, I rake the Curl Defining Mousse through it to combat frizz and boost shine. It’s light, airy and doesn’t leave my hair crunchy like the mousse many of us used growing up. I follow up by raking in the 6-in-1 Styling Cream to add definition, heat protection and its mix of restorative, nourishing ingredients. I can either crunch my hair up and be on my way, or I add the Strong Hold Gel to help my curls hold their definition before I diffuse with a blow dryer or air-dry.
Rizos Curls Curl Defining Mousse ($23), 6-in-1 Styling Cream ($25) and Strong Hold Gel ($22) are available across Ulta, Target and Rizoscurls.com.
Ceremonia’s Guava Gloss Drops
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Ceremonia’s Guava Gloss Drops is the lightest hair oil I’ve ever used. It’s the perfect finishing touch after I dry my hair—whether curly or blow-dried—thanks to Latin American-sourced ingredients like Guava, Cacay and aloe vera, which lock in moisture, fight frizz and give my hair a glass-like, shiny finish. For Ceremonia’s Chilean-Swedish founder, Babba Rivera, sourcing ingredients across Latin America is a top priority. She launched the brand in 2020 to celebrate Latine culture and traditions while championing Latine values of sustainability, inclusivity, and self-care. Because I apply Guava Gloss Drops to my hands before working them into my hair, I’ve also discovered they make a great cuticle oil.
Ceremonia’s Guava Gloss Drops are available at Sephora and Ceremonia.com ($34)
Dedcool's Mochi Milk Perfume
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Fragrance is the final step in a beauty routine, and I love DedCool’s perfumes. Founded in 2016 by Chilean-Italian-American Carina Chaz, DedCool soared in popularity after it went viral on TikTok and across social media. Mochi Milk is one of my favorite scents when I’m in a playful, fun mood. It’s sweet, with top notes of marshmallow, middle notes of vanilla bean and jasmine and bottom notes of sandalwood, amber and white musk. Better yet, DedCool’s scents are genderless, so anyone in my home can reach for it.
Dedcool’s Mochi Milk Perfume is available at Sephora and dedcool.com ($90)
