This Latina-owned beauty brand created an eco-friendly alternative to conventional lotions
Plastic waste continues to fill our water and land in alarming amounts. It’s estimated that by the year 2040, 1.3 billion tons of plastic waste will pollute our environment if no action is taken. While a lot of waste comes from single-use plastics like bottles and plastic bags, plastic packaging in the beauty industry also contributes to the waste problem. How much, you ask? Zero Waste Week reports that more than 120 billion units of packaging are produced each year by the cosmetics industry. You can find plastic packaging in just about every personal care product such as eye shadows, lipstick, body wash, and even lotion. To help address the ugly side of beauty waste, one Latinx brand has created an eco-friendly alternative to bottled body lotion.
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Behold: The Nopalera Moisturizing Botanical Bar. This innovative product not only provides a solution to plastic packaging in lotion, but it’s also more effective. Traditional lotions are made with water, which prevents the product from fully penetrating and moisturizing as it evaporates before the skin absorbs it. This vegan and handmade option does not rely on water or emulsifiers for hydration, instead uses skin-loving ingredients such as plant butters, oils, and Mexican botanicals to brings instant hydration. The moisturizer comes in a bar that dissolves with use, while the tin storage container can be reused or recycled. To use, simply glide the moisturizing bar across the skin, and allow the product to slowly melt with contact. For $30, you get an eco-friendly alternative that moisturizes your leg, arms, and hands. Some users have even raved about the bar getting rid of dryness on their feet.
The beauty and personal care space are rife with plastic bottles.
Sandra Lilia Velasquez, Nopalera Founder
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Founder Sandra Lilia Velasquez created Nopalera to bring Latinx representation to the personal care market while drawing inspiration from her Mexican roots. Like many of the products sold on the website, the Moisturizing Botanical Bar uses nopales, a plant Sandra grew up eating and later used as an ingredient in her artisan bath and body products. “I noticed a lack of high-end products in the bath & body space that spoke to Latinas. I married this with my love for my Mexican culture and sustainability. The nopal is an ancient symbol of Mexican culture but also the most regenerative and versatile crop in the world. It can be eaten, used for body care, and to make textiles (like vegan leather),” the Latina beauty boss shared. Conscious of the small changes we can do to minimize waste, Velasquez knew she wanted to create products with the planet in mind. “The beauty and personal care space are rife with plastic bottles. I wanted to create something that celebrated my culture, was practical, but also beautiful,” she expressed.
If you’re looking to swap out you lotion for something more eco-friendly, shop The Nopalera Moisturizing Botanical Bar online at Nopalera.