How Celebrating Her Latinx Heritage Led Babba C. Rivera to Create Ceremonia

Welcome toSecond Life, a podcast spotlighting successful women who’ve made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, co-founder and chief content officer at Who What Wear, each episode gives you a direct line to women who are game changers in their fields. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts to stay tuned.

Babba C. Rivera is an anomaly. She is an innovator, a style icon, and now at the helm of the haircare industry. As the founder and CEO of Ceremonia, a clean-haircare brand rooted in her Latinx heritage, Rivera is redefining what haircare should look and feel like—ultimately proving the notion that some of the most successful companies are built when there is a personal connection behind the brand concept.

Ceremonia’s inception in 2020 marked the beginning of a transformative venture. It all started with a scalp oil inspired by cherished childhood rituals and her father’s early career as a hairdresser in Chile. Fast-forward to today, Ceremonia boasts an impressive range of 20 products, including a foray into the world of fragrances. One of the pivotal moments in Ceremonia’s journey was the brand becoming the first Latinx-founded haircare brand available at Sephora, a milestone that reflects its immense popularity and Rivera’s unwavering commitment to her mission. With products now stocked in over 500 Sephora locations, Ceremonia has become a force to be reckoned with in the beauty industry.

Impressively, in a recent Series A funding round, Rivera secured a $10 million investment, further solidifying Ceremonia’s position as a major player in the clean-haircare market. However, Rivera’s journey to success wasn’t a straight line. Before venturing into the world of haircare, she made significant waves in the marketing landscape. Her career included leadership roles at unicorn companies like Uber and Away, where she honed her skills as a marketing guru. Rivera also founded her own brand marketing agency, ByBabba, where she collaborated with notable clients such as Glossier and Bumble.

Listen to the latest episode of Second Life to hear how Rivera’s celebration of her Latinx heritage and passion for evolving beauty-industry standards led her to build a burgeoning brand. Keep scrolling to shop Ceremonia’s best sellers.