The Hair Rituals Babba Rivera Swears by Since Becoming a Mother of Four
May 10 | 6 minute read
Words by Danielle Gay
Babba Rivera’s earliest memories of her mother are of observing her beauty regimen with a sense of fascination: “She unapologetically always found a way to carve out time for self-care. Whether that was a two-hour bath or simply doing her nails at home, my mother always prioritised beauty… and that has truly shaped me,” she recalls.
That philosophy, coupled with her father’s training as a hairdresser and the family’s Chilean heritage, formed the foundation of Ceremonia – Rivera’s haircare brand, whose name translates to ‘ceremony’ in Spanish. Founded in 2020, Ceremonia is all about embracing your natural hair with considered rituals and nutrient-dense ingredients from South and Central America.
The idea for the haircare line reached its full expression after Rivera became a mother herself: “I dealt with severe postpartum hair loss, especially after having four children in under five years!” she says. “I became obsessed with scalp care – I turned to the ancient ritual of scalp oiling and used that as inspiration to create Ceremonia’s first-ever product, Aceite de Moska.”
With four young daughters, Rivera has found that a considered haircare routine only feels more essential – even non-negotiable – to carve out time for herself: “I seriously look forward to my scalp massage before every hair wash now,” she says. “[It] has transformed my hair from the root, but more importantly, it has become a cherished self-care ritual for me and all my mum friends, especially after postpartum hair loss and the dullness that follows.”
For the time-poor, Rivera points out that a hair regimen doesn’t have to be overly complex. If a scalp massage feels out of reach, try upgrading your wash to once-a-week treatment – replace your usual shampoo for Ceremonia’s Papaya Scalp Scrub “to exfoliate the scalp and remove any product build-up” and follow with the brand’s Guava Hair Mask instead of a regular conditioner “to tackle dryness and frizz”.
“Out of the shower, I always apply Guava Leave In Conditioner to lock in hydration and for my friends with finer strands, I recommend Guava Rescue Spray instead,” Rivera adds. Finally, allow your hair to air dry for softness and shine, without the need for any time-consuming heat styling.
Rivera views Ceremonia as a way to simplify one’s routine by embracing and learning to love our natural beauty. The payoff – besides glossy, healthy-looking hair – might just be less time in front of the mirror, and more time spent elsewhere.
“I spent so much of my childhood trying to fit the mould of what I thought ‘beauty’ had to look like, based on what I saw in the media and my upbringing in a homogenous town in Sweden. It is so important to me to model to my children that beauty is not about fitting a certain, limiting standard; rather, it is about honouring what makes you uniquely you,” Rivera explains.
She adds, “Instilling confidence in my children is something I aspire to do just like my mother did to me – seeing and celebrating them for who they are and showering them with unconditional love.”
