What keeps your busy life in full swing? For content creator and founder of hair care brand Ceremonia, Babba Rivera, these are the five things that have brought calm to her hectic days...
Welcome to our new bi-monthly series "Take five" featuring inspiring Scandinavian tastemakers on the five life-enhancing items, habits or encounters that help guarantee a balanced, joy-filled life.
Eclectic Scandinavian minimalism might sound like a contradiction, but in the case of Babba Rivera, it’s the key to getting dressed. Merging fun silhouettes with bold prints, and a dash of colour here, throw in some straightforward clean lines, this Swede is not messing around with her easy, breezy style.
With this very same confidence, Rivera has also been making a name for herself as a marketing savant and diversity advocate for nearly 10 years, beginning when she was Community Manager of Uber. Rivera was the driving force behind the app's success in Sweden and nabbed the much-coveted Forbes '30 Under 30' title at the tender age of 25.
She then went on to found her very own clean hair care brand Ceremonia, and co-founded Her, a community that focuses on empowering women around the globe, all the while establishing herself as an internationally successful influencer. Simultaneously, Rivera moved to New York, married her husband Carl, and became a mother to her daughters Alma and Selma. Hard work and long nights aside: family, wellness, and a daily beauty routine are the real priorities for her, even as an entrepreneur.
So how does she do it all? Here’s five inspiring life essentials that have aided Rivera in simultaneously dreaming big and staying grounded:
Splitting my time between Upstate and New York City
“As someone who has a hard time saying no, I often end up overextending myself with commitments from my busy NYC life. Being able to step out of that way of living and replacing half of the weeks with nature and slower days has been incredible for my mental health, as well as work productivity, not to mention the opportunity to spend quality time with my family.”
My clean beauty routine
“I’ve been able to transform my skin and hair since replacing my old conventional beauty products with clean ones. Allowing my hair to find its way back to its natural pattern and style has been one of the most liberating experiences. It’s saved me so much time, not to mention the freedom of simply stepping out of the showing and letting it air dry, versus spending hours with heat tools and chemical styling products.
"The product that has single-handedly played the greatest role in regrowing my hair after decades of damaging hair rituals is our award-winning Aceite de Moska, a scalp remedy oil that helps to soothe and balance your scalp while removing any buildup, unclogging pores, and promoting regrowth. I use the scalp oil as a pre-shampoo treatment once or twice a week. And favourite hack is to sleep with the oil on my scalp and then wash it off in the morning.”
Swapping coffee for matcha
“The ritual of making matcha at home gives me a sense of peace and self-care in of itself, and the sustained non-jittery energy that follows is a welcomed booster as a working mum."
Staying hydrated
“The best habit coming out of pregnancy, and then later on breastfeeding, has been my dedication to never leaving the house without my water bottle. Staying hydrated has helped boost my energy levels tremendously. Now, I never leave home without a bottle.”
Being a mum
“Little did I know what an incredible impact becoming a mum would have on me. My many motherhood fears of the past feel quite silly in retrospect, as today I'm more productive than ever and feel an immense sense of purpose. In addition to having a lot of joy and laughter, being a mum has also made me more confident in who I am. I have greater boundaries and I’m being unapologetically true to myself in everything I do.”