Saludos! Happy Friday and welcome to Comprende, edition 072.

Few founders move with the clarity and conviction of Sandra Velasquez, the force behind Nopalera, whose story we first covered back in February of 2024.

Since then, Sandra’s brand has continued to grow with the kind of power and reach that makes you stop and think: this is what it looks like when we build on our own terms while staying rooted in honoring our heritage.

Read on for the latest wins and exciting milestones marking Nopalera’s biggest year yet!

So, depending on where you are in the world, grab your cafecito or cervecita and dive in. If you enjoy today’s edition, please forward it to your gente or share it online. Let’s keep growing this comunidad together. ☕️🍺

Sitting down with Sandra Velasquez (even if just virtually) is always a good time–her energy is infectious, her vision is crystal clear, and lately, she's had nothing but wins to share. The Chicana entrepreneur and CEO behind Nopalera, the luxurious bath and body brand inspired by the nopal cactus that grew in her San Diego childhood backyard, has been on a tear, and she's not slowing down.

Yesterday, Nopalera launched on ULTA.COM, adding the beauty retail giant to an already impressive roster that includes Nopalera’s own e-commerce site, boutiques, and large retailers nationwide like Nordstrom and Costco, amongst others. For Velasquez, this is another milestone in a year of major expansion, and proof that her vision for elevating Mexican heritage in the beauty industry is resonating everywhere.

The ULTA.COM launch comes through the retailer's new marketplace model, where Nopalera maintains control over fulfillment while tapping into Ulta's massive reach. It's a strategic win that lets the brand scale without sacrificing the margins or authenticity that have been Velasquez's hallmark since she started the company during the pandemic, juggling three jobs and raising her daughter.

You can now find Nopalera's signature products like their ultra-luxurious Cactus Body Creams, powered by native Mexican prickly pear oil that's rich in Vitamins E and K and delivers deep, lasting hydration, and their bold fragrance collection with scents like Dulce de Cuerpo, inspired by the ancient ceremonial resin copal, and Flor de Madera, a fresh tribute to Mexico City's botanical heritage, amongst other offerings on ULTA.COM.

Earlier this year, Nopalera also launched in physical Ulta Beauty stores in Mexico as part of Ulta's expansion into the Mexican market. The flagship opened in Polanco's Antara mall, one of Mexico City's most coveted retail locations, with nine more stores rolling out across Guadalajara, Monterrey, León, and Tijuana throughout the year.

The reception has been immediate. The Ulta Mexico team, led by Mexican executives who immediately understood the cultural significance of a nopal-based beauty line, embraced Nopalera without the lengthy explanations often required in other markets.

As Velasquez put it during our conversation, they simply "get it"–no questions about whether customers would understand what the cactus does. This is what happens when representation extends beyond the products themselves and into the boardrooms making decisions about what goes on shelves.

To celebrate the Mexico launch, Nopalera went full telenovela. The brand created "La Última Gota," a Spanish-language ad styled like a classic telenovela. It's the kind of culturally grounded, unapologetically playful content that makes Nopalera stand out in a beauty industry still figuring out how to authentically reach Latino & Latina consumers.

When you're a former lead singer of a Latin Alternative band building a beauty empire, you understand that storytelling and cultura go hand in hand. And honestly? It's exactly the kind of marketing our community deserves: bold, beautiful, and done right.

The momentum for Nopalera continued this fall with a limited-edition candle collaboration with Chocolate Ibarra, Mexico's number one drinking chocolate brand, celebrating its centennial. Ibarra is proudly 100% Mexican-owned–a rarity in a market dominated by multinational conglomerates.

The Chocolate Ibarra Candle captures Ibarra's signature four-ingredient recipe, unchanged for a century, and gives off notes of spiced cinnamon, dark cacao, Mexican vanilla bean, and brown sugar. The clay vessel transforms into a chocolate drinking mug after the candle burns down, because of course Velasquez thought about what happens next. Nothing goes to waste in her vision.

In another major milestone, Nopalera recently also partnered with TMJ, the leading agency in women’s football representing top athletes from the NWSL, Liga MX Femenil, and leagues worldwide.

The TMJ collaboration marks another phase of Nopalera’s global expansion, aligning Nopalera with the rising popularity of women’s sports and merging beauty, sport, and identity in a way few brands have done before. And Sandra continues expanding Nopalera's reach, with Ulta's Middle East locations in Kuwait and Dubai launching later this year.

Amongst all the wins, one thing is clear: the Nopal through her brand, a symbol and representation of resilience, beauty, and Mexican heritage, keeps blooming wherever Sandra plants it.

The 3rd Cultura Shop marketplace is back!

Curated by Cultura Takeover, shop Latine-owned brands, vibe to a live DJ, grab a bite, earn prizes, and connect with your people. Every purchase fuels our cultura and builds our power.

​Each ticket includes a complimentary drink.

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