It’s official: Cult beauty brand Nopalera is now a San Antonio business. The Shark Tank featured company founded by Sandra Velasquez traded the Big Apple for Alamo City on Monday, June 30.
Velasquez confirmed the move via a LinkedIn post, saying she looked forward to engaging with a San Antonio community that has supported her brand from the get-go.
“On a personal level, I am excited to live closer to the border again, being surrounded by my rich Mexican culture, an easy airport, and [an] in-unit washer and dryer,” she wrote.
Nopalera was founded at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic with an aim to disrupt European beauty standards. The prickly pear cactus, or nopal, became both a totem for the Latine market and a key ingredient in creams, body polishes, and shampoos.
“Precious oils are carefully extracted from the seeds of the nopal cactus’ fruit, then boldly blended with other natural butters to help you achieve a hydrated cleanse and lasting body moisture,” explains the company’s press materials. “True to tradition, we use the whole of the cactus, including the outer skin of nopales, for a more refined skin texture.”
A well-kept secret of specialty shops for years, Nopalera gained national prominence after a 2023 appearance on ABC’s entrepreneurship show Shark Tank. Although Velazquez received several investment offers on the show, she ultimately decided to leave empty-handed, later raising $2.7 million on her own.
“My hope is that millions of people see this episode and remember to never settle,” she wrote of her experience. “There’s always more. You deserve it. You are worth it.”
The company move will place Velasquez closer to her Mexican-American roots. Although born in San Diego, California, Velasquez has been a frequent visitor to San Antonio, staging several pop-ups in town since the company was founded and touring the city when she was a part of a folk band.
As of now, there are no plans to open a San Antonio flagship, but the brand can be found at several local retail outlets. Nopalera is available online and in-store through Nordstrom and at boutiques like Rancho Diaz at Pearl and the Hotel Havana store.
