In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, a note from our founder, Pamela Ortiz.
There are some things you create intentionally, and others that somehow carry pieces of you before you even realize it.
For me, Solo Para Ti has always been both.
As a Dominican-American woman, my culture has shaped so much of the way I see beauty, self-care, family, and entrepreneurship. I grew up understanding that taking care of yourself didn't always have to mean something elaborate. Sometimes it was the little things the products we kept around the house, the beauty rituals passed down between women, the natural ingredients we reached for, and the reminder to always present yourself with care.
When I began creating what would eventually become Solo Para Ti, I was still in college studying health science with plans of pursuing a career in medicine. At the same time, I was struggling with my own dry, acne-prone, sensitive skin that would sometimes become so irritated it would break out in hives.
I wanted something simple. Something nourishing. Something that felt good on my skin without making it feel overwhelmed. So I started making it myself.
Before there was a full collection, events, skincare workshops, beautiful displays, or a community surrounding the brand, there was Butter for Your Body.
It was our first product and, in so many ways, it remains the heart of Solo Para Ti.
Made with ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, and vitamin E, I created our body butter with sensitive, dry skin in mind. It was rich and nourishing but still rooted in simplicity the kind of product I personally wanted but couldn't seem to find.
What began as something I needed for myself slowly became something I could share with other women.
Then, in 2020, during one of the most uncertain periods of our lives, I officially launched Solo Para Ti.
Looking back now, I think there is something beautiful about the fact that a brand centered around caring for yourself was born during a time when so many of us were learning just how important care really was. Now why Solo Para Ti you may ask? Solo Para Ti means “just for you.” The name is Spanish, intentionally.
I wanted this brand to carry a piece of where I come from while still feeling welcoming to every woman who discovered it. There is something intimate about the phrase Solo Para Ti. It feels like giving someone a little gift and saying, this is yours. I thought of you. And that feeling became the foundation of the brand. Because while skincare is what we create, Solo Para Ti has never just been about having perfect skin.
It's about those few extra minutes you spend moisturizing after your shower. Massaging an oil into your face before bed. Taking care of your body after a long week. Creating a ritual out of something that could otherwise feel ordinary. It's the reminder that caring for yourself doesn't have to be earned. Sometimes, it can simply be just for you.
Being a Latina founder has also made me deeply aware of representation within beauty and wellness. As Solo Para Ti has grown, I've had the privilege of bringing the brand into wellness spaces, teaching younger girls about skincare, partnering with other businesses, and meeting women from so many different backgrounds who have incorporated our products into their own rituals.
Those moments mean so much to me because they remind me that entrepreneurship can become bigger than the product you're selling. You can build something that carries your story forward. And mine will always carry a little bit of home with it.
Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration, but for me, it's also a moment to reflect.
On the sacrifices that came before us. On the families who encouraged us. On the traditions we keep. And on the responsibility and privilege we have to create something of our own. I'm incredibly proud that the name on every jar and every bottle we make is in Spanish. I'm proud that a product I originally created because of my own sensitive skin became the beginning of a business.
And I'm proud that six years later, we're still here growing, evolving, learning, and finding new ways to take care of our community.There is still so much I want to build with Solo Para Ti. But no matter how much we grow, I never want to lose the feeling that started it all:
Something handcrafted with intention. Something made with care. Something Solo Para Ti.
Con amor,
Pamela
Founder, Solo Para Ti