Shop Latinx, a marketplace for Latinx brands, is diving deeper into the wonder and wellness space with its latest vertical, Our Paradiso. 

The vertical launches Thursday with 10 Latinx-founded brands: Chillhouse, Rizos Curls, Joanna Vargas Skincare, San Maris, Nopalera, Common Heir, For Tmrw, Raices Morenas and Tecuane. Initial product offerings will include Chillhouse’s Chill Suggestions, Rizos Curls Curl Defining Cream and Common Heir Barrier Boost Serum.

“In an industry where we’re put in a box or ‘othered,’ I would like Our Paradiso to be a platform for Latinx to feel seen and celebrated,” said chief executive officer Brittany Chavez, who founded Shop Latinx in 2016. It began as an Instagram account that acted more as a directory for brands, before launching at shoplatinx.com specializing in Latinx-founded lifestyle brands. In its latest evolution, the marketplace will just be Our Paradiso, with Chavez believing that’s the space with essentially the most opportunity.

While she is moving the marketpace into beauty with Our Paradiso, she desired to keep the overarching name Shop Latinx as that has long been an enormous a part of its marketing strategy, helping to leverage relationships with celebrities and influencers, including Zoe Saldana and Becky G.

“There’s already been an increase of Latinx talent and cultural recognition across music, television — and it must proceed across every category that we impact,” she continued. “Through the prioritization of beauty and wellness practices, I would like to bring our stories and traditions to the forefront.”

While just digital for now, Chavez is hoping that it may well scale quickly right into a brick-and-mortar space, which is able to act as a venue to host culture-driven events, partnerships and success. 

There may be actually much to play for out there, with Chavez pointing to a McKinsey & Co. report showing that if Latinx businesses’ access to capital were improved, and their representation in growing sectors increased, they might contribute a further $2.3 trillion in revenue to the economy.

From the brand side, Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton, the founding father of Chillhouse, said: “I’m so excited to be an element of this exclusive beauty and wellness retailer that functions as a platform to attach consumers to their roots, their heritage, their home.” 

In 2021, Shop Latinx raised $1 million in a pre-seed round of funding from investment partners Precursor Ventures, Backstage Capital, Debut Capital, Techstars, amongst several other consumer angel investors.

Charles Hudson, managing partner and founding father of Precursor Ventures, said: “We’re proud and excited to be supporting Our Paradiso and its growth trajectory. For too long, the Latinx consumer has been an afterthought and it’s time for this community to be celebrated and prioritized.”